Q36.5 Dottore Pro jersey review: A superbly comfortable lightweight summer jersey

Since I could start riding in a regular cycling jersey here in the UK, I’ve pretty much been doing so exclusively in the Q36.5 Dottore Pro jersey.  

Q36.5, founded by an ex-Assos employee, has been around for quite a few years now, and the brand is a prominent one at the moment thanks to its sponsorship of the Q36.5 cycling team that British star Tom Pidcock signed to in the autumn. 

The Dottore Pro jersey retails at £180 / $240 / €180, it’s not very far off the brand's most expensive jerseys and on par price-wise with a lot of the best cycling jerseys on the market. Overall, it’s a thin, lightweight summer weight jersey that’s well cut, comfortable and available in a range of colours, and in male and female specific versions. 

I’ve done a lot of riding in mine, including a truly biblical gravel event. I’ll unpick the technical details below, but this is a top-tier jersey, and there’s a bit more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye at first glance. 

If you are shopping for a new high-end summer jersey, this one could fit the bill from a brand that still flies under the radar. 

 Design and aesthetics  

The Q36.5 Dottore Pro is a stylish jersey. If you prefer subtle, understated styling that doesn’t shout too loudly, then I think this jersey ticks that box.

There’s a silver Q36.5 arrow logo on the left-hand arm, a reflective vertical silver flash on the chest next to the zipper with ‘Q36.5’ on it and a small Italian flag tab on the back of the neck, and that’s it for branding.  

The brand claims this is a jersey designed for purists, and I can see some sense in that statement. This is a high-quality jersey that sits apart from plenty of jerseys at the moment that have super-long arms and pretty tight fits. It’s just a touch more relaxed, comfortable in all the right places, and the cut is classy and well executed with just a fraction more room. It will be well suited for a wide range of riding and kit combinations. 

The jersey is available in 14 colours in total, and a wide range of colour options seems to be something that’s on trend with various brands right now. I’ve been testing the navy blue as pictured, but you can choose from lime, forest green and pink amongst others. 

The jersey is manufactured in Italy, from a perforated (mostly) polyester mesh that uses a grid pattern externally. Hold it up to the light, and the light shines through the hundreds of small dots that are all over the jersey. I googled Dottore at this point whilst writing to check the meaning, but it means doctor in Italian, not ‘many dotted jersey’. 

There are three good-sized pockets and an additional zippered pocket on the right-hand side; the pockets are well-positioned and are easy to access on the bike. On the topic of zippers, the brand has fitted nice curved, metal zippers with rubber grips, and they are very nice to use. 

A big part of the Q36.5 philosophy is temperature control and comfort, and this idea is in evidence at the pockets. The top of each pocket is left open, and a mesh panel sits behind, which helps airflow to keep you comfortable while the pockets are full. Q36.5 calls this the invisible pocket system, though it is obvious they are there. 

The brand also uses silver thread on the jersey, which is claimed to enhance moisture transfer and thermoregulation

Seam positioning has also been a consideration. The brand has kept all seams away from the tops of the shoulders to enhance the fit, and instead one piece of material is stitched horizontally and vertically on the back. 

The fabric itself is lightly textured, and whilst I haven't been able to prove it, the brand says it has been optimised for between 40- 59kph. 

Q36.5 does offer a warranty and repair service. You can register your product, and the brand website says: 

"Items with defects in materials or workmanship will be replaced or repaired at the discretion of Q36.5 for the practical lifetime of the product. Product damaged through wear and tear, misuse or neglect may be repaired at a nominal charge."

Performance 

I’ve ridden a lot in the Dottore Pro jersey on road and gravel. I also took it to Spain and chose it for the Traka 100 gravel event, something I thought would be a great test for it, and this certainly proved to be the case. 

During the event itself, I dealt with two lots of very heavy rain, a serious amount of mud and spray, deep stream crossings and even a crash. I was very comfortable the whole time in the jersey, and the roomy pockets will deal with a lot of spares and gels very well, so it’s good for long events. 

What impressed me was its drying speed and overall comfort. I went from sodden to dry, back to completely sodden and then dry again, and it dried out quickly both times. 

Its light mesh helped here. Q36.5 calls it the Pinstripe Pro material, and though it's largely polyester, the same as many jerseys, it feels a lot nicer than more basic-feeling pieces. Soft, lightweight and breathable. 

It kept me feeling comfortable despite being plastered in mud. My high effort level probably helped the drying, but I think it's light enough to look after you and dry well even if it was cooler. I think the drying claims stand up well overall.  

I just got into the shower with it on after the Traka, and despite doing my best by hand, and then by machine washing, it has picked up a few mud stains on the arms, so bear this in mind if you ride a lot of gravel or cyclocross etc. 

Fit-wise, the jersey is purposeful and fitted, with good length arms, but there's a little bit more room than a tight all-out aero jersey like the Castelli Aero Race S8. I can feel how the cut is geared up to suit an on-bike position.

The only thing I think lets the jersey down slightly is the finishing on the ends of the sleeves, which looks a little tatty to me. I think it’s down to the raw finish, but for the money and premium position, it should be perfect in my opinion. 

 Value  

This is an expensive jersey at £180 / $240 / €180, and it's comfortably as much as offerings from other premium brands such as Assos, Castelli and Rapha and even a few dollars more than several of their offerings. 

It's no doubt a quality, classy piece of kit, and a lot of details have been executed with expert care, and you can tell. The pocket positioning and size, overall cut and material choice, but I fear it's not an earth-shattering difference. 

I think long, arduous, hot days in the saddle are where this jersey will really prove its worth, keeping you comfortable on testing rides and events.   

It will make an excellent addition to any wardrobe; you won't be disappointed, but you can, of course, be perfectly comfortable in a jersey that costs less than half as much. 

 Verdict  

The Q36.5 Dottore Pro is an excellent jersey. Its well-thought-out design, cut, and materials will keep you feeling comfortable on the bike, and lots of nice little touches add up to something that is very nice to wear. 

My single gripe is the sleeve finishing, which isn't perfect, but pretty much everything else is. If you are looking for a comfortable, high-quality jersey without an extreme race cut and loud styling, this is a really nice piece from Q36.5.