Shimano Climbers Jersey

The Shimano Climbers Jersey is breathable but not particularly lightweight, despite the name, and with its 'sports posture' cut it supplies a looser fit for riders who sit more upright – which also happens to make it great for indoor training.

First of all, 'climbers jersey' led me to expect a super-light mesh summer jersey – but that was before I checked the spec. At 161g (size M), it's not particularly light for something billed as a climber's jersey, and with its 'sports posture' fit, it seems more suited to someone tackling Ditchling Beacon in the London to Brighton than Mont Ventoux in the Tour de France. However, the fabric, which is covered in micro perforations, genuinely performs well in the heat both outdoors and indoors.

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The Climbers Jersey is made from 100% polyester, without any of the elastane used by closer-fitting jerseys. That means it's not stretchy – it almost has an old-school 00s feel as well as fit.

The sleeves are raglan rather than set-in, using a single piece of fabric extending all the way to the collar rather than a tube stitched to an armhole, and this gives the jersey a smoother line when your arms are reaching forward to the bar. However, I did find that because of the looser fit, the sleeves – which have a T-shirt-like fit without silicone gripper – rode up quite easily when in the cycling position and negated this. In the jersey's defence, my cycling position is slightly more aggressive than the upright one it's designed for.

At the start of the test period (March) it was way too cold to go out in this jersey. As I write this (mid April) we now have both a heatwave and a lockdown. So although I've been using it for my daily exercise allowance, I can't claim to have put this jersey through its paces in the high Alps or even on my local Surrey Alp, Box Hill, which has been closed to traffic and cyclists.

However, since turbo-specific clothing like the Madison Turbo jersey is currently booming, I did head over to the virtual Box Hill on Zwift's London Loop and tackled it with a peloton of virtual cyclists, and I found the Shimano jersey unexpectedly excellent.

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If you're covering up while indoor training – whether to spare your family the sight of your pale, dripping torso or because you do indoor group sessions – many prefer a looser 'top', some even go for a T-shirt, like Sufferfest's. I found the lack of clinginess of the Shimano jersey really comfortable even when the sweat started popping, and it allowed air to circulate better than a baselayer does.

It absorbed the sweat well, rather than letting it drip onto the floor, and the fabric kept its shape perfectly, not wetting out and not sticking to skin.

I sat around after the session to find out how quickly it would dry and was equally impressed. It never felt waterlogged, and seemed to wick the sweat pretty well without me getting chilly.

Features include three rear pockets in the conventional configuration, and inside the middle one is an additional sweatproof pocket which is just about big enough for a smartphone. If you don't actually put things in it, it still provides a useful barrier between sweaty jersey fabric and valuables.

Despite the loose fit, the jersey length is exactly right on me: it doesn't hang too low, the pockets sit nice and high, and there's no excessive bunching at the front when on the drops.

The full-length zip works really smoothly, though there's no zip garage at the top.

I really like the black-and-white print, but it also comes in green/navy and navy/black versions, both with the same striped chest and shoulders.

Conclusion

These are strange times and I'm aware a reviewer wouldn't normally test a jersey's indoor performance as well as outdoor. But if you're doing more indoor training than before and can't bring yourself to invest in turbo-specific clothing, the Shimano Climbers Jersey can do indoor and outdoor equally well, as long as you don't mind the more casual fit outdoors. And if you emerge from the lockdown with a slightly fuller figure, who knows, you might actually be glad of it.

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For a fairly standard polyester jersey, albeit well made and good looking, £75 is on the expensive side, However, if you view it as a dual-purpose, indoor as well as outdoor jersey, the Climbers Jersey offers better value. The Madison Turbo is cheaper at £54.99, while Lusso's R1 Breathe, another summer performance jersey but with a much snugger, more 'pro' fit, is also cheaper.

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However, at the other end of the scale Gore's hot-weather C7 Race jersey costs £159.99, and jerseys from premium brands such as Le Col, Rapha and Assos will also take you into triple figures.

To sum up, the Shimano Climbers Jersey isn't the lightweight, pro-level garment it sounds like it's going to be. Rather, it's a mid-to-high-priced jersey that's cut specifically for a more upright position, with a loose fit and sleeves that tend to ruck up if you crouch too low. However, it's breathable, wicks well and looks stylish. It also works surprisingly well indoors, which may broaden its appeal during the lockdown.

Verdict

Stylish summer jersey that also works well indoors, but has a loose fit and is specifically cut for an upright posture