Triban RC100 long sleeve jersey review

It seems Decathlon can do no wrong currently with regards its cycling division. Rarely beaten on value, the French sports brand is now delivering clothing that has a visual appeal good enough to tempt any discerning cyclist.

The Triban RC100 is Decathlon's budget long sleeve jersey and as such retails for less than some brands charge for a pair of socks. That's right, for less than twenty pounds you get an autumn/winter weight long sleeved jersey that actually looks good.

Read more: Decathlon Van Rysel RR900 bib short review

The Triban RC100 is made of a mid-weight, tight knit polyester material throughout the jersey. This has a brushed inner face to trap air and make it more comfortable against the skin whilst the tighter knit outer face affords it some degree of wind protection. It also has a taller collar to keep your neck snug against the cold. If it does warm up on the ride a full zip allows for temperature regulation.

It's an impressive package, and one to surely rival the best long sleeve cycling jerseys on the market. 

Decathlon has realised that emblazoning logos all over its clothing is a thing of the past and the RC100 is conspicuously devoid of logos or markings besides neat reflective chevrons on the lower back and a tiny reflective logo on the side pocket. One other clever nod to visibility are the contrasting lower arm panels, this jersey has orange and the other colour scheme has bright turquoise panels.

These certainly go some way towards helping other road users pick out arm signals when on the road. Four substantial pockets, three at the lower back and one on the right side panel, complete the list of features.

The Triban RC100 is a very comfortable jersey to ride in and feels snug and warm at lower temperatures. It does however get a little sweaty if working hard or the temperature rises. The tight weave of the fabric reduces breathability, resulting in the brushed inner holding on to sweat. The upshot to this characteristic of the fabric is a fairly decent amount of wind protection.

Buy now: Triban RC100 at Decathlon for £17.99

The only area that gives the game away as to the budget nature of the Triban RC100 is the cut of the jersey. The sleeves are cut a touch too short, as well as having a basic, non articulated cut leading to a lot of bagginess around the upper arm when in a riding position. The lower section of the jersey doesn't have a taper either resulting in material bunching around your midriff. Plus the side panels are a little too generous. These are all quite small issues and as always if you try the RC100 on you might find that these niggles don't affect you