Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey

Tactic Sports' Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey is a slim-fitting, fleecy layer that works very well for spring and autumn days. The sleeves are a great length and the stretchy, well-cut cuff design helps when pairing with short cuffed-gloves. I found the high neck a little tight, though, and there's no top garage on the zip so it wasn't that comfy to ride with it done all the way up.

Tactic is a Girona-based apparel brand that has previously focused only on custom kit, but has recently expanded its offerings to include stylish performance options for general sale.

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Designed and manufactured in-house, the Hard Day Long Sleeve jersey is made from a 80% polyester, 20% elastane blend. It's stretchy and soft to the touch, so nice to have straight up against your skin.

The cut is described as being an 'aerodynamic race fit' – it's slim but not restrictive. I found it hugged my figure well while still providing room to pair with a baselayer for cooler outings.

It's not windproof at all, but the fabric is reasonably thin so easy enough to add a race-fit windproof layer on top.

The Hard Day isn't the warmest long sleeve – you'd need to pair it with a decent baselayer to wear in even high single figures. But thanks to well-placed mesh inserts at the underarms that massively help with breathability, it'll cover milder spring and autumn days. This breathability also helps on colder days when you're pushing on the pace for prolonged periods.

The sleeves are cut long so there's no chance of a dreaded skin gap between the jersey ending and where your gloves begin. To ensure coverage for the tops of your hands, the stretchy cuff has also been cut slightly longer round one side. This is a neat touch for gloves with a short cuff and works very well.

The elasticity of this sleeve cuff means it sits flush against your skin so there's no chance of chilly air finding a way inside, and also makes the jersey easy to take on and off.

A full length YKK camlock zip with a garage at the bottom is smooth to use, but the tag could do with being longer for easy grabbing with gloves while riding. The zipper is white and designed to be concealed, but I've found the fabric on either side never sits flush and so parts are visible, so doesn't look as smart as the rest of the jersey.

The high collar keeps your neck snugly warm and blocks out the fresh wind well, but there's no zip garage at the top to prevent irritating chin rub. However, care and wash instructions are handily printed on the inside of the collar, so there's no irritation caused by labels.

There are three standard pockets at the rear, as well as a zipped security one for keys. These are all a good size, but the zipped pocket isn't water resistant, so beware when stashing valuables.

The waist hem of the dropped rear has a silicone gripper tucked away on the inside and it's also very wide (4cm) as well as elasticated. There's good length to the tail of the jersey so it covers your back well and the gripper ensures it stays put superbly.

There's also a small reflective panel for a touch of visibility, but this only extends the width of the middle pocket.

There are plenty of subtle styles to choose from in the same three-tone design as the grey 'rock' option I tested: ice (light blue), lime (light yellow), leaf (pink/coral) and lake (dark blue).

Costing £98, this well-fitting jersey is reasonable value for a performance long sleeve. Sportful's Bodyfit Pro Women's Thermal Jersey is at the £100 mark and is similarly nicely styled. It also impressed with it's performance-focused fit and great breathability, but doesn't have a zipped valuables pocket.

> How to choose the best clothing for cycling in spring

I recently tested Le Col's more expensive £165 Hors Categorie Long Sleeve Jersey. It has a comfier inner liner and is impressively thin, meaning it's easier to layer with, but I found the sleeves of the Le Col too short and the cuffs too tight, whereas this is where the Tactic offering excels.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling kit here

Overall, this is a great-fitting performance layer for riding in spring/autumn. It's not that warm by itself, so it doesn't have the largest temperature range, but the breathability is good, extending its use into milder days.

Verdict

Stylish, snug-fitting layer with well-judged sleeves and cuffs for easy glove pairing