The material used in nearly all jerseys is much better for you while riding than the cotton found in a typical t-shirt. The fabric used in a jersey helps to pull perspiration away from your body. This is not only important to keep you cool in the heat of summer, but even in cooler or cold weather, this is vitally important. If you are wearing layers on a cold day, your perspiration is taken away from your skin, and can be absorbed by the next layer of clothing, keeping you from getting chilled.
The shape of the jersey is important as well. Bicycle jerseys generally fit tighter around the chest, which prevents noisy flapping in the wind as you ride and reduce wind resistance. More importantly, the cut of the jersey is longer on the back. This prevents the jersey from riding up on you as you ride. Gender matters here as well, as the cut for men's and women's jerseys are different. Most t-shirts are just different sizes of the same cut.
Bicycle jerseys offer other features which provide enhanced convenience over t-shirts. For example, most jerseys have 2 or 3 pockets on the back, so that you can store energy bars or an extra water bottle during the ride. Also, the front has a zipper that allows you to adjust the jersey front to allow more air or less when needed.
I think there are a few psychological benefits of buying bicycle jerseys. First, once you've paid $30 or more for a properly fitted jersey, I believe this has the effect of keeping a person motivated to ride, especially when you're first taking up the sport for health and exercise. Another benefit is the varied and unique styling that is available. With just a little online searching, you will see that jerseys come in a wide range of colors and designs. This allows you to customize your look to match your personality and style.
There are lots of places to shop for bicycle jerseys. Your local bike shop probably has the most to offer first-time buyers, as they can help find the jerseys that best fit you. I would always recommend trying a local store first. However, online shoppers do have the advantage of finding larger selections of sizes and colors than local shops can carry. Some of the best online bicycle stores that I have found for jerseys include Bike Nashbar and Performance Bicycle. I have purchased clothing from these retailers and have found both of them to be reputable. Amazon.com
does have quite a selection of jerseys at good prices. I also found some very cool designs at www.bikegifts.net.
