Dare2b Percept jersey review

Dare2b is the label under which British outdoor clothing brand Regatta sells its cycling clothing. Dare2b also covers ski wear and other active and outdoor wear.

There’s a large range of 107 cycling products which are, according to Dare2b, aimed at “novices to seasoned riders”.

Buy the Dare2b Percept jersey from Dare2b for £19.95

It’s tempting to jump to the conclusion that its low price gives a clue as to where the Percept sits in that 'novice to seasoned' spectrum, but the Dare2b jersey is made from 'Q-Wic' wicking fabric and is attractively designed with an urban camo print  on the front and the  the three rear pockets.

The Q-Wic fabric – also used on the sleeves without the camo print – is a polyester/elastane that’s designed to wick moisture away from the skin while being light and quick drying. This it does, but it’s on the sheer side and works best with a base layer separating it from the skin.

At the rear is a very lightweight, breathable mesh that does a good job of letting out heat.

For extra nighttime visibility the Dare2b Percept has reflective logos on the front, rear and left sleeve, and to make it stand out during the day the 3/4 zip as well as the zip closing up the rear security pocket are fluoro yellow.

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But it's the fit and features that identify the Percept jersey as more ‘novice’ than ‘seasoned: the size small comes up larger in all its dimensions than a size medium Equipe RS Aero jersey by market leaders Assos – except the neck, which was tight and couldn’t be zipped all the way to the top.

The rear pockets are similarly out of sync: they are too narrow, too shallow and don't supply enough stretch to get a whole hand in. Realistically it would be difficult to use them for anything bigger than gels or snacks.

Our other issue with the pockets was that even lightly loaded they sagged due to lack of support from the lightweight mesh of the back of the jersey, which is already too long.

Buy the Dare2b Percept jersey for £19.95 from Dare2b

However, if you’re not looking for a close, racy fit, don’t need to use the rear pockets and plan to use the Dare2b Percept as a basic ‘top’ for wearing on your bike rather than a functional cycling jersey, then it offers good value for money, especially as it's currently discounted to £19.95 on Dare2b's website, is on trend and well made.