Hackney GT Yello Velo Short Sleeved Jersey

Still on the lookout for a summer jersey? Planning on escaping to hotter climes for winter? The Hackney GT Yello Velo Short Sleeved Jersey is a good looking, high performing jersey that has everything you could want for a hot weather ride. Except a plane ticket...

Hackney GT is a relatively new company based out of, you guessed it, Hackney in London. As a London resident, I have seen an increasing presence of its kit around the city over the summer, and if the Yello Velo is anything to go by, I can understand why.

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The first place to start is the material used. Hackney GT has gone for two different fabrics, 'Golf ball weave polyester' on the front and back panels and 'Lycra side and arm panels'. It seems like a good choice, bringing together strong wicking performance on the body, with good fit on the arms. The front and back panels also have decent ventilation, which wasn't that much fun testing in September in the UK, but pleasant when I used it in the mid 20s in Italy. It also moves sweat away from the body quickly and efficiently.

Elsewhere on the jersey, Hackney GT has sourced some robust and well thought out features, such as the YKK zipper, which is tough and well made. There is also a reflective stripe at the back of the jersey under the pockets to help with safety and, as it comes from Hackney, there's a beard guard at the top of the zip.

The cut is somewhere between casual and race, without it billowing around when you ride, but not being skintight either. It stays in place well, in part due to the silicone gripper at the rear; even when I had nothing in the pockets it didn't ride up. This, combined with only having one tiny size label on the neck (with all other instructions printed directly onto the fabric), meant it was comfortable to wear for long hours in the saddle.

At the back the jersey has three angled pockets that are easy to reach and large enough to fit everything you may need. There is also a zipped valuables pocket, which has an especially jazzy patterned lining, a nice design touch. Another thing I like about this jersey is that it is made in England – something that is increasingly uncommon.

In terms of the look, the jersey is definitely going for the vintage vibe, with its 70s-esque font in red and blue. It's also a kind of Brazilian yellow, which I think looks really good. One other thing about the look is that the golf ball weave combined with the yellow colour means it can be a bit see-through, especially if you don't wear a baseayer the same colour as your bib short straps.

Overall, I was impressed with the Yello Velo. Its RRP of £75, for a well made jersey, manufactured in England, doesn't strike me as bad value. It has a good look, performs well and you could certainly do worse for a warm weather jersey. Perhaps it would be nice if it were a little less see-through, but given the wicking and ventilation in the fabric, this is both understandable and forgivable.

Verdict

A good looking, well ventilated and robustly constructed jersey