Madison Roam Men’s Short Sleeve Jersey - a jersey for gravel or endurance riding

Whilst skin-tight race jerseys with aero features certainly aid speed, they can be a little restrictive for leisurely outings, so many brands offer more relaxed options. These are often under the guise of gravel-riding or exploration styles and might typically feature more pockets, earthier colours and a cut that is better suited to all-day rides.

Madison uses its Roam category for such products, covering all bases from waterproof jackets to socks, with an emphasis on comfort and versatility, albeit from a cycling point of view. The Roam Men’s Short Sleeve Jersey adds a Roam twist to the staple cycling jersey.

Construction

The fabric used for the Roam jersey is a little heavier than you’d expect, with dense, stretchy material that is almost Lycra-esque. Down the spine is a black mesh panel to improve breathability, although this seems slightly at odds with the main fabric’s feel.

Along with the three standard rear pockets, there is a large zipped pocket on the left hip and a fifth, open mesh pocket on the right hip. This mesh pocket actually extends inward over the rear pocket to give lots of space for stashing larger items such as a windproof jacket.

The full-length locking zip is tonal and includes a guard at the top to prevent irritation, whilst the collar itself is of a reasonable height. The sleeves are hemmed rather than raw-cut, although they are of a decent, modern length, and all the stitching looks to be neat and accurate.

An elasticated hem with silicone grippers runs along the rear of the jersey, although there is no elastication at the front, just a bonded hem, so it should sit flat across the stomach. A small reflective patch on the central pocket and reflective branding on the left sleeve are the only nods to visibility.

It is available in Lake Blue, Moss Green and Mineral Red with sizes from S to XXL for men, whilst women’s sizes run from UK8 to UK 16 in Lake Blue or Moss Green.

The ride

The fit of the Roam is a touch more relaxed than the racier Madison Flux Men’s Short Sleeve Jersey, with the sleeves of the Roam slightly baggy on my admittedly skinny arms. The size medium, much like the Flux, is probably a bit more generous than brands like Castelli, Assos or Rapha, although I still don’t think that I could have squeezed into a size small.

The material used by Madison is very nice against the skin and has lots of easy stretch so that the jersey moves with you and doesn’t feel at all restrictive. Moisture management has seemed to be reasonable, although temperatures in the UK so far this year have not provided it with too much of a challenge, and the extra-breathable mesh panel has felt somewhat redundant.

Unfortunately, I had similar fit issues on the bike to those I experienced with the Madison Flux Short Sleeve Jersey. When in a riding position, the fabric over the shoulders rucks up and flaps about whilst the rear hem isn’t under enough tension for the elastic or silicone to do their jobs effectively. There also seems to be too much fabric across the chest. The hem issue may be a sizing thing, although I don’t believe so, but the excess material over the shoulders and chest, I’m sure, has to do with the cut. It is as if the jersey was designed for standing upright rather than bent-forward riding a bike.

Admittedly, it is slightly less of an issue for the more relaxed Roam than it was for the racier Flux, but nonetheless, it does seem odd. Of course, it may be that I am simply not a ‘Madison’ shape, but as I have not had this issue with Assos, Castelli, Rapha, etc, I don’t think that is the case.

It is a shame because the fabric and features are pretty decent, and the jersey is very versatile - as at home on gravel as it is on a big road ride.

Value and conclusion

These days, £60 is not bad for a quality short-sleeve jersey, so the Roam looks initially to be good value. However, I’m not sure where the extra 20 quid over the Flux has gone; I don’t know that a couple of extra pockets and a mesh panel should cost that.

The cut isn’t ideal either, although if you prefer your jerseys a little looser, then I doubt that the areas of seemingly excess fabric would bother you too much, and it isn’t supposed to be a race-fit jersey anyway.

If the Roam jersey fits you, then the five-pocket layout and nice fabric make it worth a look, but also consider the cheaper three-pocket Madison Flux.