Bardelli rides in Castelli – you can too, but you don’t have to
5.6.2023
Translation: Julia Graham
Pictures: Patrick Bardelli
Finding the right clothes to wear on a bike is complicated. Especially in summer. Which is why I’m covering (almost) everything about the how, what and when of cycling clothing.
Let’s start with the most important thing first. It goes without saying that you can wear whatever you want. Maybe you commute to work, maybe you pick up rolls at the bakery on a Sunday morning or perhaps you cycle into town for a Saturday night out. But maybe you also use your bike like I do, as sporting equipment. And that’s when finding the right clothing really does start to get more difficult.
Of course, everyone has their own two pennies worth on what works and what doesn’t. And I’m not just talking about functionality. The writers at Gran Fondo Cycling Magazine, for instance, also like to don denim shorts and flannel shirts.
One of everything from the Castelli range, please
Today I’m organising the clothes I’ll wear on my racing – and gravel bike this summer. While I do mountain bike from time to time, it’s quite rare and I just reuse my bike clothes, so to speak. Obviously, it’d be really cool to have
Rapha gear for this. For one thing, it’s so trendy and also. No, wait, that’s enough in itself. The only thing is, we don’t sell that brand. That’s a shame, but it’s just the way it is.
Over the past few months, I’ve accumulated pieces from the Italian brand Castelli. In my opinion, it also looks good and suits me. Of course, you can get a lot of the following bike essentials from other companies, such as Giro, Pearl Izumi, Assos and Alé. But this is a burst of Bardelli in Castelli.
Source: Manuel Wenk
New favourite item: the base layer
On my last ride, I had an epiphany: base layers are cool. And I mean literally. I’ve heard a lot about them, read about them, and watched videos on the subject. And always thought: that doesn’t make any sense. A T-shirt underneath would just make me sweat even more in the summer. Well, I was wrong. It’s exactly the opposite. If the base layer sits close to your skin under your cycling shirt, it wicks moisture away, improving comfort immensely. Which is why I’d never be without one again. Instead, I now have two versions: one for cool weather and another for hot summer days.
Original classic: the cycle shirt
A tight bike shirt goes over your base layer. This kind of fit is better on a bike. Why? Because when you’re cycling, you start to sweat. And as the air hits your damp skin, it gets cold and you start to freeze. That’s not a problem on a summer bike ride in Tuscany when the mercury has hit 40°C. Which is more likely to happen here in central Europe. A leisurely ride when it’s 21°C can be quite relaxing, but if there’s a lot of wind, that’s soon forgotten. So, you want the wind on your body when you’re too hot and vice versa. That’s why the key is having as little space as possible between your clothing and skin. Or in other words, tight is king.
Second classic: the gilet aka vest
Similar to the base layer, another item I completely underestimated until recently is the vest, or in bike speak, the gilet. These come in different designs for summer and winter, and for dry and wet conditions. They usually pack down small, meaning they fit in the back of your jersey pockets. It’s an essential and necessary part of every ride. As a rule of thumb, if your torso stays warm, the rest of you does too. Your arms aren’t as important; the main thing is your upper body shouldn’t freeze. I use two Castelli vests when it’s dry: a light one for hot and a lined one for cool summer days. It also served me well during a pit stop at a beer garden in the cool shade of some maple trees.
Source: Manuel Wenk
Bear in mind that the vest zip should also open from the bottom up. This is a really nifty feature that cools you from below while you’re cycling. Unfortunately, this is only the case with the puffy vest.
Third classic: the windbreaker
In early mornings or twilit evenings during the summer, a windbreaker proves an indispensable piece of kit. It teamed up with the vest to stop me getting too cold during my lunch break in the shade of the beer garden. And of course, it’s a must-have for longer descents after sweaty climbs.
And another classic: the rain jacket
After wind, the second natural enemy to cyclists is rain. I’m happy to admit I don’t cycle when it’s pouring. In that sense, my biking «rain jacket» isn’t really a rain jacket. Castelli uses a water-repellent Gore-Tex material for the outer and a Gore-Tex wind stopper on the inner side of the Perfetto RoS Long Sleeve. I managed to stay dry even when I was out for about four hours in bad weather and irregular downpours. However, this jacket certainly won’t manage 200 km in continuous rain.
Source: Manuel Wenk
Ultimate in prestige: the shorts
So-called shearing forces come into play when you’re riding a bike. These are caused by the alternating pressure of the pedalling motion. The slight but constant pelvic movement on the saddle causes painful shearing forces on the periosteum. That’s why investing in both the right saddle and cycle shorts is so important. It’s a science in itself. Incidentally, if you’ve been cycling for any length of time, you’ll already have found the right cycle shorts for you. But if you’re just starting out, you’ll have no choice but to eliminate them by a process of trial and error until you find the perfect ones for your behind. Because every derrière is different. One really important thing to note: DON’T wear underwear with your cycle shorts.
Source: Manuel Wenk
Castelli calls it the Progetto X2 Air seamless seat pad for long days in the saddle. I just call it bliss for the buttocks. But hey, what works for my bum may not work for yours. Shorts are another example of the tighter the better. The less air that gets between your shorts and skin, the less friction occurs. But should you get one with or without shoulder straps? I always cycle in shorts that have them, as these sit better and protect your kidneys when your back starts getting cool again.
Another thing: arm warmers
Then there are, of course, arm warmers and the same in green for the legs. However, I haven’t tried the leg warmers yet. Much like the vest, the arm warmers pack down very small and fit easily into one of your jersey pockets. When I was talking about the vest, I said that warm arms aren’t that important. Yes but no but. If you’re out early in the morning or late at night and are «only» wearing the vest rather than the windbreaker, arm warmers can come in handy. I haven’t frozen in cycle shorts over the summer yet, so I don’t own any leg warmers. In winter, it’s time for long shorts (a contradiction, I know).
In summary: cycling summer shopping essentials
- Short sleeve jersey and cycle shorts
- Base layer
- Vest aka gilet
- Windbreaker
- Rain jacket
- Arm warmers/leg warmers
Last but not least: the socks and gloves
The fun stops with socks. This is where it gets tricky. Do you go for long, short, black, white or even colourful socks? Cycle socks are a near-political issue. I’m Swiss neutral on this subject and wear everything: long black socks, short white socks as well as bright socks.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
Less controversial is the issue of gloves. But once again, it keeps you wondering: what are they for? Once you’ve grazed the gravel with the heel of your hand, you’ll know. Until now, I’ve used Castelli’s Unlimited LF glove. For summer, I’ve also treated myself to the short Rosso Corsa Pro V. Verdict: it fits the bill.
Source: Manuel Wenk
And one more point before I go. As liberal as I am on socks, I’m conservative on the topic of helmets. It’s just part and parcel of a bike – no matter which you’re using. FYI, my favourite helmet is the Giro Helios Spherical Mips. And then, you’ll also need a decent pair of cycle glasses. Why? If you’ve ever had dirt and stones from the cyclist in front of you blow into your eye, you’ll also know what I’m talking about. And at the moment, there’s only one model available. My beloved:
So, now that really is the end of my summer cycle clothes shopping tour. As I mentioned, I opted for Castelli products. You can, of course, find similar options from other brands. And it goes without saying that you’re also welcome to hop on your racing or gravel bike in pleated trousers. If you really want to.
Header image: Patrick Bardelli
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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