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Trail jerseys, £30 £75

Mountain bike jerseys are pretty simple, but the best ones have a few tricks up their sleeves that can keep you more comfortable on the bike.

Everyone knows that wicking fabrics are good, but once they’ve moved the moisture away from your skin, how quickly they dry is also important. If your jersey stays damp for too long you’ll get the chills once you stop working hard. It’s also worth looking for materials with antibacterial properties, because fibres designed to move sweat efficiently eventually take on its smell. With treatments such as Polygiene it doesn’t have to be that way. Taking an extended trip? Merino wool is naturally antibacterial and can usually be worn for several days with no ill effects on friendship groups.

Different fabrics suit different types of riding. Heavier materials give more protection but can get warm in the summer months. Lighter, more open knits are cooler but less durable. Modern fabric mixes use harder-wearing yarns in lighter knits to give the best of both worlds, but tend to be more expensive. Some designs use a mix of materials – for example, fabrics that help increase airflow at the sides or across the back, with harder-wearing inserts on the arms or shoulders.

Cut seems like it should be simple – jerseys are just glorified T-shirts, right? Not necessarily. Designs with shaped panels that follow the articulation of your arms and body are more comfortable on the bike and allow free movement of your arms and shoulders while the body of the jersey stays still. This approach tends to produce styles that just ‘feel right’ as soon as you put them on. More basic jerseys with less or no shaping have to rely on stretchy fabric and a baggier cut to allow easy movement.

Finally, how a jersey is made is also important. Flatlock seams are best if you wear a pack or prefer a closer-fitting jersey, because they’re less likely to chafe. The way sleeves are constructed also makes a difference – a raglan style not only allows for easy movement but creates flat panels across the shoulders, so there are no seams at these key pressure points.