Cosy, practical, stylish and very wearable are the four words I’d use to sum up my view of the Morvelo Flowline ThermoActive Jersey.

Morvelo are a small brand based in the South of England, and they are passionate about cycling. All types of cycling. Their small but well put together range of men’s and women’s kit is designed to be used for all the cycling you do, whether that’s mountain biking, road cycling, cyclocross or just getting from A to B.

True to the spirit of the company, I tried the Flowline ThermoActive longsleeve jersey on the road and on the trail, and was impressed with how it performed at both. It’s a great garment for changeable spring weather.

Opting for the medium as that’s my usual jersey size as a UK size 12, I found it true to size, with the hem reaching my hips and the sleeves reaching mid palm. The back of the jersey has a slightly dropped tail, which gave some lower back coverage when on the drops. It did leave a small draughty gap when on the drops though, and the back also rode up a little when wearing my hydration pack.

A lot of thought has gone into the construction of the garment, as the paneled sections gave a really good fit. The Flowline jersey is at the relaxed end of the performance fit spectrum, so think fitted rather than skin-tight.

Personally I loved the look and feel of this jersey. Most of my road riding is the long leisurely weekend or commuter type, with occasional café stops, and the cut of this jersey suited me down to the ground.

The sleeves are a looser fit, particularly around the forearms, with an elasticated cuff. I found this meant I had plenty of freedom of movement when mountain biking, and enough fabric to keep the sleeves in place when riding on the drops on my road bike.

There’s not masses of stretch in the Flowline jersey, and it was noticeably more ‘fitted’ across my 34D chest, so if you’re ample in the bosom department, it might be worth going up a size.

The jersey is designed to keep you cosy in cold conditions, working on its own or part of a layering system, and it certainly does that.

Combined with a base layer, it felt snug in temperatures down to 5 degrees, the lowest I tested it. However, it’s not very windproof, nor does it claim to be, so I’d recommend teaming it with a windproof jacket or shell if it’s breezy and cold.

Next to the skin, the fleece lined polyester was soft and pleasant, and didn’t feel wet or clammy even after cycling hard. It also worked well as a mid layer, providing warmth but still wicking away sweat. A high collar keeps the drafts out from around your neck, and was a welcome feature when setting off on cold mornings.

There are 4 pockets at the rear of the jacket; 3 deep elastic topped pockets, and one zipped side entry pocket. I see the idea behind the zipped side entry pocket, but the pull tab was a little small so it was quite hard to actually open it one handed. I ended up twisting round to use both hands, or taking the jersey off. That said, I’m a big fan of having a least one secure zipped pocket on jersey, particularly if you are using them for MTB, as it’s perfect for cake money and keys.

The other pockets had plenty of room for bars, a little pump, a multi tool etc. Because the fabric is quite weighty, I found the jersey held its shape well even when the pockets were full to bursting.

I was very glad this jersey came with a full length zip, as in colder weather I wear bib tights, and trying to take a jersey off over the top of your head to get the bibs off when taking comfort breaks is a nightmare. No such issues here. However, there’s no zip garage at the top. I didn’t experience any chaffing issues, but I would have expected there to be one, ideally.

The Flowline in the name of the jersey refers to the graphics, and the distinctive look of their clothing is a particular feature of Morvelo’s products. I liked the unusual colour choices for a jersey: brown, green and salmon pink. If you fancy something a little different, the polka dot option is very popular!

Last but by no means least, the jersey coped well with mud and washing too. All the muck came off first time, leaving no stains, and the jersey didn’t bobble or shrink in the machine. From its use so far, this is a robust jersey that will last the distance. Hooray!

VERDICT

A great multi-purpose jersey that works well on its own, layered, or as a standby warm layer on chilly days. The relaxed fit is both practical and flattering, and the unusual really graphics stand out. This has become my go-to jersey for cool weather because of its versatility and style, functioning well for both road and mountain bike rides.

PROS

– Good fit
– Versatile garment for cold conditions
– Well-thought-out features

CONS

– Zipped pocket hard to use one handed
– No zip garage at the collar

Price: £80
Size: XS, S, M, L, XL
More info: Morvelo

What Morvelo say about the Women’s ThermoActive Jersey:

Redesigned from the ground up our new ThermoActive long sleeve jerseys are designed to be warm and hugely adaptable. The ThermoActive fabric has been developed so that the mid-weight brushed fleece-back polyester not only keeps the heat in but the micro-fibre weave also lets the sweat out