Tight fight Cast' Nanoflex 2 versus Sportful Fiandre No Rain

nfkb
nfkb Posts: 7
edited October 2015 in Road buying advice
Everything is in the title ! Has anyone tested both tights in rainy weather ?
Thanks

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Not sure if it's a like for like comparison: Nanoflex uses a hydrophobic coating of the fabric, but water still wets through the fabric - OK for spray but not for heavy rain whereas the Fiandre has a flexible membrane fabric on the front which is impermeable. I have a pair of Castelli Fluido tights from a couple of seasons ago which has a similar construction (Sportful own the Castelli brand) - far better for seriously wet rides IMO. Nanoflex needs periodic reproofing too. As with any windstopper-fronted tight, they can be a bit more restrictive and feel clammy in warmer conditions.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • nfkb
    nfkb Posts: 7
    ok ! thank you for your reply !

    so for our bad nothern europe winter (I live near the belgian border next to the Flandrian Classics cobbles...), you'll go for the Sportful, right ?
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Yes, I'd want something that keeps the water off for typical Flandrian conditions which is exactly what the Sportful tights are designed for.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19731246#p19731246]Monty Dog[/url] wrote:
    Not sure if it's a like for like comparison: Nanoflex uses a hydrophobic coating of the fabric, but water still wets through the fabric - OK for spray but not for heavy rain whereas the Fiandre has a flexible membrane fabric on the front which is impermeable. I have a pair of Castelli Fluido tights from a couple of seasons ago which has a similar construction (Sportful own the Castelli brand) - far better for seriously wet rides IMO. Nanoflex needs periodic reproofing too. As with any windstopper-fronted tight, they can be a bit more restrictive and feel clammy in warmer conditions.

    Do you know if thats the same for the Fiandre NoRain bibshorts? Or is it just for the tights. I have the shorts, but not yet worn them in the rain and was presuming they'd need re-proofing like my Castelli Nanoflex shorts.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Fiandre shorts look to be the same as Castelli Nanoflex
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    Is the fit different between Castelli and Sportful?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19731796#p19731796]Monty Dog[/url] wrote:
    Fiandre shorts look to be the same as Castelli Nanoflex

    That makes sense, they seem very similar (I have both). They got a real baptism of fire this morning (a very inappropriate similie) as it lashed it down for half of my commute this morning. They did seem to shrug of the water for a while, but eventually gave up and it soaked through - hardly surprising, it was VERY wet. They did stay warm though, and paired with a Gabba I felt quite 'protected' if not completely dry (the Gabba has long since lost it's water repellancy, despite numerous attempts at re-proofing).

    As for sizing, I went for one size up in both the Castelli Nanoflex and the Sportful Fiandre NoRain shorts, and the Sportful still seem a little snug, especially in the shoulder straps. I don't think I would have been swamped if I'd gone for two sizes up.

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