The dhb Vaeon Roubaix long-sleeve jersey is comfortable, close fitting, and warm enough to wear over a merino base layer in low temperatures on still days. Like all jerseys of this type, however, it is not windproof, and we’d recommend pairing it with a gilet in such conditions.

There’s something refreshingly simple about the long-sleeve, fleece-lined jersey, a staple of the range of almost any clothing brand you care to mention. We’ve previously tested Endura’s FS-260 Pro equivalent, and riding buddies wear Castelli’s Free Jersey. We’re pleased to report that dhb’s offering doesn’t deviate from the template. Three open pockets on the tail? Check. A full-length zip up front? Check. A figure-hugging cut that eliminates any chance of the fabric filling like a sail when the wind gets up? Check. If it ain’t broke…

Our first ride inside the Vaeon Roubaix long-sleeve jersey involved three hours in the saddle in temperatures that didn’t make it above two degrees. A weak sun and still conditions combined to form a perfect operating window for a garment of this type. We paired it with dhb’s merino base layer and remained perfectly warm throughout. It’s worth adding that as a lighter rider, I feel the cold easily.

Cold winds exposed chinks in the jersey’s armour, however. The lycra deployed here, one known to dhb as Lombardia, offered no defence. A second mission, conducted in average temperatures of seven degrees, but in blustery conditions, was significantly less enjoyable than that in temperatures nearly 10 degrees lower. The answer? A gilet, preferably windproof (Castelli’s excellent Compatto, fashioned from Gore’s highly-regarded and aptly-named Windstopper fabric).

The three rear pockets provided ample storage space for our usual supplies of tubes, levers, pump, phone, and energy bar, but sagged a little under a weight that hasn’t troubled other garments in our wardrobe. The zipped pocket, mounted on ‘top’ of the middle of the three tail pockets was a non-starter, for us at least. We’re not fans of zipped pockets on the rear of a jacket of any size (witness our frustration with the pocket on Endura’s Equipe Thermo Windshield Jacket) and the tiny zip deployed here proved difficult to locate and nigh-on impossible to operate, even in dhb’s excellent Amberley II glove, which offered impressive dexterity. It fell out of use after our first ride.

Sleeves that appear too long off the bike tend to be the right length once and crouched over the bars and this proved to be the case with those of the appropriately named Vaeon Rouabix long-sleeve jersey. They were sufficiently slim to fit unobtrusively beneath a race cape when the weather demanded (although we’d advise against this combination for riding in prolonged wet weather; overheating occurred almost instantly) and slid snugly beneath the deep cuffs of our gloves. The fleece-lined collar was a welcome inclusion, soft against the skin and insulating, but, as previously observed, no defence against the wind.

Conclusion

We’d recommend the dhb Vaeon Roubaix jersey as a staple for the still cold months ahead. Our suggested improvements are minor affairs. The long-sleeve, stretchable jersey has fast become a modern classic, and by remaining faithful to the template, Wiggle’s house brand has produced a very usable garment.

Price: £69.99
Size: X-Small to Extra, Extra Large
Colour: black and white; red and white
Website: Wiggle