Presca Grand Tour Geo short sleeve women's jersey review

The conversation around sustainability is becoming louder within the cycling industry with many consumers looking for brands who can promise their products leave a minimal footprint both operationally and in the finished article. Presca was founded to offer kit for cyclists and triathletes that promises high quality kit with a low environmental impact.

>>> Best short sleeved jerseys

The brand uses recycled fabrics, and manufactures its kit in the UK in a bid to cut down on the supply chain.

The Grand Tour jersey is made from Presca's 'finest lightweight recycled fabrics', with text inside the collar promising 100 per cent recycled material; 86 per cent of the make up is polyester with 14 per cent elastane. This kit is designed for tough days in the saddle and there are extra sweat wicking panel at the sides to offer greater breathability there.

The cuffs are nicely finished with a raw-cut edge and silicone strip, with a similar treatment given to the hem at the front whilst an elasticated waistband takes care of the rear.

Presca has provided three rear pockets, with darts on the inside in a bid to keep the pockets from sagging via extra support.

The 'Geo Collection' pieces all feature a geometric pattern designed to provoke 'thought and conversation around the issue of our disappearing ice sheets' - something I certainly felt compelled to dwell on when kitting up.

Pulling the Geo jersey on, I was initially impressed by the soft fabric and fit. The silicone gripper at the hem creates a nice silouette and the sleeves sat well without pinching or flapping.

Initially I tested the jersey on shorter rides, without too much kit loaded into the pockets. I noticed the area around the neck and shoulders was quite loose comparative to the fit elsewhere, which felt like an unfortunate attribute for an otherwise quite aero jersey.

Further issues arose when I loaded the pockets. The fabric feels lovely against the skin - it's light and airy. However, this  backfired under the weight of a phone, pump, keys and energy gel - the pockets dipped below the hem which felt uncomfortable.

The jersey came accompanied by the brand's Grand Tour Geo shorts. The kit together looked pretty swish, and the shorts offered a much more compressive fit with a fabric mixture of polyester (30 per cent), nylon (48 per cent) and elastane (22 per cent). If anything, the shorts offer perhaps a slightly too firm hold on the legs, though this is the only fault I could find - the chamois comfort was spot on.

Presca has created a set of kit which looks great, but the performance was negatively impacted by the jersey material being too light and the shorts' material being too sturdy. I actively chose not to wear this kit on days I knew I needed to carry food and spares as a result of the fit around the pockets. A compromise between the two would make for an improved offering all round, and I'd very much like to see the brand pick up a better score next time.