Road Cycling Clothing

Reviewed: Maratona Flanders Jersey and Classic Bib Shorts

There's a new British cycling brand on the market and they mean business

New to the cycling scene this year is Maratona cycling wear. Established in the UK, the brand has an extensive network throughout Europe where they produce limited runs of quality performance wear to not only make you ride out from the crowd but feel great whilst doing it.

With unique designs and a flare for cycling culture, Maratona produces limited annual runs of their men’s and women’s kit, so once it’s gone… it’s gone! This is to keep the kit selective as Maratona state: “you should be in a minority and not one of the masses“.

We were fortunate enough to get our hands on their newest women’s road cycling collection which we’ve been sporting on the few fair weather days this summer has offered up so far. Included in the collection is the women’s classic bib shorts, Flanders jersey and Birds jersey and here’s how we got on…

Maratona’s Flanders Jersey coupled with their classic bib shorts – Photo: Callum Philpott

Let’s start at the top. Both of the women’s jerseys from Maratona are cut for speed, they’re close fitting, aero-inspiring and constructed with performance focused fabric to ensure you pedal your best, whatever your size or shape.

Developed with four-way stretch Italien fabric, these jerseys are comfortable to wear as they contour your body nicely, moving as you do without posing as a restriction. A highlight for me was the longer length second-skin feel sleeves which are incredibly soft, comfortable and the laser cut cuff creates a seamless transition between fabric and body.

There are three cargo pockets at the back of the jersey with one protective zipped pocket for stashing your essentials and of course, your coffee money! There are subtle details which finish off the Maratona jerseys nicely, such as the heat transferred labels in the collar which don’t scratch or irritate the neckline. The full-length YKK cam-lock zip is smooth and easy to use without requiring the use of two hands and another bonus feature is the SPF protection within the fabric of the jersey which offers just that little bit more.

Maratona’s Birds Jersey and classic bib shorts – Photo: Callum Philpott

Maratona offers a wide range of female-specific sizes as well with their jerseys starting at x.small and going up to xx.large. In measurement terms, this ranges from a 29″ chest to a 44″ chest, making them considerably more inclusive than some other brands on the road cycling market.

Maratona’s Birds jersey is available here for £68.
Maratona’s Flanders jersey is available here for £68.

Maratona’s Classic Bib Shorts

These bib shorts do exactly what they say on the tin. They’re black with subtle branding and a thin band of pink on the left cuff and they’re designed to be your go-to bib short for cycling in.

These bib shorts are constructed from 4-way stretch UV-protected black race lycra fabric which offers support with a second-skin feel. Developed in Belgium, the chamois has been tried and tested by Olympic athletes who know a thing or two about comfort. Flatlock seams provide a lovely flush look to the design of these bib shorts and the mesh shoulder straps are soft whilst providing some ventilation.

As you can see in the photo above, the straps are designed to go straight up from the waist crossing through the middle of the breast, but if you have boobs, you’ll know these straps will slip to the sides and bunch around your armpit. While this did happen for me in the Maratona bib shorts, the soft mesh material didn’t provide too much irritation. Perhaps a breast clip would have been better used in this circumstance to keep the straps from venturing off.

These bib shorts are available in sizes x.small to xx.large (29″ hip to 44″ hip) and can be purchased here for £95.

Verdict

For a new brand entering the market, and a market that has the high-standards that cycling demands, I think Maratona have made a very strong first step. While their women’s collection is feminine with subtle pink highlights, it’s not too girly and in many ways, like the classic bib shorts, the women’s collection is elegant and understated.

Cycling in the Maratona collection was a breeze, it was comfortable and breathable and in fact, I didn’t need to consider it at all which is always a good sign as nothing stood out to irritate. I was able to focus on my ride with the comfort and support of my kit, which is exactly what I look for when shopping for new cycle garments – oh, and of course, the Flanders jersey coupled with the classic bib shorts which have the pink cuff stripe, looks awesome.

For more information about Maratona and to check out the rest of their collection, head over to their website here.