I love this jacket. Ride out in even a glimmer of sunshine and the innovative Sunrise fabric catches the light and positively sparkles. It may all be a bit too Saturday Night Fever for some, but anything that helps make you super visible on the road has to be a good thing. So I’m all for a bit of shimmer on my bike.

The Santini Velo Windbreaker jacket has a modern, sporty, aero fit and I can imagine it hanging in the window of a high end women’s running store and costing twice the price.  I like the way the mesh panels that aid breathability are also used to shape the back. And a mention too for the high collar and smart zip garage at the neck (in super soft fabric) – some very stylish attention to detail here.

But there’s much more to this jacket than razzle-dazzle. It is designed and made in Italy by Santini, a specialist cycle clothing brand founded in 1965 that works with pro riders to refine and perfect the fit and performance of their designs.

Not surprisingly then, the fit is snug: the rider in our picture is a size 8/10 and the sample jacket a size M. It is however available in a good range of sizes – from XS to XXL.

It is designed to be worn as a windbreaker (with its Zero Wind membrane) and is described as ‘slightly water-resistant’ which probably means you can just about get away with dribbling your water bottle on it (I haven’t put it to the test because if I think I’m going to get wet on a ride, I wear a waterproof!!). It is stretchy, ultra light and folds down to fit into a jersey pocket.

The Santini Velo Windbreaker cuffs have added stretch which helps to stop wind chill, as does the aforementioned high collar. It’s little touches like this, of course, that make all the difference to the effectiveness of a sports garment.

The jacket has three back pockets, all of the same size with stretch edging. However because the fabric is so thin I would be inclined to not put anything sharp edged (ie keys!) in them. What’s more, if you’re taking the jacket on and off during your ride, you don’t want to be unloading the pockets every time:  it’s easier to put everything (except essentials like gels) in your jersey pockets instead.

There is some reflective piping on the back, as well as a small high-vis SMS logo tag at the back of the collar – be warned however that a pony tail will completely cover it.

Verdict: A great looking jacket with well thought out design details.

Price: £74.99 (RRP £99.99), available from Chain Reaction Cycles.

Photos: paulmitchellphotographer.com.