[Closed] PSA sort of - Castelli Gabba

Great bit of kit. Tempted to get another at that price. FWIW short sleeve with the matching nanoflex arm warmers (or the cheaper Sportful NoRain ones) is the way to go.

I looked at that the other day but bought [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sportful-gruppetto-thermal-jersey/ ]this[/url] instead !

I had the NoRain arm warmers, carefull with the sizing they don't stretch like normal lycra so I couldn't get them in a size that fit.

The nano-flex armwarmers don't stay water resistant for long. I wonder if that's the same with the gabba?

The nano-flex armwarmers don't stay water resistant for long. I wonder if that's the same with the gabba?

Yes, much the same. Still good for showery conditions. That and a merino base layer does me through the winter on road for anything up to a couple of hours. If it's properly minging I'll be on the turbo!

Edit... for vortexracing below... they are good in showers but if it's properly persistently wet then you're going to get wet. Still great bits of kit.

The nano-flex armwarmers don't stay water resistant for long. I wonder if that's the same with the gabba?

I bloody hope not

I bought 2 of them 🙄

Luckily I got one of them on C2W, and before anybody says owt, i got the fluorescent one, so it counts a 'safety equipment'

Is the Gabba really [b]that[/b] good that it's worth the price over a jersey and a gilet or similar? I have been tempted given that a lot of my riding is in the conditions it's aimed at but even at £90... 😯

Is the Gabba really that good that it's worth the price over a jersey and a gilet or similar?

I think so. All my autum/winter/spring jerseys are now languishing in the bottom of my kit tub as all I wear for about 6 months is the Gabba in combination with various base layers depending on how cold it is.

Even when it's raining? ie you don't bother with a jacket?

TBH if it's properly wet I'll be on the turbo. If it's changeable conditions and it's a ride of under a couple of hours (which most of mine are - training rides, time limited) then I'll be in the Gabba. With a merino base, even if it's properly wet, it's not too bad. If it's a properly long ride with risk of rain then I'd probably take a lightweight rain jacket.

Would have been hitting buy if it had been black, tempted still. I've got a Fawesome gillet and it's bloody good.

[Weird sad ****er] I still enjoy running water over it from the tap and watching the water head off...I tell myself I do this to check that it still going strong after a wash...

Monkeyfudger, seen a yellow one and it's ok, it's not a horrible fluro yellow, bit more muted. I did get the black though.

So are there any (cheaper!) competitors or is it really that unique a bit of kit?

It looks very er... yellow...

[img] [/img]

You sure it's not fluro?

Gore Oxygen jersey? - £80ish
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear-oxygen-windstopper-softshell-short-sleeve-jersey/

Just bought a black one, had looked before the London 100 but were out of stock then so made do with a gilet.

So are there any (cheaper!) competitors or is it really that unique a bit of kit?

I've got the Sportful NoRain arm warmers and bib shorts, these are very similar and I think they do a jersey too. I think Castelli and Sportful are actually owned by the same people with Castelli being their premium brand, so it's probably quite similar stuff.

You sure it's not fluro?

Hmm not so sure now. Though I have seen one in a local shop and my memory of it is that it was a bit more of a muted yellow and not as bad as I expected it to be.

So are there any (cheaper!) competitors or is it really that unique a bit of kit?

The Sportful grupetta one I linked to in my response is an amazing bit of road kit for damp cool weather

Shame about the styling 😉

😆

it's a nice red colour and good for visibility !

You sure it's not fluro?

trust me, it's fluoro alright and bright with it

Mrblobby, I will be using it for a max of 1.5hours commute either way so hopefully it should be OK.

I sued my black one a couple of months a go for a couple of hours and thought it was great.

Sportpursuit.com have some Castelli stuff with good discounts at the moment.

I've got the fluro gillet and it's very loud! Just not sure I could handle another but of clothing in the same colour 😛

The Gabba needs reproofing the same as most waterproof garments.
I think they are superb.
Even if they are wet they are still windproof, so you avoid the wind chill from a wet top.
On the coldest of rides in mid winter I just wear a thin base under the gabba and a long sleeve roubaix jersey over the top .. toastie and warm.

Expensive - but very good.

Tempted by one of these - what is the fit like?

Cheers, Rich

Tempted by one of these - what is the fit like?

Cheers, Rich

Very Italian race fit.
I get away with a small in the castelli espresso due softshell but am medium in a gabba (and most other brands jackets). I'm really slim and it fits me well, I would imagine some people will be going up a size if they are not racing snakes.

I'm 5'11 71kg and have both medium and large Castelli jerseys. The medium feels a bit on the small side but OK for more aeroness but decided to stick with large now.

Love my Gabba, as above I wear it all the time during the chillier days, full length zip means that even on the cold starts that lead to warmer mornings you can regulate temperature easily.

Is the Gabba really that good that it's worth the price over a jersey and a gilet or similar?

[url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/castelli-gabba-windstopper-rain-jersey/ ]Wiggle customers seem to think so, scoring it 4.9/5 from 70 reviews.[/url]

Tempted by one of these - what is the fit like?

What MrSmith says. I'm a bit of a racing snake and have a medium, it's a snug aero fit, same cut as their race jerseys. I'll usually wear a small in most other brands.

Wiggle customers seem to think so, scoring it 4.9/5 from 70 reviews.

People in justifying their significant expenditure with good reviews shocker 🙂

I'm not saying it's not worthwhile which is why I'm asking all the questions - I'm seriously tempted - but it is a bit of an item du jour at the moment so I just want to be sure that it really does perform that well as it does sound like it'd be spot on for the riding I do. Shame that they don't do a non-black or fluro version though.

i tried to order from evans and they said in an email after about 1.5 weeks of waiting they couldnt get it !

Sportful grupetto - is this the right one? It kind of sounds just like a normal jersey with a little windproofing rather than similar to the Gabba but I may be reading it wrong

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sportful-gruppetto-team-jersey/
http://road.cc/content/review/90392-sportful-gruppetto-team-jersey

Hincapie seem to be about the only alternative marketed as a 'rain jersey'. I'm not going to buy from his company though

It kind of sounds just like a normal jersey with a little windproofing rather than similar to the Gabba but I may be reading it wrong

Hincapie I'm not going to buy from his company though

Indeed!

Couldn't get one to fit me at 6' and thin. The XL was too big and the L was tight apart from a loose neck. Love Nanoflex arm warmers though.

I am usually get a medium jersey.
The medium gabba was too tight - couldn't do zip right up without strangling myself. Very tight.

I had to size up to a large. Bit longer in body than Ideal. But no point having a winter jersey you can't zip right up on those colder days.

I'm just under 70kg and take a small in most jerseys, medium in castelli kit though.

Splendid, I'm 5'10" and about 64kg, so pretty much racing snake shape, but I'll order a medium based on feedback!

No chance of trying one on unfortunately, but there is a 90 day returns policy which hopefully I won't have to use 🙂

Cheers, Rich

turboferret, you may be just between a medium and a small. I'm 6ft and 71kg and the M is pretty much a perfect snug fit for me.

Mr Blobby, thanks for the input.

I suppose I could order both and send back whichever didn't fit, that way I would avoid losing out if they sell out...

Cheers, Rich

People in justifying their significant expenditure with good reviews shocker

I've seen plenty of expensive stuff get critical reviews on Wiggle. I don't see why the opinions on STW should be any more [i]or less[/i] relevant / accurate / honest than those on Wiggle or any other site. We're all cyclists, innit...and I'd guess that as a percentage those purchasing the likes of a Gabba tend towards the more experienced.

I don't own a Gabba, or any other Castelli clothing...

I think the nearest Sportful equivalent of the Gabba is the Fiandre No-Rain lightweight.

[url= http://road.cc/content/review/76324-sportful-fiandre-norain-light-jacket ]Fiandre Norain Light[/url]

I don't see why the opinions on STW should be any more or less relevant / accurate / honest than those on Wiggle or any other site. We're all cyclists, innit...

True enough and you may have a point but on here you can get a better idea or at least impression of how much you value someone's opinion. Of course it can still all be BS but that's life 🙂

I think the nearest Sportful equivalent of the Gabba is the Fiandre No-Rain lightweight.

In terms of fabric, maybe. Doesn't look anywhere near as fitted as the Gabba though. Maybe just a bad fit for the rider in the photo there. Don't do a short sleeved one either.

Is the Gabba really that good that it's worth the price over a jersey and a gilet or similar? I have been tempted given that a lot of my riding is in the conditions it's aimed at but even at £90...

Was it this years or last years Giro (or maybe M-SR, either way, racing in the rain, up mountains, over roads with the snow still piled up at the sides) where the entire pelaton went for Castelli Gabba and stick on logo/black duct tape rather than whatever their own kit was?

Last year IIRC but similar this year too - I'll admit that for me that's the biggest endorsement - pros paying for kit themselves.

I'm a medium, 6ft and around 72kg, tis a snug fit but not super tight, tempted a by a short sleeve....

nemesis

Sportful grupetto - is this the right one? It kind of sounds just like a normal jersey with a little windproofing rather than similar to the Gabba but I may be reading it wrong

The nano-flex armwarmers don't stay water resistant for long.

Yep! Mine are abismal even in the lightest shower. I think it is because the material is so thin that you don't feel insulated from the rain so still get cold and miserable (well I do 😀 ) which defeats the purpose of something supposed to be waterproof or water resistant.

I can see the Gabba as a good race option where you want to stay dryish but don't worry about getting a bit wet but I found the Santini H20 jersey more suited to my needs. Very waterproof for what feels like a normal top. I use a windproof tee underneath when the wind picks up. If used under a light hard shell then you'll be absolutely bone dry even in the worst that Winter can throw at you (much prefer this approach to one big heavy winter jacket). Basically, super versatile to be dressed up or dressed down and more waterproof than I found the equivalent Castelli materials

Edit: There is a good thread on Weightweenies about Gabba experiences with lots of cheaper options using the same materials and general alternatives. Cheapest option was a short sleeve tee listed for diving at Decathalon which people seemed very happy with IIRC- could get quite toasty though!

On a budget, the endura FS-260 long sleved jersey is a similar concept

Was it this years or last years Giro (or maybe M-SR, either way, racing in the rain, up mountains, over roads with the snow still piled up at the sides) where the entire pelaton went for Castelli Gabba and stick on logo/black duct tape rather than whatever their own kit was?

Thats how castelli marketed it, i dont hink it was strictly true - Vermarc had one first i think, sportful as already said, rapha do one for sky now. They are all the same black stretchy windstopper, castelli just best at marketing it.

Yep! Mine are abismal even in the lightest shower. I think it is because the material is so thin that you don't feel insulated from the rain so still get cold and miserable (well I do ) which defeats the purpose of something supposed to be waterproof or water resistant.

Conversely I find mine toasty and absolutely brilliant. At the manx 100 when the rain came down on the mountains I went from a miserable wreck to feeling good by donning my 2 year old, patched to hell, Nanos. Love them

If you want arm-warmers with the same level of water repellency as the Gabba then the Gore Bikewear Windstopper ones should do it. Basically the same fabric as the Gabba.

People in justifying their significant expenditure with good reviews shocker

How do you know it's a significant expenditure? To some it will be small change and they just want a waterproof/wind proof / breathable well cut jersey that can be worn in a wide range of temperatures.

Think there is some castelli stuff on sport pursuit at the moment.

Might have to source some Sportful or Gore arm warmers to go with my Gabba so I don't end up looking like Cap'n Castelli.

Oh and the sport pursuit stuff is all Garmin Sharp or MTN Qubeka branded. Great prices though.

Got my Gabba today. I ordered a large and medium and the large is the better fit for my 6'1' frame. The medium was too short at the front and a little too tight. I've been out in it and it's a very nice fit. I can see myself wearing it a lot until it gets very cold.

Just as a heads up. You definitely shouldnt be washing nanoflex or your Gabba in waterproofing washing stuff. The kit isn't 'waterproof' and doesn't need treating in this way. Wash it with regular powder and no conditioner. If the water repellancy is starting to wear off Castell reccomend lightly ironing the fabric.

Great kit though.