Castelli Alpha

nibby

mmmmnnnnn.......

How's yours holding up?

Do you know when that 20% code runs out?

Cheers

bendertherobot

Fine! I've only used it twice. It's as new. I think the code was valid for November?

nibby

Cheers, need to make a decision soon then.

Back on track re the Alpha.

Wore my one today for the first time.

Really pleased with it, should have probably went for the smaller size but should be ok.

Wales this morning, early start so cold then started raining, only had a short sleeved baselayer under the jersey and it performed as what's already been said above.

Then as it stopped raining and the sun come out it started warming up, especially with climbs like Moel Arthur and a few other good ones to follow.

I unzipped on the ups and you could definitely feel the air coming in which was a relief when working hard, then zipped back up for the downs and again you could really feel the difference.

Perfect.

Temp range today was around 4 to 10 and I was comfortable throughout.

Going to test more this week on the commute with a long sleeved BL underneath and see how I get on.

bendertherobot

Alpha jacket today, with base layer. 0 degrees. Heavy frost. As toasty comfy as I've ever been in any jacket.

apreading

Base layer and Fawesome today. 0 degrees, heavy frost. Reaching the edge of the operating zone for this. I wasnt unpleasantly cold but Gabba or Alpha Jersey would probably have been perfect.

thegreatdivide

Sunday late afternoon – 2C – Rapha Pro Team Jacket and a l/s base underneath. Sorted. My black PT Jacket is now entering its third winter and it still looks as good as new :-)

cookeeemonster

thegreatdivide wrote:

Sunday late afternoon – 2C – Rapha Pro Team Jacket and a l/s base underneath. Sorted. My black PT Jacket is now entering its third winter and it still looks as good as new :-)

Mines entering it's second winter..also looking good as new. I run hot so can't really use it above 7 (forgot that a couple times recently...).

Today was perfect for it though...and it'll easily take a good few degrees lower especially with layering. Only very rarely wear a L/S with it as it's not needed.

Lets see if we can get this thread onto it's 7th or 8th page! I'm yet to go to a website to look at the damn thing

bendertherobot

Tomorrow looks interesting. Heavy rain on the way home and 4 degrees feeling like closer to freezing.

But, on my early morning commute, closer to freezing.

So, choices tomorrow are Alpha jacket, Pro Team or Hardshell.

I suspect I'll go hardshell with a chunkier base layer on. Glove choice will be interesting.............

nibby

Funny you mention glove choice as I'm on the hunt for a new pair,

Currently using defeet dura with some inners but noticed the last couple of days fingers were pretty cold.

I'm not really looking for full on rain gloves but sort of a softshell with warmth being more important and also feel, ideally leather palm or similar.

I'm using some old Buffalo Ski Mits at the moment as a backup but being Mits not great for shifting/braking etc.

ANY RECOMENDATIONS PLEASE BASED ON EXPERIENCE.

Cheers

bendertherobot

I have three pairs now. Some basic DeFeet ones, which I love. The Castelli Diluvio and the Castelli Estremo.

Wore the latter today for the first time. ALMOST perfect, but had cold 4th fingers. Hopefully they'll loosen up a bit.

Did the sink test with them last week. They do take on water outside but seem pretty water "proof" otherwise.

I suspect tomorrow will be them on the way in, Diluvio on way home.

robbytres

Re: winter gloves...i don't tend to go out in minus temperatures (other than a short commute), but these have been pretty good on your average frosty morning without being too restrictive:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gor ... RRWidgetID

Back to the subject of the thread: I have both the Alpha jacket and the Gabba 2 LS jersey, and I have to say that I am pleased with the Gabba so far...very pleased...but the Alpha I am still a bit undecided on... One pretty windy (but not frosty) morning cycling into a headwind in the Alpha had me feeling a bit of cold on my chest through the jacket and merino base layer...not what I expected of a jacket that purports to be the Dog's B******* of cold weather wear. It is blinking tight as well, though not so bad on the bike. I will give it another few goes before making my mind up on it. It certainly is a quality bit of kit and looks nice even in lime.

bendertherobot

robbytres wrote:

Re: winter gloves...i don't tend to go out in minus temperatures (other than a short commute), but these have been pretty good on your average frosty morning without being too restrictive:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gor ... RRWidgetID

Back to the subject of the thread: I have both the Alpha jacket and the Gabba 2 LS jersey, and I have to say that I am pleased with the Gabba so far...very pleased...but the Alpha I am still a bit undecided on... One pretty windy (but not frosty) morning cycling into a headwind in the Alpha had me feeling a bit of cold on my chest through the jacket and merino base layer...not what I expected of a jacket that purports to be the Dog's B******* of cold weather wear. It is blinking tight as well, though not so bad on the bike. I will give it another few goes before making my mind up on it. It certainly is a quality bit of kit and looks nice even in lime.

Hmm, that's unexpected. On the way home tonight I was doing about 35mph on a downhill bit. Temp was 3. I was thinking that I was amazed just how much warmer it was than the Assos Bonka that it replaced. Especially on the arms.

Mind, I do use mine with a Craft WS base layer (windstopper front) which might be something to think of.

nibby

Thanks re glove tips. They are on the list to look at but I've just got back from Aldi with the missus and picked up a pair of winter cycle gloves £5 and as I'm buying these myself thought they would be worth a go we shall see.

Back on topic re Alpha. I'm the same as btr, had mine on today on commute down to 4 on the way back home and was hitting over 30's on some downs and kept thinking to myself how warm and comfy I was. That was also with a Craft BS underneath the Active Extreme one.

As it's just a jersey I'm wearing I'm surprised your jacket is cold, maybe you need to look at the base layer?

On my Wales ride yesterday I just had a short sleeve summer merino bs underneath and although not cold I could feel the difference today with the Craft long sleeved BS on.

It felt that good that I'm trying to talk myself out of getting the hard shell jacket although I know what will happen!! I'm just putting off the inevitable!!

apreading

I found the Aldi gloves from last two years arent that warm, but paired with a glove liner from Decathlon http://www.decathlon.co.uk/300-silk-win ... 14962.html they were warm enough for anything.

I have a pair of Gore gloves which are much better on their own and better when it rains but the Aldi ones are quite roomy and with the glove liners I can go out in snow and have toasty warm hands.

nibby

Well probably wont be long before I test, supposed to be cold tomorrow. I've already got a pair of thin undergloves and also defeet so will try tomorrow morning and see.

Failing that I can always use them for other things and for a fiver worth a try.

bendertherobot

Right, Estremo are ok, warm on 4 out of 5 fingers. But fail on the finger next to my little finger. So back they go.

Ok, who knows anything about the Rapha Deep Winter gloves? Using the discount makes them SEMI reasonable..........

nibby

Update on the Aldi £5 gloves. It was cold this morning, probably around 4 degrees and I'm not the best with cold hands, think I suffer with that Raynaud's!!

Anyway tested one hand with the Aldi glove and a liner glove and my trusty Buffalo Mitt's with the same glove liner on the other!! Good job it was dark!!

1 hr 15 commute, some hills etc so was working fairly hard.

Result Aldi hand, especially fingers very cold.

Buffalo hand, nice and warm.

Link below for mitts.

For the moment they are staying and tbh the controls on the bike i.e. braking etc are fine with the mitts.
[url][/http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/buffalo-pile-mitt-1c310264url]

The Alpha with bs was again nice and comfy.[/url]

amack

I tried my Specialized Deflect H2o gloves yesterday for the first time - my new winter glove - and they were very comfy, early morning commute and toasty without being sweaty. Haven't tried them in the wet yet. The touch pad on the index finger for phone use is a nice touch.

cougie

nibby wrote:

Update on the Aldi £5 gloves. It was cold this morning, probably around 4 degrees and I'm not the best with cold hands, think I suffer with that Raynaud's!!

Anyway tested one hand with the Aldi glove and a liner glove and my trusty Buffalo Mitt's with the same glove liner on the other!! Good job it was dark!!

1 hr 15 commute, some hills etc so was working fairly hard.

Result Aldi hand, especially fingers very cold.

Buffalo hand, nice and warm.

Link below for mitts.

For the moment they are staying and tbh the controls on the bike i.e. braking etc are fine with the mitts.
[url][/http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/buffalo-pile-mitt-1c310264url]

The Alpha with bs was again nice and comfy.[/url]

It's no surprise that a mitt is warmer than gloves really. Less surface area to lose heat from.

bendertherobot

0 degrees this morning. Alpha is magnificent. Considerably warmer, in my view, than the Assos Bonka was. You can feel the warmth within rather than just being "comfortable."

Rapha Deep Winter gloves? They're going back.

gabriel959

To be fair I was wearing my £45 Sportful Alpe softshell with a Craft LS baselayer and it was perfect too :-)

apreading

As was my Gabba short sleeve and Helly Hansen long sleeve 1/2 zip freeze base layer.

This week was the first time I have felt the need to move up from running a Fawesome gilet and the HH freeze base layer. Have worn the Gabba twice this week now and it was perfect!

amack

To be fairer I'm awaiting delivery of a Lime Alpha. I also have a Hardshell and Rain Jacket sitting, as I try and decide which is needed. Heart says all of them, wife says choose

I reckon the Gabba and Alpha are all I'll need 10 months of the year here in Northern Ireland, with a rain jacket tucked in the back for torrential runs.

Interestingly Rapha tell me that their Rain Jacket and Hardshell have "similar waterproofness" just the "hardshell is warmer" - no kidding. THe hardshell would be perfect for commuting but then so would the Alpha - except in the heavy rain.

Been looking at Madisons Apex and Shield jackets which look well made if not quite as distinctively styled as the Rapha. Wish my Alpha was here

glasgowbhoy

amack wrote:

To be fairer I'm awaiting delivery of a Lime Alpha. I also have a Hardshell and Rain Jacket sitting, as I try and decide which is needed. Heart says all of them, wife says choose

I reckon the Gabba and Alpha are all I'll need 10 months of the year here in Northern Ireland, with a rain jacket tucked in the back for torrential runs.

Interestingly Rapha tell me that their Rain Jacket and Hardshell have "similar waterproofness" just the "hardshell is warmer" - no kidding. THe hardshell would be perfect for commuting but then so would the Alpha - except in the heavy rain.

Been looking at Madisons Apex and Shield jackets which look well made if not quite as distinctively styled as the Rapha. Wish my Alpha was here

I was out today for the first time in an Alpha Jersey with a craft winter base layer and a gore paclite waterproof shell over the top. It started in 2oc snow and sleet and topped out after 3 hours at 4oc. I was out for over 4 hours and this set up was perfect. I was never cold and opened the vents on the gore when I was riding with a tail wind. The Alpha seems perfect for the majority of the year now. Just wish the middle pocket was a bit bigger to stuff the gore shell in to it more easily.

itboffin

I had a look at one today I like the look and design what with that San remo speed suit style inner jacket but size wise it looks quite big, I assume that's to accommodate layers?

bendertherobot

Yeah, you want to be able to put a layer in there.

itboffin

The gabba and fawesome I have are "snug"

Dippydog3

I have had my Alpha a couple of weeks now and would feel deprived if the washing fairy had failed and it wasn't available for a ride.

I wear it with a light base layer, or one with a windproof front panel if its cooler.
If its going to be very cold (below 5c for me), or rainy, I carry an extra thin jacket.

If I was going out today to buy another cycling jacket it would be an Alpha in a different colour.

MattFT

bendertherobot wrote:

Rapha Deep Winter gloves? They're going back.

Just a quick positive review of the Rapha Deep Winter gloves. I'm in Berlin and it's regularly below zero when I'm heading out and usually my hands are the only warm bit of me until I'm up to operating temperature. They're also extremely waterproof. I'd recommend giving them a shot if you can stomach the price.

il_principe

Took delivery of the Alpha today. Looking forward to taking it for a spin this weekend. I bought an M and it looks like it'll be a snug fit. Certainly snugger than my M Gabba.