Sportful - Any good?

Churchill123
Churchill123 Posts: 341
edited May 2015 in Road buying advice
Basically, I love Rapha & Assos but wondering what the crack is with Sportful.. Any good?

It's obviously cheaper than Rapha & Assos but is it any good...

Comments

  • ManxJ
    ManxJ Posts: 43
    You mean assos ha. Sportful is made in the same factory as castelli, I think. It's quality especially the bodyfit pro stuff, good enough for contador and tinkoff saxo. And as you said reasonably priced as far as cycling kit goes
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Well I rate my Pro Team and t607 bibs really highly, but I'd heard good things about the Sportful Total Comfort bibs so took a punt the other month. They're pretty damn good indeed. The pad is very thick, ideal for long distances. The fabric gives a similar compression to the PT's, nice straps and the minimal styling is right up my street.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    I've got a few Sportful jerseys, really rate them, the fit is good for me but the main reason I got them is I love Contador so much.
  • Churchill123
    Churchill123 Posts: 341
    ManxJ wrote:
    You mean assos ha. Sportful is made in the same factory as castelli, I think. It's quality especially the bodyfit pro stuff, good enough for contador and tinkoff saxo. And as you said reasonably priced as far as cycling kit goes


    Your indeed correct "Asos" the online fashion shop last time i checked didn't have much in the way of cycling clothing!

    And you're right - If it's good enough for Contador it's plenty good enough for me.. Also interesting that the stuffs made in the same factory as Castelli
  • ManxJ
    ManxJ Posts: 43
    I think it is, not 100%. Big name in the skiing world too, not that that matters.
    There normal stuff is okay I have a couple long sleeve pista jerseys but bodyfit pro is different class, quite small fitting
  • markwb79
    markwb79 Posts: 937
    Churchill123 wrote:
    ManxJ wrote:
    You mean assos ha. Sportful is made in the same factory as castelli, I think. It's quality especially the bodyfit pro stuff, good enough for contador and tinkoff saxo. And as you said reasonably priced as far as cycling kit goes


    Your indeed correct "Asos" the online fashion shop last time i checked didn't have much in the way of cycling clothing!

    And you're right - If it's good enough for Contador it's plenty good enough for me.. Also interesting that the stuffs made in the same factory as Castelli

    Dont assume that because the badge on Contador's shorts say Sportful, that they are anything you could buy.
    Scott Addict 2011
    Giant TCR 2012
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Good stuff but it comes in small, I'm usually medium and I need xl in Sportful.
  • Churchill123
    Churchill123 Posts: 341
    Bozman wrote:
    Good stuff but it comes in small, I'm usually medium and I need xl in Sportful.

    So for a skinny minnie i should be ok with a large
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    Sportful is the parent company of Castelli (not just made in the same factory) and all their kit is as good
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • DiscoBoy
    DiscoBoy Posts: 905
    I have a Sportful PBK Bodyfit Pro SS and a Sportful Sprint Jersey.

    I haven't had them long, so can't tell you how well they last. But I really like the quality and the fit. Speaking of which, they come up pretty small, so try a size above first. I'm a large or even a medium with most manufacturers, but an XL with sportful.
    Red bikes are the fastest.
  • Rod11
    Rod11 Posts: 293
    I've got the Bodyfit Pro bib shorts and love the fit of them, no hesitations recommending them. They are definitely on the more 'snug' side though so I had to go a size up from normal.
  • borisface
    borisface Posts: 273
    Love my sportful fiandre jacket and no rain bib tights. Top kit.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Have the Saxo Tinkoff kit from last year and that is good quality stuff. Made in Romania, is that where the Castelli stuff is made too ?

    Would buy some non branded stuff from them as like the shorts and jersey.
  • fukawitribe
    fukawitribe Posts: 109
    borisface wrote:
    Love my sportful fiandre jacket and no rain bib tights. Top kit.

    Same combination, same conclusion. The fit is great - tight but not restrictive - and the quality of manufacture looks very good, although not had them long enough to comment on longevity. On the basis of those garments, i'm looking specifically at Sportful for some summer stuff as well, so they've obviously made an impression on me. I'd say, for the price, they're excellent.
  • rafletcher
    rafletcher Posts: 1,235
    I've been wearing the bodyfit mitts for 2 years. Good fit, lasting well, and suit me as have minimal padding (I prefer bar gel to mitt gel)
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    Well I rate my Pro Team and t607 bibs really highly, but I'd heard good things about the Sportful Total Comfort bibs so took a punt the other month. They're pretty damn good indeed. The pad is very thick, ideal for long distances. The fabric gives a similar compression to the PT's, nice straps and the minimal styling is right up my street.

    Agreed - I went to Condor looking for some "best" bib shorts and tried on the Rapha and assos stuff. The Sportful fit better and saved me over 100 squids!! For shorts i don't think Rapha are all that but i confess their wool jersey's are just outstanding so i'd stick with them

    I have some softshell gloves from them too which are also very good!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    their stuff is fantastic value for money. bodyfit especially.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    +1 I have a bodyfit LS jersey and jacket and they are both very very good.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    sherer wrote:
    Have the Saxo Tinkoff kit from last year and that is good quality stuff. Made in Romania, is that where the Castelli stuff is made too ?

    Would buy some non branded stuff from them as like the shorts and jersey.

    The 'Made in Romania' stuff will be the lower range items which are subcontracted out to TEXmarket, who manufacture for many of the big brands (http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/03/texma ... -heard-of/). This is still good stuff.

    The higher range Sportful/Castelli items are made in Italy
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Coach H wrote:
    sherer wrote:
    Have the Saxo Tinkoff kit from last year and that is good quality stuff. Made in Romania, is that where the Castelli stuff is made too ?

    Would buy some non branded stuff from them as like the shorts and jersey.

    The 'Made in Romania' stuff will be the lower range items which are subcontracted out to TEXmarket, who manufacture for many of the big brands (http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/03/texma ... -heard-of/). This is still good stuff.

    The higher range Sportful/Castelli items are made in Italy

    Thanks for that. If memory serves I paid a fortune for the pro copy. I suspect Contador and others get slightly better quality than me but even this stuff was good. Just wish it was a bit cheaper in price.

    Anyone tried any of the MOA stuff ? May get an Astana jersey this year
  • tazmon
    tazmon Posts: 107
    Got the Bodyfit pro tights (medium) and the jacket (large) just ordered the jacket in medium too. I'm 5ft 8in and 11st 3lb and don't find their stuff overly small.

    Cheers
    Rory
    Road - Scott Solace
    Mountain - Santa Cruz Tazmon (retro) and Scott Spark
  • Philly8mt
    Philly8mt Posts: 552
    Anakonda Jacket, Body fit pro jersey & no rain arm warmers so far ... All v good quality and a great fit.
    Funnily enough I was going to ask if anyone had used their bib knickers as I was looking to purchase?
    Still thinking of something clever to say!
  • akastana
    akastana Posts: 66
    Markwb79 wrote:
    Dont assume that because the badge on Contador's shorts say Sportful, that they are anything you could buy.

    Actually it is Identical to the stuff Contador wears - to be precise he wears a size Medium BodyFit Pro Ltd short with the TC Pro seatpad and usually a size S in the BodyFit Pro Race Jersey and M in the Fiandre jackets. All production stuff unless they need to add a bit of Pink to the graphic!
  • akastana
    akastana Posts: 66
    sherer wrote:
    Coach H wrote:
    sherer wrote:
    Have the Saxo Tinkoff kit from last year and that is good quality stuff. Made in Romania, is that where the Castelli stuff is made too ?

    Would buy some non branded stuff from them as like the shorts and jersey.

    The 'Made in Romania' stuff will be the lower range items which are subcontracted out to TEXmarket, who manufacture for many of the big brands (http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/03/texma ... -heard-of/). This is still good stuff.

    The higher range Sportful/Castelli items are made in Italy

    Thanks for that. If memory serves I paid a fortune for the pro copy. I suspect Contador and others get slightly better quality than me but even this stuff was good. Just wish it was a bit cheaper in price.

    Anyone tried any of the MOA stuff ? May get an Astana jersey this year

    TexMarket maze ZERO Sportful or Castelli stuff - the eastern european factories that you see on the labels are owned by their parent company so quality control is better, in fact the quality of the kit from there is often better standard than the stuff from Milan factories...
  • Dodger747
    Dodger747 Posts: 305
    Coach H wrote:

    The higher range Sportful/Castelli items are made in Italy

    I don't think any of my Castelli Rossa Corsa stuff has been made in Italy - always eastern Europe and maybe Portugal too...
    VO2 Max - 79 ml/kg/min
    W/kg - 4.9
  • johnnymcg259
    johnnymcg259 Posts: 569
    I've bought plenty of the Sportful Bodyfit stuff over the last 2 years or so, all of it is good quality. As others mention, the sizings are come up small; fyi I'm 6ft and 12st with a 40" chest and get the xl in sizing which is all spot on for my build.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,599
    The Fiandre light wind jersey is great. I also like my life and leg warmers.

    I bought a cheaper wind jacket also, think its called flash. It's ok, nothing special.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    I bought a pair of Sportful Giro shorts from Halfords a year and a bit back and was surprised to find that the pad self destructed in a way that no other pair of my shorts have before or since - the front of the pad seems to have disappeared/bunched up on the side and I haven't been able to coax it back into position.

    They were a reasonable enough set of shorts up until that point but I'd be wary of buying Sportful again without being sure they'd replaced that pad design.

    Not sure if my experience is unique?!
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    An update on my previous post. The first pair I bought felt fantastic but sadly after two rides the logos started to peel back so they were returned to Wiggle and replaced. The second pair then started to come away at the pad. Bit of a disaster as they Could have been a real contender and they looked great but just weren't up to the Rapha and Assos build standards.

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