The Madison Roam Short Sleeve Jersey is described as 'a multi-purpose' design, 'to cater for long days out on the bike'. With generous pockets and a generally excellent design (especially for the price), it's good for gravel, touring and training, and even cross country mountain biking. That said, the material is thicker and less airy than a traditional summer road jersey, so doesn't wick quite as well in hotter weather.
For more traditional options, check out our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys.
I've been impressed by the Roam's performance. While its moisture management isn't on a par with a traditional summer road jersey when temperatures hit the mid 20s, it still does a decent job of trafficking sweat from the skin, helped by the ventilation panel down the back.
Ours arrived at the tail end of summer, where temperatures dipped to 12°C and slightly lower, and in these contexts the thicker fabric – recycled polyester (85%) and elastane (15%) – has done a decent job of keeping some welcome warmth. It also takes a bit longer than a traditional summer jersey to become soggy when caught out in an unexpected downpour without a jacket. The longer-than-usual sleeves also provide excellent overlap to arm warmers and have prevented them unravelling and leaving exposed sections of skin.
The Roam comes in a choice of two colours, Lake Blue or Moss Green, both of which look tastefully neutral to me.
Detailing is anything but neutral, and it's clear a lot of thought has gone into the design: a soft collar and zip guard to protect the neck, silicone grippers, stretchy 'soft touch' fabric and flat seams, and subtle reflectives add a little bit of presence around dusk and beyond. The lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects inspires confidence, too.
While the main zip is straightforward to use, the zip pull is quite small – adding a zip-tie made things considerably easier, in both directions.
Round the back we have the traditional three open-top pockets and a zipped one for valuables (again, adding a small zip-tie made access considerably easier).
The main three pockets have relatively sturdy tops and seem reliable hosts to LEDs with clothing clips, and even with these laden to the gills with a 600ml bottle, arm warmers, tube type hat/neck warmer, spare tube, snacks and so on, everything stayed put.
You also get a mesh type 'dump' pocket, designed for those items you don't want to pack away in a bag, and ideal for capturing used wrappers and the like.
Sizing/fit
The size aligns with Madison's chart, so no nasty surprises on that front. I'm a medium in most brands these days, and this was no exception. I'm broad across the shoulders, with relatively long arms and a short torso, and the jersey was very flattering, with or without a baselayer, fitting snugly to avoid annoying flutter but stopping short of being figure hugging.
The generous cut at the rear, coupled with the stretchy fabric, works well with full pockets, and the relatively long sleeves offer some added protection from strong sun, wind and chill – variables than can all arrive during the course of a spring or late summer ride. I also appreciated the extended coverage off-road where brambles and similar prickly stuff can launch unwelcome attacks.
On that note, regular encounters with brambles and similarly prickly stuff haven't caused bobbling or similar damage to the fabric. Organic spatter from coffee, mud, slimy puddles and so on hasn't left any long-term staining, though some oily patina from lubes and roadside mechanicals remains despite several 30-degree Tours de Samsung.
Drying times vary, but bargain on 30 minutes on the line following a machine wash, 45-60 following a handwash. All things being equal, practical for bikepacking or touring.
Value
A penny shy of £60 is favourable given the design and specification. Cycology's Tijuana Men's Cycling Jersey boasts a similar specification and a much louder print and retails at £75. It does boast SPF 50 protection, but lacks the Roam's 'dump' pocket. The same company's Tijuana Gravel shirt is also £60, and also features SPF50 protection, but the buttoned, looser style won't appeal to all.
Endura's GV500 Reiver is arguably a closer match with the Roam. It's available in three colours, boasts three open, two mesh and a breast pocket, but at £119.99 – quite a jump from £89.99 in 2021 when Stu reviewed it – it's a good bit more expensive.
Pedaled's Odyssey comes in four colours and features no fewer than seven pockets, but be prepared to part with £140 (Stu reviewed one in 2019).
Conclusion
The Madison Roam performs very well across the board, from road to touring, gravel and indeed mountain biking, with minimal compromises. The heavier weight does mean it's a little slower on the wicking front than a lightweight road jersey, but that's only really a consideration in high temperatures.
Verdict
Competitively priced and well executed for road and gravel riding
Make and model: Madison Roam Men's Short Sleeve Jersey
Tell us what the product is for
Madison says: "A multi-purpose cycling jersey, the Roam Short Sleeve jersey has been designed to cater for long days out on the bike.'
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Madison:
Main Fabric Fibre Composition: 85% Polyester (recycled) 15% Elastane
A vented mesh channel between the shoulder blades increases the ability for the jersey to shift moisture build up, when riding hard
Soft touch collar adds extra comfort and the articulated fit will suit your riding style
Full length chunky front zipper provides that welcome flood of cool air when needed on those hot summer rides
Three open pockets on the rear of the jersey for easy access to fuel or your phone, and we've even include a mesh dump pocket to rear and side for stowing anything more bulky on the fly
A zippered security pocket provides a place for your valuable cash card and keys
The wide elasticated silicone rear hem ensures the jersey stays firmly in place
Subtle reflective rear details add an element of safety when riding in low light conditions
Soft zip guard helps avoids irritation"
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Very solidly made and engineered.
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Very comfortable, even with fully laden pockets, but while the thicker fabric is a serious plus in middling temperatures and when riding off-road,there's some trade-off in wicking prowess on hotter days.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Has laughed at thorns and similar foliage when riding off-road, and zippers seem high quality. Warranty is also very reassuring.
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
The right side of snug for me and allowing for the generous storage. Sleeves arguably the optimal length for off-road excursions and changeable spring/late summer conditions.
Rate the product for sizing:
9/10
Medium felt bespoke for my dimensions.
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Solid, which I would expect, given the genre-crossing design brief.
Rate the product for comfort:
7/10
Generally excellent but the heavier tog weight meant slower wicking in hotter conditions.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
Very good for the design and specification.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Very straightforward: pop in at 30 degrees and line dry. Given the heavier tog weight, this takes a little longer than a regular short sleeve jersey but nothing outlandish. I've run ours through the machine at 40 degrees to replicate those times when technical kit gets caught up with the household washload. Much as I expected, it has emerged looking and smelling pristine. No hint of deterioration, bobbling, or other evidence of deterioration.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Overall performance has been excellent. Extensive pockets are sensibly proportioned and don't feel obtrusive when heavily laden and riding off-road. Heavier tog weight means it's shrugged at the usual brushings with thorns and other prickly foliage with no hint of bobbling or similar damage. The longer than typical sleeves continue this narrative and also offer excellent tenure to arm warmers in cooler weather. Moisture management is generally good too, thanks in part to venting between the shoulders, though wicking is slower than traditional summer-weight short sleeve jerseys on hotter days.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Brilliantly designed pockets, rugged fabric and subtle colours.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing particular stands out. Longer zip pulls would be welcome but this is easily addressed by adding a zip-tie.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's very well priced – A penny shy of £60 is favourable given the design and specification. Cycology's Tijuana Men's Cycling Jersey boasts a similar specification and a much louder print and retails at £75. It does boast SPF 50 protection, but lacks the Roam's 'dump' pocket. The same company's Tijuana Gravel shirt is also £60, and also features SPF50 protection, but the buttoned, looser style won't appeal to all.
Endura's GV500 Reiver is arguably a closer match with the Roam. It's available in three colours, boasts three open, two mesh and a breast pocket, but at £119.99 it's a good bit more expensive, as is Pedaled's Odyssey, which comes in four colours and features no fewer than seven pockets, but be prepared to part with £140.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Definitely
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, if they were seeking a jersey that could cross different genres of riding and with a bias toward gravel, bikepacking or touring.
Use this box to explain your overall score
A nicely executed jersey for gravel, touring, and road duties at a very competitive price. It doesn't wick as quickly as a traditional road-biased jersey on hotter days, which may be a consideration, but overall it's very good.
Age: 50 Height: 1m 81cm Weight: 70kg
I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
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