Conor: If you're new to cycling, you may have seen other riders wearing a
cycling jersey and wondered, are they just for serious riders or the pros,
or maybe they're just for those poses out there? Is it really worth getting on? Is it worth the
money? Or you may have thought, I like the look of them, they look great, but Lycra.
Here at GCN, we think a cycling jersey is second, only maybe,
to the bib shorts and things that are just so essential to your riding.
In this video, we're going to explain and answer all those questions and explain
why you really should invest in a cycling jersey for reasons such as road safety,
speed, comfort, and efficiency when you're out on your bike. We're also going to take a look at some
of the different jerseys that are out there, and what to consider when you're buying one. Firstly,
let's get a poll going on the GCN app show. Do you wear a cycling jersey when you're out
on your bike? Interested to see the results of that one? Woohoo. Let's get on the bike.
When you're someone who likes riding, test smash your PBEs, or whether you just like
riding for the fun of it, avoid baggy clothing to make your rides smoother and more enjoyable.
Now, a cycling jersey will be a lot more aerodynamic than a T-shirt or a
top because it will fit closer to your skin and you won't have all those baggy folds or flap in
the wind in either a headwind or a crosswind, which will make your riding even harder. You
don't have to get something skin tight, but just remember, the less bag, the less drag.
Whether you're trying to improve your fitness or maybe you're training for a race,
wearing skin-tight clothing, according to the experts, is the single biggest improvement you
can make to your performance. Whatever your reasons for riding, I think you'll
definitely notice the difference when you do wear a cycling jersey compared to a baggy top.
With wind resistance and arrow gains, our cycling jersey is designed to be a lot more comfortable
when you're riding. It's wider here on the shoulders and the sleeves, so that when you
lean forward into the bars and drops, it will fit around your body in the riding position
a lot better, optimize for the position you're riding in. When standing up, your jersey might
feel like it's too short at the front. Also, it might feel like it is too long at the back.
Now, this is designed on purpose so that you're not getting all that baggage at the front
of your jersey when you are bent down in the riding position. Don't feel like your
jersey might not fit simply because it feels too tight or too small when you're standing upright.
Don't assume the wrong size because of this. When you are trying a jersey,
you want to try it on in the riding position. Get down in the shop as to how you would be
riding on the bike. This is also done to avoid [unintelligible 00:03:13]. You want your jersey to
be flush with your body and not to have any excess baggage when you are down in that riding position.
A cycling jersey is also a great choice because it comes with pockets. Now, normally on a cycling
jersey, you'd have a jersey that has three pockets at the back. These are just a great way to carry
all your bits and bobs when you're out on the bike. It means things are right at arm's length
just behind you, just above your lower back without the need of carrying a bum bag,
or a rucksack, or having to fill pockets on your hips in shorts, which may get in the way
of your pedaling style. They're super useful if you want to carry bits like a multi-tool, or pump,
or even your phone. I think perhaps greatest
of all is the fact you can keep all your ride food there, in a really convenient place and
organize it into three different pockets, so you know what you're going to eat and at what time.
I think you can tell that that's probably my favorite reason for having pockets.
Now, pockets come in a few different shapes and sizes. As I said before, it's normally three
pockets, but you'd also get some jerseys that might have a zip for any valuables
and money, so you can zip away and make sure they won't fall out when you're riding.
Also, you might get waterproof pockets on winter jerseys, which will keep
your phone and other valuables safe throughout in those winter, wet, rainy rides. You may also
find pockets with reflective detailing on them, just to keep you a bit more visible.
If you're a rush-hour commuter, this one is particularly important. If you're riding in
low light conditions or maybe on busy roads, you're going to want to try to make yourself
as visible as possible to pedestrians and other road users. It's never a bad idea
to pick out as eye-catching a jersey as possible. Look for brighter colors, fluorescent designs, or
reflective detailing when buying a cycling jersey. Clothes that move around a lot and are baggy
can be an unwelcome distraction when you're riding on busy roads. A cycling jersey will
stop that discomfort and that distraction when you're riding, meaning that you can focus more
on where you're going with your bicycle. You don't want to be looking at your baggy sleeves falling
down, or your shirt riding up, or your shorts falling down when you're on the road, do you?
Remember that by investing in a good cycling jersey, you can keep yourself visible and
comfortable, therefore a safer cyclist to yourself and other road users.
You want to consider the type of riding that you'll be doing in your jersey. If you're mostly
going out on gentle coffee spins with your mates, then you might want to think about getting a
looser fitting cycling jersey, it's a little more comfortable to stop in when you're at the cafe
or walking about doing other activities off the bike. However, if you're training hard, or maybe
you're looking to do a race, you might want to consider getting a tighter fitting jersey that's
a little bit more aerodynamic, that will have the technical edge in those aerodynamic gains.
Also, consider the type of weather conditions that you will be riding in, you can get a
long-sleeve jersey, or a short-sleeve jersey, depending on those conditions.
Now, a short-sleeve Jersey is very versatile because you can wear it with arm warmers if
you're going into colder weather, and you can quite easily take your arm warmers off,
or you can wear different thicknesses of base there underneath the jersey.
There's also a handy zip so that if it is really hot you can quickly unzip it and get a big refresh
of air. Now, there's longer-sleeve jerseys, which are probably more appropriate for colder weather,
keeping the cold weather out, but also allowing the moisture to escape so that you're not one big
bag of sweat underneath that long-sleeve jersey. Jerseys are pretty high-tech these days, many
are wind and water-resistant, but they're also extremely breathable allowing you to sweat and not
create a heat around yourself letting that moisture escape.
You may also want to consider UV protection. If you're riding in very sunny conditions,
you will be in a high UV index. You want to take care and make sure you don't get a sunburn.
It's worth considering if the back of your jersey has UV protection. This has
caught me out a number of times actually, where I haven't put sun cream on my back, and the sun has
really badly burned me through my jersey and onto my skin. If you want to avoid having to
apply sun cream to your back before every ride, get the jersey with UV protection on the back.
What we're saying is that there's no one jersey to rule them all. If you're anything like us,
you'll probably have more cycling clothes than normal clothes. Sorry. There you have it. A
cycling jersey is perhaps the best investment you can make when you get out on your bike from your
casual rider to your serious racer. I hope this video has been useful to you and has allowed you
to consider the different aspects to think about when you're buying a cycling jersey.
Whilst we're on the topic, our very own Castelli training jerseys are now available to buy on the
GCN shop, so check that out. Before I leave you, please let me know in the comment section below,
do you wear a cycling jersey and what do you consider when buying a cycling jersey? We would
like to hear from you on that one. Now, I guess I better get going soon as I'm out here. I've got my
food though, so-- I'll be all right, will I? [00:09:06] [END OF AUDIO]