Quick Spin, Descente Carbon C6 Splice jersey – May 16, 2008 Edited by James Huang Got Tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads. A Splice of heaven By Paul Verkuylen Descente's new C6 Carbon jersey Photo ©: John Stevenson The classic styling Photo ©: John Stevenson If black and white doesn't suit your tastes Photo ©: John Stevenson Carbon isn't just for frames and components anymore as Descente (and others) are now incorporating the stuff into clothing. Its latest Carbon C6 Splice jersey uses an 'active carbon'-containing Resistex Carbon fabric whose anti-static properties supposedly make for reduced body temperature variation, decreased oxygen consumption, lower heart rates, reduced lactic acid buildup and even reduced skin irritation. Huh? In layman's terms, Resistex Carbon claims to help you ride faster and recover quicker while keeping you cooler, drier and more comfortable. We certainly can't objectively verify the lab claims but can say that the Carbon C6 Splice jersey performs great in warmer weather. The soft, light and meshy fabric is hardly noticeable and allows plenty of cooling air to flow freely through the jersey. As such, this jersey quickly became one of our favorites for such rides. Style and fit Style wise the C6 Carbon makes a convincing case with its conservative mix of black and silver-white offset by subtle red stitching and highlights; even the red and silver zipper fit the look perfectly. If the black and white scheme doesn't suit you, Descente also offers an inverted white and black. The fit through the body was spot on and the low neck line makes for a comfortable jersey even when the zip is done up all the way. The sleeves were just the right length and accommodated our arms well without cutting the circulation with excessively tight elastic. All in all the jersey looked very pro without having to ride around looking like a moving billboard and the size range is rather generous for both men's and women's varieties: men's jerseys are offered in S-XXL while women are treated to XS-L. Function Three pockets adorn the rear of the C6 Carbon: two open pockets at the sides and another with a zip in the middle that is ideal for keys, wallets, loose coins and notes or an mp3 player. For the latter, Descente also includes a sewn-in cord port, an increasingly common feature that shows some welcome thought about the end user. Nighttime visibility comes courtesy of reflective red 'Chevrons' (we always thought chevrons were more of a 'v' shaped mark but Descente somehow seems to have gotten away with this one over the years) on the middle pocket which both look cool and serve a purpose. Quality All of these features would mean nothing if the quality of the garments was not up to scratch but thankfully our test sample held up very well. The elastic in the hem of the jersey remained taught for the duration of the test and the zip performed perfectly every time, while none of the stitching came apart. The verdict Overall, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Descente C6 Carbon jersey as it offers a solid mix of function, style and quality. Mix in the reasonable US$90 price tag and you've got a winner in our book. Price: US$89.95 Pros: Good fit, great for warm weather, appealing style Cons: none Cyclingnews rating: Photography For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by John Stevenson Descente's new C6 Carbon jersey is made of anti-static Resistex Carbon fabric which supposedly offers some compelling physiological benefits. The classic styling features three functional rear pockets and reflective accents. If black and white doesn't suit your tastes , Descente also offers the C6 Carbon jersey in the inverse white and black scheme.