Vantage Jersey

The first thing to note about the Hincapie Vantage Jersey, and indeed all of the items in the collection, is the smooth and slippery finish to the fabric. It’s a fairly typical mix of polyester (87 per cent) and elastene (13 per cent), but the sleek exterior is unlike any we’ve previously encountered. The fabric gives the jersey a striking appearance that may not appeal to all, but it will certainly get you noticed, even in the blue and ‘clay’ colour scheme we’ll be testing – the most modest of the three.

Elsewhere, there are some pleasing technical features. The sleeve hem is laser cut for a clean finish, in keeping with the sleek appearance supplied by the fabric. At the back, however, the laser cut band gives way to a perforated panel which runs the entire length of the jersey’s side. There’s a second perforated panel in the centre of the back, just below the collar, too. Both appear strategically placed for ventilation in areas most susceptible to moisture build-up. Nice.

Elsewhere, things are more conventional. The classic three-pocket configuration on the tail is one that meets our approval (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, clothing manufacturers!), and the robust YKK zip is finished with a heavy and comparatively sizable tag, engraved with the Hincapie logo, which should prove easy to locate when on the bike. We’ll find out.

The Hincapie Vantage jersey is available in six sizes and in three colours: ‘harbor’ (light blue and yellow), red and white, and the ‘clay’ scheme pictured. It costs $100.