By Nicole Mallet
I don’t usually let my Road cycling wardrobe cross into my mountain biking wardrobe – but the Mavic Ksyrium Elite Thermo Jersey has just broken that rule. I say this because the Ksyrium Jersey is actually marketed as a winter Road wear. There are a few features that give this away; the back pockets for example, but it’s not obvious and the jacket doesn’t look out of place on the trails. Over the test period it has been my jersey of choice every ride, not only because it needed a good test in different conditions but for its many attributes.
I have experienced a multitude of conditions over the test period, ranging from snow, ice, wind, rain, sleet, and I even saw some sunshine. The Ksyrium is said to work at its optimum between zero and ten degrees Celsius. With a good base layer, at minus 4 at the summit of Hellvelyn in the snow, I was still toasty warm; it’s only when the breeze started that I needed a windproof layer on top. At the other end of the scale, I found ten degrees Celsius (even minus a base layer) was a little too warm.
The Ksyrium jersey has taken away the need for many layers but did make me think about getting the right one underneath. Not only because of its warmth but as it’s a fairly tight fitting top, coming from a road cycling perspective. On the first test ride I wore my favourite merino base layer underneath, but I found after a few hours of riding (and my arms getting pumped on the downhill sections) the combination of the 2 tight layers made my arms feel restricted and a little sore. This problem was solved with a thinner base layer, and as the Ksyrium jersey is fleece lined it did not compromise warmth.
The extremely soft, highly elasticated fabric felt very soft and cosy against my skin and the panelled design lets the jersey move freely as you ride. The “ergo cuffs” are cut on a slight angle for a snug fit to keep the cold out whilst keeping the warm in during movement. Although not so high as to be uncomfortable, the neck, made from a brushed waffle fabric, is high enough to stop that cold draught out. Seams are flat-locked throughout, so even on those days with no base layer they won’t irritate the skin. And after 14+ washes as per instructions at 30 degrees the Ksyrium jersey still looks as good as new, no bobbling or fading at all. I did use an antibacterial washing powder though, as after a really hot ride it seemed to hold a bit of a smell under the arms – but this solved the problem straight away. I would suggest going up one size compared to your usual mountain bike brand as it’s road cycling wear, but I generally do this anyway.
The rear pockets are an obvious pointer that the Ksyrium Elite is designed as a road jersey but I quite liked having them. They cut out the need for a rucksack for local trail rides as I managed to carry a tube, pump, CO2 canister, energy bar and water in the 2 larger pockets and my phone was securely zipped away with my keys in the middle pocket. An MP3 wire cut-out is featured in this one, too. The pockets were obviously no longer needed once I had a pack on for longer rides, but they did not feel uncomfortable and I did still use one for my phone, so it was quickly accessible.
Overall: the Mavic Ksyrium ticks all the boxes for winter riding. It fits well – although a snug fit, washes well, cuts out the need for lots of layers and even better it looks good on the trails. It’s not a cheap top, but you get what you pay for.
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Review Info
| Brand: | Mavic |
| Product: | Ksyrium Elite Thermo Jersey |
| From: | Mavic - mavic.co.uk |
| Price: | £68 |
| Tested: | by Nicole Mallet for 1 month |
