Affordable and eye-catching with a full-length zip, but the simple cut creates potential fit and bunching problems.
Pros
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Affordable price
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Full length zip
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Breathable back panel
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Three back pockets
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Sustainability-focused company
Cons
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Obvious chest/armpit bunching
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Potentially tight arms
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Proviz started with reflective safety kit and it's now got a full range of riding gear including this distinctively patterned new jersey. You get plenty of features for the money, too, but comfort ultimately depends on whether the simple stretch fit works for you. Read on to see how it stacks up against the best cycling jerseys.
Design and aesthetics
As you’d expect from a brand founded on visibility, the Proviz Classic Endurance Jersey is available in two standout sublimated patterns with bold block colours. Material choice is a simple but effective binary mix. It uses a lightweight 140gsm (gram per square meter) polyester/lycra stretch fabric for the front and sleeves and a mesh material for the back to wick sweat away faster. Silicone grippers are added inside the sleeves and the bottom hem. There’s a backing strip all the way up the full length zip, and it folds over at the top to create a beard guard. You get a classic three-pocket arrangement across the back, with lightly elasticated tops for security. There’s no XS size but the women’s version (called the Classic Tour and with pink or purple main colour) runs from size 8 to 16.
While none of the materials used in this jersey are recycled, you can get 25 per cent off your next Proviz purchase if you return your worn-out jersey. Proviz has previously won sustainability awards and the company supports Newlife, a disabled children’s charity that resells end of line stock.
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The tri-colour design is eye-catching, as you'd expect from Proviz(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
You'll find a traditional three-pocket system at the back(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
Performance
Opening the recyclable plastic bag (Proviz sells direct-to-consumer) lets you appreciate the highly visible design, and overall construction (in Serbia) is good. There’s plenty of stretch in the high lycra content fabric and the silicone grippers and sleeves are definitely sized for a typical road rider’s shape. More irritatingly, the fabric bunches massively around the front of the armpit whether you’re sitting up on the tops or in a tuck. While the sleeve seams are flat locked they’re quite bulky so it doesn’t take long for those ribs and ridges to irritate - it's not going to do you any favours in the wind tunnel either. The zip puller is chunky enough to find easily under the beard guard, which is a practical win even if it’s not the neatest look aesthetically.
Otherwise the fabric works well, it’s not too synthetic in feel and the mesh rear panel is breezy on days when it’s hot enough to appreciate it. It’s got enough support to keep the rear pockets from sagging and stretching if you’ve loaded them up for a long one, too.
Bunching up around the armpit was a real issue for our tester, Guy Kesteven (Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
Verdict
Bright and breezy across the back (and front if you open the chunky zipper) with a very positive eco vibe, there’s a lot to like about the Proviz Classic Endurance jersey for the affordable price. Armpit fit is definitely a potential issue though, so keep those tags on so you can return it if needed.
