De Marchi Veloce Jersey and Shorts

 

The jersey was light and cool, sitting comfortably on the torso. The sleeves were snug around the arms with no flap, yet were not constricting. One eccentricity should be mentioned: my large shorts fit my 70 kilo, 175 meter body well but the medium jersey was a little looser around the chest and waist than I was expecting for a race cut. If you like a body hugging fit, I’d recommend going down a size on the jersey.
 

 
The kit also looks attractive. The shorts are simply black with discreet De Marchi logos, while the jersey’s subtle colours were a welcome change from the more common black.
 
Once on the bike, the clothing continued to impress. On warmer days, in both California and the UK, I found the clothing did just what it promised. The mesh under the arms kept air circulating around me and quickly extracted any heat build up. The jersey wicked sweat quickly too, the fabric staying dry and light even in temperatures over 30 degrees celsius.
 

 
The shorts also stayed cool. The chamois, despite it’s adequate padding, did not insulate; rather the large channel in the pad combined with the high-wick fabric choice, kept me comfortable even as temperatures soared. It performed as advertised in the heat, but the clothing was also good in the cold.

 
It’s not been a warm summer so far in the UK, certainly not within the claimed ideal temperature range of the Veloce line. Despite the cooler conditions, I didn’t find the jersey chilled me on fast downhills. I credit this partially to the excellent cooling, resulting in less sweat evaporation when the road turned downwards. When the temperatures dipped below 18 degrees, a pair of arm warmers and an undershirt kept me comfortable all day.
 
The jersey’s mesh back helps it keep shape and stay stable according to De Marchi. I put this to the test a few times, stuffing pockets with different contents of different weights. The combination of a rubber gripper around the waist and the mesh panel over the spine, kept the jersey central on the back with little riding up as I rode.
 
The shorts too, stayed consistently in place with their own mesh back and tall, over-the-belly-button, front keeping the bib straps in place over the collarbones.
 

 
As I rode further, often into the 5-6 hour range, I found the new-for-2014 chamois a godsend. De Marchi has added Cytech’s Elastic Interface Technology to all of their summer line. Although, other manufacturers of premium cycling clothing offer Cytech chamois, this was the first time I’d had the chance to test the technology.
 
Cytech chamois focus on ‘freedom of movement, reduced skin irritation, increased support and guaranteed superior moisture transport with unparalleled breathability’ according to De Marchi. The design for the Veloce shorts is exclusive to De Marchi, leveraging a combination of memory foam, a multi-layer sandwich design, and a curving profile that minimizes bunching. This was easily the best chamois I have used in 25 years of racing and riding. Even after multiple six hour days of riding in the saddle, I experienced no numbness or chafing. If my legs could have withstood it, I’m sure a ride 50% longer would have still been comfortable.
 

 

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