The Altura Raceline short sleeve jersey is a good mid-range piece with some neat features, though a couple of niggles stop it from scoring top marks.
Raceline is Altura’s top-of-the-range collection though, at £64.99, this jersey represents fair value for money. The main body of the jersey is made from a soft fabric (comprised of 100 per cent polyester) which sits next to the skin without causing any irritation. The fabric is lightweight and breathes well, and there are a couple of panels, one under each arm, to help deal with extra heat build-up. We’ve found the composition of the fabric just right for British spring/summer.
The material has more stretch in it that most jerseys and the fit, as we have found across much of the Raceline range, is generous. Altura describe the jersey as having a ‘performance’ fit but we’d recommend moving down a size, particularly compared to clothing from European brands. Once you find the right size, however, the cut is good, with pre-shaped ergonomic panels which match the body’s riding position, with no significant bunching of material when on the bike.
The perforated grippers on the arms are a neat touch. They’re elasticated, rather than silicone-lined, and grip the arm well, though they could lead to some interesting tan lines if you’re not careful. Out back, the wide silicone band also does a good job at holding the rear of the jersey in place, though the pockets have a tendency to sag towards the band when fully loaded.
It’s with the pockets that our main gripes lie. Because the fabric used is fairly stretchy, they have a tendency to hang a little lower than the ideally should when packed with the essentials for a long summer ride. They’re also not as deep as we’d like, particularly on the left and right-hand side pockets. That can keep any items in those pockets feeling vulnerable, even if we haven’t had anything jump out. There is, however. a central zipped pocket for valuables.
Conclusion
The Altura Raceline short sleeve jersey is a good-looking piece (also available in red/black) which won’t break the bank. All in all it’s a well-designed piece, with a couple of minor niggles (sizing and pockets) that should be marked under ‘room for improvement’ rather than ‘deal breaker’.
Price: £64.99
Sizes: XS-XXL
Website: Altura
UK distributor: Zyro
