Best women's cycling jerseys: short sleeved cycling tops for summer

Women's short sleeved cycling jerseys have evolved to provide a balance of performance, comfort and style. This balance dramatically improves enjoyment an performance on warm weather rides.

Today's options in female-specific short sleeved cycling jerseys cater to both casual riders and competitive athletes. While the vast array of styles, fits, and cuts can be overwhelming, it also increases your chances of finding a jersey that perfectly matches your preferences and budget.

The best women’s summer cycling jersey should fit snugly against the skin to prevent any flapping in the wind. You'll notice many brands advertising the aerodynamic advantages of their fit, but be careful, a jersey too tight can have the effect of suffocating your workout—you need to be able to breathe and move freely.

To aid this, a fabric that offers a good deal of stretch is ideal. It's definitely worth looking for fabrics that draw moisture away from your body, known as wicking, and are also fast drying.

Typically, cycling jerseys will have three rear pockets for carrying the basic necessities while out on the road. These should have enough space for carrying nutrition, inner tubes, tyre levers and possibly a pump—but not too much that these supplies ferociously bounce around whenever you put down the power out the saddle. Some jerseys have zipped pockets that offer better security for your valuables. And some also come lined with water resistant material for added protection when you get caught in a summer shower.

Below is Cycling Weekly's picks for the best women's short sleeved cycling jerseys, covering a range of budgets, tastes and purposes.

Best women's cycling jerseys for summer

Best women's cycling jerseys for summer

This jersey lives up to the high standards associated with Assos - technical fabrics and quality construction with a reassuring two year warranty. It's all about performance on the bike, without compromising on comfort. Soft fabrics that hug the body, creating a streamlined, second-skin effect, offer excellent levels of breathability. Encouragingly, the rear offers UPF 30, the sleeves 50+.

The understated design is only available in two colors (at the time of writing), both rather dark, so it’s not one for those who like eye-catching kit. Reflective detailing is minimal, so doesn't really compensate.

This is the most expensive jersey in our selection, so definitely a long-term investment and something you'll want to be getting plenty of use from. It offers more protection than the Velocio CONCEPT Radiator (that you will read about soon), so is better suited to mild-to-warm conditions than very hot ones.

Read more: Assos UMA GTV Women's Jersey C2 full review

Velocio's reputation for using recycled fabrics is maintained with the CONCEPT Radiator. The fabric's ability to wick and dry out is second to none - impressive for something that is made from 50% recycled drinks bottles. The price to pay for its breathability is transparency; there's really no hiding anything under this.

The cut and fit is all about aerodynamics, it's likely to appeal to those racing or training in warm climates, or anyone who likes to pull on a cycle specific jersey for an indoor sweatfest. It's even more akin to a skinsuit that Assos' UMA GTV with a noticeable absence of any kind of collar. If you are venturing out in the heat, it's worth noting that while the back offers UPF 30+ protection, there's no UPF on the front or the arms.

Construction and finishing are excellent, though there may be concerns over the durability of the delicate rear panel if pockets are regularly loaded; unlike Cafe du Cycliste's Floriane, there's no reinforcement.

The range of colors has increased since we reviewed this, with 'sky', 'navy', 'mango' and 'celeste' now on offer, as well as white.

Read more: Velocio Women's Concept Radiator Jersey full review

dhb's Aeron Lab Raceline 3.0 jersey is a great choice for those with a need for speed. It's the latest top-of-the-range performance jersey by Wiggle's increasingly reputable in-house brand, dhb.

We loved the weightlessness of the fabric, and the stripped back nature and clean finish of the jersey. If you're not invested in skinsuits, this is a great alternative piece for time trials, chain gangs, circuit racing and criteriums. We're not ruling out its capabilities on a training ride but would say that the modest pockets limit cargo capacity, so it's not the best for longer outings.

Our tester didn't feel that the fit at the back of the neck was optimal, suggesting that trying before you buy might be a good idea, if possible.

Read more: dhb Aeron Lab Raceline Women's Short Sleeve Jersey 3.0 full review

Topping out Santini’s large range of performance-focused jerseys, the Redux Speed is all about keeping you cool and aero - and suits riders who prefer a mid-height sleeve length. It’s shorter than the Le Col Women’s Pro Jersey II for example.

From our very first use of this jersey, we were particularly impressed by the second-skin feel throughout. It’s a very thin material, almost paper-like in feel, and conforms to the shape of your body superbly. The stand-out feature, though, is the thermo-welded finish on the sleeve ends, which gave a particularly smooth finish and fit.

Three rear pockets are included with low-profile openings, but there’s no zipped valuables pouch. For such a lightweight jersey, this is a reasonable omission - it’s worth bearing in mind if that functionality is a deal-breaker for you, though.

Despite the thinness of the fabric it has so far proven robust and hasn’t suffered from any pilling. That being said, we found the join of the sleeves under the arms to be a little rough, with the fabric strands pulling away. It’s not the neatest, but it can’t be seen when riding and hasn’t caused any problems during the testing period.

Soft against the skin and cut close to provide a figure-hugging fit, the Le Col Womens Pro Jersey II is a lightweight performance jersey that feels good and looks good. The fabrics used are not as thin as those of the Santini Redux Speed, but they’re softer, stretchier and appear to be more robust. They’re also all recycled.

The sleeves are long (almost reaching the elbow), and are finished with a 4.5cm elasticated band that is backed with tiny grippy dots. We found that this sleeve end was a little uncomfortable while riding though, as it is tighter than most - the sleeves do not suit riders with larger biceps.

Three pockets line the rear of the jersey, and there’s also a zipped waterproof valuables pocket that sits on top of the far right one - this is useful for training rides as it's large enough for a small card wallet or keys. The middle pocket is narrower than most at just 7cm, but we found that this perfectly hugs a smartphone, keeping it securely in place during intense efforts.

Velocio's Signature jersey is a versatile option. It strikes the balance between being racey and comfy, without compromising on quality or style. With no less than eleven color choices, you're bound to find something to your liking.

We found that the lightweight fabric is exceptionally breathable, making this a great choice for hot days. However, we'd say it could easily double up as a mid-layer if you want to get more out of it for your money.

While the material is comfy it's not without flaws: it's prone to snagging, as well as getting a bit pongy (if you sweat a lot). Given the high percentage of recycled fabrics used to make the Signature, maybe these are small sacrifices required to make our sport more sustainable.

The price is on the high side, but given the jersey's versatility and eco-credentials, it might be justified.

Read more: Velocio Women's Signature full jersey

The Floriane comes from Cafe du Cycliste’s Centifolia collection, a range that sees the rapidly growing company incorporate recycled fabrics in their garments for the first time. This is a real plus in our opinion.

The floral theme, an acquired taste perhaps, is fresh and visually striking, and also available as a men's collection.

The cut is more relaxed than the premium Assos UMA GTV and Velocio Concept Radiator; there's plenty of length and, by using the size guide, you get a close fit rather than snug. This isn't one for the performance orientated riders seeking aero-gains.

Fabrics are comfy and accommodating. They are breathable enough for warm weather riding. While being no match for Velocio's CONCEPT Radiator in hot conditions, they certainly offer better protection in mild-to-cool conditions.

Cafe du Cycliste have put a lot of effort into the design with added reflective detailing and a brilliant, reinforced pocket structure to ensure the main body isn't compromised under the weight of loaded pockets.

Read more: Cafe du Cycliste Women's Centifolia Floriane jersey full review

We hope these suggestions help you make the perfect choice—happy cycling!