Faster than a race suit and without a zipper. The FUSION TEMPO claims to be the ultimate speed garment and we set out to see if that’s true.

When FUSION presented their new jersey for Team ColoQuick last year, it stood out by not having a zipper. “Better aerodynamics” and “faster than a race suit” were the arguments for the jersey design, which was developed in collaboration with riders from the Danish continental team.

I’ll admit, I initially struggled a lot with a zipperless cycling jersey, much more than I did with disc brakes on a road bike. It just felt wrong to go back to something that’s essentially a t-shirt. As someone who has really enjoyed the tight race suits, it was an extra hurdle if a “t-shirt” was going to replace the skinsuit.

TEMPO!

The “t-shirt” is part of FUSION’s new TEMPO! collection, which focuses on ultimate speed. The TEMPO jersey comes with a pair of cycling shorts optimized to work seamlessly with the zipperless jersey – and it’s this combo that provides a watt saving comparable to a race suit, or even better.

Since there’s no longer a need for a zipper running through the jersey, FUSION has managed to create a jersey that fits even closer to the body than normal cycling jerseys. Therefore, the jersey is also more comfortable than a regular cycling jersey, claims FUSION. The torso is made of smooth fabric, and on the back, there are three pockets, as a cycling jersey should have. The sleeves are equipped with vertical seams to improve aerodynamics, as we know from most aero jerseys and race suits. An elastic band at the bottom of the jersey ensures that it doesn’t crawl up when riding.

The TEMPO shorts are made of a high-tech material that is both water-resistant and quick-drying, just like FUSION’s popular SLi cycling shorts. Additionally, they provide light compression. As a special detail, FUSION highlights that the back panel of the bibs is reinforced so it doesn’t become see-through when stretched on the rider, which we actually appreciate (who hasn’t sat and looked at nearly bare buttocks because the shorts had stretched too much?). Last but not least, it’s worth mentioning that the leg hems are equipped with silicone bands to keep them in place.

ON THE ROAD

If you’re used to race suits, time trial suits or just regular cycling jerseys, the TEMPO jersey is a completely new experience. Simultaneously snug and comfortable in a way that doesn’t quite resemble any other garment. It’s in a class of its own. Snug without being uncomfortable. At the same time, it feels fast, and as soon as you’re on the bike, it feels like the TEMPO shorts and jersey merge into one fast unit.

I had many preconceptions about the TEMPO jersey beforehand; it would surely be too tight, crawl up while cycling and be difficult to take off. But all of that was proven wrong, and what surprises me the most is how well the jersey fits when tugging into that aeroposition on the bike. Because it sits just right. It sits in place!

The elastic band manages to keep the jersey in place without being particularly tight around the waist. And it gives a real sense of speed. Of course, it’s impossible to verify FUSION’s claims about speed, but with their own experiments on the track in Odense, and with such a competent aero enthusiast as Frederik Muff involved in the development process, there’s no doubt that their claims hold true.

If nothing else, the ColoQuick team really demonstrated the speed of the kit in the spring A races, where they dominates everything winning when it suited them and in a crosswind rodeo, apparently got the entire team in the top 15.

At least I feel fast in the TEMPO set, but more importantly, I feel extremely comfortable and at ease, which I didn’t expect. Now I’m just looking forward to the summer so I can get out and race in the TEMPO set.

CONCLUSION

The TEMPO jersey comes in 3 different colors so far, and I’ve seen a DK version on Instagram, which will probably become popular for the Gran Fondo World Championships in Aalborg later this year. And that’s perhaps very good because there are many indications that the TEMPO jersey has the potential to become an N+1 jersey.

Apart from being fast, TEMPO is truly comfortable and delightful to wear. Normally I would say comfortable or pleasant, but TEMPO is really delightful and fits the way you want a cycling jersey to fit. Combined with the corresponding cycling shorts, you have the ultimate cycling kit for comfort and speed.

All in all, the TEMPO set is a solid cycling kit, and I just have to admit that I’ve become hooked on riding without a zipper.

INFO

Verdict: 5/5.
Jersey price: 200 €
Bib price: 240 €
More info jersey: www.fusionworld.com/tempojersey
More info bibs: www.fusionworld.com/tempobibs