A good winter jersey is one of the staples of your cycling wardrobe. It needs to keep you warm in a variety of conditions while also being breathable enough to keep you sweat-free when you hit a tough hills. That’s not an easy combination to get right, but thankfully there are plenty of impressive options to choose from these days. Here’s what to look for when making your choice.

Before we start, it’s worth pointing out that there’s a fine line between a winter jersey and a winter jacket. In fact, what one brand describes as a jersey would be a jacket in another brand’s range, so it’s also worth We're covering pretty much all types of long sleeve jersey here, from lightweight ones for autumn/spring and occasional winter use through to windproof jerseys suitable for when the temperature is well down in single figures centigrade.

Long sleeve jerseys are available in many different fabrics, most of them synthetic.

At one end of the spectrum, you get jerseys that are made from similar fabrics to summer jerseys, just with long sleeves. These are usually lightweight polyester and they don’t offer masses of insulation, so they’re suitable for autumn and spring conditions.