Dare 2B AEP Field Sprint Jersey review

Early spring can be an awkward time of year to choose the right clothing for a ride, with jacket seeming like overkill while jersey and arm warmers can prove a little chilly. The Dare 2B AEP Field Sprint jersey bridges the gap nicely, providing enough warmth for nippy mornings while not being too bulky and causing overheating.

If you're not sure what sort of riding you'll be doing, our page on the best winter cycling jackets will give you lots of hints and tips as to how to choose your perfect winter kit to meet your cycling needs. 

The jersey is part of Dare 2B’s AEP (Advanced Ergonomic Performance) range that has been developed in partnership with Oscar Pereiro, the winner of the 2006 Tour de France. This means that the cut of the jersey has been specifically designed to fit well in a riding position, not exactly a revolutionary concept for a cycling jersey, but in the case of this model, it definitely works.

We wouldn’t describe the “slim fit” as aero, but this makes it much more suitable for the majority of bike rides, instead just sitting close enough to the torso that it doesn’t flap in the wind, thankfully with no baggy material hanging from the chest and stomach. Our only gripe with the Dare 2B AEP Field Sprint jersey was that it was a little tight around the bottom hem, although this wasn’t particularly noticeable while riding.

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In terms of insulation, this jersey doesn’t offer exceptional protection, but is certainly good enough for temperatures north of 6-7ºC when paired with a good base layer such as the Craft Active Extreme base layer or the Madison Merino Isoler base layer. There are also dense mesh panels beneath the arms, which do a great job of aiding air flow on days when the mercury is a little higher than expected. The inside of the AEP jersey is a brushed fleece which is extremely comfortable and fairly light, feeling nice against the skin.

However we did find the fabric, which is the same across the jersey, to be a little too stretchy in some places. This was a particularly a problem when the three rear pockets (and one zipped security pocket) were fully loaded at the start of a long ride, causing the rear of the jersey to sag. That said we were impressed by the amount of storage space offered by the Dare 2B AEP Field Sprint jersey.

Other nice features are the design of the cuffs, which are longer on the back of the hand to provide a little more coverage on chilly days, and the silicon grippers along the bottom hem, which work well to prevent the rear riding up on days where your pockets are not fully laden.