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Boardman Women's Short Sleeve Jersey

8
£30.00

VERDICT:

8
10
A great, comfortable jersey for everyday riding without draining the bank
Weight: 
127g

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The Boardman Women's Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey is a lovely everyday top at a great price. Boardman hasn't messed around giving its jersey a complicated name, nor has it messed around adding unnecessary features to a simple and functional piece of kit.

The jersey comes in various bright and tasteful colour schemes, and handily the turquoise and pink version I tested was my favourite.

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When I first put the jersey on, it felt slightly restrictive around the shoulders, but once I was on a bike with my arms stretched out to the bar, this was no longer an issue. I wore a size 8 and, other than that slight tightness, found the fit to be good and true to size.

Boardman Womens Short Sleeve Jersey - riding.jpg

The casual, relaxed fit is flattering, and while it's not skin tight, it doesn't leave excess material where it's not wanted (note it is not me in the photos). I also found that the sleeve cuffs sat nicely around my arms without being tight, and the bottom hem with its rubber gripper stayed in place relatively well while riding.

Boardman Womens Short Sleeve Jersey - gripper.jpg

Other jerseys in this price range often come with a half or three-quarter-length zip, so I was immediately pleased to find that this had a full length zip giving more flexibility to undo it on hot rides and making those roadside wee stops in bib shorts just a little bit easier.

Boardman Womens Short Sleeve Jersey - collar.jpg

The 'Qwick-dri' fabric of the jersey is very breathable and wicked away moisture well just as Boardman claims. The jersey isn't designed for the hottest or most humid conditions, but on mild and warmer (British) summer days I was perfectly content without overheating. I found it soft and comfortable with no itchy seams or chafing, and experienced no problems when washing it on a cool cycle.

> Buyer's Guide: 8 of the best cheap cycling jerseys

I find jerseys without a zip pocket really annoying, so was pleased to find that the Boardman has a zip-up valuables pocket at the rear. It was disappointingly small, though: my keys and debit card fitted in fine, but it wasn't big enough for my slim cycling wallet or phone.

Boardman Womens Short Sleeve Jersey - zip pocket.jpg

According to the product details from Boardman, the jersey features a further three rear pockets, as the majority of jerseys do, but in fact it only has two. This may sound a little crazy, but I am used to packing my spares into three pockets and I know exactly what lives where when I head out for a ride, so I found the two pockets, although well sized, a little frustrating.

Boardman Womens Short Sleeve Jersey - pockets.jpg

With an RRP of £30, I think this jersey is very good value for money. Brands such as dhb and BTwin have some similarly priced offerings, but Boardman has certainly set the bar high. The jersey's flattering fit, full-length zip and bright colour scheme mean I'd happily overlook the limited pocket space.

Verdict

A great, comfortable jersey for everyday riding without draining the bank

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Boardman Women's Short Sleeve Jersey

Size tested: 8

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Boardman says: "Hit the road in style and comfort with the Boardman Womens Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey. This jersey is made from breathable fabric and a relaxed fit for comfort. It includes three rear plus one zipped pocket for security. In addition, the jersey also features Qwick-Dri fabric which helps to wick away moisture, keeping you cool and collected."

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

Boardman lists these features:

Relaxed fit semi fitted for comfort

Breathable fabric

Three rear open pockets

One zipped pocket for security

Full length locking zip

Quick-dry fabric

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
6/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Performed really well as a comfortable and nicely fitting jersey for everyday use.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

I really like the fit which is feminine and semi-fitted yet relaxed.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

I am an 8 and found it came up perfectly true to size.

Rate the product for weight:
 
5/10

It's not the lightest jersey you'll ever find, but certainly doesn't feel bulky.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

The fabric wicks moisture really well and I found it very comfortable.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

With an RRP of £30 it is one of the cheapest offerings out there and you get a great deal for the money.

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

No issues so far with washing on a 30 degree kit cycle; it has held its shape well.

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

It's nothing spectacular, but it performed perfectly as a comfortable everyday jersey with just about all the useful features required.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Love the relaxed and feminine fit and the full zip which is often lacking on cheaper jerseys.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The zip valuables pocket is quite small and there are only two other rear pockets.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

It's a great value for money, comfortable and well fitting jersey that does just what you need it to.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 20  Height: 164cm  Weight: 56kg

I usually ride: Planet X London Road  My best bike is: Bowman Palace:R

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, track

Ashia is a Maths student at the University of Bath and has been riding and racing bikes for the past 6 years after a track taster session at her local velodrome had her hooked. Most weekends, she can be found out racing, be it track, road, criteriums, time trials, triathlons, or cyclocross.  Whilst she is fiercely competitive and loves to race, she is still on the look out for anyone hiring a "full time cafe rider" when she graduates.

Add new comment

5 comments

Avatar
alansmurphy | 6 years ago
0 likes

There's 2 problems with Ali jerseys, the wait and the sizing. If you ordered a summer jersey now you'd certainly miss the summer, pre plan and you're OK.

As a very average man, 6ft, 12 stone, 40" chest I vary from medium to xl on Ali and have had a few shirts fit pretty averagely. Wasn't too bad at a tenner but they're creeping towards £20 now. Having said that, got a Rapha copy Ventoux attaque and the quality has improved ten fold, you'd do well to tell it apart. Find a buyer you like and they may provide some sizing consistency...

Avatar
Vejnemojnen | 6 years ago
0 likes

just type in

 

raccmer

phtluxe

sailsun

maap

 

jersey to the ali-search. will get you plenty of chöices.

Avatar
kompot replied to Vejnemojnen | 6 years ago
0 likes
Vejnemojnen wrote:

just type in

 

raccmer

phtluxe

sailsun

maap

 

jersey to the ali-search. will get you plenty of chöices.

Could you please share a bit of your experience with jerseys from ali? I don´t see any rocket science behind making summer jersey, and therefore found pricing of jerseys from big brands redicuolus.

Avatar
NorthEastJimmy | 6 years ago
0 likes

Reminds me more of some of MAAP's designs.

Avatar
Dr. Ko | 6 years ago
1 like

Does anybody else got reminded of the Rapha Cross design?

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