LE COL AQUA ZERO LS

£135 Does the Brit brand’s jersey cope with spring riding?

Former pro cyclist Yanto Barker’s Le Col have firmly established themselves as a quality high-end cycling apparel brand, and this long-sleeve jersey is intended as a racing and/or serious training garment for early spring and autumn riding.

We took a size large over our usual medium, which fitted us just right, so it’s worth noting Le Col’s gear generally comes up on the small side. The fabric is noticeably stretchy, soft against the skin and allows full freedom of movement while you’re riding. Le Col describe the Aqua Zero LS as ‘weatherproof’ thanks to the hydrophobic fabric technology, and while you shouldn’t expect full waterproofing, it repels light rain for quite some time. A large cover also prevents further water ingress at the neckline, but there’s no full-length cover over the zipper, which means in a deluge it’ll soak through eventually (although the jersey is close-fitting and breathable enough to allow you to stick an extra packable layer on top).

You get generous storage space with three big open pockets at the rear, an extra waterproof zipped pocket on the right, and an inside zip pocket on the right breast. It’s a very good jersey for cooler spring mornings, but compared to Castelli’s similarly-priced Perfetto, the water repellency is a little off the mark. In terms of fit, comfort and stretch, though, it’s up there with the best.