Castelli Special Collection As we look forward to cooler temperatures and less predictable weather, it's time to delve into the Castelli special collection of winter cycling kit. With a focus on performance and style, these pieces give you warmth and comfort alongside exclusive designs that stand out amongst the rest. Winning Winter Warmth The Women's Graffiti Thermal Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey benefits from the use of Castelli's super-cosy Warmer fabric. The soft fleecy interior is incredibly comfortable and retains body heat for all-ride warmth. It also has great moisture control, preventing clamminess as you dig deep and put in some harder efforts. And if you do find yourself overheating, a smooth-sliding full-length YKK® Vislon® zipper makes ventilation control easy. As you'd expect of a Castelli, all the details are perfectly in place too. To the back of the jersey, the 3 dropped pockets offer ample space for all your cool-weather cycling essentials, from multi-tool to spare tube to an emergency rain jacket or gilet. Reflective trim keeps you visible as daylight fades and gripper elastic at the waist keeps the fit smooth. For cycling in cooler weather, this is a jersey you can trust, and in the coldest of conditions, it makes a brilliant mid-layer insulator too.
Castelli's best all-around long-distance race suit but in a sleeveless version. This suit trades the on-bike aerodynamic advantages of sleeves for the comfort and cooling of a sleeveless top. Everything else is full race performance. The short portion is built around comfort, with compressive fabrics for muscle support, the GIRO4 leg gripper that holds the leg securely in place without the dreaded sausage effect, and the KISS Tri seat pad that provides good padding and comfort on the bike yet is hardly noticeable on the run. The upper portion features the Castelli Sanremo overlapping front opening to optimize fit during the swim and run when you're fully stretched out, while avoiding folds when hunched over in the bike position. There are two generous rear pockets, and the armholes have been constructed to reduce chafing during the run. If you're not fighting for the win or a Kona slot, maybe the comfort-aerodynamics trade-off is worth it.
The key to the cool-weather performance of the Pro Thermal Mid Long Sleeve Jersey is in its use of mid-weight Warmer X-Stretch brushed fabric. It’s still got a fleece inner face for warmth, but Castelli have lightened it up a bit to make sure you don’t overheat when injecting some pace. Excellent breathability also allows sweat to escape. And with more stretch, thanks to extra elastane, and a race fit, it allows for a speed-focused streamlined fit while not feeling too tight. As a pro-performance garment, Castelli have kept details functional and focused. The YKK® Vislon® zipper slides easily, letting you boost airflow as and when needed. The drop-pocket construction allows you to load up and yet the jersey remains in a secure and stable position. There’s also a reflective stripe on the centre pocket, enhancing visibility after dark.
Summer Starts Here Creating that perfect summer weight base layer is harder than it sounds. Castelli have intentionally kept this base layer as minimalist as possible to let the open mesh fabric pull the moisture off the skin. The secret to this base layer comes in the fabric that is highly stretchy but without using Lycra® that tends to hold in the moisture. You stay drier and cooler, thus perform better when the heat rises.
The classic thermal jersey, the Puro 3 is a fuss-free and no-nonsense design that works just how you want it to work. The Warmer fabric insulates and traps body heat so will take off a chill on a cold autumn day, but at the same time with a degree of air-permeability and excellent breathability, you'll find you don't overheat even as conditions warm up. For darker mornings and evenings, the added reflective panels ensure you'll be visible to other road users, while a high-quality YKK® Vislon® zipper gives you easy control of extra ventilation. Otherwise, it’s a no-nonsense functional garment aimed at comfort and warmth while making you look good on the bike.
A thermal jersey such as the Women's Sinergia Long Sleeve Jersey is great in autumn and spring, with extra warmth easily added with a vest and great as a mid-layer insulator under a jacket in extreme cold. For this reason, Castelli ensures it's not too bulky or complicated, the Warmer fabric trapping enough warmth but still letting your body breathe. It also has all the essential features you'd expect, such as a refined fit, perfect pockets for a long ride, and a lightweight easy-sliding YKK® Vislon® zipper. When you do wear it on its own, the small inserts in the chest and above the pockets give it an extra visual touch, and they happen to be reflective should you extend your ride to evening.
Whether worn on its own or combined with a gilet, the Women's Volare Long Sleeve Jersey provides protection against cooler temperatures. Made from Castelli’s cosiest Warmer fabric, it does a brilliant job of locking in the heat you generate when cycling. However, with quick-wicking performance, a stiff headwind or steep climb shouldn’t leave you drenched in sweat either. Beyond the eye-catching print, the attention to detail is, as you’d expect of a Castelli garment, excellent. The YKK® Vislon® zipper is easy to open and close, with a protective tab at the top for comfort. The pockets to the back are perfectly positioned for access thanks to the dropped design and a silicone elastic gripper keeps your jersey snugly in place.
The key to the cool-weather performance of the Pro Thermal Mid Short Sleeve Jersey is in its use of mid-weight Warmer X-Stretch brushed fabric. It’s still got a fleece inner face for warmth, but Castelli have lightened it up a bit to make sure you don’t overheat when injecting some pace. It’s a brilliant jersey for spring and autumn and its performance can be extended across a wide range of conditions with a vest and arm warmers. Thanks to its excellent breathability, the Pro Thermal also allows sweat to escape easily. And with more stretch, thanks to extra elastane, and a race fit, it allows for a speed-focused streamlined fit while not feeling too tight. As a pro-performance garment, Castelli have kept details functional and focused. The YKK® Vislon® zipper slides easily, letting you boost airflow as and when needed. The drop-pocket construction allows you to load up and yet the jersey remains in a secure and stable position. There’s also a reflective stripe on the centre pocket, enhancing visibility after dark.
The Passista Long Sleeve Jersey is made for cooler days of cycling, where you don’t need a heavier-weight winter jacket but it’s still too cool for a short sleeve jersey and arm-warmers. In order to keep in body heat, Castelli have used their cosy Warmer fabric on the body and sleeves. The fleece inner traps warmth brilliantly but it still lets some airflow though to prevent you from overheating. Meanwhile, the sides use Warmer X-Stretch. This ensures your jersey has a nice snug fit for efficient pedalling, while still offering flexibility. Practical features also make this jacket a winner. The easy-sliding YKK® Vislon® zipper makes it easy to control ventilation and thus regulate your temperature. Gripper elastic at the waist keeps the fit secure and the 3 rear pockets are there for all your cycling essentials.
Incredibly effective. But incredibly sweaty. Indoor training and indoor racing are great for incredibly focused fitness gains. However, the heat can be a challenge, even with a good electric fan. The Insider Sleeveless Jersey is Castelli’s answer to those unique demands of your pain cave. The first thing to notice is the lack of weight. Incredibly light, at just 43 grams, it’s designed to feel as if it’s almost not there. Next, a 3D mesh construction allows maximum airflow to your body while also spreading sweat over a large surface area. Turn your fan up and you’ll feel the effects of the 3D mesh, speeding up the cooling effect of sweat evaporation. It’s quick to wick away excess sweat too. This will prevent you from feeling drenched as your efforts swing from high-intensity efforts and rest periods. With its HEIQ Fresh Tech silver-free odour control treatment, you can be sure even the toughest of training sessions won’t leave a nasty smell. There’s also a rear pocket, handy space to stash a gel or two or a music player.
Incredibly effective. But incredibly sweaty. Indoor training and racing are great for incredibly focused fitness gains. However, the heat can be a challenge, even with a good electric fan. The Insider Sleeveless Jersey is Castelli’s answer to those unique demands of your pain cave. The first thing to notice is the lack of weight. Incredibly light, at just 52 grams, it’s designed to feel as if it’s almost not there. Next, a 3D mesh construction allows maximum airflow to your body while also spreading sweat over a large surface area. Turn your fan up and you’ll feel the effects of the 3D mesh, speeding up the cooling effect of sweat evaporation. It’s quick to wick away excess sweat too. This will prevent you from feeling drenched as your efforts swing from high-intensity efforts and rest periods. With its HEIQ Fresh Tech silver-free odour control treatment, you can be sure even the toughest of training sessions won’t leave a nasty smell. There’s also a rear pocket, handy space to stash a gel or two or a music player.
Thanks to the use of 3D closed mesh fabric, the Pro Mesh BL Short Sleeve Base Layer is quick to remove excess sweat from your skin, ensuring your body is kept dry and at a stable temperature. At the same time, this also means you don't get cold, clammy and uncomfortable from excess sweat build-up, even when the pace slows, or you pull over for a well-earned coffee. Even in cold conditions, it can be deployed below a winter-weight base layer to boost sweat-wicking to avoid the dreaded chill from too much moisture build-up. Pro by name and pro by nature, it's an essential addition to any dedicated cyclist's wardrobe.