VIConjugate

What is better to keep you cool? I saw some pearl izumi loose fit jerseys on sale and was wondering what the advantages a loose fit jersey has.

Moistfly

Loose fit would seem to mean it's going to have less contact with your skin and will be less effective at pulling sweat off your body. Also has more of a parachute effect ... not sure of any advantages ... hide a beer gut I guess

VIConjugate

No gut here . Just a bean pole. Every jersey i've tried at the LBS's feel a bit too big.

nebby

I don't wear jerseys at all. I got a stack of "micro-fiber" shirts from Target and Old Navy for about $10 each. They work great.

late

Try the Velowear.com club shirts.
https://www.velowear.com/product_deta...010382+PRT+SML

C_Heath

Im not a bean pole, Im still a lardass, 175 pounds. I have a Tmobile XXXl and its good. I like them loose. However, I just joined the local Velo CLub and dropped $60 on the new CLub Jersey, its only a 2X and I feel like everyones looking at me going, "dam, hes a ******" lol

Im really not but thats the way It feels.

operator

Tight jersey ftw. Doesn't flap around in the fricking wind.

gruppo

One negative of a loose jersey/shirt is the great potential for a bug or bee to fly in, with the usual consequences.

froze

I assume by your question that your more interested in staying cooler on hot days rather then be interested in better aerodynamics. If this is the case then I can tell you from experience living in the Mojave Desert area of California that a looser and a lighter colored, white being the best, would be cooler then a tight fitting jersey. Supposely a tight fitting jersey will be in contact with your skin and will be more effective at pulling sweat off your body, but in the real world that doesn't work. A loose fitting jersey will indeed act like a parachute but the air is quickly exchanged thus evaporating sweat faster thus feeling cooler.

Try it and see for yourself by buying a cheap loose and tight fitting jersey from Walmart I think their called StaDry, just make sure it's 100% polyester, they only cost about $12 to $15 each.

By the way speaking of cheap jerseys. I have several over 65$ 100% polyester high tech jerseys and now a couple of the Walmart 100% polyester jersey's, and I can say I can't tell the difference in comfort! I also own a wool jersey and find that one to be the best, but it's a tight fitting jersey so on hot days I use one of the loose jerseys. The big advantage with wool is that it actually dries faster then polyester and it doesn't stink; disavantage is they cost a lot more.

I also wear loose fitting mtb shorts while on the road due to the cooler feel and for me they are more comfortable then the binding and tightness of the polyester or spandex ones.

Note: I no longer race so I don't care about anything except my overall comfort, if I'm comfortable then I will ride longer, and that's the bottom line.

VIConjugate

Stopped by target today and picked up some more clothes. I can't wait to ride later on today. Thanks

TomM

I've been wearing cheap jerseys from Nashbar and can't tell the difference in comfort either. What I do notice are the zippers on cheap jerseys are short. Also some cheap jerseys only have one rear pocket, which can make it hard to get something out.

shakeNbake

Still to fat for a jersey.

I have a stack of Target "CE" shirts for about $11 each.

mayukawa

Why not just buy tight fitting jerseys and then unzip part-way or all the way (if you've a full-length zipper) when you feel hot?

TomM

Do they have pockets in the rear?

shakeNbake

Nope. Just regular polyester shirts.

VIConjugate

You all were right. Loose is a lot cooler. Thanks
VI*

古強者死神

I have a nice primal 60$ marine corps jersy that fits semi loose on my body and tight on my arms, it keeps me really cool since the air gets to move around, then I have some 10$ super wick shirts that are super skin tight from walmart it definitly wicks just as good as the jersy but doesnt feel as cool since I dont have the air flow. So if you want to be dry I think tighter is better (also areo dynamics as sombody mentioned but I dont think that would make a large diffrence unless your trying to set a land speed record) but just for how the body interprets feeling "cool" I think being in contact with the air via a looser fit jersy will make you feel more cool even if in reality your not as dry.

Another plus is that its easier to take a loose one off at the end of the ride ^^

DataJunkie

Loose fitting jerseys really aren't that loose. It's not like you are riding around in a tent.
Anyhow, I am 5'9" and weigh about 166.
I still have a bit of flab but form fitting jerseys seem to require a low body fat %. Not that mine is horribly high. I'm just anal with how I look.
Let me loose a few more lbs and start toning my upper body before I purchase a form fitted jersey.

I have a poly shirt from target. Never wear it. The lack of a rear pocket does that in for me.

xlntRider79

the pockets on tight jerseys are better because they hold your stuff close to your body instead of letting it just flop around. Nothing is a bigger pain than having a water bottle or mini pump pop out when you stand up and sprint!

DataJunkie

I think I would be more upset with having to carry a pump and a water bottle in a jersey.
I carry smaller items like a cell phone, snacks, maybe a key, id, etc

Lion Steve

I think that they are "C9", made by Champion. I have several, both long and short sleeve. I just found a couple more today, on sale for $6.00 each. They are 100% Polyester, and in a variety of colors, and patterns. Some are bright orange, yellow, and green. Great value.

shokhead

And the flap will do what? On an everyday ride the flap means nothing except in the non cool for a roadie. I use both.

froze

Note on the rear pocket found on "real" bike jerseys: I now only wear a traditional bike jersey with rear pockets when I go on a long ride and need pockets to carry stuff like a banana or bagel etc, but most of the time I don't use pockets. So that is a disavantage to a Walmart type of Jersey is that there are no pockets.

Most stuff like my pump attaches to the side of the water bottle cage so it won't go flopping out, thus water bottles are carried in water bottle cages and no flopping out there either; on long rides I add my Camelback which has pockets for snacks, I never carry my cell phone since in remote areas I usually can't get service from T-Mobile anyways unless I'm in Iraq then my T-Mobile works fine there!? Keys, tools, spare tube, tire etc goes in the seat bag; so putting stuff in a jersey pocket is not something I do much at all.

I like white because it reflects the heat the best, but I also have black long sleeve jerseys for cooler days.

hi565

I will agree with this...

But I actually have only bought two jerseys, neither I have tried on. But I prefer the tighter one because the parachute effect is pretty annoying. Also the tighter jersey helps with the pockets. With a loose jersey when I stand there is more of a chance of a pocket bobbing around and then stuff possibly falling out, with a tighter jersey there is more of a chance of the your rear pockets staying close to you.

va_cyclist

I got the Pearl Izumi loose fit jersey a couple of months ago. I like it. I've never felt comfortable in tight jerseys.