Moto inspired Troy Lee Designs hit the nail on the head where the 2018 women’s Ruckus jersey is concerned. It’s bold, colourful, looks good and feels great to wear, there’s really not much to complain about.
The Troy Lee Designs Ruckus jersey is aimed predominantly at the enduro racer but I wouldn’t be in a rush to pigeonhole this top, it’d look great whatever you were riding. There are two polyester fabric’s in play here, the front and sleeves are made from a quite close knit fabric with the rear and side panels being made out of a more mesh like material, making sure things stay cool. Its certainly really breathable and wicks sweat away quickly, the mesh fabric creating space between the skin and the jersey which is supposed to channel air. Whatever was happening, it worked well and kept me cool.
It's interesting to note the fabric is also Bluesign approved, this is a system that joins together the entire textile supply chain to reduce its impact on people and the environment. It means that the Ruckus jersey fabric doesn’t include any harmful substances whilst ensuring that the manufacturers of this material stick to using safe processes for its workers.
The Ruckus jersey is constructed from multiple panels and is quite slim fitting, I’m a dress size 8-10 and opted for a size small. There has been a lot of thought given to the fit it appears, the sides are well sculpted and the elbows are articulated too. I could fit a slim pair of elbow pads under here but not a more protective bulky one. The front neckline is pretty sweet too, I’d describe it as slightly hexagonal in shape, it's different and looks great. I did find the rear of the collar stood proud of the back of my neck slightly but didn’t affect the performance at all, just looks a little odd.
Raglan sleeves ensure the jersey lies neatly against the shoulders without any seams to rub or chafe. Elsewhere at the rear of the jersey are two pockets, each with its own invisible zip. I could use one hand to unzip these but needed use two to do them back up, holding the jersey material with one hand whilst zipping with the other. They aren’t that big, so the best use for these I reckon is snacks. Personally, I didn’t find the pockets that useful but then I don’t use jersey pockets in general, you might be different. Having two extra layers of material spanning the lower rear half of the top seemed a little excessive when not using the storage.
Riding in the Ruckus is a comfortable affair, it doesn’t twist or move about, the hem is long enough and dropped at the rear too to make sure it doesn’t ride up. The fabric wicks sweat well making this a good 3/4 length jersey to keep you covered up when out in the sun. I tested the bright orange/burgundy colourway but if you want something more muted there are two different blue versions available. I found I needed to use some stain remover on the orange fabric post ride to get the dirt stains out, a bit of ‘Vanish’ (other stain removers also available) and the jersey was as good as new.
At £55 the Ruckus jersey is a little pricier than some other ¾ length sleeve mountain bike jersey’s but only by a fiver or so. For that extra dosh you get a stylish jersey, with a great, flattering cut and good wicking properties. It did make me think though, drop the pockets and bring the price down a tad and this would be pretty close to perfect.