TimothyH

The Isadore Long Sleeve Jersey 2.0 is a wool blend consisting of 44% merino, 53% polyester and 3% lycra. It has the look of a traditional wool garment and feels like a comfy sweater but with lots of stretch like a cycling jersey.

Note that this is the newer 2.0 version Isadore's long sleeve jersey. Isadore also makes the significantly more substantial Thermerino 2.0 winter weight jersey. The Long Sleeve Jersey 2.0 has a lighter weight textile than the Thermerino 2.0 but both have similar patterning and fit.

Craftsmanship is as good as any other high end brand. Fit is trim but the sleeves are extremely long. I initially ordered a size large and the sleeves were ridiculously long. It was exchanged for a medium and the sleeves still have to be pulled up. My arms are not short. I'm 168 lb, 5' 10" with a 38" chest. Size large had a roomy club fit while medium has a race fit. I prefer a race fit and use this garment as a mid layer between a base layer and shell.

One sign of a truly great cycling jersey is a smooth zipper able to be manipulated from neck to diaphram with one hand. Few manufacturers are able to achieve this and Isadore is no exception. While the front zipper on this jersey is smooth, it does sometimes bind at the base of the neck and requires two hands to manipulate, especially when pulling it downward. The zippered pocket is roomy and the zipper is situated vertically on the right rear. The pocket zipper is stiff.

Performance on the bike is as expected. It insulates and wicks as one would expect of wool but will hold some moisture during a ride if used under a shell. It is typically slightly damp when used as a mid layer under a Castelli Alpha ROS Jersey or Alpah ROS Jacket. Used with these shells in temperatures as low as 28°F, it has never left me feeling cold.

The jersey has an enigmatic inside chest pocket, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, located roughly in the same location as a chest pocket on a men's dress shirt. I have no idea what this pocket would actually be used for since it is open at the top and located on the inside the garment. Maybe it is a Slovakian cultural thing. The seams for the pocket are clearly visible on the outside of the chest and detract from an otherwise very clean look.

Summary: High quality, understated style, typical wool performance, odd inside chest pocket and absurdly long sleeves, especially if sized up. A great mid layer in colder weather, with a gilet for milder conditions or packed for a fall or spring tour. Full retail price is high and there may be slightly better options but it's a great value if found on sale and one likes the look and feel of traditional wool. Has the potential to be a workhorse garment and addition of polyester to the blend should make it long lived if treated with care.

There are some great pictures of this garment on real people at the manufacturer's website. Closeups are below.





















Continued...

TimothyH

-Tim-

indyfabz

You could have gotten a jersey from AliExpress for $10 so you got ripped off.

honcho

Thank you for a well-written, succinct, real user review.

Not familiar with the brand but have started looking for some new winter riding gear. I'll have to take a closer look.

indyfabz

The stuff is very Rapha-esque, NTTAWWT. Just don;t waste your time if you are opposed to shelling out $175 for a long sleeve jersey.

indyfabz

Packaging=100% Rapha-esque. "Road is the Way of Life" and "OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE WITH THE PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE FROM THE PRO CYCLING PELOTON"=100% Rapha-esque. Modeling=100% Rapha-esque (although dude looks like he's actually cold in that jersey).

indyfabz

I am talking about the similar vibes/lifestyles they are selling. I thought that was obvious.

Cyclist0108

He was the first person I put on my ignore list. Unfortunately I can't unsee the quotes.

reishi

Thanks for your review. I learned of this company just last week when researching thermal bibs. I had to look past the fluffy Raphaesque vibe of their marketing -what I was really drawn to is their construction and function. Acquired their thermoroubauix winter bibs. Fabric and fit is very nice. Will probably break them in on a 30 miler this evening. I've been looking at their merino blend jerseys. Looks like good cold weather kit.

NJgreyhead

Anyone interested in classic 100% Merino wool cycling jerseys (with rear pockets) at reasonable prices might like Oregon Cyclewear. There are some specials. And no visible logo.
Oregon Cyclewear - highest quality & best prices on merino wool cycling jerseys

Sy Reene

Interesting but their sizing to me, seems whacked.. who has a 33" chest size, and XL doesn't even cover 42"?

bruce19

I like the look of the jersey. But, the price of an Assos with questionable sizing leaves me scratching my head. Given that I've never heard of the brand, I'm more inclined to spend that kind of money on an Assos.

TimothyH

This really isn't an Assos type of garment, nor is it trying to be. It is a great, understated wool jersey with some nice features, that's all. If you are in the market for wool then this is a solid choice. I don't think Assos uses wool in anything they make.

The phrase "Questionable sizing" immediately brings Castelli to mind. Their whole product line is based on inaccurate charts and sizing based on phases of the moon.


I'd love to hear how the bibs work on the bike.


I'm 5' 10", 168 lb with a 38" chest and medium fits me just like the photos.

Size XXL goes up to a 45" chest. You may have missed the scroll bar below the chart.



-Tim-

honcho

At least it's claimed to be made in Slovakia instead of Rapha's "designed in London, made in China" I know it's very hard to avoid Chinese made products in the cycling world but I try to spread what money I do spend around.

Koyote

Timothy, that inside chest pocket is obviously for your pack of cigarettes. It's on the inside in case it rains during your ride.

jackb

Whenever I see a product that looks overpriced, and this one surely does at $175, I ask myself what in the manufacture of the product can account for the high cost. Usually, I cannot discover any cogent reason for shelling out the exorbitant price. This jersey is a good example. What could cost so much? Merino wool, of which this garment has less than 50% is not that expensive. Styling? Nothing here that looks extraordinary. Sewing? I'd like to know how much the workers in Slovakia actually get paid. Really appears to be a "boutique" type product and therefore overpriced. That said. If one likes it and doesn't mind the cost, one should go for it.

TimothyH

Keep in mind that this is is an engineered textile. It is a blend of merino for warmth, polyester for durability and lycra for stretch. The yarns are produced and woven in ways which provide specific properties such as mechanical wicking or heat retention.

The Ashmei jersey I just reviewed takes the textile a step further. Like the 7Mesh Callaghan jersey, it is double woven. Weaving is actually done twice so that the inner and outer layers look, feel and behave completely different. The wicking and insulating inside and more durable, weather resistant outside are contrast in the photo below.

These textiles are not cheap to make. Anyone can buy Merino in bulk, a pattern from a supply house and subcontract manufacture to a factory in Morroco. That's not what these garments are.

Kitsbow has just released a whole line of garments made from Polartec Powerwool, an engineered textile. I find the subject fascinating. Go call up Polartec and ask how much Powerwool is by the yard. They will tell you that you have to be certified in order to know how to manufacture with their products. Gore does the same thing. You have to be approved for manufacture with their textiles.

Kitsbow Releases Collection with Polartec Powerwool

tangerineowl

Had the v1 for a couple of years. Chose this as I have rather slim arms and looking at pics online of various options this looked like the one to go for. Very happy with fit and quality. 5' 9.5" 135lb chose small.