off-road.cc

There’s only so much you can do in terms of technological improvement on a jersey; function is important but so are the style and design. Personally, I think the look of the Giro Chrono Expert jersey is on point – with understated graphics that are distinct but subtle.

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The jersey is made from a pleasantly soft feeling fabric. At 160g/m² it is on the heavier side, making this jersey less suited to the hottest of climates and seasons. That said, I’ve been happy wearing it throughout the summer (in Scotland admittedly). My only criticism is that the printed graphics have a slight sheen, I would prefer a more matte finish to go with the overall understated look.

The cut of the jersey is definitely among the roomier I have experienced. I wear a medium with a 38” chest and found the jersey significantly looser than a race fit. This doesn’t really disturb me; I don’t need all my jerseys to be super tight but it’s something to bear in mind. That said, it tapers nicely in the body, fitting my shoulders nicely whilst not being too baggy around my torso. I also like that it is cut longer than some other jerseys that I own.

Raglan shoulder construction.

The jersey is constructed with raglan sleeves, which Giro claim improve mobility. To be perfectly honest I’m a little sceptical – I feel the inherent elastic stretch in jersey material provides more flexibility than this construction method can provide in addition. However, the sleeves don’t have grippers on them, but seem to stay put very well – perhaps this is the cut of the jersey at work. In general, I felt the jersey allows great mobility on the bike.

The jersey is put together nicely. It has the standard three pockets at the back, plus, what should be requisite on all jerseys, a fourth small zipped pocket. These expand quite well to fit a lot of things, though I would have liked to see waterproof material for the valuable pocket.

Three standard pockets plus an (essential) zipped one.

I like the unobtrusive cut of the collar, though the low cut does mean that your neck is a little more exposed to the wind. I did find the zipper a little temperamental at times, catching some fabric on one occasion, and also a little scratchy when fully zipped. Nothing that affected me significantly, but equally something that could easily be fixed by a little fabric flap over the top of the zipper.

Durability has been great so far, having gone through numerous washes with no signs of wear.  The fabric has not stretched out or sagged at all.

Overall I like this jersey, it is comfortable and has all the necessary features. However, I am not completely convinced that it is quite as refined as some competitors at a similar price point. With that in mind, the £80 price tag seems a little on the steep side, with no obvious features that justify this price.  At the end of the day, the deciding factor will probably be whether you like the design or not – I do, so I’m more than happy to have this jersey in my rotation.