..........................................................................................................................................................................................................
jura cycle clothing long-sleeve merino cycle jersey
islay's nearest neighbour is the isle of jura, sited but a five-minute ferry journey across a turbulent stretch of water known as the sound of islay (which, incidentally, is known as caol ila in gaelic; just in case there are any whisky drinkers reading.) in comparison with islay's population of 3,200, it compares disfavourably at an official 196, but if it's isolated solitude you fancy, this may be the very place of your dreams.
the principal village is that of craighouse, home to the island's single malt whisky distillery and a few palm trees that grow opposite the courtyard. oddly enough, for such a small place, it is famous for several reasons. if you ignore the fact that prime minister david cameron is a not infrequent visitor due to his friendship with lord vesty, the three large hills known as the paps of jura host an annual fell race on the last saturday of may, as well as being a dramatic backdrop to the calmac ferry berthing at port askaig.
it is also home to an enormous population of red deer (the norse for which, the island's name is derived), barnhill cottage in which george orwell wrote the bulk of 1984. and not too far away is the corryvreckan whirlpool which, for some reason or other, a number of people have felt compelled to swim across. not too sure exactly what that proves. but then again, it seems comparable to running over the paps of jura every may for fun.
though the ferry from islay lands on the ramp at feolin, there's another eight miles, mostly uphill before reaching the outskirts of craighouse with its single hotel, community owned shop and the distillery. oddly enough, when heading back in the opposite direction, perhaps to catch the ferry back to islay, it seems every bit as hilly as it did on the inward trip. five kids from islay's secondary school recently pedalled their and back to raise funds for macmillan nurses.
sadly, though i'm sure you found such knowledge a great boon to your contemporary education, the isle of jura has nothing whatsoever to do with the jura cycle clothing company. their sights, though based in east sussex, seem to have been trained on the european mountain range of the same name. which, to a certain extent, makes a bit more sense. for though a bike ride to the isle of jura is definitely one of those boxes to be ticked before you reach sixty years of age, a mountain range predominantly situated in switzerland, france and germany might be more deserving of a range of exquisite merino cycle jerseys.
though the past couple of days have featured wall to wall sunshine, i had asked the folks at jura clothing to send a long-sleeve jersey as something of a preventative measure. it turned out i was half-right. the medium example sent for review resembled (deliberately) the italian flag, though there are a number of other designs available in case you identify with an alternative nationality (currently this jersey is on special offer at £75, reduced from its more usual £90).
the italian fabricated merino jersey is impossibly soft, featuring a quarter length front zip and a delightfully high ribbed collar. i do so like a high collar, but i am also endeared of favourably long sleeves, of which this is a particularly fine example. the torso is longer than would be expected nowadays, giving rise to thoughts that jura's cycle jerseys may be aimed more at the leisure market than the pelotonese. couple this potentially unrequired extra length at the front (bunching up when in the drops) with a single rear zipped pocket, and this train of thought gathers a bit more credibility.
however, though pretty much every race-fit jersey nowadays is notably longer at the back than the front, not all of us feature bodies that are comparably race cut. there have been more than just a few odd days when i would have preferred a more relaxed dress code during my velocipedinal perambulations. particularly, i might add, if i intend riding to craighouse on jura. refugees from the peloton stand out like a sore thumb outside jura stores.
that sole pocket is surprisingly capacious; i managed to contain a mini-pump, an essentials case with a digital compact camera inside, and a tightly rolled waterproof jacket yet still have a few empty corners left. the downside to this relates back to the length of the jersey. though there was easily space for all the above, the weight kept it all hanging about my posterior. in truth, this is not too much of an imposition when in the saddle, but leads to an ungainly manner when stood in the coffee shop, debating whether to have another slice of lemon drizzle sponge or not.
i cannot deny that i'd prefer the tried and tested three rear pockets, an arrangement that allows more equitable distribution of cargo.
however, assuming all has been devolved to the following mavic neutral support car, the jura jersey is pretty darned brilliant. the extra length is reminiscent of the halcyon days of a woolly peloton, the sleeves are easily rolled up in those warmer moments and the neck zip can be undone with ease while riding. the fact that it's made from quality merino means it's warm when it needs to be, yet cool enough to be worn in a hebridean summer.
maybe that's really why they're called the jura cycle company?
should you wish to be a tad more individualistic in your merino cycle apparel, the jura cycle company are happy to embroider wording of your choice on the white chest hoop that features on each and every design. i figure that one of these with thewashingmachinepost writ large across the front would be every bit as cool as swimming across the corryvreckan (in the 'none too warm' sense rather than via 'hip dude' connotations).
aside from the pocket quibbles, (the short sleeve design features three buttoned rear pockets) this is an undeniably excellent addition to the cycling wardrobe.
the jura cycle company's jerseys start at £80 for the short-sleeve versions and £90 for the long-sleeve. embroidery adds £20 while flock lettering costs £10 per placement. all are available in small, medium, large and xl.
wednesday 24 june 2015
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................