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Triban RC 100 Long Sleeved Cycling Jersey

9
£19.99

VERDICT:

9
10
A decent performing long-sleeve jersey at an amazing price
Weight: 
313g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Decathlon continues its theme of offering quality products at great prices with this Triban RC 100 Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey. Under 20 quid gets you a warm, well-cut top that is pretty good in the breathability stakes too.

  • Pros: Soft fabric feels great against the skin; great quality for the money
  • Cons: Not the most breathable when riding hard; a little rough around the edges

You may or may not have seen that Decathlon's B'Twin cycling brand has been separated into two ranges, Van Rysel for the performance end, Triban more entry level.

> Find your nearest Decathlon store here

The bikes have been well received. Both the Triban RC 120 Disc Road and the RC 520 Gravel have achieved great reviews, mostly down to their bang for buck, and it's exactly the same here with the new clothing.

This jersey is currently £17.99 on the Decathlon website, and for what you are getting it is pretty remarkable. Made from a blend of 90% polyester and 10% elastane, the fabric has a soft but robust feel to it, and it's warm too.

Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Top.jpg

Riding early in the morning before the sun is up, the Triban has done a sterling job of keeping my torso warm when the temperature's hanging around the mid to high single figures, with just a lightweight baselayer underneath.

Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Top - back.jpg

There isn't any windproofing to the front panels – not that I'd expect it at this price – but the fleece-lined fabric traps body heat, taking the chill off any cool breeze trying to cut through.

Breathability is pretty good, too. When riding hard or climbing it can get a little overwhelmed compared to some more expensive technical fabrics, but you can always control things a little by dropping the full-length zip.

Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Top - chest.jpg

Fit-wise it's a little on the relaxed side, which is what I was expecting; if you want a slimmer, race-orientated cut you'll want to be looking at the Van Rysel stuff.

Relaxed doesn't mean it's flapping about in the wind, though. The RC 100 is still tailored to fit well when on the bike, with a slightly dropped tail and long arms that don't expose your wrists when stretched out on the drops.

Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Top - cuff.jpg

When it comes to pockets you'll find four, three traditionally laid out around the rear, with an extra one on your right hand side, perfect for a bar, gel or your snack of choice.

Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Top - logo detail.jpg

You don't get a zipped valuables pocket, but again at this money I'm not really going to complain.

Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Top - pockets.jpg

There are two colour options, a black version as well as this navy blue. One thing I do like here is the bright orange touch to the wrist; it really makes your arm stand out when signalling to the traffic behind. The black version has bright blue panels.

There are also a few reflectives on the rear too.

For the money you really can't complain, and to be honest at even double the price I'd be scratching my head for any major criticisms. True, it's a little rough around the edges when you take a look at the stitching, but that is only the way in that some of the stray thread ends have been left. It's only on the inside of the jersey, too, so no one will see it.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best long-sleeve jerseys

As for the competition, well, there really isn't that much. Even a good value jersey like the dhb Blok is going to set you back around £65 depending on what discount you have on your wiggle account.

Lusso also scores well for value, but while the Terrain L/S Jersey has a few little tweaks over the Triban, it costs £69.99.

Overall, the Triban RC 100 offers all of the performance, fit and quality of a jersey double, if not triple, the price.

Verdict

A decent performing long-sleeve jersey at an amazing price

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Triban RC 100 long Sleeved Cycling Jersey

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Decathlon says, "When the weather's too cool for a short-sleeved top, this long-sleeved Triban cycling jersey is ideal. Its insulating fleece lining and raised collar help to keep the warmth in on chilly mornings, while the full zip allows you to adjust the jersey's ventilation in case the sun comes out and the temperature rises."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Decathlon:

Breathable polyester fabric

Well ventilated

Four practical pockets

WARMTH

THERMAL RESISTANCE

RCT: 0.028

A product's ability to protect from the cold. It depends on the material's thermal resistance and how much air can pass through it. The higher its thermal resistance, the more the product retains the heat produced by the body while cycling.

FABRIC BREATHABILITY

RET: 3.57

To determine whether a fabric is breathable, we measure its evaporative resistance (test based on standard ISO 11092).

The lower its resistance, the more the fabric will let water vapour produced by the body escape, and therefore the more breathable it is.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

Well shaped, erring more towards the relaxed end of the market.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

Sizing is spot on to Decathlon's website, and with quite a generous cut you can easily layer up beneath it.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Decathlon recommends a 30 degree wash and I had no issues.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Deals well with cooler temperatures and offers a great fit on the bike.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Great performance for the money.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Can get a little warm inside when riding hard.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Nothing really comes close to the Triban, with most quality jerseys that we have tested starting around the £50 mark.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

What Decathlon is delivering for the money is very impressive indeed, as simple as that.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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2 comments

Avatar
kil0ran | 4 years ago
1 like

Currently £17.99 laugh

Unfortunately only goes up to 2XL unlike a lot of their other stuff

Can highly recommend the RC500 winter jacket too.

Avatar
Yorky-M | 4 years ago
1 like

class value

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