ShannonM

If you don't need the rear pockets, fine-thread merino undershirts are pretty awesome riding garb.

Especially when it's hot... wool wicks amazingly well, and doesn't stink. You can wear the same one for days.

(This is also the key to wool garment longevity... just don't wash 'em very often. They don't need it and it's not good for them.)

--Shannon

randallr

Yeah, I bought some 150 g/sq m merino polo shirts from Ibex when they were making stuff in the US and I have never worn anything as comfortable in 80F and 90F weather, riding in to work on the bike and around the office. If they were still making them I think I'd buy five more.
And of course when it's cold, I go with thick, long sleeved Ibex jerseys that zip up above my Adam's apple and tuck way down below my waist.

Sadly, Ibex today is not the same company as four years ago.

Lazyass

It's one of those things that you have to experience to understand. Same for other things like summer mash baselayers that I always wear.

PeteHski

Quality merino is nothing remotely like the "wool jersey" you are thinking of.

Nachoman

I wouldn't even consider NOT washing a wool jersey, a wool base layer or wool socks after each and every use.

GhostRider62

I would never NOT even not consider not washing a merino top when bikepacking, touring, or backpacking. That is the beauty of the fibre, it does not absorb much moisture or odor. It ain't like there is a washing machine anyway.

Yak fiber is hollow and technically is down. I have some light weight tee shirts that are fine in warm weather. Alpaca does not hold its shape well but is similar.

Unfortunately, it is not so easy to get 150 gsm merino let alone 120 gsm but I do have a light merino tee shirt. 100% of the time, it or the Yak is my baselayer in cool weather. Love them.

Koyote

If I'm reading your double-negative correctly, you would be doing it wrong.

Sy Reene

For lightweight summer, I have one of the Isadore Woolight jerseys, eg below link. Its actually only about 25% merino, the rest poly. Nonetheless it feels great and does well in the heat.

https://rubbernroad.com/collections/...ersey-chai-tea

Slightspeed

I have one merino wool jersey from Oregon Cycle wear. (Spectrum did a great job on the embroidery logos.) I like the feel of it, but don't usually wear it on super hot days. What I don't like is how stretchy and saggy it gets if you use the rear pockets. Even a cell phone or wallet will make it sag. One year I rode it back to the motel with Eroica swag, including a small bottle of olive oil. It was sagging so much in back that it was hanging over the saddle. Washing and flat drying it made the shape come back ... till next time. I was 235 lbs when I got it, got down just below 200, and it seemed really big. I washed it in the machine, and instead of flat drying, threw it in a hot dryer, and it came out sized perfectly. I wore Kucharik jerseys back in my racing days, but not wool. I have a couple of Kuchariks now, still not wool. They do make great quality stuff.

Me, third from left, the red arm covers are separate.

Sy Reene

Anyone have experience with Soigneur jerseys?
https://www.soigneur.co.nz/merino-cycling-jerseys.html

ehcoplex 

Someone earlier in the thread gave a plug for Soigneur.

ehcoplex 

Yeah, the Oregon Cyclewear jersey is sort of more like a fine-weave, medium/light sweater. Mine does seem to sag a little bit after wearing it a bunch, but shape comes back following a hand-washing/line or flat drying (though I try to wash my merino stuff as little as possible/only when really necessary). It's a really comfortable and nice jersey, though I was a little disappointed to see on the inside tag that it's made in China- I thought it was actually made in Oregon. I guess that explains how they can produce such a nice jersey at such an affordable cost..

ehcoplex 

I have a few merino t-shirts from Unbound Merino that are a soft, light weight (190gr/sm) that I wear most of the year (non-cycling), and particularly when traveling. I've gone a week straight wearing the same one every day & they never start to smell. If needed, I can hand wash in a hotel sink and the shirt is dry by the AM. I do wear them cycling sometimes, too, but the looser, 't-shirt' cut and length isn't ideal (and considering they're made in China, they ain't cheap at $75 ea...).
I totally agree that lightweight merino is ideal for warm-weather riding. I may get hot & sweaty on a big, slow climb on a hot, sunny day, but make it over the top and start descending and it wicks and dries amazingly fast.

jamesdak 

Yeah, that was me. By coincidence I was wearing their jersey today on a 35 mile ride. Checking the Garmin it wasn't much of a temperature swing today. Low of 57 high of 66. Felt perfectly fine in it the whole ride and it was unusually humid here this morning after nite rains dumped over an inch of water. So more sweat than normal today yet the jersey is totally stink free. Carried my cellphone in one pocket and an small point and shot in the other with no real sagging of any sort. It's the thickest merino item I have but has been just fine to wear with temps into the 80's. Can't speak to how well it will hold up as I've only had it a short time. Initial quality seems top notch to me.

Looking back at last Sunday's ride with this jersey on the low was 60 and the high was 82. Once again, felt fine in it.

Looking at me records, I ordered on the 15th of May, it shipped on the 19th of May, and I received it on the 29th of May in Utah.

I was loving the jersey so much on the ride today that I was thinking of ordering another one from him for days like today when I take the classic Opus III out. The jersey I got is themed for my Pashley Guv'nor.

This is the guarantee text from them in one of the email responses. They sent a couple of status emails.

"We stand by the quality of our jerseys and have a "no questions asked" money back guarantee if you are not 100% happy with your jersey.In the unusual event you receive a flawed product, return it within a fortnight with a note explaining why you are unhappy and we will send you a replacement at no charge within a fortnight of receiving your returned item. We recommend you email us beforehand in case we can come to a better solution.

If you wish to exchange for a different size, we can do that too, just return it to us and specify the replacement size you want and we will send you your replacement within the normal production time of 1-2 weeks."


Hope this helps. Like I said above, I can't speak to durability but initially I'm totally happy with their work.

ehcoplex 

Quick initial impression of the Walz s/s merino jersey...
First, I'm impressed with how quickly I received it. Website says 'made to order' and expect a 7-day lead time. They must keep some in stock as it was only a few days from order to receipt.
Nicely made, and a very light weight (which is what I was looking for). Not 'race' fit- a little looser, though not 'flapping' loose. The elastic at the waist is pretty tight- without anything in the rear pockets it causes the jersey to ride up a bit. But put a snack, different glasses, bandana etc in the pockets and it all stays in place.
It was 67 and foggy when I went out this AM, started with the l/s Oregon Cyclewear jersey, but about 10 miles into my ride I put on the Walz. It was probably 70 by then, and over 40+ miles cleared up and became a sunny 80. Humidity level was pretty much at 'disgusting' from the start. I was comfortable the whole ride. Sweaty on the hills, but the sweat wicked away and (more or less) dried on the descents/straightaways). Soaked when I got home, but my last 1/2mi & long driveway is a steep climb and I'm pretty much always soaked at the end of that. And did I mention the humidity level was at 'disgusting'....(feels like it's been there for weeks now....). Will be interesting to see how the thin fabric holds up, but I'm pleased with the Walz at the moment.

ehcoplex 

Does Yak have the same 'doesn't smell/need washing' qualities as merino? And how's its longevity?

ShannonM

According to Wikipedia, the average lifespan of a domesticated yak is around twenty years.

YYMV.

--Shannon

GhostRider62

yes and not sure, not enough time.

My merino stuff lasts a long time.

PeteHski

I find that high quality medium weight merino lasts for decades. I have a few 20 year old Merino skiing mid-layers that I wear all winter that are still holding up fine. But when you get to the very lightweight merino I find that it falls to pieces after a few seasons. But still worth it. A lot of modern merino sports wear is actually a blend of merino and synthetics, which actually makes it better overall if well designed. My Rapha merino jersey is blended and doesn't suffer from the sagging issue mentioned up thread. The outer layer is also a little smoother and doesn't catch as easily.

ehcoplex 

Yuk, yuk..... er, yak yak....

stuff shredman

I wear a base layer of some sort on virtually every ride
For hot weather (say 70 degrees to over one hundred), I'll wear this polyester hot weather base layer from Pearl Izumi
https://www.pearlizumi.com/US/en/sho...yer/p/11122105

For colder weather, I'll wear a merino base layer from Pearl Izumi
https://www.pearlizumi.com/US/en/sho...yer/p/11121923

I find the transfer mesh fabric of the hot weather base layer helps me regulate temp better than just the jersey alone, even when it's really hot. Seemed counter intuitive to me at first, but the fabric seems to spread out my sweat over a larger area so I cool better

The merino wool base layer is comfy, soft, and keeps me warm and wicks the moisture well so it doesn't get all loaded down and wet

tyroc7

I don't have the brands you mentioned but I have a merino jersey from Demarchi and one from Pedaled and one from Isadore, all SS. I'd say they're preferable for 55-75F. Above 75F the Isadore is too thick. The Demarchi and Pedaled are not too thick but do not dry as quickly as synthetic materials and I sweat a lot.

NoWhammies

I bought my first merino wool short sleeve jersey this year. I wore it at the start of the summer when temperatures were cooler. Then as the summer started to heat up, I started wearing my other non-merino wool jerseys. For whatever reason I have it in the back of my mind that the merino wool jersey will be hotter. As summer turns to fall, I will probably start wearing the short sleeve merino wool jersey more again.

Kanon25

Just find a tight fitting wool t-shirt in hiking section of an outdoor goods shop. For example Icebreaker or Houdini. But most of the retailers will have an own-brand that’s cheaper, probably 75% woool + 25 % Lycra at half the price of those big brands and probably a fifth of the price of an over engineered "wool cycling jersey" that usually includes zippers and vents that you don’t need - wool breathes well and is a wonder material.

ehcoplex 

Agree, for the most part... except that the wool hiking T's usually aren't long enough, at least for me. Tall/thin means a T that fits tight ends up being too short*! And I've become used to the back pockets of 'cycling' jerseys. But at the same time, the 'regular' merino T's I have really are perfectly fine for biking- and I can also just wear 'em as a 'regular' T, which I can't with a bike jersey!

*edit- Though who am I fooling- I don't compete and it ain't really like a little bit of flapping T-shirt makes a bit of different on any of my rides....!