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review
£64.99
VERDICT:
Affordable quality, comfort and style, but don't expect top-end breathability
Performance-orientated fit
Affordable
Not as breathable as some
Weight:
134g
Contact:
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 meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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Lusso's Freya Short Sleeve Jersey is an affordable option that offers comfort and style. It's not as breathable as some race-orientated alternatives, but sometimes just comfort and style are all that is needed.
Lusso continues to design and manufacture great quality, affordable kit in the UK, and the Freya Jersey is no exception.
The fit is snug without pinching or squeezing anywhere. I found the body and sleeve lengths spot on – I've had issues with tight necklines on Lusso jerseys before, but this wasn't the case with the Freya. (It's Tass, not me, in the photos.)
The jersey never budges when riding. A deep, elasticated hem, lined with narrow silicone tape, provides good stability for the lower section when the pockets are loaded.
The polyester/Lycra 130grm fabric is very lightweight and is intended to help the air flow more cleanly over the shoulders and body – think skinsuit material/performance. For me it lacked the breathability I would expect from a 'performance technical garment'. I tested Lusso's R1 Style Breathe Jersey last year and found it to be exceptionally breathable, and the Freya certainly doesn't match it. Despite Lusso saying the material is 'ideal for between 15C to 35C', it wasn't able to handle the recent 30+ degree temperatures so well, the fabric holding moisture and becoming rather clingy. It does include 50+ UV ray protection though.
A couple of finishing details might be considered a sign of the palatable £64.99 price tag – hemmed rather than raw cut sleeves, and no zipper garage at the top or bottom.
The three rear pockets, plus one zipped, are all very accessible and easily accommodate a smartphone, snacks, spares and so on.
Although its rrp of £64.99 is pretty good, you can buy cheaper jerseys that perform well, including Primal's £55 Pixel8 – though you're getting a much more relaxed fit here. Altura's Icon for £54.99 might be worth considering too, if you are willing to compromise on tailoring and fit. If you do want something with greater levels of breathability, though, Lusso still sells the R1 Breathe that I mentioned for the same price.
> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling jerseys here
Despite its labelling as a 'performance technical garment', I'd say that the Freya is more about comfort, fit and style. It's a very well made and uniquely designed jersey at a price that won't break the bank.
Verdict
Affordable quality, comfort and style, but don't expect top-end breathability
road.cc test report
Make and model: Lusso Freya Short Sleeve Jersey
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
Lusso says, 'The Freya Jersey has been designed for a Pro-fit and is a performance summer technical garment. The Italian fabric from Miti the market leader is a polyester/ Lycra 130 grm lightweight and helps the airflow move more cleanly over the shoulders and body of the rider. It remains fully breathable helping regulate your temperature and keeping you cool, reducing your need for extra hydration through the loss of perspiration.
'The material is a fully managed moisture transfer fabric, ideal for between 15C to 35C.'
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Lusso lists:
Lightweight Breathable Polyester/Lycra 130 grm
Anatomically shaped
Race fit (None flap)
Full Front Zip for easy access
4 Rear pockets (1 zipped)
50+ UV Ray Protection
45mm silicone Hem grippers
longer length sleeve
Machine Washable
Made in the UK
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Excellent – better quality than you might expect for the price.
Rate the product for performance:
6/10
Not as breathable as some of Lusso's own alternatives.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Early days, but looking like new after plenty of wear and washing.
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
Snug, race-fit garment. Well proportioned throughout.
Rate the product for sizing:
9/10
Spot on.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
6/10
There are cheaper jerseys, but here you get outstanding quality, great fit and style, for an affordable price. Breathability is not what some might want though.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Standard 30 degree cycle. Comes out fine.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Comfortable, snug race-fit but lacks the breathability of some similar race-orientated jerseys.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Comfortable fit that doesn't budge.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Breathability not great.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Not the cheapest: Primal's Pixel 8 is £10 less and Altura's Icon is £54.99. However, there are plenty more expensive ones out there – Velocio's Breton is £142.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? No
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
Great fit, comfortable and a reasonable price tag, but lacks the breathability that might be expected from what is labelled as a 'performance summer technical garment'.
About the tester
Age: 39
I usually ride: Road My best bike is: Carbon road.
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, Getting to grips with off roading too!
Emma’s first encounters with a road bike were in between swimming and running. Soon after competing for GB in the World Age Group Triathlon Championships in Edmonton in 2001 she saw the light and decided to focus on cycling.
After a couple of half decent UK road seasons racing for Leisure Lakes, she went out to Belgium to sample the racing there and spent two years with Lotto-Belisol Ladies team, racing alongside the likes of Sara Carrigan, Grace Verbeke, Rochelle Gilmore and Lizzie Deignan. Emma moved from Lotto-Belisol to Dutch team Redsun, then a new Belgian team of primarily developing riders, where there was less pressure, an opportunity to share her experience and help build a whole new team; a nice way to spend her final years of professional racing.
Since retiring Emma has returned to teaching. When not coercing kids to do maths, she is invariably out on two wheels. In addition to the daily commute, Emma still enjoys getting out on her road bike and having her legs ripped off on the local club rides and chain gangs. She has also developed an addiction to touring, with destinations including Iceland, Georgia and Albania, to mention just a few. There have also been rare sightings of Emma off-road on a mountain bike…
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