Castelli’s Gabba – a popular jersey for harsher weather – offers all-over protection that ‘can make it feel too warm for racing in merely cool conditions.’ So, with this in mind, some of the Cannondale Pro Cycling Team riders asked the Italian cycle apparel specialist ‘for protection like the Gabba but with more breathability for milder temperatures.’
The result is the versatile Perfetto Light. According to Castelli, it’s a lightweight, more breathable option with the ‘same weather-resistant qualities and aerodynamic fit that helped the Gabba conquer the cycling world.’
Perfetto Light has the same cut as the Gabba and combines a lightweight windproof and water-resistant Windstopper 150 material on the front, shoulders and sleeves (25% lighter than the fabric used on the Gabba) with a water-resistant Nano Light material on the back (an unbrushed version of the Nano Flex fabric, which is highly water repellent and stretchy but has no membrane to inhibit air exchange).
The fabric is very tightly knit so riders don’t feel the wind coming through, but it is open enough to prevent the moisture build-up that can be experienced with the Gabba during intense efforts or when the temperature rises.
Castelli adds that the lightweight Perfetto Light has an extremely wide comfort range… ‘It’s the ideal garment for cool or damp spring and fall rides, when all-over windproof protection would simply be overkill, and it packs easily into your team jersey pocket if, say, you were to wear it over a lightweight short sleeve jersey.’
Pair the Perfetto with Castelli’s water resistant Nano Flex arm warmers and riders ‘should have a pretty solid combination for changeable conditions.’
Like the Gabba, the Perfetto is a race-inspired product and has a slim cut as a result. Features include: a dropped tail for additional protection; three rear pockets with plenty of storage, and a full-length zip make one-handed zipping up or down easy on the bike with the zipper pull. There’s also plenty of reflective detailing on the pockets and hem.
Perfetto means ‘perfect’ in Italian. As the company notes, ‘That’s the word that keeps coming out when riders wear this jersey in a very wide range of conditions.’
