Liv is the biggest brand dedicated to women, and its Paradisa range is a tropical-inspired selection of performance kit with compressive fabrics and innovative cuts, designed for riding hard.
Developed with Spanish clothing brand Etxeondo, the items are designed to mix and match with other lines in the Liv kit range, including the racy Signature and recreational Neptuna.
Liv Cycling Paradisa fabric
Etxeondo uses a TransTexture fabric for the jersey, designed to be soft to the touch with two-directional stretch and wicking properties, while the shorts are constructed from multiple panels of Lycra.
Meanwhile, the subtle grey-on-black print has flashes of colour on the hems, making it striking without being loud.
Liv Cycling Paradisa fit
With a raglan-sleeved semi-race cut, the jersey is fairly standard. However, the shorts are more interesting as they’ve been designed to work like bib shorts without the shoulder straps.
A wide waistband of double-thickness Lycra sits high on the body, providing support over the back and stomach. The cut is athletic and the fabric compressive, so getting the shorts on can be a struggle but once you’re in, they sit comfortably without rolling down.
The kit does come up a little small, however. If you’re going by UK high street sizes, then a 12 would be a large.
Liv Cycling Paradisa comfort and performance
The kit performs best in cool to warm temperatures, with the jersey effectively wicking sweat. However, I found the thickness of the fabric made it a little too toasty for riding in hot weather.
The shorts are comfortable to ride in, with a good-quality medium-thickness ProComfor chamois pad.
The three pockets at the back of the jersey aren’t reinforced so tend to pull to the side if heavily packed, and for this price it would be nice to see silicone grippers on the waistband and laser-cut hems on the jersey sleeves.
After several washes, the colours are as bright and the fabric as fresh looking as it was when new.
- Jersey: £90
- Shorts: £100
