ALÉ Mens Carbon Baselayer

Regulating temperature means we drink less and perform better – marginal gains remember. Yes, the design of base layers has changed from simply being a woollen weave, to now drawing on the technical thinking for fabrics that was once reserved for one or two ‘out there brands’. Italian cycling brand Alé is at the cutting edge and have designed this base layer to move moisture in a way that it helps to regulate your temperature, keeping you performing well. Sweat is good is used correctly, and this top makes sure that this happens. The materials have changed and they’ve even added carbon to the mix for extra strength. The weave has changed, now bringing in several different weaves within the one garment, to move the sweat away from one area in such a way that it benefits your whole body as it wicks, and ensuring that it doesn’t simply soak into the cloth in that one place.

On the roads of the Yorkshire Dales and the Vale of York, where the cold winds blow and bite at the rider, this well thought out body hugging baselayer from Alé has kept the cold at bay, with its high cut rounded collar and tightly woven cuffs at the sleeves. It caresses the body; yes … it truly does and makes you feel kind of special simply to be wearing it.

The material is soft, very stretchy and very strong, able to be pulled in all directions, ensuring movement isn’t restricted and yet feeling simply very nice underneath your winter jerseys and jackets as it touches and stays put. The rest is up to you on how good you look, but this baselayer is definitely made to hug. What I like about this base layer is that it looks and feels fo good that it’s suitable to use underneath the ALÉ Cycling Gilet in spring too, keeping you warm and stylishly modern on those colder spring days in the hills or when the wind blows across the flat open plains.

If you buy one base layer for colder rides, then this excellent garment from Alé ought to be on your list. It works across a varied spectrum of temperatures, from a warm winter day, to those with an icy chilling wind in spring. On the style front, it’s typically Italian, being made from quality materials, all well cut and superbly sewn, with a simple design that oozes style and balances this with excellent body fitting comfort.