Gabba- is it really all that?!

rock_bus

'Thinking' of treating myself to castelli gabba jersey (either 2 or 3).
Everyone seems to rave about them. Are they that good? Or is there an equally high quality one with a lower price?

Ps might be even better if anyone has in medium the want to sell!

Garry H

It's a jersey made from windstopper material. Water gets through in the end, but you stay warm, as long as you keep moving. I have the endura version and quite like it, although it's too big.

bendertherobot

They're cheap everywhere at the moment. There are better versions, such as Lusso's Max Repel (£120 or so) or Parentini's Mossa. But they all do similar jobs.

When you say Gabba, take care. Do you want a short sleeve? If so, that's a Gabba, or possibly a Perfetto. If you want a long sleeve, that's a Perfetto, but it's really a Gabba. Confused yet?

Semantik

Confusing indeed.

There also is/was the 'Castelli' Sidi Dino jacket which am led to believe is the same as the old Gabba long sleeve. I stand corrected if not .

https://www.merlincycles.com/castelli-s ... 98116.html

bendertherobot

Semantik wrote:

Confusing indeed.

There also is/was the 'Castelli' Sidi Dino jacket which am led to believe is the same as the old Gabba long sleeve. I stand corrected if not .

https://www.merlincycles.com/castelli-s ... 98116.html

Yep. Castelli Gabba 2.

phil485

I really rate my Gabba's. So good I got 3....

Other manufacturers have caught up however and there are similar items in most ranges. Haven't tried any so can't say if better or worse.

Mine are just about to come out the cupboard and will be the basic through most of the winter with varying levels of base layer and possibly a rain jacket if really wet

bendertherobot

Perfetto Convertible in black (M-XL) is £118 at Ribble less 10% with WEEKENDER code.

Easily the best current variant at that price.

luv2ride

Just bought a 2nd Castelli Perfetto Light short sleeve. Have concluded that I run hot so these work better for me than the slightly thicker Gabba (or Perfetto longsleeve), due to the more breathable back panel. Still highly water resistant, but not waterproof. Was excellent today in high wind and heavy showers...

bendertherobot

Luv2ride wrote:

Just bought a 2nd Castelli Perfetto Light short sleeve. Have concluded that I run hot so these work better for me than the slightly thicker Gabba (or Perfetto longsleeve), due to the more breathable back panel. Still highly water resistant, but not waterproof. Was excellent today in high wind and heavy showers...

Wore mine all last week. Still a bugger to size them properly but still top kit.

trivial_poursuivant

Now winter is coming soon look at getting a San Remo 2 thermosuit. Technically it's a Gabba 2 long sleeve stitched to Sorpasso tights. Amazing warm and comfortable.

apreading

The trouble I always found with the San Remo suits is that the top halves dont seem to be the right size for someone who would fit the bottom halves...

The Gabba/Perfetto convertible is the best version by far. Gives you two jackets in one and means you dont need to take waterproof arm warmers with you when wearing as a short sleeve - you just take the proper sleeves.

Having said that, I run hot as one of the posters above and have come to love my Alpha Jersey and wear it more.

Even better is the Fawesome which is now the Perfetto vest/gilet. This is my #1 piece of cycling clothing.

I got the Perfetto light short sleeve thinking it would be a Fawesome with short sleeves but its warmer than the fawesome - in fact its too warm for me unless it is so cold that I would want long sleeves, in which case I would break out the Alpha. So it doesnt quite work for me and doesnt get worn much.

joey54321

I have a gabba (fawesome) gilet and it's been the best bit of kit I have ever bought. I wear it on nearly every ride from October to March and just change the kit underneath to suit conditions.

I have recently got the alpha jersey and the alpha jacket in preparation for winter as the gilet has been so good. I am expecting lots from them.

cougie

I didn't get on with mine - baggy neck and not as warm as I hoped in the rain - sold it on eBay after a couple of rides. But I'm in the minority.

stevie63

They're alright but I think there are better options available from others. The stolen goat orkaan is better. More water resistant which doesn't wash out. Warmer. The galibier mistral is also better, though for me too warm to wear until 5 degrees or below.

StillGoing

Got a Gabba (original) and still going strong. Great bit of kit for those chilly days and light showers. I use the Nanoflex arm warmers with it to keep the arms warm and dry on days where sleeves are needed.

Wardster00

I love my Gabba and would like another one but i don't have the cash at the moment. I have been looking at the DHB Aeron rain defence on wiggle. It gets good reviews and is only £55 at the moment.

Has anybody got one?

del1971

I wore my brand new out of the packet Perfetto long sleeve for the first time on Sunday. The weather was pretty foul and I thought about wearing my rain jacket but decided to just go with the Perfetto to see how it coped. From the off it was high winds and heavy driving rain showers. Within the first couple of miles the arm and shoulders were wetting out. I could feel my shoulders were wet but I wasn't cold or uncomfortable. When I got home the whole jersey was fairly sodden and the shoulders of my base layer were pretty wet. So it's definitely not a waterproof and it has its limitations in bad weather.

bendertherobot

del1971 wrote:

I wore my brand new out of the packet Perfetto long sleeve for the first time on Sunday. The weather was pretty foul and I thought about wearing my rain jacket but decided to just go with the Perfetto to see how it coped. From the off it was high winds and heavy driving rain showers. Within the first couple of miles the arm and shoulders were wetting out. I could feel my shoulders were wet but I wasn't cold or uncomfortable. When I got home the whole jersey was fairly sodden and the shoulders of my base layer were pretty wet. So it's definitely not a waterproof and it has its limitations in bad weather.

Not a dig but why did you think it might be waterproof?

del1971

I didn't think it was waterproof. Just thought I'd test it's limitations on a shortish September ride at about 12 degrees rather than a long January ride.

mugensi

I have a Gabba 2 LS jersey, absolutely love it. I have been wearing it for the last 3 weeks here in the North of Ireland where the weather has frankly been shít. I don't bother with a base layer at this time of year but will probably need one in the coming weeks with the way the weather has been.

bendertherobot

del1971 wrote:

I didn't think it was waterproof. Just thought I'd test it's limitations on a shortish September ride at about 12 degrees rather than a long January ride.

Yeah, it's an odd one, when I wrote about it way way back I said that Castelli had never made this claim. Yet the internet (not you!) is full of claims of it being so, or implying it. As long as people understand the limitations it's great.

dyrlac

I now have 2 perfetto s/s jerseys and a perfetto l/s and an alpha jersey/jacket (the one with the interior fleecy zip thing). All bought heavily discounted. With the caveat that I run very hot, the s/s versions only have about a 4-8 week operating window for me (basically starting now: low double digits, high single digits; if pressed for kit, I will stick a l/s base layer underneath for colder days). I do like them a lot in heavy rain when keeping dry is impossible anyway. The l/s gets a roll out for low to mid single digits, maybe a bit higher if it's raining. The alpha only comes out on the coldest days I'll ride (zero plus). Totally agree on bender re: sizing, no idea what Castelli is on about, all of these are mediums, none of them fit the same (even the two s/s). Probably should have gone with larges, but the medium "encourages" me to take care with the cake.

What is it with bike clothing manufacturers and naming conventions? Here's what I want: one jersey that never ever changes material, fit, style and name. I promise to buy a couple every year.

rock_bus

Not many comments on any alternatives?

trivial_poursuivant

Rock bus wrote:

Not many comments on any alternatives?

Sportful Fiandre NoRain is a good alternative but they are the same company as Castelli anyway.

luv2ride

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Rock bus wrote:

Not many comments on any alternatives?

Sportful Fiandre NoRain is a good alternative but they are the same company as Castelli anyway.

Think Evans were doing the new Sportful Fiandre Windstopper LRR Short Sleeve Softshell Jacket for £73...? Reduced from RRP of £185! Limited sizes so be quick...
https://www.evanscycles.com/sportful-fi ... t-EV285443

Matthewfalle

I have a s/s Perfetto - too hot in 10 degrees plus stuff, perfect in low numbers.

Tight fit around body, shoulders are a bit boxy (like 80s style shoulder pads) so either hit the press ups to fill where necessary or try before you buy.

singleton

I have a long sleeve perfetto and like it a lot.
It breathes well and is useful across a wide range of conditions with the correct base layer. I think it may be a bit like a wetsuit - it keeps you warm even when it's wet, but in order to work it needs to be a good fit. If you get one too big it may not work as well.
In really bad rain I use a proper waterproof.

gimpl

Never had a Gabba but bought a Gore Phantom 2 which is apparently the same material, not 100% sure and happy to be corrected. I went for the Phantom over the Gabba as I thought I wanted removable sleeves. The reality is that I have only taken the sleeves off once shortly after buying three years ago and if it's warm enough to go sleeveless it's too warm for that jacket. Worth noting that I do run quite hot. I ended up using it as my main winter jacket in temperatures below 10 degrees with different base layers underneath depending on how cold. Frankly at 8/9/10 degrees I'd probably opt for a long sleeve jersey with merino base layer and a gilet in the pocket just in case.

Last year for Christmas I was given a Rapha Winter jacket and that is my new go to one for most of the rides I do over the winter months. It feels warmer when you're just standing around but is actually ever so slightly cooler when riding which is perfect for me and it has vents either side too. In my Phantom I was always wringing wet after a ride but always a bit cold if waiting for a group ride to start off.

drhaggis

I bought an L/S Perfetto about a month ago, but the Scottish weather had been gentle to me and it laid unused in my wardrove. Until now. I underestimated the cold for Pedal for Scotland, where I should have worn it. Today, however, was a perfetto day for the perfetto in Edinburgh: around 10 degrees, and rain forecast. It worked the way it should during a 10-mile commute. The Perfetto would have seen use under serious rain later today, had I not had to leave work early.

I can imagine using the Perfetto for any temperature between 5 and 10 degrees, provided the base layer changes somewhat. Anything colder, and I'll probably get an extra jacket. I'm still puzzled with what to wear between 10 and 15 degrees, though.

cenkee

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... 8ZQ2&psc=1

is this price too good to be true?

rock_bus

cenkee wrote:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NBBWXWS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AN44MH56A8ZQ2&psc=1

is this price too good to be true?

Yes, doesn't ship to uk