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Gore C5 Jersey Limited Edition

7
£79.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Not a standout jersey but well made for general riding with good performance in mild-to-warm conditions
Weight: 
168g

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The Gore C5 Jersey is a comfortable summer design perfect for general riding. The fit is close but relaxed with good stretch in the Lycra. Deep pockets with a central zipper pocket round out a very nice jersey for warm weather riding.

  • Pros: Close but comfortable fit for general riding; zipper pocket is big enough for a phone in a waterproof case and location is also perfect for optimal pocket-weight balancing!
  • Cons: The fabric doesn't cope that well in really hot weather.

Gore is best known for designing kit for riding in the worst of conditions. But it also makes some very good nice-weather kit and this C5 Jersey is the perfect example. The fabric is best suited to mild-warm weather riding; Gore has suggested 16-24°C. I did try using it on a seriously hot day of 28°C but the jersey wasn't the best here, lacking the required breathability.

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The fabric sits close to the skin, but the small that I've got here feels very relaxed. Gore has designed it with regular bodies in mind and I found some material flapped around the shoulders and waist. The jersey is also quite long which will please taller riders. Being relatively short, I found the front of the jersey bunched up a little when on the bike.

gore_c5_jersey_limited_edition_-_riding.jpg

That length, combined with the silicone gripper strip, kept the jersey in place with no riding up.

gore_c5_jersey_limited_edition_-_back.jpg

There are no grippers on the sleeves, which is great for comfort. The sleeves are cut nice and long and I found that they settled on a position. There is good stretch in the material, so if you've got bigger arms than me, you'll be fine.

gore_c5_jersey_limited_edition_-_sleeve_logo.jpg

The long back section made getting at the three pockets very easy. Those standard three are deep and store food and kit securely. The highlight here that really pleases my fussiness is the zipper pocket. You get the full width and height of the middle pocket with a locking zipper. I found that my phone, in its case with a waterproof pouch, fits easily with room for keys and other valuables. The location on the outside of the central pocket is also great as it puts your heaviest item in the middle, preventing the jersey from twisting to one side.

gore_c5_jersey_limited_edition_-_pocket.jpg

While we're on the subject of zips, Gore uses a YKK full-length zip which is easy to undo and close on the move. Your skin is also protected from the zip by material that runs its full length.

gore_c5_jersey_limited_edition_-_chest.jpg

While everything works nicely, with a good if slightly long fit, I'm struggling to point to a standout feature that differentiates it from other general riding jerseys. Priced at £79.99, it's okay value for a general riding jersey, although we've tested a fair few cheaper ones. Hommage au Vélo's Poli Blue Shetland Merino Jersey is £5 cheaper, with a lovely soft wool blend fabric.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best summer cycling jerseys

The Gore is very good quality, though, so it's certainly worth a look while it's discounted on Wiggle to £59.99. And you can still spend a lot more on a high-end jersey: okay, it has better fabrics and a more performance-focused fit, but the Le Col HC is £150...

Verdict

Not a standout jersey but well made for general riding with good performance in mild-to-warm conditions

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Gore C5 Jersey Limited Edition

Size tested: Small

Tell us what the product is for

From Gore: "A contemporary road-styled jersey that finds the balance between keeping the wind off your core, and ensuring sweat stays at bay on even the most strenuous rides. Reinforced features all around will ensure this jersey always stays in your kit bag."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Gore:

Comfort fit jersey with contemporary road style

Pouch construction on lower pockets

3-compartment back pockets

Graphic print on sleeves

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very well made and what you'd expect from Gore.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

During normal riding, this performs very well. It only struggles with wicking sweat when you take it out in really hot weather.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Zero issues having used this for road riding and a little summer cyclo-crossing.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

It's marketed as a general riding jersey and I think Gore has got the fit spot on. It combines a very stretchy fabric with a close but not tight fit.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

Everything is fine apart from the length of the body. Tall riders will be fine, but short and average height riders might find material bunching at the front.

Rate the product for weight:
 
6/10

For a general riding jersey, it's about what I'd expect for weight.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Very comfortable. A bit long, but this didn't push the zip into my neck too much. For taller riders, it'll be excellent.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

You're getting a very nice jersey, but I was expecting a little more from Gore; £80 is a lot to pay for a jersey when there are so many good options out there.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Very easy. It says to avoid tumble drying but I've ignored this and it's been fine.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well. As long as you don't take this out in the really hot weather, it'll do its job well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It is very comfortable for general riding.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I was expecting some standout feature that would justify the price.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes. Vey comfortable.

Would you consider buying the product? No. It's just a little long in the body for me.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? At the discounted price, yes.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Gains points for being well constructed with some good features like the zipper pocket. Loses points for not having anything to make it stand out at a high price point.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!

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