Parks, protests, downtown traffic and mountain bike trails, there are more people on bikes now than ever before, mostly thanks to COVID-19. But whether you’re new to cycling or admittedly peeved over the unusually-crowded bike paths and mountain bike trails, a high-quality jersey goes a long way in making your ride comfortable. And so we bring you the best cycling jerseys for road, urban, mountain and gravel riding.
Road
GORE C7 CC
The GORE C7 CC Jersey ($130) is the fastest jersey of the Best Cycling Jerseys. First, a walk through its impressive aesthetics. Three deep and roomy rear stash pockets hold snacks, tool, phone or iPod. A secured zipped pocket on the outside of the middle stash pocket for key or ID.
Second, you’ll find its fit outstanding. Road cycling jerseys run the spectrum from being so slim-fitting to minimize wind resistance that they are uncomfortably constrictive to “athletic” fit, which gives you a little room to breathe normal. Neither are optimal. The ideal fit is a jersey that makes you feel like you’re wearing nothing at all. That sums up the GORE C7 CC jersey. I give it extra bonus points for a front hem that covers my belly when off the bike.
Gravel
GORE C3
The GORE C3 Jersey offers the functionality of a high-end performance jersey without the look and feel of one. Specifically, it has a relaxed fit through the shoulders, a 21-inch belly button-covering front hem (on size small), versatile (I’ve used this for urban, gravel, road and mountain biking), highly breathable (for humid rides), non-choking collar and soft. Yes, soft.
The texture of the fabric, which is actually 100% polyester, feels more like a merino wool blend. It has four highly functional pockets in the back: three unsecured (great for holding your iPod) and one secured zipper pocket for things you don’t want to lose, like a key, ID, credit card, cash or phone.
Urban
Maloja Curuna
Maloja may not be the first name that comes to mind in cycling apparel but the German brand deserves to be on everyone’s radar. The Maloja Curuna has a beautiful, relaxed fit that is comfortable and functional. This is a jersey that I’ve worn to grocery stores, farmer’s markets, Sierra Trading Post, commuting to work and everywhere else in between.
It has one secured zipper pocket on the back that is ergonomically placed to make it easy for me to reach behind and adjust my iPod or grab a packet of Gu without twisting my arm into the Gomukhasana pose. It’s also made from Maloja’s AirDry Polyester fabric, which contains millions of tiny perforations, making it feel more like a tight mesh than a piece of Polyester fabric. This means breathability is optimized and odor from sweat is mitigated.
A jersey for the serious cyclist who doesn’t want to look like a bike tool.
Mountain
Kaden Florence Jersey
Of all the jerseys in this review, the Kaden Florence ($80) stands out the most. First and foremost, Kaden Apparel is woman-started, woman-owned, women-centric. Without openly admitting my age, I remember (with no great fondness) mountain biking when there was no such thing as women-specific gear. I also remember when the industry’s needle of evolution turned ever so slightly that a few big brands begrudgingly instructed their male designers to make women’s shorts and jerseys (with lots of pink, flowers, swirls and questionable quality).
Fortunately, we are now living in an era where most cycling apparel brands have women designers designing the women’s lines. But, even better, we have boutique brands that are started, owned and designed by women—for women. This casts a much wider net for selection and choice.
Soapbox aside, the Kaden Florence jersey lends a simple practical style to the art of singletrack. There is no pink. No flowers. Swirls? Yah right. Think performance jersey cross-pollinating with skateboard fashion. The end result is a high-quality mountain bike jersey made in the United States that is soft, supple, comfortable and breathable in humid weather. A jersey to put on your radar for sure.
