The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge

On Sunday (13th May) The best part of 2000 riders will be coming to my home county of Cumbria to ride the toughest Sportive in the country, The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge. So what awaits them.. Quite possibly the toughest sportive in the UK over a gruelling 112 mile course, climbing in excess of 4000m with gradients over 30%. Oh and its probably going to rain. In 2011 we had rain sleet hail and warm sunshine, so what do you wear?

Castelli make performance cycling clothing for Team Garmin Barracuda currently dominating the Giro d’Italia and they know a thing or too about fabrics cut and optimising both.

So what to wear then, cool windy wet then warm serious climbing scary descents.. It has to be the Gabba Jersey a windproof water resistant short sleeve jersey that the Garmin team use for cold wet races, Team it up with a Bodypaint Bib Short with the ProgettoX2 pad for all day comfort second to non. Throw in some NanoFlex warmers for warmth and water resistance and your all good to go what ever the weather throws at you. Oh you may want to take a shell jacket something like the Castelli Sottile just in case your stranded oh the weather really turns. Castelli Gabba 

Good luck to all who are entering dress well and stay safe I will be in a one of the support vechiles again this year so give me a wave as you ride past.

Will we see 6 hours beaten this year?

Garmin Barracuda Win Stage 4 TTT in Giro d’Italia

Garmin-Barracuda swept to victory on the 33,2km Team Time Trial course in Verona in 37 minutes, 04 seconds to claim the teams first stage win and the leaders jersey for Ramunas Navardauskas at the Italian tour.

Creating clothing for athletes at the highest level of the sport is the most demanding proving ground for Castelli. The BodyPaint SpeedSuit has been going through a lot of new updates, especially in terms of the fit and new ’slippery’ aero fabrics. With the help from the pro’s, it has been possible to make the fastest SpeedSuit in the pro peloton even faster. Now, you can profit from the same aero advantage as team Garmin-Barracuda. Just go to the Servizio-Corse page of Castelli Cafe to find out how.

And don’t forget to celebrate the Giro every UK order over £60 gets a free Garmin-Barracuda team cap just use code GIRO at the checkout.

Some of the above content was first published on the Castelli blog page.

http://blog.castelli-cycling.com/2012/05/09/garmin-powers-to-victory-and-giro-leaders-jersey/

Free Garmin Barracuda Cap at Castelli Cafe

Castelli Cafe offer …..    Spend over £60 on any item or combination of items at Castelli Cafe during the month of May and place GIRO in the promotions box and receive a free Garmin Barracuda cap, and there is no postage to pay either, what better way to celebrate the Giro d’Italia…….. So thats any order over £60, put GIRO in the promotion box on the checkout page and you get a free cap offer valid for UK residents only.

SCICON a friendly word of advice

with most of the top riders in the world going to Italy this travel advice seems spot on….. And yes the greatest bike race in the world starts on Saturday, you can keep your cobbles and your French fancies the Giro IS cycle racing..

Look out for team Garmin Barracuda with there Castelli bike kit and there SCICON bags

Castelli Claudio Nanoflex Bibshorts

Continuing my look at shorts and more appropriate for the current weather we will look at the Castelli Claudio Nanoflex Bibshorts,

These use Castelli’s Nano Flex fabric, best described as a treated Roubaix giving the short some water resistance during showers and splashing through puddles and maybe more importantly never getting soaked when the heavens really open, allowing them to keep you warm and comfortable in a broader range of conditions than standard shorts.

Team the  Castelli Claudio Nanoflex Bibshorts with Castelli Nanoflex knee warmers and you have a lower half that can stay cosy in   the cold windy showers that April gives us while still being able to strip off if the sun does come out.

Check out this great review by competitive cyclist ( a big bike shop stateside)

Cycling weekly recently tested the Castelli Claudio Nanoflex Bibshorts and gave them 9/10

Here is there report in full;

“Regular readers will know we are fans of PTFE-coated Roubaix fabric here at CW, and the Claudio bibshort’s use Castelli’s Nano Flex variety. While not completely waterproof, it does allow water to bead off the surface for a reasonable amount of time- they will keep a fairly heavy20-minute shower at bay. Once the surface tensionhas been overcome and the fabric is waterlogged’ it retains the thermal capacity of a standard brushed back lycra fabric. The kiss 3 pad is a favourite , offering excellent comfort without bulk. And with a cool iron the surface treatment can be revitalised post washing.”

This test featured in Cycling Weekly Thursday April 19th 2012

So it seems we are all in agreement if the weather is changeable your best bet is the Castelli Claudio Nanoflex Bibshorts

Castelli Body Paint 2

Body paint 2.0 my favourite bib-shorts,

I have been using the Castelli Body paint bib short for over 3 years now (I was lucky enough to be using them long before launch, and they are truly fantastic with a fit that is supportive but never restrictive and a pad that takes away the buzz of the road and eliminates any friction while still being ultra slim, I haven’t got my mitts on the 2.0 version yet, these feature built in aero dimples and a super airy Progetto X2 air ventilated pad… But I saw this review on the Castelli Blog and thought it ,ight be of interested to one and all…

The BodyPaint 2.0 bibshorts are partially the result of feedback from the Garmin-Cervélo race team, and up close there’s no denying this is a high-end performance piece. They’re a warm weather garment with a very low cut front and a nice airy mesh in back between the straps.

The shorts on the Body Paint Bibshorts are formed from a single piece of seamless fabric for a naturally supportive fit. The short feels like it is hugging you perfectly in any position, thanks to this anatomic fit and the as well as a highly compressive fabric.

The main body of the shorts is cut from a single piece of Lycra.

This smooth fit, combined with the aero dimples employed in the material, make this is the most aerodynamic bib short on the market. We have engineered the dimples into the fabric to induce flow separation and reduce aerodynamic drag. Think of it as the clothing equivalent for the Zipp rim dimples.

Smooth fit combined with aero dimples.

Perhaps nothing in these bib shorts has benefited as much from our association with professional cycling teams as the Progetto X2 Air Seat Pad. The Cervélo TestTeam and Garmin-Barracuda teams spend three years testing this short; that’s a lot of saddle time to be thinking about how comfort could be improved.

The chamois is seamless where it counts.

The Progetto X2 Air seatpad is different from most multi-density crotch savers I’ve seen. Instead of a bunch of raised ridges settling against your skin, the skin-side surface of the seatpad is one smooth perforated foam layer to help ventilate and keep the nether regions cooler by allowing air to flow directly onto the surface fabric. The multi-density cushion layer of the seatpad is on the other side of the foam – and created by carving away sections of a single block of uncompressed foam to create the different sections of cushion.

Perforated viscous comfort inserts have been added under the
highly sensitive ischial and perineal pressure areas.

The cushion layer also features 3 gel inserts – two for the sit bones and 1 right behind your junk. They’re called a ‘viscous comfort zone’ and are so thin, I could not tell they were even there, which says a lot about how well they integrate with the pad, so you’ll be supremely protected whether you are out on a two-hour weekday ride or training over cobbles for Roubaix.

Bibs, a single strip of fabric that is very soft and stretchy.

The shoulder straps have a real ‘skinsuit’ feel. The bibs is made from the special Giro2 material, a single strip of fabric that is very soft and stretchy. We have eliminated the Lycra trim and seams that typically edges bib straps and more often than not cuts into your shoulders to cause discomfort.

The shoulder straps are satin-like in their feel.

The new mesh on the back will help keep your torso cool by allowing air to circulate. Likewise, the updated Giro3 integrated leg grippers have been intelligently fashioned so that the grip material has been knit directly into the short. The generous 5 cm wide band gently compresses to secure the leg hem in place. It also lies completely flat, keeping your leg as aero as if it were in a skin suit.

These nicely integrated leg grippers are impressive.

Rodriguez wins La Flèche Wallonne

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) flew up the Mur de Huy to claim victory at the 76th staging of La Flèche Wallonne. Katusha controlled the wet and windy race allowing a few riders a small lead but always with a sense they had it covered..
Rodriguez, who had finished second in the previous two years, was part of a large chasing group led by Katusha with help from Lotto, that engulfed the 2 late breakaway riders who had held a slender 12 second gap for the final 10km, those two riders where Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) and Lars Petter Nordhaug (Team Sky)
Rodriguez surged ahead in the last 700m and easily held off the challenge of Michael Albasini (GreenEdge) 2nd and defending champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) 3rd for what was in the end a comfortable victory.

Congratulations to Team Garmin Barracuda riders Ryder Hesjedal for making the last 10km a nail biter and Dan Martin for a great finish. Here’s hope there is more to come at the weekend?

Watch the final KMs

Results
1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 4:45:41
2 Michael Albasini (Swi) GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:00:04
3 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
4 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
5 Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro Team 0:00:07
6 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Barracuda 0:00:09
7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
9 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
10 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:00:11

The Castelli Lightness Glove

My Favourite Glove;

There are very few things that have the ability to keep surprising me. You come to expect certain qualities with anything and then you become compalcent. Take your car? You expect it to start you expect it to go and stop and it does this for months and years then when it stops working you kick it!! But how often do you get in it and are surprised?

(someone will likely comment on why I have said car when we are all cyclists , well my Bike is always being fettled Im always adjusting, oiling, pumping up tyres, erm cleaning it…… My car is abused it gets driven then left in the rain for a week then driven again it has no love but I expect it to work)

The same with your telly or stereo and pretty much the same with your cycling kit, yep the first time you put on them Castelli  Bodypaint shorts you probably thought wow, (rightly so) and you compared them to your old ones and wondered how you ever managed.. And for 2 weeks they where amazing but now they are what you expect, yes you would never give them up and yes there always the short you reach for and truly you would struggle to down grade (thats always difficult) but they merely changed your perception and now they are taken for granted , in a way they perform like your car, they do a fabulous job just as you expect.

Well the Lightness Glove by Castelli seems different, there warm enough for a cold 5c start but then even with the mercury hitting a decidedly barmy 20c (this is the North of England in April) they dont feel sweaty you have no desire to remove them. And then they look so cool with there printed palm, its a simple glove with a sense of ownership.

You ride in the rain the hail the wind and these simple thin gloves just work managing to keep your fingers from freezing off while giving you plenty of feel for the controls.

You take them off at the cafe and when you put them on, they go on, no cold soggy feeling no inner finger twist as the liner is pulled out.

We have had a mild winter and yes if its really cold you need more but this is the only glove I have worn this year, warm and comfortable reliable still looking good and very functional but more than that, this little glove keeps surprising me maybe because its a glove you have no expectation? But one thing is for certain if you don’t have the Castelli Lightness Glove in your collection you are missing out.

Warmers

Ok so what do you wear its 12 degrees your going on a hard ride in changeable conditions, or maybe you doing a sportive with some big climbs? The trouble is the temperature difference between valleys and hills, Oh and In the UK just the fact a day can change so quickly then change again and again usually before you even leave the front door.

Luckily we have warmers and gilets previously always essential items managing to turn summer wear into 3 season comfort. But there has been a quiet revolution and warmers of old are now high tech.

A couple of years ago Castelli (a company with a history of innovation) bought us Nano Flex a treatment to material which renders it highly water-resistant while still allowing full stretch and breathability. In Castellis own words

“We take our thermal fleecy stretch Thermoflex fabric and coat it with millions of tiny silicone nanofilaments to create the most water-repellent fabric finish ever. Drops of water stay as spherical balls on top of the fabric or bounce off the fabric without leaving a trace.”

So now we have warm fleecy arm leg and knee warmers that are water-repellent team them up with your race kit and a gilet and you have a comfortable and transformable outfit than can be (in the case of arm-warmers ) rolled up and down as the pace/gradient steepens, or any of the items can be removed altogether and stored in a jersey pocket.

Castelli are even doing a Nano Flex Bib-short called Claudio for cross riders MTB’ers and anyone who might be riding in cool damp conditions but still wants to wear a short. And for the less Macho there is a full tight called the Pave.

It’s just getting harder and harder to think of an excuse these days……

Spring in Lakeland

Well after  what has seemed like 2 lifetimes of winter we finally got a large dose of spring which  for the non committed cyclist means only one thing; A chance to start getting some miles in. So 170miles  in the last week and some serious climbing squeezed into my tight work schedule has resulted in some quality test time in all temperature ranges.

For those that are old enough do you remember those club man jackets we used to wear I think you could only get them in blue. basically they where an acrylic full zip jersey  with a nylon panel sewn to the front to stop the worst of the weather and a couple of pockets in the back. The principle was pretty good and they really used the available materials to their best..

Yes you got cold and wet and they sagged but they covered the principles

Well Castelli has refined the idea somewhat and amazingly at two different weights both with a very distinct lean..

So we have the Mortirolo WS jacket this features a warm waffled fleecy backed Windstopper X Fast  front, shoulders and sleeves for wind and rain protection (water beads off the fabric and for a light shower or road spary the jacket remains watertight however it’s not waterproof in heavy prolonged rain) the back is in Castellis own warmer fabric providing a snug fit and better ventilation. If the day or the pace starts warming up more than expected there are zippered vents on the chest to help in cooling, along with a full storm flap protected front zip.

Reflective detailing all round to help you be seen. 3 rear pockets, silicon grippers (to keep the jacket in place) and a soft high neck finish of the jacket.  I have found it ideal on grey days and early morning rides, just worn over a long-sleeved base layer (wooly long sleeve) for temps down to about 5-6 degrees, or up to about 12degrees c

When it gets a little warmer  Castelli have you covered with its Trasparente wind jersey. Ok and lets get one question over with before we start? Is this a heavy jersey or a light jacket?

Castelli call it a jersey, but I think of it as the last of my jackets and it has a chest pocket so that must make it a jacket? right?

So  A lighter weight slimmer cut altogether sexier garment it screams speed . I have to add here, I have the Motirolo in a discrete grey while the Trasparente wind jersey is in Bright red!! But the feel of these jackets, their  construction and materials from which they are cut means the Trasparente wind jersey will be out in the sun on fast rides the glint of light reflecting up from……actually from what?  nothing shines now, everything on a bike is black or carbon…. So all the more reason for this jacket, something bright and Italian.

The heavier warmer Mortirolo suits its Grey smart and dignified in the damp dirtiness of an english morning but still with some subtle red details to scream Italy here I come…

The Trasparente wind jersey (jacket) Is for days when its warm but never going to get hot, for bright windy cloudy days. Days that you may have gone out in gilet and arm warmers with a jersey and a base layer on oh and a cape in your pocket and then wondered why you werent quite as comfy as you should have been… It’s a dry spring early summer piece that unless your racing or subjected to big temperature changes should be in your wardrobe… And if that’s not enough it has a pocket on the chest ideal for the ubiquitous mobile phone a small feature but non the less, one that leaves the 3 rear pockets empty for food money pumps tubes capes etc, etc….

Constructed from Gore Windstopper X light stretch fabric again with Castellis warmer fabric on the back this is a great jersey but an even better jacket..

Trasparente

Depending on what your activity level is this will keep you comfy from 10-18 degrees with just a thin base layer on. Being practical never looked so good.

Next we will be talking about that real spring summer cross over piece the warmer and the gilet…