First Look | Castelli’s foul-weather race gear becomes less racy and more practical

By Jack Evans

Published: Saturday, 21 January 2023 at 12:00 am

Castelli has updated its range of wet-weather cycling clothing to offer a looser fit, more storage, and greater wind and rain protection.

The changes affect the flagship Perfetto RoS 2 Long Sleeve, the Perfetto RoS 2 Wind Jersey and the Gabba RoS 2.

The Italian brand launched the original Gabba in 2010. But it was the snow-savaged 2013 Milan-San Remo that brought Castelli to the forefront of winter cycling clothing.

Scores of pros wore shop-bought, blacked-out versions of the short-sleeve rain jersey (because their teams were not sponsored by Castelli) during the Italian spring classic. The winner of that edition, Gerald Ciolek, removed his Gabba just before the sprint finish.

Since then, products such as the five-star Castelli Alpha RoS 2 Light Jacket have upheld Castelli’s reputation for making the best winter cycling jackets.

You might be thinking: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. However, Castelli has attempted to improve its range of Perfetto and Gabba jackets.

Castelli Perfetto RoS 2 jacket

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The new Perfetto jacket is looser for larger riders.
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Castelli also calls the Perfetto RoS jacket the long-sleeved Gabba. RoS stands for rain or shine, an allusion to the jacket’s claimed suitability for varied conditions. The ‘2’ refers to how this version has been updated from the first generation.

Castelli has relaxed the fit of the renowned Perfetto RoS long-sleeved jacket around the chest, shoulders and biceps.

Some riders found the original version of the wet-weather garment to be restrictive, particularly under the arms.

However, Castelli’s winter cycling jacket retains the race-fit that makes it popular among WorldTour teams. The Perfetto is second only to the Gabba 2 jacket in its cult status among fans of winter road cycling.

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Castelli has dropped the seam down the shoulder.
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Castelli has tried to enhance the Perfetto RoS 2’s foul-weather performance by revising the shoulder seam taping to better protect the back from rain.

The Perfetto RoS 2 is made from the same Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper 203 and 205 material as its predecessor. Rather than being waterproof, the brand says the fabric is as water resistant as possible, while remaining windproof and breathable.

The number of rear pockets has increased from two to three and the panel on the back of them is reflective, according to the Italian brand.

The largest, middle pocket is wide enough for a mobile phone and cycling accessories such as a mini pump. The narrower pockets to the left and right look better for holding energy bars.

At the front, the YKK zip now opens at both ends for more adjustable ventilation. Since the Perfetto RoS 2 is meant to be worn as an outer layer over a baselayer, and not to be taken off while riding, this feature should help regulate your temperature when you warm up.

Castelli says it has covered the zip to repel the wind and rain when it is fastened.

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The Perfetto’s third pocket increases carrying capacity.
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Following these changes, the claimed weight has increased from 354g to 389g in an unspecified size.

The long-sleeved jacket still comes in black and dark blue, but light grey, fluoro and light blue replace lighter black, red and orange. Sizes run through from XS to 3XL as before.

The price has gone up about 10 per cent to £245 / €229.99 / $279.99 / AU$390.

Castelli claims the Perfetto RoS 2 is the only winter cycling jacket you need. We’ve been testing one, so keep an eye on BikeRadar for our verdict.