Review: Morvélo biking tops

Morvelo has long been impressive in the world of road biking – their biking shorts, in particular, have merited appreciative nods for their pads and their construction. Their jerseys, too, are finely cut, *very* roadie (by which I mean they’re figure-hugging) with pockets and zips and all the other good things that go with a roadie’s needs.

The MTB jerseys are cut from (ha!) a different cloth, though. They’re made from typical polyester fabrics – the front panels are ‘regular’ polyester, and the two-piece side panels are more perforated (except on the Cube, which most closely resembles a standard t-shirt). They have a v-necked collar, and a nice little wipe on the lower left side of the jersey for your glasses.

The jerseys fit well. They’re a relatively close fit (size up from your normal for bagginess) so there’s no undue flapping, but they’re flattering nevertheless. The arms on the short-sleeve are neither too long nor too short, and if you opt for the long sleeve jersey the arms are commendably long.

There’s no bare-wrist descending here, which for an orangutang like me makes for a pleasant change. In fact, the only difference between our long-sleeved and short-sleeved tops on test here is the sleeves, as far as I can tell. And the styling, of course – but construction, panel cut and fit are all identical.

Wicking is good, especially in the tops with the perforated side panels, as you’d expect, and they don’t seem to ruck up unduly when used with a backpack. Repeated washings haven’t demonstrated any undue unstitching, and the designs (some are more subtle than others, so there’s plenty of choice) seem hard wearing after several months. Much older Morvélo tops with pristine designs attest to this longevity.

The dri-fit Ts are also as you’d expect. They’re not totally polyester – they still retain around 15% cotton, but they dry 4 times faster than regular cotton T-shirts, they’re a slim-ish fit, so they’re longer than they are wide, and I particularly like the Ramones-esque design. They wash well repeatedly, don’t seem to hum too badly and so far have been great to ride in during long hauls in a variety of temperatures. I took mine to Patagonia, and it was a pleasure to ride in to the point that I forgot I was wearing it, which isn’t always something I can say for other riding T-shirts.

Overall: Morvelo’s MTB jerseys, as well as their technical T’s, echo their road offerings with quality construction and a perfect fit – they’re a great choice. Recommended.

Review Info

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

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