Jan 2012 In the last few years, cycling has become a seriously popular pastime with us Brits. With reasonably recent Olympic successes still resonating in the national consciousness, the new sport of choice for the British man involves jumping on a two wheeled machine and pedalling one’s heart out for hours on end. Like all sports, cycling requires a particular uniform: where joggers, before it, proudly tore up our streets and beaches in skin-hugging dayglo Lycra, MP3 players clinging to their sleeves – the male cyclist streaks past resplendent in his mens cycling jersey.
The cycling jersey, like the runner’s gear, is not without merit. Cycling, though the most economical (i.e. the amount of energy you put in versus the amount of energy you get out) mode of non-mechanical transport known to man, still makes you sweat: a proper cycling top ensures that sweat is “wicked” away from the body, thus preventing the chilling effect wet skin in wind can have. Wind, of course, is the cyclist’s most common and worst enemy. It’s generated by simple speed – if you go fast enough, your own momentum causes the air in front of you to become wind – and it makes a sweating body cool too quickly. A decent mens cycling jersey both removes the sweat from the skin and blocks the wind-effect caused by rapid forward motion.
In tandem with the rise in cycling’s popularity, we’ve seen a sudden rise in the street cred of previously unknown sports brands. Where previously our stores were awash with the latest running shoes, breaking several now famous brand names as top class running manufacturers – now, we see Pearl Izumi; Polaris; Bone Collector; The Cycle; Relic; Team Air Force; Green Pepper; Cannondale; and Endura. All unheard of, until a few months ago: now, adorning shelves (and torsos) across the nation as our new cyclists strive for mens cycling jersey perfection.
So – what should a person look for in a decent mens cycling top? Uniquely, the cycling jersey is designed to do what ought to be two diametrically opposed things at once: keep you warm, and keep you cool. As such, a cycling top needs to have two qualities – one, it needs to be fairly body hugging (that’s what keeps you warm); and two, it ought to be made of that Lycra-esque shiny material you see pro runners charging about in – variously referred to as Climatise, Dri-Fit, or any one of a hundred other clever names that basically mean “sweat removing”. Decent mens cycling jerseys will be light, reflective (no need to get run over in the cause of one’s health, now, is there) and rainproof, too.
With all these “new” brands surfacing, it’s not like there’s a lack of choice. Budding cyclists and old pros alike are spoilt for selection these days – long sleeved, short sleeved, ultra lightweight, super weather proof for extreme conditions, and so on. So when selecting your mens cycling jersey, take your time – with that much out there you’re bound to find the perfect kit somewhere.