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Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey

8
£65.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Very good summer top that performs well in the heat and will help to level the playing field for emerging African cycling talent
Deals exceptionally well with sweat
Funds good cause
More could have been done with the design
Weight: 
152g
Contact: 

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The Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey is a good summer cycling top that aims to support the development of professional cycling in Uganda. It works well at keeping you cool and raises money – those have to be very good things.

For more options check out our best summer cycling jerseys buyer's guide.

> Buy now: Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey for £65 from Galibier

Galibier has funded the entire production cost of this jersey so that £52 of the recommended retail price goes directly to the Masaka Cycling Club.

Sitting near the equator some 80 miles south west of the capital Kampala, this area of East Africa boasts some of the continent's top cyclists, according to the Masaka website. 'Yet this talent faces many daily barriers,' the site explains: 'Poverty, corruption, access to food and clear drinking water, basic medical support, safe infrastructure, equipment and the opportunity to participate in races throughout the region to showcase this talent.'

The Masaka cycling club has brought a network of cycling fans together to address these issues and create a more inclusive cycling community. It includes businesses like Galibier and the Dutch organisation Team AMANI.

It's a network that is helping to support riders like Masaka's Paul Kato, who was the Ugandan National Road Champion in 2016, sprinter Fred Wasswa, junior racer Richard Kemya and women's captain Florence Nakaggwa, who the team hopes will be their first elite level female rider.

You can find them all in the team section of the club's website, smartly decked out in their bright orange Masaka Cycling Club kit. So how well does their replica kit perform so far from the searing heat of East Africa?

Winter's tale

This short-sleeved jersey is really made for warm summer days. So reviewing it at 51.5 degrees north of the equator, during some of the wettest months of the year has been a challenge.

Most of my trips out on the road have seen this thrown on over a base-layer and it has performed well. There's a full length front YKK zip, that allows me to ventilate on some tough climbs, and is easy to operate with one hand. There's a neat reflective tab at the back for added visibility on night sections and three rear pockets that are all easy to access.

I like to have at least one zipped pocket for bank card and house keys – brain fog mid-ride makes this a vital requirement for me – and that is not on offer here. But all three pockets are suitably deep and they securely carried an impressive amount of kit on my last 200km ride. I managed to stash phone, wallet and keys in one pocket, repair kit, pump and inner tube in another and waterproof in the third. Everything stayed where it needed to with minimal bounce.

2024 Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey - pockets.jpg

The sleeves feature elasticated ends that are perfectly comfortable but don't offer a lot of give. My preference would be for a band of Lycra that has a little more flex and can offer a snug fit no matter how large your arms are.

2024 Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey - cuff.jpg

There's a silicone gripper that runs around the waist of this garment and ensures it stays in place and this is enhanced by what Galibier calls a 'dual material compression band'. This tops off what feels like a well designed and functional piece of cycling kit. I found the top really comfortable and a joy to wear.

2024 Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey - gripper.jpg

Turbo aesthetics

I wanted to get a sense of what this was like in the heat, worn next to my skin. So I removed all my recent washing from the clothes horse that occasionally doubles as an indoor bike. Then I waited for the heating to come on and closed all windows before undertaking 40 minutes of vigorously static pedalling.

And as the heat built up, the jersey started to play to its strengths. It's made of different grades of Italian Airmesh material. So there's a little extra wind resistance on the front panels and noticeably larger holes for breathability at the back. Then under the arms, those holes increase again to ensure a good flow of air where it is most needed.

2024 Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey - shoulders back.jpg

This meant that even when I was wheezing my way through 'intervals' and dabbing at my face with a spare towel, the jersey kept me cooler than I would have been in the majority of my own cycling tops. It's really comfortable against your skin, breathes well and would be a great piece of kit on a long, midsummer ride.

When I opened the door and stepped outside, it dried quickly, so I'd expect this to perform brilliantly on a hot summer's day on the road.

And taking a training ride around the spare room meant I was able to really appreciate the aesthetic appeal of this jersey in the adjacent wall mirror.

The 'athletic' sizing would better suit someone with less of a penchant for KitKats and ice-cream, but the elasticated side panels ensured a comfortable fit and my size 'large' felt absolutely spot on (I am a 42in chest and 34in waist). It's worth noting that Galibier offers this in both men's and women's fits.

2024 Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey - back.jpg

It's not the most stylish design – but if you like orange (and frankly, who doesn't?) then this is going to tick a box for you. The black panel on orange background might remind you of the old Holdsworth racing top and it's not a million miles from my own club kit. There are a lot of different fonts on here though – the mix of Galibier, Masaka, Bike Matters and Curve logos all seem to be fighting for attention. I really do feel that there was potential to do a lot more with the look of this top to really celebrate its Ugandan origin.

A very minor nod towards its country of origin comes in the form of subtle Ugandan flag detailing on the arms. While the actual club kit also has this design running around the neck, for some reason this replica option features a plain black collar. And when you compare this to the team jersey of Sierra Leone's Lunsar Cycling Team, which weaves the flag's white, green and blue into an intricate design, this does seem to be a missed opportunity.

2024 Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey - collar.jpg

The Ugandan flag could easily be mistaken for its Belgian counterpart. So expect this to elicit as many comments about that country's Spring Classics and Eddy Merckx as it will about the Tour d'Afrique or Uganda's Charles Kagimu, who won gold in 2023's Africa Continental Championships.

Value for money

The Masaka Fundraising Jersey is perfectly functional although £65 is quite a lot of money when you compare this to other similar jerseys. Galibier's own Regale Ultralight Jersey costs just £46.88 and was highly rated when Shaun reviewed it. He said he was impressed by its comfort, durability and lack of compromise.

But if you want to support the idea of making cycling more accessible and equitable, then the Masaka Fundraising Jersey is going to be hard to beat.

Buy this and you'll walk away with a really good cycling top that celebrates a growing group of highly talented athletes, safe in the knowledge that a good chunk of what you have spent is going to be used to address inequalities in our sport. And wearing the top on your local club runs is going to help to build awareness further.

The Galibier website says that the company has made 25 deliveries of new cycling kit to Masaka so far, so this is already having impact on the ground. You can, of course, make donations directly through the Masaka website.

There are lots of other ways to support the sport overseas, too. You can donate money and kit directly to Sierra Leone's Lunsar Cycling Team. Or you can try to track down one of their replica jersey's made in association with manufacturer Le Col. It no longer seems to be available on the main Le Col website but we did find one on the SportPursuit website. The design incorporates the flag of Sierra Leone and looks stunning.

Away from professional cycling there are organisations that aim to make cycling more accessible. Cycling Out of Poverty and Prodigal Bikes send donated bicycles out to the continent of Africa and these are also worth consideration if you want to make a small contribution to help promote cycling around the globe.

Conclusion

I've got a few issues with the design ethic of this jersey. So much more could have been done with it and there are a few too many fonts battling it out between the Galibier, Masaka, CURVE and Bike Matters logos. But it is a really good summer top – and if it can handle the needs of professional cyclists near the Equator, it should keep you cool on a streamy August ride through the Cotswolds. This is a great fundraising initiative and one that is well worth supporting. If it inspires an interest in the talent currently emerging from teams like Masaka, Lunsar and AMANI and helps to level out the inequalities in professional cycling, then that has to be a good thing. Perhaps it could inspire a UK wing of the Masaka Cycling Club.

> Buy now: Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey for £65 from Galibier

Verdict

Very good summer top that performs well in the heat and will help to level the playing field for emerging African cycling talent

road.cc test report

Make and model: Galibier Masaka Fundraising Jersey

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

This jersey is designed for summer rides but its main intention is to raise funds for the Masaka Cycling Club in Uganda.

Galibier says: 'Crafted with precision, our jersey is designed to keep you comfortable during those long rides. Featuring Italian Airmesh side panels and advanced Miit material for the long sleeves, the fabric maximizes evaporation, keeping you dry. Adjust to changing temperatures with a full-length YKK zipper, while the low-profile collar complements the jersey's hot weather focus. It's not just about aesthetics; the reinforced pocket structure with silicone tops ensures your belongings stay put. Ride during any hour with confidence as a 3M reflective panel enhances visibility'

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

Galibier lists these technical aspects:

Dual material compression band around the waist.

Silicone gripper elastic for a snug fit.

Full-length YKK zipper for adjustability.

Support stretch panels.

Athletic fit cut.

Three secure rear pockets.

Material Composition:

65% Polyester Active mesh

25% DuPont Invista Lycra

10% Elastane

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Functional design across the whole top with good levels of comfort at the neck and waist.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

This really comes into its own on hotter rides with added breathability where it is needed most: on the back and underarms.

Rate the product for durability:
 
6/10

It's difficult to tell after a few weeks of use but no signs of wear as yet and I would expect years of good service out of this top.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Fit as expected – I am a 42in chest and 34in waist and the size large delivered an excellent fit. Stretch side panels helped as well.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Sized up perfectly and as expected.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

It's not the lightest summer top available – Galibier's own Regale Ultralight Jersey comes in at just 84g.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Good levels of comfort when worn next to the skin. The waist gripper at the back ensures it stays in place, zip makes it easy to vent and good levels of comfort at the neck and on the sleeves.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

This is pretty much what you would expect to pay for a top that offers this level of performance. But the real reason for investing in this item of kit is that the majority of the money you spend goes to fund cycling in Uganda. And from that perspective – and the fact that Galibier is funding all the production process - this is really remarkable value for money.

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

Had no problems washing this on a low temperature – although I am still trying to deal with an oily mark on the back that must have come after a chain slip in the middle of the night.

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

On the turbo-trainer, with the temperature turned up – it did very well in helping to keep me cool. It wicks sweat away and dries remarkably quickly. I can't wait to give this a run out when the sun does finally emerge.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I love that this gives you a connection to a cycling club in Uganda and a reason to follow the progress of cyclists there. I'm starting to follow some of the cyclists progress online and already want to learn more.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Really small quibbles – I would have liked to see a more inspiring design and slightly more give and flex in the sleeves.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

If you want a cheaper summer jersey then you will have no problem at all finding one. That really isn't the point of this top. It still offers good value for money as a summer cycling jersey but the fact that your money is going to support up and coming cyclists is what this is all about. The closest competitor is the Le Col Lunsar Cycling Team top that we managed to track down for £79 on Sport Pursuit (but no longer seems to be available on the Le Col website). The Lunsar top is far more aesthetically appealing but seems to only be available on a few limited sites.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? I already have recommended to friends with an interest in African cycling.

Use this box to explain your overall score

This is a super-functional summer cycling top that performs really well in the heat. Good design means that it deals exceptionally well with sweat when you are out on the road. Wearing it has given me a reason to find out more about cycling in Africa and to follow the progress of riders from Masaka and beyond. I love the idea that the majority of the purchase price of this top will help promote the next generation of cyclists in that region.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 0  Height: 180cm  Weight: 83k

I usually ride: Specialised Langster (fixed commuter)  My best bike is: Condor Fratello (new – Audax rides)

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: commuting, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, Audax

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
timmyotool | 5 months ago
0 likes

£52 of sale price is so impressive, when you see some companies giving small %age of profits from sales to similar initiatives.
Well done Galibier!

Avatar
galibiervelo | 6 months ago
5 likes

Thanks to all at Road.cc for help us spreading the word about the super work of Masaka Cycling Club-Uganda. The power of the bicycle.

Avatar
Freddy56 | 6 months ago
0 likes

I think the reviewer hasn't understood the spirit of the jersey, if the sale cost is being giving to the Masaka (team/club?) you can't really judge the cost if it is really a donation with a free jersey.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Freddy56 | 6 months ago
3 likes
Freddy56 wrote:

I think the reviewer hasn't understood the spirit of the jersey, if the sale cost is being giving to the Masaka (team/club?) you can't really judge the cost if it is really a donation with a free jersey.

Matt Swaine wrote:

This is pretty much what you would expect to pay for a top that offers this level of performance. But the real reason for investing in this item of kit is that the majority of the money you spend goes to fund cycling in Uganda. And from that perspective – and the fact that Galibier is funding all the production process - this is really remarkable value for money.

Looks to me as if he's totally understood the spirit of the jersey, judging by that comment.

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