Cafe du Cycliste Francine Jersey

All of the Café du Cycliste kit I have ever worn has always been very well made, full of little extra details, and that's the case with the Francine Jersey – a top-quality piece of kit. The fit is a great balance of performance and relaxed comfort, and breathability is taken care of by the inclusion of integrated mesh panels. Drawbacks? Very few, and they're personal – I found the outer pockets a touch narrow, and the sleeves are a bit long for my liking.

For me, the Francine jersey is perfect for those long summer rides which see you out for hours and hours just taking in the scenery.

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The fabric, a mixture of polyamide (93%) and a small amount of elastane (7%), is soft to the touch and provides a close fit without being really clingy like a full-on piece of race clothing.

The whole jersey is cut well: everything fits where it should, resulting in a complete lack of bunching of any fabric without seeming to need the stretch of the material to keep things in place.

Sizing is in line with many British brands, meaning that the Francine is more generous than many European offerings. I'm a medium in most clothing and this medium Café du Cycliste jersey fitted me a treat (it's not me in the photos).

The only thing I would say is that the sleeves are longer than on many jerseys, which isn't a big issue unless you are fickle about keeping a crisp tan line when wearing many different jerseys.

There is plenty of length at the rear, which has a silicone gripper running around the hem to keep it in place. It gives great coverage even when you are tucked into the drops and didn't budge an inch when changing position on the bike.

You get the usual three traditional pockets running horizontally across the lower back and Café du Cycliste has made the entrance to the two outer pockets slanted to ease access when in the saddle. I found them a little narrow, but obviously that will depend on the size of your hands.

All three pockets are made from mesh which has plenty of stretch – you can load them up with a fair amount of kit without too much sag.

Mounted externally on the central pocket is a zipped one for valuables, always a welcome addition, although it has no waterproofing properties should you get caught out in the rain.

The thickness of the fabric gives the jersey a fair amount of versatility for use throughout the year. For late autumn and early spring use you could get away with pairing it with a pair of arm warmers and just a thin gilet.

On chillier days the fabric does a good job of keeping you warm without letting you cook – helped by the fact that the Francine has a wide mesh panel running the full length of the back (including the central pocket) and underarm sections.

This helps air flow through the jersey, and I was impressed with how well the Francine dealt with the recent high temperatures and increased humidity levels. When climbing or really riding hard, sweat levels can build up and the Francine can get a little damp, but back off the pace a touch or find a fast descent and it soon dries out.

All of this performance comes at a price, mind – at £133 the Francine isn't cheap.

In its defence, it is very well made. The stitching is immaculate throughout and the full-length YKK zip runs smoothly from top to bottom. I also like the classic looking design, the bold stripes giving the Francine a quality look. If it doesn't do it for you, there are six other designs in the range to choose from.

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It's a little more expensive than the similarly styled ashmei Croix de Fer, which has an rrp of £128 and uses more technical fabrics than the Café du Cycliste, though the overall performance and comfort is on a par, as is the finish quality.

PEdAL's ED Odyssey is also slightly cheaper at £125. It's another one designed for adventure riding and long days in the saddle, and comes with extra pockets.

Overall, the Francine jersey is a very good all-round choice for a variety of riding, backed up by great quality and comfort.

Verdict

Great fitting, comfortable jersey that delivers plenty of breathability for three-season use