Santini Mirage Jersey

The Santini Mirage is a performance-orientated jersey that works well in the summer heat as well as having enough storage to carry along the essentials for every ride. Despite its performance focus, it's proved to be a comfortable piece of kit for long days in the saddle.

For more options, check out our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys.

> Buy now: Santini Mirage jersey for £51.57 from Alpinetrek

The Mirage is made up of polyester panels on the front, arms and sides, with a light micro-mesh rear, making the jersey very breathable. It also features UPF50+ UV protection, a good thing to see on a summer jersey, helping to prevent sunburn when out all day.

The recommended temperature range for the jersey is 18-35°C. Having used it in a range of conditions – though the UK isn't often blessed with 35 degrees – I think this range is accurate, though it can also be used comfortably down to about 14°C with a summer baselayer.

The sleeves of the jersey are raw cut which helps with aerodynamics. It also looks great, and I found the sleeves sat firmly in place once I'd put the jersey on.

The one downside I found was the silicone gripper, which runs all the way round the waistband. Many jerseys do away with these, removing the gripper from the rear to provide a little more stretch. Here it doesn't make the jersey uncomfortable, just a little tight feeling at times, though it does mean the jersey doesn't ride up at all.

There's also no zip garage at the neck, which I'd like to have seen, although the lower cut here means the zip doesn't really dig in.

Three reasonably sized pockets and a zipped one for valuables feature at the rear and provide enough space to fit a rain jacket or food comfortably.

There's not quite enough room in the valuables pocket for bigger phones, though keys and smaller items fit fine.

The Mirage comes in four colours: white, orange, green and blue. All feature what I think is a nice design that isn't too bold but still stands out from the crowd.

It fits very comfortably. As mentioned above, the waistband is a little tight but I found this didn't affect the comfort too much once on the bike and in a riding position. With their aero design the sleeves are sleek and almost feel like they aren't there, and there's no awkward pulling or twisting from the material; once in place it doesn't budge, meaning you can just put it on and get going.

The breathability of the jersey also helps to increase its comfort – not overheating constantly or being drenched in sweat is a big positive, even when riding in warm (25 degrees) weather. Helping this is its weight – at only 117g it's a pretty light affair, not bulky at all.

When washing the jersey, despite taking it into some rather Welsh weather, it came up really clean and fresh. Mud and dirt didn't stain and despite being white it remained looking new. The care instructions are much the same as all modern jerseys: 30 degrees wash and no tumble dryer.

Something to be aware of when buying this jersey is, like some other brands such as Castelli, Santini sizing is on the very small side. I'd suggest going up at least one size from your usual – the medium on test was much more comparable to a small in many other brands.

Value

The Mirage comes in at £100, so not a cheap jersey, but the quality, comfort, and performance fit all justify the price tag, I'd say.

A similar price is the Gore Torrent Breathe jersey, just a penny cheaper than the Santini (though both are currently reduced on their makers' websites). Both are aimed at warm weather riding, with features to match – the Gore uses mesh panels throughout, making it the cooler of the two when it comes to the hot days, but it doesn't have the Santini's UV protection, a feature that many will miss.

Both have a race fit with tight fabric and both are very breathable. The Santini has the better pockets, I'd say, and is actually 11g lighter, making it, in my opinion, the obvious choice.

Conclusion

Overall, the Santini Mirage is a comfortable, light, breathable, and performance-orientated jersey and perfect for summer rides. Just watch when choosing your size, as it does come up small.

Verdict

Great summer jersey, ideal for warm weather riding, with plenty of useful features