Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to REVIEWS
review
Base layers
Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer
Megmeister Drynamo Base Layer Short Sleeve

Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer

8
by Mat Brett
Wed, May 06, 2020 15:45
0
£54.95

VERDICT:

8
10
Strong-performing technical baselayer that offers loads of comfort
Lightweight
Good moisture management
Comfortable
A little expensive
Weight: 
94g
Contact: 
shop.megmeister.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer is ultra-comfortable, shifts moisture away from your body well, and doesn't get heavy with sweat, although it's expensive.

The lightweight Drynamo fabric is 44% polypropylene Dryarn, 44% nylon and 12% elastane. Large areas on the front and rear of this baselayer, and under the arms, are mesh so there's masses of opportunity for moist air to get out and fresh air to get in.

> Buy this online here

There's loads of elasticity in the fabric – you can easily stretch this base layer to twice its original width – meaning that everyone will get a body-hugging fit without any tightness. It's soft-feeling and very comfortable with the only seams being along the tops of the shoulders.

Megmeister Drynamo Base Layer Short Sleeve - shoulders.jpg

The neck and sleeves are raw – there are no hems – and the same is true at the bottom of the baselayer, so there's no pressure there whatsoever. The back is cut 8cm longer than the front so there's no danger of it riding up and causing discomfort.

Megmeister Drynamo Base Layer Short Sleeve - chest.jpg

The fact that the Drynamo is in constant contact with your skin allows it to get on with shifting moisture outwards, which it does well without ever becoming heavy with sweat. Although nylon isn't great in terms of breathability, it wicks sweat well and absorbs little water, while polypropylene shifts moisture super-fast and dries much more quickly than polyester, which is widely used for baselayers. Any dampness that is retained by the Drynamo soon evaporates away with a small amount of airflow.

A few minutes after you've sweated it out on the toughest climb of the day, this baselayer might not be bone dry but it's not far off, especially those mesh sections. Some baselayers hold on to moisture a bit longer than is comfortable, meaning you feel cold on the next descent; that's not the case here, or with any other baselayer with a high polypropylene content that I've ever used. I do have a couple of ultra-light baselayers that dry out marginally quicker, but the the Drynamo does deliver on its promise of keeping you comfortable while riding at a high intensity in warm weather.

Megmeister Drynamo Base Layer Short Sleeve - back.jpg

The Drynamo's price is up towards the higher end of what you'd expect to pay for a short sleeve baselayer. The Lusso Dryline Base Layer that we reviewed, made with a polypropylene fabric, is now £34.99. That said, the Assos Skinfoil Short Sleeve Summer Base Layer (85% polypropylene, 15% polyester) is £65. 

> Buyer’s Guide: 19 of the best cycling baselayers

Overall, the Megmeister Drynamo is a top performer. It shifts moisture away from your skin quickly without becoming soaked itself, and the almost seamless design, raw hems and vast amount of stretch mean you're certainly going to stay comfortable in this one.

Verdict

Strong-performing technical baselayer that offers loads of comfort

road.cc test report

Make and model: Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer

Size tested: M/L

Tell us what the product is for

It's a thermoregulating, moisture-managing baselayer.

Megmeister says, "The preferred base layer by top professional riders, this base layer is designed to meet the needs of high intensity warm climate riding. The exclusive Drynamo technology warp knit base layer is your first choice base layer, delivering optimum performance, function and fit."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Megmeister lists these features:

* Totally seamless design

* Excellent moisture management, keeping the skin dry during high activity

* Incredibly lightweight

* Raw hems for flush fit beneath jersey

* Strategically placed zoned fabrication ensures maximum ventilation in key areas

* Highly breathable

* Non-allergenic and antibacterial

* Back hem 8cm longer than front hem to prevent exposed skin when crouched over the handlebars

* Holds its shape even after repeated washing

* Composition: - 44% polypropylene Dryarn, 44% Nylon 6.6, 12% Elastane

* Care instructions: - Wash at 30° C - Do Not Tumble Dry

"Megmeister's innovative Drynamo fabric is the secret to ensuring our base layers lead the field in terms of quality, comfort and performance.

"It is unlike anything you have ever touched before – much warmer and stronger than traditional natural or synthetic fibres. It is always dry on the skin and completely anallergic.

"Our Drynamo base layers are designed for sportspeople of all ages and abilities who demand the best in performance technology. They are lightweight, odour free and feature 100% seamless construction."

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

It puts in an exceptionally good technical performance to shift moisture away from your body.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Drynamo is as wear-resistant as nylon and much more than other synthetic fibres. It won't pill over time either.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

The stretch in the fabric means you'll get a close fit that doesn't feel tight. If in doubt, go for the smaller size.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

There are only two sizes to choose from, S/M and L/XL. There's so much stretch in the fabric that the sizing is almost academic.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

The light weight isn't going to make you any quicker but the airiness does add to the comfort.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

Raw hems and almost seamless design make for plenty of comfort. The same goes for the technical performance, the fabric drawing moisture away from your skin and drying quickly.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

The Drynamo yarn is good and there's a lot going on here in terms of ventilation zones, but it's towards the higher end of the scale for short sleeve baselayers.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Easy: 40° in the washing machine. Despite appearances, it's quite a hardwearing fabric.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It puts in a very good technical performance and it's really comfortable.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Moisture management and overall comfort.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The price is a touch high.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's towards the higher end of what you'd expect to pay for a short sleeve baselayer. The Lusso Dryline Base Layer that we reviewed, made with a polypropylene fabric, is now £34.99. That said, the Assos Skinfoil Short Sleeve Summer Base Layer (85% polypropylene, 15% polyester) is more expensive at £65.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? If it was £10 cheaper.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

A high performer, but the price brings the overall score down a point.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 190cm  Weight: 80kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer 2020
Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short Sleeve Base Layer
Megmeister 2020
Megmeister
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

Latest Comments