Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to REVIEWS
review
Jerseys - short sleeve
Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey
Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey

Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey

9
by David Arthur @davearthur
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published May 24, 2013

0
£40.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Simply stylish and well featured jersey that delivers a lot of performance for a wallet friendly price
Weight: 
137g
Contact: 
www.sportful.it
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

It's easy to spend a lot of money on a cycling jersey but the excellently conceived Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey just goes to show that, really you don't have to. For £40 you get a very smart looking jersey available in several colours with a fit and fabric that works brilliantly in a range of spring and summer conditions.

The styling is simple with a horizontal stripe extending across the chest and onto the sleeves, acting as a separator between the different colour combinations available. It's simply stylish and free of any garish details and logo overuse that can blight some jersey designs. It looks good in any of the colour combos but this red over white looks the smartest in my eyes.

A Nimbus fabric with mesh panels under the arms gives very good breathability on warmer days making it a fine choice for nice spring and summer days. It handles sweat well when paired with a short sleeve base layer, keeping you dry.

Sportful pay good attention to fit and this showed in the Pista. Though it's a little more generous than some of their racier jerseys (you can buy the same jersey they supply for pro team Saxo-Tinkoff minus the team sponsors, and that's really tight fitting) it's still well shaped and very flattering. There's plenty of sizes from S to XXL to choose from so everyone should be able to get a good fit.

The jersey is equipped with the regular three pocket arrangement around the back, large enough to take all the food and spares you might need for a 4-hour jaunt in the countryside. The jersey doesn't sag unduly when the pockets are loaded up, and the silicone lined waistband ensures the jersey stays put. It's nice to see the inclusion of a zipped pocket, very handy for safely stowing house/car keys.

A full-length zip not only makes putting on the jersey easy, it also provides loads of scope for ventilation. And yes you can emulate the pros when labouring up Alpine passes this summer with the jersey fully open and flapping in the wind.

Verdict

Simply stylish and well featured jersey that delivers a lot of performance for a wallet friendly price.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey

Size tested: Small

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?

Classic styling with performance features and comfort fit.

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

Classic styling with performance features and comfort fit.

Nimbus and Nimbus Mesh fabric for great moisture management.

Full length zip.

Embossed logo.

Microfiber jacquard knit elastic at sleeves and pocket.

3 external rear pockets plus zippered key pocket.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Excellent construction

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Performance in a range of conditions impresses, the fabric is very breathable and keeps you cool.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

It's well made and has proved to be very durable.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

The fit and feel of the fabric makes it a comfortable jersey.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

It's a lot of jersey for not a lot of money.

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

I was very impressed with the performance of the jersey. Fabric and fit are both very good and you get all the features you need in a spring/summer jersey.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It looks great.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

There's nothing really to dislike.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

Sportful Pista Long Zip Jersey
Sportful
jersey
full zip jersey
David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

Latest Comments