Van Rysel RCR Women’s Short-Sleeved Cycling Jersey

The Van Rysel RCR Women's Short-Sleeved Cycling Jersey is a great pro fit top for hot summer days or intensive riding, and is pocket-tastic!

For just under £40, Decathlon's premium brand manages to make a good looking, wearable jersey that works really well on hotter days. As climate change means that summers are getting hotter, I've got a lot of use out of this jersey in the last few weeks.

Its key feature is a stripy mesh panel that runs down the full length of the underarm and body, and also at the back of the neck. Although the whole jersey is pretty light, with a material that wicks sweat well, the additional mesh makes for a well-ventilated ride and the stripy nature of the mesh means it isn't overly see-through, so doesn't highlight bra straps. Think of it as bathroom window glass for jerseys.

Pockets are also an area where the Van Rysel jersey has got it right. As well as the usual three-pocket combo along the back, there are two additional zippable pockets (the website says one but there are two – one on each side) which run underneath the main pockets. If that were not enough, there are then an additional two 'bin' pockets which are located above the hip, bringing the total to a mighty seven pockets. Seven. I've had cargo trousers with fewer pockets than this jersey!

The middle back pocket is large enough for a decent-sized smartphone, and although there is no waterproofing, the fact that the zippable pocket material runs behind it meant that sweat didn't penetrate from my back to my phone, as those two thin layers tended to dissipate the moisture. I loved the bin pockets for tissues as I found them easier to access than the back pockets in terms of a quick reach.

Thinking about the cut, the RCR has a nicely slanted neckline which was comfortable, especially in hot weather. The full-length zip sits in a zip garage which adds to the comfort at the neckline.

The jersey is a decent length although the bottom edge has no gripper and the elasticated material used isn't very taut, so I found it a little gappy at the back. Combined with no lower gripper this was a bit of an issue in terms of fit, even though I'm well-endowed in the bum department. As I said, though, the jersey is a good length, providing ample coverage whether in shorts or bib shorts.

The sleeves again have no gripper at all, and run very long, almost to my elbow. This could be seen as a bonus as it meant I had to apply less sunscreen, but it did feel a little odd.

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All of the tags (and there were many) were attached to a single bit of stretchy jersey material, which made them easy to cut out for comfort without any risk of damaging the jersey itself. This thinking more than made up for the minor construction issue of loose ends, of which there were also many.

The jersey has been washed several times without these threads progressing to holes, but they don't make for the cleanest of interiors.

I did have a bit of an issue with staining and washing on the thin fabric of this jersey. Some suncream left a mark, despite immediate washing, and the top of the jersey was prone to puckering along the seam that cuts across the chest, following washing. It isn't obvious to others, but it spoilt the jersey a little for me.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling kit

The RCR comes in a variety of sizes to fit UK 4-6 through to 20-22. I wore an XL (18). I loved the deep foresty green colour (billed as dark petrol blue) and the mint accents matched some Van Rysel shorts I was also reviewing (review to come). Other options are navy, mauve and magnolia.

The branding is discreet, as is the single vertical reflective stripe on the middle pocket. That said, you are likely to be wearing this jersey on a hot summer's day where reflectives are not top of the list of features to worry about.

Value and conclusion

Tass tested a summer Van Rysel jersey a few seasons ago, and was super-impressed with it. The RCR, which is a different design, is £5 more even though it's lost the gripper and the water-repellent pocket and lower zip garage, but it's still excellent value.

It manages to deliver more features and a more pro look than competitors we've tested at this kind of price. The dhb Aeron is perhaps its nearest tested competitor in the hot weather stakes, but at £60 it is half as much again to buy. (Read Lara's review here.)

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The Altura Airstream was £39.99 when Emma tested it last year, but has gone up to £45, while the dhb women's short sleeve is just £30 (Emma tested that one too), but neither of these is designed for hot weather riding, which the Van Rysel copes with admirably and comfortably, and looks good while it's at it.

Verdict

A lovely hot weather jersey with pockets. Did I mention the pockets? Oh, so many pockets!