The Swiss Army Knife of Jerseys

WHAT: Nema Mode Jersey WHERE: www.nema-usa.com HOW MUCH: $70

Most jerseys are one-dimensional in nature—they’re either short-sleeved, form-fitting racer gear or loose-fitting, long-sleeved models. The Mode cuts against the grain—offering a bit of everything in a single package. Nema calls the Mode “the Swiss Army knife of cycling jerseys” and that’s a particularly apt description. With removable sleeves, the Mode can be worn as long-sleeved, sleeveless or short sleeved. All you have to do is simply unzip the sleeves. It’s a novel and useful concept.

Other noteworthy features include a full-length zipper (a fantastic feature which makes the jersey perfect for all-day rides that start out cool and then morph into seventh-level of hell inferno fests. Speaking of zippers, the jersey also features a two zippered side pockets that are fairly dainty—just about the right size for a couple packs of Gu, a cell phone, your car keys and other similarly-sized essentials. The jersey is constructed from a lightweight polyester that breathes exceptionally well, but isn’t the most rugged of materials (something to consider if you ride through lots of burly brush).

Zippered sleeves allow you to adapt the Mode jersey to most riding conditions.

I first used the Mode jersey on a trip to Sedona and fell in love with its versatility and excellent venting. The rides would start out crisp and cool and then become swelter fests by lunch. The Mode was perfect for the occasion—allowing me to morph the jersey to the moment. My only real grip with the Mode was that the stiff zipper backing material (on the zipper sleeves) had a tendency to chafe the hell out of my underarm area. This wasn’t a problem if I wore a light base-layer type t-shirt, but if I wore nothing but the jersey (my standard M.O.), it could be fairly annoying.

Would I recommend the Mode? Absolutely—though with a few caveats. First and foremost, the Mode won’t hold up well to frequent forays through heavy brush—that’s the flipside of incredibly breatheability. The zipper-chafing thing was also an issue for me, but my test model was an early sample and Nema may have sorted this out by the time you read this. How could you tell if this is the case? Just try the jersey on—you’ll be able to tell immediately if the zipper is going to rub you wrong.

All in all, I was impressed with the Mode. In a sense, you’re getting three jerseys for the price of one. That’s a hell of a deal.