Gore Curve Jersey Women’s

The Gore Curve women's jersey is very comfortable, with two helpfully wide rear pockets for carrying a rain or wind jacket, making it great for all-day summer rides in changeable conditions.

The fabric of the Gore Curve, a mixture of 92% polyester and 8% elastane, is slightly stretchy, plenty soft enough and very pleasant to ride in for long, steady-paced outings.

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Gore describes it as 'form fit', which it says is its closest cut, 'designed to be worn tight to the body, to enhance moisture management, thermal efficiency or aerodynamics'. While it does follow your figure well, it's not a skintight fit; in fact I'd say the cut is very relaxed compared to the fit of race-orientated brands such as Assos and Santini.

The sleeves of the Curve are made of the same blend and extend halfway between my shoulder and elbow. They're long enough for easy pairing with arm warmers, but not so long that they become uncomfortable on a warm summer's day.

There are no silicone grippers tucked on the inside of these sleeve hems, but they are well shaped and stay in place sufficiently well. While the hem stitching isn't as comfy as raw cut finishes, it's barely noticeable on rides.

The dropped tail covers your back when leaning forwards in a tucked down position, and there are tiny silicone dots on the 3mm-wide elastic rear hem for keeping the jersey in place. They're not the grippiest, but fine for steady paced rides.

The pocket design of the Curve works best for longer endurance rides when you need to pack layers for changing conditions, rather than short and lively interval rides, in my experience.

There are just two pockets, instead of the traditional three pocket layout. Sometimes in the smaller sized women's jerseys, having three pockets is inconvenient as each is too narrow to fit your riding essentials, whereas in these there's plenty of space for stashing a fairly bulky layer such as a rain jacket or windproof.

However, I found that – together with the relaxed fit of the jersey and dainty rear hem gripper – during hard out-the-saddle efforts my phone (tucked inside Velopac's slim phone case) didn't feel as secure as I would have liked in these wide pockets.

If it's not raining and your phone doesn't need to be protected inside a waterproof case, there is a reasonably sized zipped pocket for stowing valuables. It just about fits large smartphones, such as my Xiaomi Pocophone F1, and this is a securer home during intervals (unless it's raining).

Performance-wise, while a full length 'semi-lock' zipper helps with airflow, there are no perforations or mesh sections to be found on this jersey. It's comfortable on rides up to low-end threshold, but after then I'd have liked a little more breathability.

The subtle geometric graphics make this jersey a little different from others, without making it impossible to pair with the rest of your cycling wardrobe.

Choose between brighter Scuba Blue and Hibiscus Pink shades, or stealthier White and Graystone options. But just a heads up, the Graystone I have on test has a slight navy blue edge that's not that obvious from the product images.

With an RRP of £89.99, the Curve is reasonably priced compared with similar designs from Rapha and Pactimo, although there are cheaper options out there.

It doesn't quite share the same attention to detail as the similarly relaxed fitting Rapha Classic Jersey II, which Tass found soft and comfortable. It's also an eco-friendlier option as it incorporates 64% recycled polyester, and features-wise it comes with a cord lock at the rear hem for a secure fit, a soft fleecy strip on the collar for added comfort, along with well-designed pockets featuring a cable port and stretchy loop for a mini pump. But it'll set you back another £20 or so.

Pactimo's Summit Aero SS Jersey also costs a little more than the Curve, at the £100 mark, and it's also made from recycled polyester. We haven't tested the women's, but the men's proved to be a very comfortable jersey.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling jerseys

La Passione's Duo Jersey has a closer fit that's as comfy as the Curve. It's also more breathable and costs £10 less, but is missing a zipped valuables pocket.

Overall, the Gore Curve is a very well made and comfy relaxed jersey. The wider pockets are handy for endurance rides, but be aware that when combined with the fit and dainty rear hem gripper, they mean the jersey doesn't cross over well to lively interval rides if you're using the pockets to store valuables.

Verdict

Very comfortable and relaxed top with wide pockets that are handy for long summer rides