Pinnacle Race SS Jersey review - a no-frills option that's excellent value right now

Pinnacle is the in-house brand of the British chain of bike shops Evans and, consistent across its range of bikes and clothing, it sets out to offer affordable lines for cyclists regardless of their experience – from beginners to the more accomplished.

The Pinnacle Race SS Jersey is a no-frills cycling jersey and although it would probably be a bit harsh to call it ‘basic’, it certainly does just what it needs to without any particular standout features – but also nothing obviously wrong with it. We take a look at how it performs compared to other lower priced options among the best short sleeve cycling jerseys for summer riding.

Pinnacle Race SS Jersey: Construction

The Pinnacle Race SS Jersey is sturdily made and feels like it would stand up to many years of use. The back, shoulders and upper-front panels are a two-ply mesh that gives the jersey a bit of weight and structure but also allows some wind to pass through and sweat to escape out the back.

The rest of the front material is one-ply, non-vented which goes some way to keeping the wind off your chest and stomach meaning you aren’t immediately chilled when descending after working up a sweat on a climb.

The three pockets top loading pockets (one of which has a small zipped side pocket) are made from the same material, a good choice as it’s strong and holds snacks, a waterproof jacket and the Rapha Essentials phone case without sagging down over the back of your saddle.

The material does feel a bit on the cheap side, it must be said, but not terribly so. It’s also more prone to holding odours than other jerseys – Rapha, Castelli, Sportful – that I’ve been riding in during a similar time of the year.

Wide hems on the sleeves help to keep them in place over bare arms and arm warmers alike. The full-length front zip is strong and runs well.

Pinnacle Race SS Jersey: Fit and sizing

The sizing and fit of cycling clothing is an area where I find the pricier brands are still, for the most part, justifying their price tags while lower cost items can lag behind. This is the case with the Pinnacle Race SS Jersey: although not fundamentally bad by any stretch, the fit just isn’t quite as spot on as jerseys I have recently used from the likes of Rapha and Castelli.

However, to be fair to this jersey, the fit isn’t bad. It’s fine, in fact, and I was happy to pull the jersey on and head out on my bike.

Looking at the photos, I am not anywhere near as ‘Johnny Bravo triangle torso’ as it might appear, and I think this is due to the particularly aggressive fit of the jersey. It’s generous in the shoulders, then really pinches in around the lower chest and stomach in a way that I haven’t come across with other brands.

Pinnacle Race SS Jersey: The ride

Priced at £29.99 (currently), you can’t really go wrong. But you will know you’re in a £29.99 jersey – at least when you first put it on – due to the way it hangs and the way it feels. 

However, the longer I rode in it the more comfortable the jersey felt – or at least I wasn’t conscious of it while riding along, which is a good sign.

It’s warm enough to be worn with a short sleeve base layer, arm warmers and gilet on chilly days without needing to pass it over for a long sleeve jersey or jacket, while the mesh material appears to do a good enough job of letting sweat evaporate as I never felt over-dressed in the jersey, even in warmer Spring months and when I’ve put a bit of effort in on a couple of climbs.

Pinnacle Race SS Jersey: Value and conclusions

This is a cycling jersey that will not compete with the higher end brands for fit and comfort, but nor does it cost anywhere near as much – especially as it is currently listed on the Evans website for £29.99, down from £59.99.

At the original price it would be a good buy, at half price it’s possible to overlook the slightly odd fit and cheaper feel of the material: spend the £30 and get out on your bike in a reasonably good jersey from a shop’s in-house brand.

At the lower price, it is just over a quarter of the price of the Castelli Unlimited Jersey that I reviewed recently. The Castelli was very good, noticeably more comfortable with a higher quality feeling material, but it wasn’t four times better.

Comparing cost to performance, this is a good jersey that will do what it needs to for most riders. If it lasts one spring-summer-autumn period it will have covered itself, but the chances are you’ll still be wearing it for years to come. It’s good without being excellent and it’s hard to complain about something of this price.