Review: Pearl Izumi NICE 24 Jersey and Bib Shorts

Instead of the usual World Sprinters Championship on the Champs Elysee, this year’s Tour de France will finish outside of the Paris region for the first time in its 121-year history (and the first time in 50 years not on the Champs Elysee). Instead, La Grand Boucle will be a time trial finish in Nice along the Cote d’Azur. To celebrate that, Pearl Izumi created a limited edition NICE 24 kit.

This year’s TdF will not be the usual finish

Instead, Stage 21 will be a TT from Monaco to Nice

Pearl Izumi’s NICE 24 kit commemorates the Tour de France’s inaugural finish in Nice, a city renowned for its vibrant culture and picturesque landscape

NICE 24 PRO Jersey – $180

The Pearl Izumi PRO Jersey is fairly “standard” construction. That’s not a knock or criticism — just a statement of fact. Meaning:

• A front consisting of two panels — the material is what I call “micro-mesh” for ventilation — connected by a full length zipper (YKK so the gold standard)
• Two side panels that are also micro-mesh
• The rear panel is a more “solid” material
• The raw cut sleeves are “hybrid” construction: set-in in the front (micro-mesh) and raglan in the back (solid) with a thin silicone gripper on the inside of the sleeve ends
• A very low, essentially collar-less, collar
• Serge stitching connecting all the different panels

The requisite three rear jersey pockets and now nearly ubiquitous in jerseys secure zipper pocket

Fit-wise, size small was form fitting on me (5’8″, 130 pounds, ectomorph) but not what I would call “tight” — rather more moderate compression. So definitely comfortable. But certainly not “loose.” It hugged/clung to my body shape (such as it is). In other words, not a fit that’s going to hide any extra pounds/kilo you might be carrying.

I wear a base layer when I ride, but the material is soft enough against my bare skin such that I would be comfortable enough riding in it without one.

The sleeve ends have a very thin silicone strip at the end to help keep them in place. And you can see the use of both micro-mesh and solid material in the sleeve construction.

Of course, what sets the NICE 24 version of the Pearl Izumi PRO jersey apart is the graphics. The main body of the jersey is blue, the flagship color of the Cote d’Azur where Nice is located. The horizontal “stripes” are more like paintbrush strokes and reflect many of the palette of colors associated with the South of France:

• Green – When the South dons a cloak of greenery
• Pink – From blooms to fleur de sel
• Purple – Colours, scents, and flavours
• Yellow – From Bormes-les-Mimosas to Menton
• Red – From rocks to pigments
• White – Mistral, mineral, or floral

I can’t complain about the weight

The overall effect is what I would call “artsy.” IMHO it’s eye catching yet “soft.” Noticeable without screaming “look at me.”

It’s not a real jersey unless it’s full zip

NICE 24 PRO Bib Shorts – $225

Construction-wise, the Pearl Izumi PRO Bib Shorts is relatively minimalistic:

• The shorts sections consists of four panels that are serge stitched
• There’s ~4.5 cm wide silicone patterned section on the inside of the raw cut leg hems
• The ~5 cm wide bib straps are raw cut and instead of a traditional Y-back design, the back is what I would call a “donut hole” in between the bib straps

If other bib shorts are Y-back, the Pearl Izumi NICE 24 jersey is O-back

The all-important chamois/pad (the most important part of any pair of bib shorts) is multi-thickness/density/firmness and ever so slightly thicker than a lot other pads in many of my other bib shorts, but not to the point of it being bulky. There is moderate channeling for perineal relief and “down under” comfort. The material of the pad is very soft and smooth to the touch — almost suede-like.

Silicone pattern to prevent leg creep/riding up

The money part of any pair of bib shorts

Pearl Izumi doesn’t spec weight, but I’m sure someone will want to know

On me, the fit of the Pearl Izumi PRO Bib Shorts was comfortably firm. I could feel the compression but it wasn’t what I would call race fit tight. Like the jersey, comfortably tight. They weren’t a pair of bib shorts I would just easily slip on, but didn’t require a lot of tugging and pulling resembling squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans. And, as I have come to expect in a pair of quality bib shorts, the raw cut bib straps didn’t dig into my shoulders and provided just enough “pull up” to hold the chamois/pad in place.

Bib straps that are almost too eye catching to hide

The horizontal paintbrush strokes of the jersey are carried over to the bib straps, so not anything anyone is going to see riding. Call it hidden style. The ends of the leg sections of the bib shorts mimic the bottom bands of yellow and blue from the jersey. IMHO, creating a nice overall ensemble look.

Famous French painters

The palette of the Cote d’Azur

The Pearl Izumi PRO Jersey and Bib Shorts are considered warm weather kit and my riding so far has been on days in the 80s and 90s(F) — including heat advisory days with the heat index at triple digits. In other words, not quite the French Riviera. Nonetheless, the kit held its own under those kind of conditions. If anything, it’s not about the kit when riding in high heat and humidity — it’s more about the question of one’s sanity (especially on routes that don’t afford a lot of shade).

The longest I’ve ridden so far has been 40-something miles but the Pearl Izumi PRO Jersey and Bib Shorts were more than comfortable enough that I’m sure they’d be good to go for longer distances (for me these days that means 60-something miles).

But what I really like about the NICE 24 edition of the Pearl Izumi PRO kit is that IMHO it’s a look that captures the essence and vibe of the Provence region. It’s more than just about commemorating the 2024 TdF finish in Nice. For me, it’s a bit like riding in kit touched by the likes of Van Gogh, Cézanne, Monet, Matisse, and Chagal.

Bringing a little bit of Nice to Babylon on the Potomac

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