B E N D E R's non sweary review site, roubaixcycling.cc (and general kit discussion)

bendertherobot

The Perfetto is good, very good. But late to the party and, I blame the internet again, the great white thing.

letap73

apreading wrote:

I realise all that, but as I said, I run REALLY hot and overheat in just about anything. The back on the Fawesome is a godsend as it breathes really well but wont be as waterproof - a compromise I am happy to make to have something that I can bear wearing. In 25C I would have been too hot in just a normal jersey, no way would I be able to have ANYTHING on top of one. I cant wear the Gabba in anything over 5/6 degrees as its just unbearable. With the Fawesome I have to unzip it over 14/15 degrees. The Corsa is supposed to be more waterproof than the Perfetto, with a proper barrier, so I cant believe that it breathes as well and it has the same waterproof back unlike the Perfetto that has something even more breathable.

And I just dont like the look of the Corsa as well as not wanting black.

Castelli seem to want to make all their jerseys water resistant in some way - this has gone under the radar but it may fit the bill for you:
http://www.castelli-cycling.com/Product ... 451601116P

bendertherobot

Super weird lack of reviews on that one. Guy on Wiggle didn't like it but that was fit, which can vary from person to person, and no actual experience of the water resistant part of it. Couple of 4 and 5 star reviews on other sites, not much else. No real plugging going on either.

pinno

Wonder why I never stumbled on this thread. Very handy BTR.

On the Castelli Alpha...

A little tight on the shoulder. I have a 39.5" chest and 32 waist. I run cool and despite a vest and Merino layer, not good for less than 5/6 deg c - for me. Wonder what my options are apart from chucking my very old but very good Cajastur jacket over the top and going back to being Michelin man, which was warm but defeated the purpose of buying the Apha.
If a Jacket says good to minus x degrees, I just add 10 degrees to the minimum.
My major gripe with it is the pockets being really high up on the back and on the tight side to the extent that I can hear the odd stitch going when i'm trying to get in. Luckily they have that neat little side pocket and front one. Must be my short arms.

bendertherobot

Pinno wrote:

Wonder why I never stumbled on this thread. Very handy BTR.

On the Castelli Alpha...

A little tight on the shoulder. I have a 39.5" chest and 32 waist. I run cool and despite a vest and Merino layer, not good for less than 5/6 deg c - for me. Wonder what my options are apart from chucking my very old but very good Cajastur jacket over the top and going back to being Michelin man, which was warm but defeated the purpose of buying the Apha.
If a Jacket says good to minus x degrees, I just add 10 degrees to the minimum.
My major gripe with it is the pockets being really high up on the back and on the tight side to the extent that I can hear the odd stitch going when i'm trying to get in. Luckily they have that neat little side pocket and front one. Must be my short arms.

Wrong time of year for testing, but right time of year for planning. Alpha jacket I reckon should be sub £100 somewhere soon. Grab one!

bendertherobot

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/cast ... oCPOzw_wcB

Getting there, anyway.

apreading

bendertherobot wrote:

Super weird lack of reviews on that one. Guy on Wiggle didn't like it but that was fit, which can vary from person to person, and no actual experience of the water resistant part of it. Couple of 4 and 5 star reviews on other sites, not much else. No real plugging going on either.

Saw this:

"Though Castelli is known for its sleek, streamlined silhouettes, the Imprevisto employs a slightly boxier cut that befits its distinction as a training jersey, but it does so without veering into club-fit territory."

Interesting - I can get one for £66 at the moment so may give it a try and send it back if I dont like it... I wasnt aware of it at all, could be interesting!

bendertherobot

Boxier. The cheeky buggers

apreading

bendertherobot wrote:

Boxier. The cheeky buggers

I think they listened when you complained about the fit of the Perfetto...!

Actually, I am wondering if the material is a bit like the back of the Perfetto/Fawesome all over the Imprevisto - I can see that material is less robust and wont hold its shape so well - they might just dress that up in marketing speak as having a relaxed fit, rather than saying it sags...

Still, could be worth a look. And its in my colour (red).

daniel_b

bendertherobot wrote:

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/castelli-alpha-windstopper-jacket-254114?currency=3&delivery_country=190&varid=254118&gclid=CjwKEAjwyPW5BRCC3JaM7qfW_FwSJACM3jz9XiBuWE6tAQGsArwNlvvLUZRbaK2KeshW8GoyignkGhoCPOzw_wcB

Getting there, anyway.

This years colourschemes do not move me in anyway.

pinno

bendertherobot wrote:

Pinno wrote:

Wonder why...blah...blah...arms.

Wrong time of year for testing, but right time of year for planning. Alpha jacket I reckon should be sub £100 somewhere soon. Grab one!

I bought it just before xmas for £144 from Wiggle.

the_cyclist_of_catan

I asked Lusso about their plans for any colour other than black. I got quite a perfunctory "no".

I'm not a fan of cycling gear in black. I'm petty careful when driving to keep an eye out for cyclists (naturally), but I almost took out an all-in-black ninja in the rain late one evening a couple of years ago. Stuff doesn't have to be hi-viz all the while, but plain black is daft as well as dull IMO.

bendertherobot

True, though, while high vis is better it's not everyone's cup of tea and, at night, the Corsa will be way way better than anything else due to the nitelife edging. Shame though, fancy a red one. My click throughs have been in the hundreds this week for it so perhaps they'd think about doing it, at the very least, in the blue of the repel instead.

zak3737

apreading wrote:

Actually, I have just remembered that I got a log sleeve Sportful Fiandre Light Norain top for silly money last year and have yet to wear it - wonder how that will fair. I bought it because it sounds kindof like the Perfetto but with long sleeves. Must dig it out now the weather is warmer and I am back on the bike.

I have a NoRain jacket, and quite honestly, its bl@@dy brilliant. Gossamer thin so you dont know you're wearing it, but keeps the wind or rain off, and breathes really well. Easy to roll up and stuff in a pocket too, so great for most conditions.

itboffin

Dan black is the new yellow just as sky/rapha

the_rover

Following the theme of water resistant/windproof jerseys I've ordered an endura fs260 Classic in green. Like similar comments I'm not into black kit otherwise I would have bought the lusso and whilst I love castelli for some reason I'm not blown away by the perfetto

Couldn't find much info about sizing so I've followed the guide and ordered a small and looks like I've got the last one in stock. I'll pass on my thoughts when it lands next week.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/endura-fs260-pr ... cs-jersey/

gaffer_slow

couple of questions bender;

where did you get this info?

Perfetto. It means perfect. It’s a grand claim and I wonder where it fits into new consumer legislation. It’s also a new direction for Castelli. The Gabba is dead, sort of. Only the short sleeve Gabba, the “original and the best,”, will continue to exist. The long sleeve Gabba becomes the Perfetto long sleeve and the short sleeve reviewed here is the, umm, Perfetto short sleeve. The Fawesome vest will become the Perfetto vest. And that’s all a bit confusing as well given that the long sleeve Perfetto (Gabba) will be quite dissimilar from the short sleeve Perfetto.

not as hot as the Gabba but warmer than the Fawesome Vest

& 'warmer than fawesome' for the perfetto is weird. Castelli rate perfetto as 10-20 degrees
and Fawesome as 10-18 degrees so i guess sort of (but not really) matches but your much more likely to have more substantial layers underneath the fawesome, taking it lower/warmer

---

have you any info on this fawesome renamed 'perfetto vest'? wonder if it will change anything. I am very tempted to pick up a fawesome in the summer sales, but the lack of pocket access zip puts me off - and pushes me towards the fiandre vest, which i think is probably less insulting than the fawesome .... annoying, but a perfetto vest with zip for pocket access would be great...

castelli are starting to put out too many options without enough differentiation between them

----

re the fit of the perfetto, from you review it sounds like the fit is similar to the ELEMENTO 2 7X(AIR) JACKET which is similarly race-fit in comparison with the more generous Alpha

bendertherobot

The claims about rebranding are on Castelli Cafe's website. Should be true as they're effectively Saddleback the importer!

bendertherobot

http://www.castellicafe.co.uk/team-cann ... y-castelli

(Already applies to the Cannondale range)

gaffer_slow

So Perfetto Vest has pockets, hmm thanks.

bendertherobot

I'm not exactly sure the (re)branding is necessary and could confuse. Why not Gabba vest and Gabba lite? Keep the Gabba LS and SS as they are. Come November those looking for a Fawesome or Gabba LS are going to be a bit lost.

daniel_b

oooh, I used my Wheelies Cannondale\Garmin branded bargainous ls Gabba for the first time at the weekend, as my Alpha was in the wash.

What a great bit of kit, I really liked it, and have far more expectation of it now, as I thought for whatever reason that the Alpha was far superior.

I still think the Alpha is a superior jersey, BUT worn over just a base layer, the Gabba kept me at a very good temperature, never too cold, occasionally slightly too warm up hills, but then I only spotted the vent zips when I reached home :oops:

The small Gabba fits me really well, where as the Alpha is a medium and also fits me really well - back to front with what some people have experienced - when I fold them up I'll take some measurements if anyone gives a monkeys.

And yes I do run cold, but at 6AM it was still pretty parky, back home by about 10am.

bendertherobot

https://roubaixcycling.cc/2016/05/23/ve ... de-report/

Obligatory velothon ride report.

apreading

Just got the Imprevisto and its a strange one really. The cut is weird, not Castelli at all, much looser at the bottom but not the top. Very stretchy material. I dont like the collar - I dont understand why they have made the two sides different heights, and the zip puller is quite big so it stops the rain flap covering it at the top (the flap doesnt sit right as a result).

The material really doesnt feel as though it would be in any way water resistant, is maybe just a little more shiny than a normal top and actually seems a bit like the material in some of my older ALDI/DHB tops... It may work but it doesnt make that obvious...!

Not sure if I will be keeping it or not. On paper I should love it but I just dont.

bendertherobot

Castelli annoy me. I mean, it's love hate with me and them. So much class but why cut everything so differently? And it seems randomly?

bendertherobot

Few Assos reviews coming, which I have paid for...... then some Tadaias.

Now, I have a bit put away, what shall I buy to test? La Passione? Some Cafe Du? Any good thoughts? Pedal Ed?

darkhairedlord

chamois cream, with pictures....

gaffer_slow

pictures of what exactly seems the appropriate response.

bendertherobot

I've only ever tried 3. Assos still great, Chapeau excellent. I have to say, for all the piss taking, the Rapha one really does smell lush.

PTestTeam

bendertherobot wrote:

I've only ever tried 3. Assos still great, Chapeau excellent. I have to say, for all the wee-wee taking, the Rapha one really does smell lush.

I've tried a few chamois creams but Assos is still the best. However, if you've got good quality shorts and pad, and they fit correctly, and you're sat on your bike correctly, then you shouldn't really need chamois cream.