The Ascent Jersey

The Ascent Jersey

In over ten years, the Ascent Jersey has never had such a complete makeover.

If you've previously purchased an Ascent, you'll notice a complete redesign of this garment for 2020. We've updated the entire jersey, from top to bottom, with new fabric, zipper, pocket design and collar. 

"We are so proud of the new Ascent. It's an incredibly comfortable jersey in every way," said Tony Kelsey, vice president of marketing. "We've always thought of the Ascent as the workhorse, the jersey for those long, hard rides, the one you'd pick if you were going out for an all-day training ride. Now it's even better with a dialed fit and even bigger pockets. And, it might sound a bit vain, but this new fabric looks good on the body! It has a really flattering drape, which means it doesn't cling or show off unwanted bulges." 


The Collar

Most noticeable is the new collar, which has been entirely rethought for improved comfort. With a lower set point in front and a tapered design, we've increased comfort for when the jersey is fully zipped while also ensuring you'll continue to have 3 cm of coverage on the back of the neck.

"Moving the set point down in the front, below the Adam's apple on men and the base of the neck for women, provides so much more comfort," said Ryan White, senior product designer. "Essentially, you aren't getting choked out by the collar when the zipper is in the fully up position."

Ascent Jersey collar and zipper detail

The redesigned collar, with a low front set point for better comfort.


The Zipper

Another big change is the new YKK semi-auto lock zipper, which features an easy-to-grasp and quiet, textured rubber pull. But the real reason we chose this zipper is the locking capability, which allows the wearer to singlehandedly unzip and open their jersey for venting.

"My favorite feature of the new jersey is the locking zipper," White said. "When the pull is in the down position, the zipper is locked, meaning the zipper won't slip during your ride. But to unzip, all you have to do is flip up the pull to the unlocked position, then with one hand you can pull open the jersey. It's great for venting on a ride, like on a long climb. Flip the pull back down and the zipper is locked in place."

The YKK semi-locking zipper with rubber pull tab.

 

The Pockets

Everyone at Pactimo is excited about the new pocket design, which incorporates a stretchy and more durable opening and innovative bellows at the bottom that expands when stuffed with larger objects.

"Pockets are so important on a jersey, but they often get overlooked during the design process," said Kelsey. "What Ryan has done with these Ascent pockets is really remarkable. By adding the little folded bellows at the bottom, he dramatically created more storage in what would typically be considered a finite amount of space."

Ascent Jersey Pocket Design

Pocket design, showing the bellows feature, which allows for more storage.


Other Features

To round things out, we've included new reflective tabs on sleeves and center back, below the pockets. These little tabs might not look like much, but they have more visibility in low-light conditions than any previous reflective fabric or patches we've used. We also included Italian-made, compression arm bands on the slim-fitting version of this jersey, the Ascent Aero for a sleek, Euro-fit.  

Reflective tabs and sleeve details, showing the compression arm bands on the Ascent Aero version.


The Fit

Cyclists have specific needs and wants when it comes to apparel. They may be training or racing, they might be doing long-distance touring, or they may be casual weekend riders. Some prefer a sleek garment, with little or no flap, while others want something with a bit more 'give' through the body. With that in mind, we developed the Ascent in two fit categories so it can accessible to a wider range of cyclists. 

 

Aero Fit

ASCENT AERO
For those who prefer a form fitting,
aerodynamic jersey.

Ascent Aero Cycling Jersey for Men

Available in long and short sleeves
for men & women.

The Ascent Aero has Euro-length sleeves with compression arm bands and a more aggressive front-to-back drop for reduced bunching when in riding position.

Traditional Fit

ASCENT
For those who want a roomier, more
traditional fitting jersey.

Ascent (Traditional) Cycling Jersey for Men

Available in long and short sleeves
and as a sleeveless jersey
for men & women.

The Ascent has a hidden,
zippered valuables pocket.
 

SEE THE ASCENT COLLECTION »

 

Zippered Valuables Pocket

The zippered valuable pocket in the Ascent (Traditional fit) Jersey.