Velocio Men’s Signature Jersey

The Velocio Men's Signature Jersey is an excellent, high-quality jersey made from recycled Italian fabric. It's highly breathable and very comfortable – in fact, the fit focuses on comfort rather than a pure and aggressive race fit. It has that premium feel, and the only real downside is the correspondingly high-end price tag.

The Italian-made fabric here (it's 82% polyester and 18% elastane, for the record) uses recycled materials and feels very luxurious; it's perhaps the nicest jersey I have worn. For those unfamiliar with Velocio, it's actually an American company – not Italian, as you may have imagined – which was acquired by SRAM last year.

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I have worn this top a lot during testing, frequently on rides of over four hours (and sometimes over five), and in temperatures ranging from 8°C to around 23°C. It's been nothing but comfortable throughout. It's very breathable and never felt too damp whilst smashing up the climbs around the road.cc HQ in Bath, and any meaningful moisture quickly dried once I picked up some speed.

There are zip garages top and bottom to ensure the YKK cam lock zipper doesn't cause any irritation to either you or your shorts.

At only 120g it's fairly light and definitely more suited to summer riding, but it does at least protect your modesty as it is not see through. The quality is excellent; the stitching is perfect and it still looks brand new after a lot of use and washing during the test period.

Fit

The Signature gives a fit that's nicely balanced between compression and comfort. Whilst in the riding position the sleeves are a medium length, which I prefer – the new trend for extra long sleeves leaves me with two-tone arms when I'm in a t-shirt.

It's a good length too, and there's no risk of stomach exposure whilst off the bike (I am 178cm). The hem is kept in place with a traditional gripper, and it which works well. I never found myself adjusting it.

Size

The Signature comes in a whopping eight sizes, from XS to 4XL. I tested the medium (my usual size) and found it fairly generous compared to some other brands, but true to the size chart. I'm towards the lower end of my size, too.

At the back there are the usual three pockets, and I'd say they're medium for size – they kept things in place well, but on a few big rides with spare clothing, food and other essentials, it was a bit of a squeeze to get everything in. They weren't small enough to be an issue, but you can find bigger; if I was doing a big day out then I'd probably prefer the larger pockets of the Lusso Paragon, for instance.

There's a zipped valuables pocket too, and that's a good size. It can fit my Samsung S20 FE, for instance, which is a pretty common 16cm x 7.5cm.

I tested the navy version, which looks good, but it's only one of 10 colours – that's an impressively broad range. This, and the simple design, makes it easy to pair with your other cycling clothing.

The Signature is also available in a zipperless version, which seems to be a growing trend with several brands of late (I am yet to see the appeal).

Value

£147 is a lot of money for a non-aero jersey. However, we have tested quite a few in that price range recently, so it's certainly not alone. Velocio offers a good crash replacement and repair policy, too, which is reassuring given that price.

As is so often the case, you can pay even more. The Pas Normal Studios Men's Mechanism Jersey was well reviewed by Jamie and is now £160, for instance, though that has a big logo on the back – it says P N S – and as some minds will fill that in with certain vowels it won't be to everyone's tastes.

The MAAP Evade Pro Base Jersey 2.0 received a good review from Steve, and is slightly more expensive still at £165.

Alternatively, the Lusso Paragon Jersey impresses with its comfort over long rides, and that's a relative bargain at £110.

Overall

This is an excellent jersey with good green credentials. It feels very luxurious, fits closely without being restrictive, and stays comfortable right through your long days out. The price is high, but if you don't mind that – and want premium – you won't be disappointed.

Verdict

Excellent jersey that is very comfortable and stylish – and has the premium price to match