The Jelenew Horizon Short Sleeve Jersey is a race-fit summer top made from three different fabrics designed to offer aerodynamics, cooling and compression. It has a comfortable aero fit when riding, but it comes with a high price tag.
If your budget doesn't stretch to the Jelenew, check out other options in our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys.
> Buy now: Jelenew Horizon Short Sleeve Jersey for £186 from Jelenew
Jelenew is a women's cycling and sports apparel brand based in Paris, co-founded by former World Champion and Olympic medallist Marion Clignet. The Horizon Short Sleeve Jersey was created in collaboration with the CIC-Tour Feminin International des Pyrénées elite women's race and is described as its 'ultra-lightweight race jersey'.
It's designed for summer riding, with an aerodynamic design, and features Jelenew's unique CurveTec technology, which is said to adapt to the female silhouette.
Materials & performance
My first impressions were that there is a lot going on with this jersey, with a mix of three different fabrics across its main sections. Jelenew says the Horizon jersey is 'made with smart mapping of different fabrics at different zones of the body' to provide cooling and compression.
The back of the jersey and sleeves feature a honeycomb-patterned fabric which is claimed to reduce air resistance, while the pockets and front panels are made of 'Italian natural cooling fabric', targeting areas prone to overheating, according to Jelenew.
The side panels, which extend up to the armpits, are made from a mesh-like fabric that's semi-transparent when held up to the light, intended to wick away sweat quickly.
There are also metallic strips of fabric that run down the centre of the sleeves for added detail.
While I can't test the aerodynamic claims for the fabrics, I did find that the jersey was breathable in temperatures of around 20-25°C, with the material drying quickly. However, it's not as thin as some other summer jerseys on the market, such as Le Col's Women's Pro Air Jersey that I reviewed last year.
All of the fabrics are OKEO-TEX certified, meaning they've been tested for harmful substances, and they feature a UPF 50+ rating for sun protection. However, only the mesh fabric, which makes up a small percentage of the jersey, is Bluesign approved. The entire Glider Short Sleeve Pro jersey I reviewed from the same brand was Bluesign approved.
Details
The back of the jersey features three pockets, but I found the openings weren't particularly stretchy, making it difficult to fit larger items in, like a rain jacket – though it is a summer jersey... There aren't any zipped pockets for valuables.
I like jerseys with a raw cut finish on the sleeves as it provides a sleek look, but Jelenew has added a seam on the edge which it says is a flat stitching technique that 'minimises friction and stays strong even after high-intensity exercise'. It isn't bulky and provides a tight fit without digging in.
The thick elastic waistband, in the same colour as the front panels, is about 2in wide and features larger Jelenew silicone lettering. This worked well at keeping the jersey in place without being too tight.
The jersey also features a YKK zipper with garages at the top and bottom. While the top one effectively prevents neck rubbing, the one at the bottom makes it difficult to zip the jersey up and to my mind adds unnecessary complication to fastening the jersey. This isn't helped by the zip pull tag being rather small.
Fit & sizing
Jelenew describes this as a race jersey so it wasn't surprising that the fit was on the tighter side – you might even want to consider sizing up.
According to Jelenew's size guide, I'm on the cusp between a size S and M, but since I typically wear a small in other brands, such as Le Col and Bioracer, I went for a small. While it fitted me well, it was definitely snug, especially in the sleeves, which felt more restrictive than the body of the jersey. That said, it was comfortable in the riding position, as many race-fit jerseys are.
In addition to being designed specifically for women, Jelenew aims to cater to all body shapes and sizes. The jersey is available in a wide range of sizes – 10 in total – ranging from XXS-5XL, so you are likely to find a size that fits.
It's also available in three colours – the light grey I tested, navy and pink. I wasn't overly taken with the design, and I don't think the thick blue stripe was particularly flattering in a riding position, but that's just personal opinion, and you might love it.
Value and conclusion
Overall, this summer jersey offers good breathability and an aero fit, but it comes with a premium price tag. There are plenty of very good jerseys out there for less than £186, with only a handful we've reviewed costing more.
Santini's Eco Sleek Bengal Women's Jersey, for example, which I reviewed last year, is another very good breathable summer jersey with an aero fit, and it's substantially cheaper at £120 (and currently on sale for £78).
> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling kit here
And you can get good aero jerseys for a lot less: Lusso's Women's Lightweight Aero Jersey has an RRP of £80 and is currently £32, and Anna rated it highly for breathability and fit back in 2021.
If you can afford the Jelenew Horizon then it's a good choice for hot summer rides, but there are others that perform as well for less; it's not the best value option out there.
Verdict
Good summer jersey offering breathability, sun protection and an aero fit for a substantial amount of money
Make and model: Jelenew Horizon Short Sleeve Jersey
Tell us what the product is for
Jelenew says:
"This is a professional ultra-lightweight race jersey, made with smart mapping of different fabrics at different zones of the body. High airflow cooling mesh combined with compression fabric creates a functional second skin. The proprietary CurveTec ™️ technology is tailored just for women for the best performance on the road."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Jelenew lists:
French haute couture technique, crafted especially for women
Aerodynamic Design
Moisture-wicking and refreshing materials
Fast-drying material
High-airflow mesh
Anti-sag elastic back pocket
Guarded COIL&VISLON® YKK® zipper
Skin-friendly Coats® seaming
Reflective Jelenew logo print
Fabrics made in Italy
UPF 50+
Designed in Paris, France
Fabric A:73%Polyamide27%Elastane;
Fabric B:75%Polyester+25%Elastane;
Fabric C:96%Polyester(RECYCLED)4%Elastane
All fabrics OEKO-TEX®
Mesh fabric bulesign® approved
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
The jersey is tailored for hot weather and proved breathable. While I can't assess its aerodynamic claims, it did provide a snug aero fit as you would expect from a race jersey.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
It provided a tight, aero fit, though the sleeves were on the snug side.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
On the small side, so some people may benefit from sizing up.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
It's light at 100g but we have reviewed lighter summer jerseys, such as Le Col's Women's Pro Air Jersey that weighs 77g.
Rate the product for comfort:
7/10
The sleeves were on the snug side, but the jersey was comfortable when in a riding position.
Rate the product for value:
4/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washes well and dries quickly.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It was breathable in temperatures around 20-25°C, drying quickly and providing a comfortable aero fit.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
It's breathable and light.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The price. The design didn't win me over either.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's up there with the most expensive jerseys we've reviewed. Santini's Eco Sleek Bengal Women's Jersey is a breathable summer jersey with an aero fit and it's 'only' £120, while Lusso's very good Women's Aero Jersey has an RRP of £80.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Maybe
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's good: it's breathable and has an aero fit, but it's hard to score it higher considering the premium price.
Age: 23 Height: 175 Weight: 64
I usually ride: specialised tarmac sl6 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
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