For the coming season, Castelli has high-end riding gear for virtually every set of conditions. Much of the 2013 line for the Italian company is race inspired, but most of it is still largely functional for everyday riding, too.
At Eurobike, Castelli showed us a few pieces that accentuate the diverse range. For super-hot days, the company has replaced the Ultraleggera jersey with the $129 Climbers jersey.
We recently reviewed the Ultraleggera and loved everything about it except the saggy, baggy pockets. Turns out we weren't the only ones with this complaint. The Climbers jersey features a super-thin, highly breathable fabric called Strada Light — which still holds up well when the pockets are loaded. A slicker Velocity fabric is used on the shoulders.
A good pairing with the Climbers jersey is the $199 Inferno bib short. In a departure from Castelli's popular single-fabric, minimal-seam Body Paint short, the Inferno features no less than seven types of material. It uses the same top-end Progetto X2 chamois as the Body Paint, which stays in the line.
With cyclocross season getting nearer, Castelli rolled out the CX version of its one-piece San Remo suit. With a Roubaix fabric on the torso and vented pits, the upper unzips and flaps back partially but retains the skinsuit-like construction of the original San Remo. Custom options are available for this $349 suit.
The Pocket Liner uses eVent fabric that's waterproof and breathable
Elsewhere in the 2013 line-up, the Garmin-Barracuda team has popularized the $149 Gabba jersey, which has a thick, neoprene-like texture and is designed for drizzly, cold days on the bike.
Last but not least, the $299 Pocket Liner jacket has just started shipping. While Castelli began designing this jacket with Gore-Tex in mind, the company ultimately opted for eVent, another waterproof but breathable fabric.
The 174g coat easily packs down to fit into a jersey pocket. Some smart details include stretch zones on the back and elbows, which allow for a snug yet functional fit of the not-so-stretchy eVent jacket, and a flap over the zipper instead of welded seams, as the latter is difficult to operate, especially with cold hands.
UK pricing is not yet available.
