About MeHeight (cm): 185cm
Weight (kg): 83kg
Other build descriptors: Long Hairy Arms and Legs, Broad shoulders
Jersey Size Ordered: XL (Initially order an L but changed the size before it was finalised)
Comments on the fit: I am glad that I went for the XL over the L (after seeing that AUBicycles went up a size, and am roughly the same height & build as him). The fit of the XL is roughly in line with the standard L size that I would wear in other brands.
Firstly, lets look at the Monton Sizing Chart for the XL and see what it says. Suits Height 175cm and 70kg. Ok, that is not even close. This Jersey would look like a painting smock on someone that height and weight.
If I look at the other measurements on the chart and compare them to the actual measurements from the completed Jersey. The first number is what the chart says, the second number is what I measured.
Bust - 104 vs 108
Front Length - 60 vs 59
Back Length - 68 vs 70
Shoulder across + Arm Length - 89 vs 83
Waist - 84 vs 86
So, essentially the Jersey is shorter on the front but longer on the back than stated, and the bust is much roomier. I really liked the extra length at the back, but the fit across the bust is a bit loose for a race cut jersey, and more in line with a relaxed fit/club cut. If it had been cut as per the size chart it would be pretty close.
Just out of interest, I took two of my existing Jerseys (BNA Cuore Large and CS Razor Lite Large Race Cut) and measured the same things as per the Monton Chart. This is to provide a comparison only, and in no way reflects on the Monton Sizing Chart, but it might be helpful.
Bust - Monton = 108, BNA Cuore = 100, CS Razor Lite = 101
Front - Monton = 59, BNA Cuore = 61, CS Razor Lite = 54
Back - Monton = 70, BNA Cuore = 75, CS Razor Lite = 70
Shoulder + Arms - Monton = 83, BNA Cuore = 77.5, CS Razor Lite = 82
Waist - Monton = 86, BNA Cuore = 88, CS Razor Lite = 86
From those comparisons you can see that the Monton Jersey most closely matches the CS Razor Lite Jersey, with the big exception being the huge bust measurement. So a CS Razor Lite Race Cut Large is pretty close to a Monton XL, with the Monton having the extra front length, but the CS Razor Lite having the closer fit around the bust.
Out in the WildI have now had a chance to give the jersey a good workout with my regular commuting, and the results are in.
The extra room in the bust that I noted above has come in handy during the cold weather, as I am wearing a long sleeve base layer underneath, and this means the fit is not too tight. It is still not a snug race fit, but I am not racing in this jersey so that doesn’t bother me.
The side mesh panels are difficult to evaluate in the cold weather. In the chilly mornings (at 5:30am) I am wearing a base layer, then the Jersey, then a long sleeve fleece cycling jacket over the top. Everything is nice and comfortable and I am not overheating. The mesh panels let the warm air under my jacket move between the layers quite nicely.
When I leave work for the return commute, if the sun is out and the temperature is nice, I simply remove the jacket and ride with just the jersey and the baselayer. I can feel the cool air flowing through the mesh side panels, so it gives some nice ventilation that will no doubt be much appreciated in the hot summer months.
The rear pockets on this jersey are a little bit smaller than I am used to. As a size test, I used my medium sized Lezyne Caddy Sack to compare between jerseys. It is a very tight fit in the Monton jersey, and you can see in the photos that the top of it pokes out by a few cm.
Same thing in the BNA premium Jersey...
In comparison, on the BNA Premium kit the Caddy Sack fits perfectly inside the pocket without stretching it. Is this a big issue? Not really, unless you are the kind of rider that stuffs your pockets full of all manner of items when going out for a ride. For the most part, my middle pocket contents are the Caddy Sack (which has my spare tubes, extra CO2 and a patch kit), my keys (for the car and/or house), zip lock bag with ID and some cash, plus my phone. What space is left is usually holding some food like bananas, banana bread, fruit cake etc. I don’t use gels.
Some of my jerseys have a separate zipped section where I keep the smaller items, and the BNA Premium Kit has a mobile phone pouch. The Monton jersey does not have this feature, so it is just the three pockets.
QualityOverall the quality of the jersey is pretty good, especially at this price point ($59). I only have one quibble over the actual material, which is that after two wears I have noticed that the fabric is pilling on the abdominal area of the jersey. As this area is printed black, and the pilling is white, it shows up as visible marks on the outside of the jersey.
It is not entirely clear where the pilling is coming from, but I suspect it is the effects of wearing the jersey under my fleece cycling jacket. I am washing the jersey as per the instructions, inside out with the zip done up. I do not have this issue with my BNA premium kit or most of my other jerseys, but I have seen some minor pilling on my CS Kit. Perhaps the fabric selection by Monton is more susceptible to pilling, or is not mean to be worn under a fleece jacket. It’s not a huge problem in the grand scheme of things, but it does look a bit unsightly when seen up close.
Finally, the zipper is tiny and I find it difficult to grab a hold of. A bigger one would not go astray.
In regards to the sizing, you definitely need to pay close attention to the sizing chart. Ignore the Height/Weight suggestions completely as they will result in you ordering a jersey 2+ sizes too large for you. My XL Jersey is labelled as a USA L and China XL, and it would have been handy to have this on the Size Chart. In addition to that, the finished product was different to the sizing chart, most significantly with the chest/bust measurements where it was much larger than stated. That could be just my measuring technique, but I think that the actual cut on the Monton jersey falls somewhere between Race Cut and Club Cut, so they are trying to cater to both types of buyers rather than creating two different cuts of Jersey.
The Final VerdictPros: Good relaxed fit. Not too tight, some extra room in the bust. Overall quality is high. Side mesh panels give good airflow.
Cons: Some minor issues with pilling, and a zipper that is on the small side. Jersey pockets could do with a couple of cm of extra depth.
Rating: 9/10 - Great value for money only let down by a few minor quality issues. I would recommend the Jersey as even with these issues you can buy two of them for the same price as a single high-end Jersey
