I’ve been a fan of Shutt Velo Rapide since their early days, so please do bear this in mind as I’m always pleased to try something new from the company. I’ve always liked the enthusiasm of the people behind the business and that they’ve quite successfully attempted to carve a niche for British made cycling clothing (as much as they can), that’s well made, a good fit and slightly different from the crowd. Another thing I’ve always appreciated about Shutt is that they are constantly working to improve their products. For example, I have three different generations of their Pro Bib Shorts in my wardrobe and each newer version has been a noticeable improvement in quality to me than the previous one.
In fact my Shutt Pro Bib Shorts are still my favourites and are always first out of my kit cupboard (if you search this site you’ll find a review back in 2010 comparing v1 and v2).
Until now though I’ve never tried any other Shutt clothing but that’s now changed as I’ve not only received but have also been out for a first ride in the Shutt Performance Jersey (short sleeve).
I’m not typically a fan of “team kit” most of it is way too loud for me and I generally prefer to ride a bit more incognito. My own cycling wardrobe features many more plain jerseys than multi-coloured ones. However, every now and again I see a “team” jersey that I really like. I should be embarrassed to say that I have a very loud Liquigas shirt that I love and a Cervelo Test Team one too, as I was a big fan of the team.
First impressions have been very positive. The Shutt Performance jersey is the first piece of team kit I’ve seen in some time that I’ve thought looked really smart and even Mrs GdL agrees (far from a given). It’s a relatively simple design graphically and I think it works – it’s more black than white and has a nice simple colour block approach.
Thanks to a shoulder injury that’s taken longer to heal than I’d have liked it’s taken a few weeks to actually get out and try it but I rode for just over 40kms with a friend last weekend on a hot sunny afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I even enjoyed the fact that it was “team kit” too as it looked good on the bike. A nice design touch that I noticed on the inaugural ride was that you notice the Shutt signature multicolours on the end of your sleeves in your peripheral vision.
Sadly after a few weeks off the bike, my riding was anything but pro as I huffed and puffed up some local climbs, but I thought I looked good which after all is rule number one:
1. Image and style shall be the primary concerns of the Euro Cyclist. When suffering, one must focus first on maintaining a cool, even composure and second on performance. Winning races is an added talent, and only counts if said Euro Cyclist wins with appropriate style.
from: http://girodilento.com/the-official-rules-of-the-euro-cyclist-not-th
The jersey itself is made from a mixture of Coolmax and Lycra fabric and retails for £75. It feels well made and the black fabric has a really nice sheen to it, which sadly didn’t come out in my photos this time. I’m 5ft 11 and about 70kg and the medium size is perfect for me – I’m pleased with the fit (on a first ride at least).
You can see more details here including how to order one: http://www.shuttvr.com/shop/productdetail/ShuttVR-ProTeam-SSJersey/
For now, it’s in the washing machine so I can get back out and get more miles in on it and will report back in due course. First impressions are very positive.
Thanks for reading
