Made from an Italian fabric with claims to keep out the wind and rain while remaining breathable, Café du Cycliste are aiming high with their Josette jersey.

The idea of a weather proof, short sleeved jersey is one that appeals to us – a concept well realised by Castelli – and we’re looking forward to testing the claims made for the Josette. Café du Cycliste recommend its use in temperatures of between five and 15 degrees, and we expect plenty of days to answer this description in the weeks ahead.

The smooth outer surface of the jersey has the look of a waterproof fabric and a quick turn under the tap has confirmed our suspicions. The water didn’t bead, as we’d expected, but neither did it penetrate to the inside, a consequence of the bonded membrane, we suspect.

The seams aren’t taped, so there’s the potential for rain to enter when out on the road, but given the size of the holes, we’re confident of remaining dry in anything other than the heaviest and most sustained downpours. Watch this space. While we’re dealing with the inside of the jersey, it’s worth mentioning the fleece panel at the lower back, one that corresponds to the three rear pockets on the outside: what looks like a considered detail to protect the kidneys. The collar is fleece-lined too, but with a lighter fabric.

Up front, there’s a full-length, YKK zip, protected on either side by a water proof shield. It terminates at a low collar, finished with a natty, three-stripe colour band. Behind, there are three pockets on the tail, but in a slight deviation from the classic configuration, they’re covered with a flap, topped with a strip of reflective piping. We’re uncertain how the flap will perform on the road. Certainly, we expect it to offer extra protection to the contents, but will it make retrieving them unnecessarily difficult while pedalling? Another topic for our review.

Despite being a short-sleeved jersey, the arms of the Josette are longer than on a summer top, which we hope will aid protection from the elements. The right sleeve is finished with Café du Cycliste’s, errm, idiosyncratic logo. The only other branding appears on the right-hand rear pocket, making this a subtle and understated garment. As a final thought on the sleeve, there’s a lighter fabric running from the arm pit to the pocket for ventilation.

The Café du Cycliste Josette jersey is available in black, and in six sizes from XS to XXL. It costs £139.