Primal Cyc-adelic Paisley Men’s Evo 2.0 Jersey

The Primal Cyc-adelic Paisley Men's Evo 2.0 is a striking looking jersey that performs well in moderate to high temperatures thanks to effective wicking and impressive ventilation. It could do with slightly larger pockets on the left and right, but that's my only complaint.

When this jersey arrived on a sunny day I thought, 'Fantastic, I can test this out in the sunshine.' Then after that initial ride there were approximately five years of rain and cold... Luckily, there was some more hot weather towards the end of the testing period, but it's safe to say I have a lot of experience of how this performs under a jacket too.

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One of the main selling points of the jersey is its design. As well as the obvious paisley there are stars, bears and fire thrown in for good measure. It's one of the most striking jerseys I've seen, and I think it looks great.

You can judge the looks for yourself, but one of the most important elements of the jersey is its heat management, and it's impressive. It comes partly from the Q3 elite fabric and partly from the venting incorporated in the jersey.

A mesh fabric at the top of the back between the shoulder blades and running from the end of the sleeve up to the armpit and down to the waist on both sides allows heat to escape easily. I wore this on days when the temperature rose to around 24°C and there was decent airflow to dissipate any heat buildup.

Helping this was the impressive wicking of the Q3 elite fabric used across the rest of the jersey, which quickly moves moisture away from the skin. As I wore the jersey under a jacket more often than I would have liked, I had plenty of opportunity to test this. It wasn't as effective as when I was wearing it without it being covered, but it still did a good job nonetheless.

As you would expect from a warm weather jersey, the Evo 2.0 has a full length zip – a high quality HKK model with a large metal pull, so it's easy to find and operate.

The fit is definitely towards the aero-end of the scale, though it's not specifically an aero jersey – Primal refers to it as 'race fit'. It has the signature longer cut arms with wide lazer-cut hem to help with aerodynamics, combined with a relatively close fit elsewhere. This is achieved without discomfort thanks to the stretch in the mesh side panels – the Q3 elite fabric itself doesn't have much stretch, which allows the jersey to still sit flat on the front and shoulders.

Everything stays in place well thanks to strategically placed silicone micro-dots around the ends of the sleeves and at the bottom of the jersey. It worked whether I had loaded pockets or not.

The three rear pockets are the only aspect of the jersey that I felt could do with improvement. The left and right pockets are both angled at the top for easier access while riding, so they're shorter than the central one, and things like a phone, pump and even gels can stick out and feel less secure than I'd like.

Considering its good fit, impressive breathability and strong wicking performance, the jersey's rrp of £70 is pretty good. It's a tenner more than Rapha's Core Lightweight Jersey but that doesn't have quite the same impressive fit and aero-inspired design. The Endura Pro SL HC Short Sleeve Jersey I tested last year is £10 more and less impressive in terms of venting and breathability.

> Buyer’s Guide: 26 of the best summer cycling jerseys 

Overall, the Cyc-adelic Paisley Evo 2.0 is a good looking, high-performance jersey at a reasonable price. It's impressive on the wicking and ventilation front, and the cut and fit are great. The only thing I'd like are slightly deeper side pockets.

Verdict

An impressive jersey in performance and looks, but could do with slightly deeper pockets