dhb Active Cycling Jersey Review

dhb are the exclusive brand to Wiggle, the online cycle specialists. Now into their tenth year, the British brand's technical sports clothing range covers both mountain bike and road cycle wear as well as running and compression clothing. The thing that has always appealed to me about dhb is the fact that they seem to put as much pride and quality into their low-end, entry level products as they do in their performance range. I been testing the dhb Active Cycle Jersey for a few weeks now on the commutes to work and short weekend rides. Here's what I thought.

It's Simple really.

When it comes to commuting by bike, what to wear is a very personal thing. Some people are happy to turn their pedals in their trousers and shirt or even a suit, whilst others wrap themselves in their 'Sunday best' jersey and matching bib shorts and gloves and socks and.....well you get the idea. When cycling at any time, the main thing is to feel comfortable in what you are wearing. dhb's Active Cycling Jersey does exactly that. It is a no frills, relaxed fitting, comfortable jersey. It is made from 100% Polyester, micro-mesh fabric offers good level of wicking. Both long and short sleeve jerseys have a low cut, lose fit collar and a 16cm YKK zip for, as dhb put it 'temperature control'. There are 3 vertical pockets on the back which are easily accessible and nice and deep. Although if filled with heavier items like multi-tools or a large mobile phone, they can sag a little and pull the rear of the jersey down.The fit is nice relaxed but without being baggy like that of a mountain biking jersey and the sleeves don't sit too tightly on the arms like a performance fit road jersey might (this is based on the short sleeve version). When it comes dhb's sizing, their clothing usually ranges between XS-XXL. I have always found them to be pretty accurate in that an XL (the size tested) is around 109cm or 42-44" chest. Compare this to say Itailan sizing where the same jersey would be a XXL or even a XXXL for the same chest size. Sadly there is no silicone gripper around the hem but considering that the list price for the short sleeve dhb Active Cycling Jersey is just £12.99, its lack of presence is not a big issue. This and the fact that its relaxed fit means it doesn't really ride up anyway. When worn with a rucksack, the jersey remains comfortable and doesn't pinch up around the arms or shoulders although I did find my back got rather hot and sweaty but I think this was more to do with the shape of the bag than the jersey. Available in Black, Blue, Red, White or Hi-viz (Fluoro) and can be purchased as a single garment or twin pack for an excellent value £25.98 (list price). The dhb Active jersey's are also available in ladies versions too at the same price.

dhb Active Cycling Jersey Review Conclusion.

Like I said at the start of this review, I have been commuting in the Hi-viz dhb Active Cycling Jersey for a few weeks now and well, I have to say I love it. The quality you get for the price you pay really is impressive. I had fallen into the trap of wearing my higher-end jersey's to ride to the office and found their life expectancy decreased significantly. Having ridden nearly 400 miles in it and put it through countless washing cycles, this jersey is really standing up to the test. Yes there are some things that I would get from a more advanced jersey like better cooling, tighter pockets and the silicone gripper but seriously, for low cost, good quality and exceptional value, this jersey is very hard to fault.