Castelli Alpha

bendertherobot

I've no doubt that, today, on the commute home, 4 degrees with the Alpha would be fine.

The only reason I have the JACKET on is when I set off in the morning it's -3.

robbo2011

This winter, I have been using the alpha jersey with a heavyweight baselayer for up to 3 hour long rides with temperatures hovering around freezing point. A few 10 minute descents have also been thrown in and it has been fine. Not been cold at all.

I am surprised at how warm it is.

letap73

Alpha jacket at Sports Pursuit for £135 with 10% discount - 10XTRA.

foggymike

It says code not valid on the Alpha jersey and jacket. The email I had says it's just for items in the "current quick delivery warehouse sales" which the Castelli stuff isn't. Still, £149 + £5 postage isn't bad for the jacket anyway.

menthel

Stupid question time- where does the jersey fit in the scheme of things? I just received one and the XL fits perfectly but I can't see where it fits in the wardrobe. At the moment I am in a Espresso Due Jacket and LS base- getting to the point where I am a little to warm as temps have crept up. My next move is to a ls base, ls torm top and a warm gilet (dhb). Is it equivalent to that? I guess I would need a ls base underneath but if it is more windproof than the gilet and merino then it could be worn like that in the 7-10 degree temps.

May just send it back!

gotwood25

menthel wrote:

Stupid question time- where does the jersey fit in the scheme of things? I just received one and the XL fits perfectly but I can't see where it fits in the wardrobe. At the moment I am in a Espresso Due Jacket and LS base- getting to the point where I am a little to warm as temps have crept up. My next move is to a ls base, ls torm top and a warm gilet (dhb). Is it equivalent to that? I guess I would need a ls base underneath but if it is more windproof than the gilet and merino then it could be worn like that in the 7-10 degree temps.

May just send it back!

Bah really? I have been rocking the jersey with a short sleeve base layer in temps down to around -1. Tonight it got up to around 5c and I was sweating my proverbials off. Think its time to ditch the base layer, possibly unzip the outer layer too :-)

cedar404

Could not resist at £125 for the jacket .....

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cas ... t-ec067219

indyp

and 10% off with code, plus cashback I also couldn't resist! I wasn't expecting my size XL to come back in but it just did! Timing isn't good as I bought pair of Northwave Extreme gtx boots from Bike-discount this week, 3 day delivery btw, but from experience of the Alpha Jersey, and £110 for the jacket, it just had to be bought. :shock:

menthel

My jersey is still there mocking my indecision!

motog

cedar404 wrote:

Could not resist at £125 for the jacket .....

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cas ... t-ec067219

Thanks for the link. Have just bought a jersey to go alongside the jacket bought in Jan. Think I'm fully alpha'd up now!

nicube

Been reading this thread with interest as I'm pretty much obsessed with Castelli kit as the quality is superb. I purchased an Espresso 3 wind stopper jacket a couple of weeks ago and love it, it's so cosy and a great fit but wearing it today in around 7 degrees I was getting pretty warm with just a thin base layer so I'm looking for something to fit between this and say my Sublime Jersey, would the Alpha Jersey fill this gap do we think?

northpole

I tend to run a bit cold but was out this morning (started 8:30) with short sleeved rapha merino base, castelli sorpasso bibs and alpha jacket. Admittedly it was a short 15 mile ride, most of which was going up and down shortish hills (600m climbed), but with so little on I was pretty warm and was left wondering if I would have been better served leaving the inner zip open. A waffly answer to the last poster's question - I'm wondering myself if the alpha may be too much as temps creep towards double digits.

Peter

Gaz777

I was out for a couple of hours today, my average temp was just under 5 degrees. I was nice and warm in the alpha jersey with a merino base layer. It would have been slightly too warm (for me) to wear the jacket today.

nicube

northpole wrote:

I tend to run a bit cold but was out this morning (started 8:30) with short sleeved rapha merino base, castelli sorpasso bibs and alpha jacket. Admittedly it was a short 15 mile ride, most of which was going up and down shortish hills (600m climbed), but with so little on I was pretty warm and was left wondering if I would have been better served leaving the inner zip open. A waffly answer to the last poster's question - I'm wondering myself if the alpha may be too much as temps creep towards double digits.

Peter

So do we think the Alpha jersey is a better bet as I have the Espresso 3 rather than the alpha jacket?

northpole

So being you have an acceptable strategy to deal with rain.

Peter

nicube

That would be the squadra rain jacket I keep in the back pocket

bendertherobot

£70 large black one in the classifieds. A steal

nicube

Thanks for the heads up, I've just said I'll take it

bluemoon17

Just bought an Alpha Jersey in black for £95 from Evans. Excited to see how it performs, although would have preferred it if it came in different colour options.

menthel

Wore my jersey this morning with a torm ls base layer. Was way too much, even despite the ice and frost out this morning. May have been ok with a gore ls but that thing is warm for something that seems so thin!

nicube

Received my Alpha jersey this morning, a fantastic fit, really is very nice can't wait to go for a run with it

the_cyclist_of_catan

I got mine at the weekend. Wore it for the first time today. And I'm obviously fussier than everyone else.

I got an L (being 5'7", 40/42" chest and 180lbs, nothing remotely "Italian" in cut is going to suit me, but the L was the least worst compromise). Body about the right length, shoulders a little narrow, and the arms are sized for a skinny gorilla.

Today was, what, between 2 and 5 degrees? So I wore a short-sleeved merino base and a long-sleeved Torm Jersey. The jacket now enjoys the dubious honour of being the first one I've tried that can leave me feeling too hot when I start to work, but too cold the rest of the time. The arms, in particular, pretty well never got warm all ride, and most of the time felt cold. Going uphill, however, I had to open the chest zip - never needed to do that befor with my £25 a Aldi jacket. OK, the Alpha's probably better in the wet than Aldi's kit, but so far I am less than blown away by my first (only?) foray into expensive winter jackets.

My Rapha rain jacket worked much better - in the first six months I had it, it never rained once, and you can't get a better rain jacket than one which stops the rain altogether.

As I keep reading about these people who wear only a base layer, I'll assume that was the cause of the overheating and try the jacket with just a LS base next time. But I fear that my arms will be frozen.

And why not have the zip finish in a bit of nice fleece (I believe that the technical term is a zip garage), rather than just lying against the skin? For a company which makes much of the jacket's design features, that one makes no sense to me.

the_cyclist_of_catan

Wore it with just a LS base layer today, and didn't overheat. Arms weren't any warmer, though.

bendertherobot

My arms have never been cold in it at all.

But, can I ask, yesterday, you said you were wearing a ss base layer and a ls torm jersey. Have I understood that right? I have to say, given that I have a 41 chest, I do think you should have an XL. It's conceivable that the extra mm or so in the arms operates as a warm buffer.

the_cyclist_of_catan

That's right. Except that XL arms would be down to my ankles - they're already long enough that there is plenty of spare material between my shoulders and wrists to trap air. If only I could by a jacket with an XL torso and M-length arms.

indyp

I wore the jacket for the first time yesterday with a ss gore base layer and impressed with how warm it is. Too warm in fact, as I was overheating even before climbing and had to undo both zips for a bit! But I knew it was going to be as temp was around 7 degrees, but my jersey was in the wash so thought I'd give it a go. I did start to cool down when I ditched the gloves allowing cold air in which regulated my body temp.

Great jacket though, obviously not as versatile as the jersey which is superb, but when around 4 and below I'll be reaching for it. I really like the snug fit which sits just right, although the only small niggle I have is that the arms are a little bit too big, not overly, but they are slightly bigger than the jersey which are perfect for me.

bendertherobot

Given how many times I've responded to this thread this is the first time, today, that I've worn the Alpha jersey in heavy rain.

Why? Because I know it will be fine on the way home. So only 5 miles in today (I had a lift most of the way) and a total of 15 minutes.

But it was a biblical 15 minutes.

My base layer is bone dry and, once I shook the Alpha off, there's very little water left on it. The inside is totally dry. I've no idea how long it would have held out but it's super impressive.

53/39alltheway

Had mine a few weeks now, it was Biblical weather last Sunday and the Alpha gave up after about an hour of rain but I never got cold though, I have always washed it with Tech wash but am considering topping up the DWR with either TX direct or the soft-shell DWR treatment that Nikwax sell.

Anybody had to do this yet, I know Castelli recommend the Nikwax products but any feedback much appreciated.

sloppyschleckonds

Biblical?

I need to take up Golf.

helidoc

Some thoughts on the jersey, although my summary would be the best winter (and likely spring / autumn) "jacket" ever.

I have both the Mortirolo for winter and the Trasparente for spring and autumn. The Mortirolo was good but a bit bulky,and although I love the Trasparente, I don't use it below 8c as the forearms get a bit chilly. The Alpha jersey is a spiritual successor to the Trasparente, but has a similar windstopper distribution to the Mortirolo, and performs the same, so 4c with SS Merino baselayer. It doesn't have lined arms, but the jersey strip on the arms is thinner than my mortirolo due, and I think the performance is equal, but with better than Trasparente fit, and nano treatment to the back and the alpha ventilation innovation.

The real surprise for me is that you can later a close fitting jersey beneath, in my case a Rapha long sleeve merino blend, but something like Castelli's Puro would fit well. Layered up it is good for below zero, so good for our winter. With a top end in the mid teens it will get a lot of spring and autumn use to.

So glad I bought this, but is wavering between jersey and jacket, you would have to ride somewhere really cold for the jacket to be necessary