dhb Aeron Short Sleeve Jersey 2.0

The dhb Aeron Short Sleeve Jersey 2.0 updates dhb's most popular jersey with sleeker looks, laser-cut sleeves and a recycled main fabric. Unfortunately the fit is a bit weird and, while the fabric might be eco-friendly it won't help curb your personal warming.

Let's start with the fit, as that's the most important thing for me. I don't want to spend hours on the bike in a jersey that's tight or baggy in all the wrong places, rubs or (frankly) has the merest niggle. Yes, I'm fussy. I'm usually a medium in cycle clothing from top to bottom and, while the fit on the medium Aeron is okay it's also... odd.

For me the body was fine and the right length. I'd describe it as a comfortable fit in that it's snug all the way round but not a skinny race shrinkfit. It was a little wrinkly on me with a bit of zip-wave towards the bottom. I'm a slender, lanky medium though and can sometimes size down to a small jersey; dhb actually recommends sizing down with this if you want a compression fit, so I could get a snugger feel in the torso.

However, the sleeves feel like they've come from another top entirely. They're baggy. They're a single piece of lycra sewn into a tube with laser cut ends and no gripper, and they were loose on me. Granted, I do have the traditional cyclist's pipe cleaner arms, but I can't recall ever having this issue with any other cycle jersey over my many years.

To be fair it really wasn't a problem on the bike, and just looked and felt a bit weird. Nice and breezy though...

You get your standard-issue three pockets out the back, and they're deep, double stitched for strength and topped with a sturdy elastic hem. There's a fourth zipped pocket on the right hand side which will fit a medium-sized phone, but as you might expect it doesn't have any resistance against sweat or rain.

The full length zip is perfectly colour-matched to the jersey and, because the neck is so low cut, there's no need for zip garage at the top.

There's a thick hem along the bottom of the jersey with a silicone gripper, and round the back of the collar there's a single loop for a headphone wire. Does anyone ever bother to use these? It's there if you do.

This jersey comes in a choice of nine colours to match your bike/bar tape/socks, and has just a small logo on the chest and large-but-quite-subtle one on the centre rear pocket, so if you're a fan of not looking like a billboard this could be for you. The collar inner is detailed in the same contrasting colour.

The main body is a recycled fabric that dhb says is innovative, light and durable. From new the fabric feels a little plasticky, an impression that's not helped by its slight sheen, although this does soften a bit after a few washes.

However, even then it's not a particularly pleasant fabric to wear, and there's something about it that makes it incredibly warm. It's not a light fabric despite dhb's claim; there's some heft to it, and when the sun's on your back it gets hot. It's very noticeable, and not something I've ever really felt before in a cycle jersey.

There are wide mesh panels running from your armpits down and under the rear pockets, but despite them this can feel a toasty top. And whilst it wicks sweat away from your skin reasonably, there's the sensation it doesn't evaporate from the surface very quickly and that – combined with its synthetic sheen – has it edging into feeling clammy at times.

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The anti-bacterial treatment at least seems to work, so it didn't particularly end up smelling as a result.

Value

The list price of £60 makes this a theoretically good value jersey, and at time of writing it's wearing a hefty 40% discount, which makes it an absolute bargain – assuming you can live with its foibles.

Alternatively, the Altura Icon Men's Short Sleeve Jersey is a very attractive top at a similar price (£59.99) if you like a more relaxed fit, while the Craft Cadence Recycled Performance Classic Jersey is also £59.99. That has a rather synthetic feel too, though.

Also recycled and similarly priced (£70) is the Vel Short Sleeve Jersey which comes up small but has a more racy cut and nicer feeling fabric.

Overall

This isn't necessarily a bad jersey – you can easily wear it all day – if the conditions are right – but it's not necessarily a good jersey either, and has several potential niggles.

The discrepancy in fit between the body and the arms is noticeable, the thick fabric noticeably holds the heat and, while it does wick sweat away, it takes its time about it. The delay is tangible.

I always think a good test of cycling clothing is not knowing it's there, the Aeron Short Sleeve Jersey 2.0 frequently whispers annoyingly in your ear. It's hard to get angry at a basic cycle jersey with good intentions, though. I'm just disappointed.

Verdict

Some solid details, but weird fit and hot, clammy fabric really let it down