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On test: Louis Garneau Speed Matrix jersey & shorts, August 29, 2008
Snug, comfortable & aerodynamic riding gear
Made from Louis Garneau new Speed Tech fabric, these shorts and jersey are tightly focused on going faster as Paul Verkuylen found.
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Louis Garneau's top-of-the-line shorts and jersey combination is extremely comfortable and purposefully cut for fast riding. The stretchy Speed Tech fabric makes them close-fitting and is claimed to be highly aerodynamic too.
Taking it from the top, the Speed Matrix jersey would be a comfortable and stylish addition to any rider's wardrobe. The Speed Tech fabric makes it stretchier than most jerseys, but this only adds to the comfort factor.
The construction uses contoured stitching, rather like that on high-end bib shorts, and that gives the jersey its figure-hugging and aerodynamic shape.
Unusually, the three rear pockets are covered by a flap that's intended to improve aerodynamics. It's a handy safety measure to stop your valuables bouncing out, but we found it a hindrance preventing easy access to food and other things. A zip or a cover on just one pocket would have been a better idea.
The middle pocket has an increasingly-common useful feature, a sewn-in hole for your MP3 player headphones or radio earpiece.
Our sample is all black, which is fine if you want to look like a cycling version of Johnny Cash, but we do wonder why Louis Garneau chose a heat-attracting colour for a summer jersey. Fortunately, there's a version with white shoulders and side panels to reflect away the heat.
The 18in/46cm zip runs almost the full length of the jersey so you can open it right up on the hottest days and that certainly helps compensate for the colour.
The Speed Tech fabric is rated at a Sun Protection Factor of 50, so it'll keep off harmful UV rays.
Quick shorts
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Also made from Speed Tech fabric, the Speed Matrix bib shorts are some of the most comfortable we have tested.
The relatively thin Matrix 3 Gel chamois served us well. Its ventilation holes help keep things cool and there's no stitching on the contact area to chafe and abrade.
We particularly liked the lack of leg grippers. Instead of the usual silicone band, which some riders find really annoying, the Speed Matrix shorts have a double layer of their fabric wrapped diagonally around the leg.
There's a small pocket in the Y section of the straps, handy if you need a place to fit and forget a race radio or just to stash an emergency banknote.
Ten panels enhance the fit and comfort, and the externally visible flat-lock stitching adds to the style factor of these shorts. The stitch lines pick up from the bottom of the jersey too so the combination looks good.
Overall the Speed Matrix outfit was a pleasure to wear, comfortable and stylish, with a distinctive look. It's hard to test the claims Louis Garneau's claims that it's made from the most aerodynamic knit fabric out there, but it certainly did keep us cool and comfortable while riding for hours.
Speed Matrix jersey
Pros: Looks and feels fast, great fit, lightweight
Cons: flap over the pockets
Price: $109.99
Cyclingnews verdict: 
Speed Matrix bib shorts
Pros: great fit, look great, comfortable
Cons: price
Price: 199.99
Cyclingnews verdict:
More info: www.louisgarneau.com
Photography
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Images by Paul Henderson Kelly / Cyclingnews
- the Speed Matrix jersey would be a comfortable and stylish addition to any rider's wardrobe.
- Unusually, the three rear pockets are covered by a flap that's intended to improve aerodynamics.
- The construction uses contoured stitching, rather like that on high-end bib shorts.
- the Speed Matrix bib shorts are some of the most comfortable we have tested
