Castelli Cycling Apparel and Bike Clothing
Castelli has been in the cycling apparel industry for over 130 years, starting from the humble roots of a tailor. However, this wasn't an ordinary tailor, it was a man named Armando Castelli who was working with the well know bike clothing maker, Vittore Gianni. Armando Castelli worked with the legendary Fausto Coppi who was looking for something lighter to wear that would give him an advantage over the other riders during the climbs in the Alps.
Castelli took a bold step by moving away from wool cycling apparel and into the realm of a lighter fabric, presenting Coppi with silk bike clothing. This new craze of silk bike clothing was displayed on the world's stage in the Tour de France as Coppi out-climed and conquered his rival Gino Bartali. Armando Castelli, for the next few years was making cycling apparel for all the greats on the cycling tour -- pioneering staples in the cycling apparel industry like the skin suit, pockets on the back of the jersey, chamois pad, and zippered collars. Castelli's innovation has continued into the present day with products that have other companies scrambling to stay ahead of the curve.
Castelli Cycling Shorts and Bib Shorts
Castelli knows a thing or two about cycling shorts; after all they came up with the chamois pad. And over the years they have come up with new ways of looking at the standard short, or bib short, and come up with new ideas that breath new life into the product. The "Free" bib strap system Castelli came up with moved the straps to the outside of the chest area, away from the area where suspenders are thought to hit your chest. This has freed up the chest area for better breathability on hot days and lessen the constriction of the shoulder straps. The leg grippers on Castelli cycling shorts have continued to use silicone strips as they have for years, but they have also moved part of their cycling short line to using a higher compression materials that offers the same amount of 'hold' with a more comfortable feel. Chamois pad technology has always been a large part of the progressiveness of Castelli's shorts. Experimenting with different materials and foam densities has proven to allow new chamois advancement, which in the end creates a better pair of bib shorts for the cyclist wearing them.
Castelli Cycling Jackets
Castelli makes a cycling jacket for almost every weather condition and temperature all fall/spring and winter temperature ranges. A cool spring or fall day could be accompanied by wind and or rain, or both, in which it's necessary to stay warm in the saddle that has both wind protection, insulation, and waterproof properties. Castelli has rain jackets that are made with 100% percent waterproof materials and have fully-taped seams, not allowing any water to seep through the sewn seam. During the winter months it's vital to keep your both insulated from the air temperature, but it's even more important to stay protected from the wind.
Castelli jackets are made for cold winter conditions with the usage of completely windproof fabric teamed up with insulation with an extremely high thermal properties. As technical as cycling jackets have become over the years, Castelli has managed to produce highly functional jackets that could be worn in any situation, but their styling and fit is made specifically with a world class cyclist in mind.
Castelli Cycling Jerseys
Castelli invented the 3-rear pocket design that you see on almost every cycling jersey made in the world. Fortunately they weren't content with their early achievements. Instead they continue to bring new ideas to the table of how to improve the overall cycling experience with the wearing of one of their biking jersey.
Castelli cycling jerseys use materials that pull moisture (sweat) away from your skin to keep you dry and cooler during hot summer rides. They have found fabric that deflects wind and performs at extreme levels in wind tunnel testing; they actually shave time off your time trial. And they have modified their own 3-rear pocket design by slanting the side pockets to make it easier for reaching back and pulling out a gel packet or extra bottle of water while your riding. And as with any cycling garment made by Castelli, it's sure to be designed in way to keep you in front of fashion trends.
