In this episode, we sit down with Castelli’s product and Race Performance manager, Alvin Nordell, who joins the show for the first time to answer the comments and questions from our social media and email. This episode hosts a variety of information on sizing, care information, hot weather and aero products for road and gravel riding, and so much more, all of which is inspired by your questions.

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to blog@castelli-cycling.com

(00:00) Welcome
(01:55) Soudal Quick-Step Tour kit
(05:07) The difference between the Premio and Superleggera bibs?
(07:09) Aero socks or shoe covers?
(08:26) Why the white band on the Giro's Leaders Jersey?
(09:11) Do you make lightweight LS summer jerseys?
(10:50) Best summer kit for hot weather?  
(12:39) How should I choose the right size jersey?
(14:11) In-between sizes on bibshorts, which size should I choose?
(15:23) How should bib straps fit?
(16:05) Why the low-cut front on shorts? 
(17:08) Best clothing for long-distance rides?
(19:56) How do I clean and maintain my Castelli gear?
(22:35) Best-suited clothing for gravel riding?
(25:15) Giveaway details 
(25:55) Premio Black Bibshorts (deep dive)
(29:23) Submit your questions.

Soren Jensen
Welcome to the CASTELLI podcast, where we give you an exclusive glimpse into the world of the iconic brand that has revolutionized how pro-riders dress and pushed the boundaries of cycling clothing performance for decades. I'm your host, Soren Jensen, Castelli marketing manager, and today we have a special episode lined up for you, including a 250 euro bib short giveaway. But before we kick start the show, I’d like to introduce today's special guys; please welcome Alvin Nordell, our in-house product and race performance manager.

Alvin Nordell
Hey, so how's it going?

Soren Jensen
I'm good, thank you. Did you have a chance to head out for a ride during your lunch break?

Alvin Nordell
Oh, man. Luckily I did it. it's finally nice and sunny here in Fonzaso, and gee, it was actually super warm.

Soren Jensen
Today. Oh  Tell me about it. It's super hot outside at 32 degrees Celsius. What were you out testing today?

Alvin Nordell
We're out in our new Espresso kit, which is coming out for S24. And, you had just wanted to make sure it was perfect, see if we had had to fine-tune any details or anything. But love that kit.  but I got out for a nice ride, and it was just good to enjoy the sun.

Soren Jensen
What direction did you head?

Alvin Nordell
I rode out towards Primolano where that old fortress is and then turned around to come back to make sure I be back here in time for the podcast.

Soren Jensen
Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I think I'll head out here later tonight after we have wrapped up this episode.
Let's, let's get started then. Alvin, since we got the corn depart of the Tour de France starting in a few days, is there anything new and exciting coming up for Soudal Quick-Step?

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, for the, for the Tour de France,  since given the time of year being in, in July,  we can pretty much guarantee it's going to be hot there. But then also, when they get into the mountains, the weather can be so variable. The tour is one of those races where those guys really utilize almost everything we give to them. I mean, they'll be using our, our Climbers jersey and Superleggera Bibs for those hot days,  all the late and, maybe having new use of Perfetto or the Slicker Pro jacket in the high mountains when the, when the rain starts coming down, or, or if the weather changes. So, so the Tour de France is definitely one of those races where,  not only do the Robs get work out, so to speak, but so do as soon as our clothing.

Soren Jensen
Right. I mean, I know that a lot of the riders on the team prefer the race suits, either the Superleggera, BTW, or the Sanremo Speed Suit.

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, I'd say for, for the actual racing part,  especially on those flat stages,  the guys go straight for the, for the speed suits, it's actually a bit of rider preference, so some of the guys prefer having the, the Sanremo suit or the Superleggera Suit or the BTW, defender on the day. It changes quite a bit.  and then, really, the only time those guys will really switch to a jersey, and shorts are those really hot weather days, when they just wanna, get to the finish line, get over those, those last couple mountain passes. But otherwise, those guys are living in the, in, in our center speed suits.

Soren Jensen
You'll also be heading down to Bilbao for the Grand Tour depart, correct?

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, I'll be heading over for the, for the start, spend a few days with the team. Wow.  just go behind the scenes a little bit, see if they have any last minute needs,  before the tour starts or anything special we can do for them. And then also too,  a lot of our items, especially the ones that those guys are using, come from direct feedback,  just as they're, as they go through the race and, and,  see what their needs are.

Soren Jensen
Including myself, we'll pop up again and meet with those guys doing the two rest days for some more feedback and just be around the team and also our listeners here and our fans around the world that can follow some of the tour stories both on the podcast here during the month of July, where we'll also have a chat with, Michael Mørkøv about being one of the best lead out men in the pro peloton. We can also follow a stories from the Tour on social media profiles at @Castellicycling, but get this episode started. 

So Alvin, as in this episode, we will dive into the questions and comments of our listeners, and what they have shared with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Spotify Q&A. And I promise everyone we'll try to do our best to put as much value into this podcast as we possibly can by answering most of the questions. But before we get started, I have an exciting announcement to make. First, we are running a premier black bib short giveaway exclusively for or dedicated podcast audience. So stay tuned for more details on how you can enter for a chance to win at the end of the show. Okay. Let's buckle up and jump right into it. 

The first question is coming from Chris Quinn and he's asking; what's the difference between your Premio Black bib short and Superleggera bib short? I'm in doubt about what to purchase.

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, so the first kind of, Superleggera Bib short is our, is our top of the line, our high-end bib short, and then our Superleggera bib is, is, for those hot weather days.  they're both, they both have, have some similarities where they're both made out of a really nice, stretch woven, fabric. So it really gives you that support and compression right where you need it, and then right where you don't at the same time, the big difference between the two is the Superleggera is actually going to be a lot lighter weight. So it's really great for those hot days and specifically for those days when the, when the sun's out and it's really scorching, where the Premio, you get a little bit more temperature variation out of them, you get a much wider range of temperatures you can wear them in.

I think it really comes down to the type of riding you want or you do and, the type of short you want, if you want that one that's gonna be great for, for most days out there with, amazing comfort and support, the Premio is going to be, is gonna be the one you're gonna want to go to. And if you're really looking for that awesome summer short, or even even say using it on the, on the turbo when you're training,  just because of this lighter weight or the Superleggera is going to be the bib short you're gonna want to go for, for those, for those hot days. So we comes down to what conditions you're riding in and, and what you want the shortfall.

Soren Jensen
Yeah, no, we definitely know that both bibs have been very bib short of the, the sdel quick step guys in, in, in summertime. So, and they depends on their climate and temperature.

Alvin Nordell
The Sea Doll guys have been,  really using that Premio quite a bit,  for most of there,  most of their training and then,  it's also in the BTW suit, so, so they use that one a lot. But definitely as soon as that, as the temperature starts going up,  they go, they go straight to that Superleggera bibs and it's actually one of 'em going Venables favourite I would say I see bin in that bit a lot, especially since he's always in a leader's jersey, so he needs a good, good Austin to dirt show the Paris is leaders' Jersey.

Soren Jensen
Then we got next question from Maxim and asking about aero socks or shoe covers. What's the most air for row racing? 

Alvin Nordell
For sure the, the shoe shoe cover is gonna be the most arrow for road racing or time trialling, but if like road race you kind of got to, you need to take into account the terrain and the conditions and how hot or cold or how long you're gonna be out on the bike for where,  in that case maybe having the aero sock is the better choice where you lose a little bit of that,  aerodynamic advantage of having your whole shoe, covered, but then, you get a little bit, you can adjust your shoe a little better,  and then you get a little bit more ventilation and breathability,  just having the sock. But for sure the, the shoe cover will get you those couple extra watt inch. 

Soren Jensen
So what are we actually talking about when it comes to Watt's?

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, and so in the wind tunnel, we tested both, I, we've tested everything,  but the aero socks, it was little, a couple watt advantage though,  especially since you're feet moving.  but definitely, with the aero sock, you get a little bit of aero, vs a standard sock, and then when you put the shoe cover on over it, you gain five or six watts I think that, was the advantage you get by putting on a, a full shoe cover.

Soren Jensen
It's so important marginal gains here. We got David asking about the Maglia Rosa, the Giro leaders jersey. He's asking why you keep the white band on the Giro leaders jersey you sell to the general public.

Alvin Nordell
No, it's pretty cool,  that the general public can purchase the exact same jersey that,  Remco was wearing this year or, what Primoz took home after the Giro and we just wanted to give it that real, real nice authentic,  extra flare to it. So, you really know that you're getting the exact same jersey that those guys were wearing during the Giro. So really just, think keeping the fans in mind and, really just wanting to offer something that was straight out of the pro peloton. 

Soren Jensen
Peloton. no, that's, that's, that's pretty cool. Plus, you got the original jersey that has also been handed over to the Giro leaders. 
Mike Andy from Australia is asking if Castelli makes any lightweight long sleeves Summer Jerseys for the Australian summer months.

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, we sure do. We actually get this question.  I find more and more,  even in the States and in Spain,  where, where in the summertime the sun's super intense. So right now that the logo jersey comes in a long sleeve lightweight version so that you can worry about the help, with a little extra sun protection.  I also mean kind of, as I was mentioning before we started, we were out in the, or I was out in the Espresso,  this afternoon, so keep an eye for, for something from our new Espresso line to help with that too. But also, if you don’t have a lightweight, long sleeve jersey and you're in your riding a lot, and you can't wash it every day, we do offer the UPF sleeves. We have there as arm warmers and or in arms and in legs and they, UPF 50,  for protection. So, they come in white and black so they can match a lot of kit. , so that's another good option,  that you can, that you can, you can use, to keep that sun off you in the, in the Ohio summer.

Soren Jensen
That's something that more and more people are requiring or asking for to cover up the arms Prince some lightweight, sun Protective fabric actually things I would drop a few links in the podcast notes where people easily can find out more about the sleeves and the, the long sleeve jerseys as well and the super theier shorts and other stuff that we, that we mentioned already. We'll make things a little easier for everyone to have a direct link to that later.

Talking about summertime hot weather, Maxim from France is asking, what is the best summer jersey or kit for riding in Provence in July with 3538 degrees Celsius?

Alvin Nordell
Let’s start from the bottom up. We have the Superleggera bibs, which we've talked about earlier, and Superleggera socks,  and they just have an open mesh on the cuff, so it really helps with great airflow and keeps you dry, from below the bottom up. And then, next to the jersey we have, we have two great options. We have the commerce jersey, which suits all uses, and that one is really based on our arrow jersey with an open mesh throughout the entire jersey. So really that one,  it's close to the body, great for those hard training days, hard racing or even if you just like having a, a jersey that's really close to the body, but,  having that, that mesh really keeps that airflow going and helps to keep you cool and dry.

Alvin Nordell
And then we haul the lower jersey called the Superleggera jersey, which has a great lightweight fabric. A little bit more forgiving in the cut, and doesn't have that aero race fit, so a little bit more of a tailored fit to the jersey, but again, a really nice lightweight fabric that is super well offers, some sun protection and is just a really great piece for,  for, for those super warm temperatures.  And then on top of that, we have a couple of caps made with a light mesh, so if you don't have much help there and you want to protect your head from the vents or the sun coming through vents in your helmet, we have a couple of caps too that are mesh will help with airflow and keep you cool and sun protected at the same time.

Soren Jensen
Also, avoid having any sweat coming down in your eyes or when you're sweating away up the mountain or something. The next two questions are about sizing. Here we have Gabriel Prada, who's asking, how should I choose the right size for jerseys to ensure a comfortable fit?

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, I mean,  the first thing we want to do,  for a comfortable fit is if you can try it on,  ideally, you want it to be, then, the jersey to be close to the body so that the fabric can work without,  being too tight. And,  especially, with our jerseys, we really cut everything for that riding position for when you're on the bike. So, when you try along, get into the riding position, get your arms out front like you're holding onto the bike and you don't have a lot of fabric flopping around on the chest if everything's sitting around if the pockets are in a good position, if the sleeves are close, I would say that's, that's probably the right size jersey for you.

You can always, have a look at our size chart, for a place to start. But if you could walk into a shop and try one on,  that's always, one of the best ways to go. Or if you have experience or other Castelli jerseys in your closet already,  we're pretty good at keeping the sizing consistent on our sizing, and then you can always check, check our website to see if it's an aero fit versus a tailored fit. And that way you can, you can see how it'll fit you and what your preference is.

Soren Jensen
And while we also added about sizing, we got another question here from Pete Gordon asking if I'm in between a size medium and large, according to Castelli's size chart. If I want the website, which size should I choose? 

Pete, this is actually a really, really good question. And Alvin, I'll take this one since you have already answered six questions. One thing we often see on the roads or at bike events is that a lot of people size up when it comes to cycling clothing. Keep in mind you’re not buying casual wear; cycling bibs should fit quite snugly. Of course, you don’t want obvious pinching or constriction, but you should feel a decent amount of compression: They should be slightly difficult to pull on and feel almost too tight. 

You may even feel that they're on the smaller side. When that bip short fits properly, it will also keep the seat pad in the right place and prevent it from moving around, which can cause saddle sores. And just like most stretch materials, the fabrics used in cycling shores tend to relax slightly after you pull them on and bring the fabric up to body temperature. So definitely coming back to Pete's question here, I would probably pick a size medium if, but take a look at our size chart on the website while we added, let's also include the straps, which is also another important thing. I think we should mention that bib straps should feel a little short when standing up, but as soon as you get on the bike and reach for the bar, the link should feel just right.

Keep in mind the only purpose of the straps is to keep the shorts up and in place without cutting into your shoulders and maintain the support even when soaked through with sweat. Those are the two most common questions I hear and see on our social channels through the website and at bike events. When we talk about shorts some consumers are also asking why a lot of Castelli shorts are cut low on the front or a bit lower than some other brands. There is also a reason for that, right?

Alvin Nordell
Yes. lots of great questions.  I get asked that quite a bit too.  a lot of it comes back to when we first started with the Free Bibshort and the idea behind it was really to free up your chest from any extra fabric because you really don't need any extra fabric on your chest, especially,  on those hot days,  keeping that airflow going, if you can keep the airflow going, you can stay dry, you can stay out on the bike for hours and hours and hours. But originally it was that from that free arrow, keeping your chest,  free of any fabric. And then also, too,  especially for, for guys, it makes it a little easier to,  go to the bathroom, having a little, little less fabric there to, to get out of the way.

Soren Jensen
The next one is from Angela. She is asking, what are the best clothing recommendations for long-distance rides or endurance events?

Alvin Nordell
Oh, great question. let's start with the bibs for that one. I mean, really, those Premio bibs that we talked about.  first, that structural oven fabric, you notice holding everything right where it's supposed to be and all built around, the X2 seatpad it was a great, great choice for long days out on the bike and endurance events. But then they also have our Endurance short, which is just a really great,  classic bib short, a great gripper still built around that X2 seatpad for those long days out on the bike. So plenty of comforts. really a short design for that comfort on the bike mesh and comfy bib straps to hold the bib in place. And, really with that idea of long hours on the bike, maybe a hundred miles or something, having that aero jersey on where you still get plenty of storage space in the pockets, but you have that close-fitting jersey, we've got,  we've got our Endurance jerseys, which are also performing great, and a little less focused on the aerodynamics. But it still breath really well, with plenty of storage space, so for those long days out in the saddle, I think, the bib short, you would Premio, and the Endurance is your first choice, and you can go from there on your Jersey choice.

Soren Jensen
Oh, that's a very good point. When we finish up the questions here and before launching or giveaway as we announce at the beginning of the show, I'll do a more in-depth, technical explanation of the Premier Bib show that we are giving away so people know, what's up for grabs. We know also Premio has been used by a lot of athletes. I'm not only a professional athlete like the Tic guys, but also Steven Lee Hake, the French Ultra cyclist with a long list of extreme achievements, including his, as you remember, the 666 projects traversing the six hardest deserts on the planet by bike on six continents in six months. And the only two pairs of bib shows he carried with him on his bike were two pairs of Premio Black Bib shorts.

He never asked us to send an extra pair because one broke or whatever. I mean, he carried only two pair of Primal Black Bib shorts with him and a pair of Sorpasso bib tights for riding during the night since the desert can become pretty cold at night. But also another big statement of the quality and the durability of those shorts and how amazingly quickly that they dry. But let's get into that in a bit. Philipp Gesteuer from Austria is asking, how do I probably clean and maintain my Castelli gear to ensure its longevity? 

Alvin Nordell
That's a great question. Actually. One that, right now, we first started working with Soudal I went to explain to them the soigneurs and the team because they're the guys in charge of washing all the kit. They get a lot of kits, but to make it last for a full season,  so of the first thing you need to know is when you take it off after your ride,  you want to wash it, inside out, definitely don't leave it in a pile for a week, all sweaty and gross. And, try to get it either dried or into the washing machine as soon as you can. Ideally,  30 to 40 degrees maximum temperature on the water on more of a delicate cycle is always best.

We recommend using powder detergent because liquid detergents can actually clog some of the pores on performance fabric and make the fabric not work as it's supposed to. So a powder de a powder detergent is, is ideal. And then, after that,  hang drying and not putting it into the dryer to prolong the life of your cycling clothing.  but the big three areas, the 30 to 40-degree water, temperature powder detergent and hang drying. If you can do those three things you should get a lot of life out of your recycling clothing.

Soren Jensen
Has that actually been a problem sometimes with your experience in working with the pro teams and professional athletes to change that way of washing the clothing?

Alvin Nordell
Even with the pro teams, we had to remind them of a few things because those guys can be in a rush sometimes trying to get ready for the next stage. But it's great seeing them taking the time to put the clothes out to dry when they can, out in the sun to dry properly.  and then making sure they're using the right temperature water because when I grew up, my mom was always like, cranking up the temperature on the water to make sure everything was clean or felt like it was cleaner if you had hot, hotter temperatures. But I really had 30 to 40 degrees is all you need.  so having let those guys know that,  they've had, they've been doing really well since

Soren Jensen
We have been through 10 questions and actually, I promised you when we met up here at the office over a coffee this morning and eight 30 that we only go over a cover 10 questions, but let's just take the last one.  Since I took one question there on the bit shorts, sizing this one, here's from Jason. Jason is asking what products are best suited for gravel riding, considering factors like durability and comfort.

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, great question. We actually have,  in our collection,  you'll see we have, we have the unlimited section of our collection. So for Unlimited types of riding, it can be for road, it can be for mountain biking, it can be for gravel, so really anything, in our Unlimited collection is designed with, durability and comfort in mind for gravel riding, you still have a lot of the same requirements that you do on the road. So I really can think of anything in our Unlimited collection as having all the comfort, comfort and performance of our road collection you could say,  just without the focus on aerodynamics. So the jerseys have a little more room since, for gravel, you're out there,  for long periods of time, especially in those,  like those, those US races where some of 'em are 200 miles.

So you have a little extra wiggle room in the jerseys. The bib shorts have our great pad, but we add some extra pockets for extra storage or quick storage when you're out riding gravel. Cause you don't always want to keep your hands off the bar for too long while you're on gravel cause you never know if there's going to be a hole or a roc you don't see. So, make sure you can keep control of your bikes the whole time and just have that quick storage.  But for most, the Unlimited collection is great for any gravel riding.

Soren Jensen
Actually, I think we should, we should probably dedicate one full episode to gravel riding, maybe on a future episode. Dive into all the details and the different products and the different gravel discipline distances, bike packing, and everything we have. 
I know that we got something that Steve gave us a small spoiler or teaser on in his episode when talking about Giro clothing and that we also got something very cool and super aerodynamic coming out for gravel racing in Summer 2024. 

Alvin Nordell
Yeah, I just gave the ten-second explanation there, but our Unlimited collection really deserves its own podcast cuz there are just so many products that have such great details and little nuance that make them perfect for, for gravel riding and racing.  and then that new Aero jersey, I'm pretty excited about that one. That'll be fun to show off when, when the time comes.

Soren Jensen
Let's, let's make sure that we make, another episode on gravel clothing sometime here within the next two months. Okay, Alvin, that's, that's it for, for today's questions for this episode. As I announced earlier, we want to make this episode even more special by giving you our fantastic listeners and fans the chance to win a pair of the Premio Black bib shorts that we already mentioned a few times. What you have to do to participate in this contest is that we encourage you to share the Castelli podcast with your friends on social media. So share the link on your social media and remember to tag @Castellicycling and use the hashtag #CastelliPodcast so we can find you. And then we will random draw a winner, male or female of one pair of the Premio Black Bib shorts.

But let me first give you a deep dive so you know what we have up for grabs.

For most of the cyclists out there, the Premio Black Bishorts have become a default option for almost any use since its first introduction to the market in 2020, from 5-hour plus rides to quick lunchtime spins. Road or gravel, warm weather, or with leg warmers pinned underneath for cooler days because the fabric is tighter than other shorts, so there’s less wind penetration.
The woven fabric weighs 30% less than a comparable knit fabric which makes it thinner, lighter, and less bulky than traditional bibs, so it stays drier, and moisture evaporates quicker in hot, humid, or wet conditions. And yeah, they do breathe well and dry impressively fast. SQS

And for all you marginal gainers, the Premio bibs are also our fastest to date, our wind tunnel testing has shown that the Premio’s are also extremely aerodynamic at higher speeds.

It’s also more durable; the thickness of the fabric varies depending on the location: it’s thicker at the hips for compression and to anchor the seatpad and thinner at the thigh for breathability.

The leg openings are raw cut—a single layer of material with no seams or bonded-on silicone to stop them from riding up. Instead, we use a specific pattern that creates grip by pushing the Lycra fibers outwards on the inner surface to stop the shorts from riding up. 

The bib straps are a thin, single layer of material with raw-cut edges. Stitched and bonded to each strap is a label that helps prevent the strap from bunching and folding, and there’s a perforated bib panel with bonded borders.
Then there’s the superb Progetto X2 Air seamless seat pad with seamless construction techniques and ventilating perforations to keep you cooler and drier on longer rides. 

On top, we have the superb Progetto X2 Air seamless seat pad, found in all our high-end shorts, with seamless construction techniques and ventilating perforations to keep you cooler and drier on longer rides. 

The X2 pad is the result of over a decade of research and testing with our pro and amateur athletes. It basically consists of two components, on top you have the Skin Care layer designed to move as you shift on the saddle to avoid abrasions. 
Beneath, we have the cushion layer, with has a shape simile to the one of your saddle, with a medium-density foam to provide both instant comfort and lasting support, backed by 3mm gel pads under the sit bones and perineum. Nevertheless, the two components, the entire pad has the feeling of being a single, seamless piece. 

Regarding sizing: the Premio Black for men comes in bib form only and sizes XS  through triple extra-large. The women’s Premio Black bib comes in extra-small through extra-large. And there’s also a short version for women. So the only thing you have to focus on is your riding performance and not worrying about the big short. 

So an amazing prize that we have up for grabs. The only thing we have to do to enter is to share the link to the Castelli podcast on social tagging @Castellicycling and hashtag #CastelliPodcast. And you have entered this great competition and to wrap up this episode, I would like to thank all of you listeners out there. Your support means a well to us and by spreading the word it will help us reach more avid cycling enthusiast and increase your chances of course of winning a pair at the premier. So, also remember to submit your product related questions or topics you will like us to discuss on a future episode on Spotify or dms on social media. Or send us an email on block@castelli-cycling.com with your questions and when we will, we sure take some of them up here in a future. 

But till then, stay tuned for some behind scenes at the Tour de France with Soudal Quick-Step coming here in the next three weeks. And then I would like to thank you Alvin for joining in on the pod. It was great and very interesting and inspiring to hear all the technical stuff that you had to share with the rest of the world. A lot of the stuff that even to me was, was new. So, super interesting. Thanks again.

Alvin Nordell
Thanks for honouring me and, in the interest of keeping this podcast under two hours back in exactly about product all day. But I love, love these product questions and, hope our listeners keep from coming.

Soren Jensen
Thank you man. And I'll see you up there on the bike tomorrow at lunchtime.

Alvin Nordell
I hope!

Soren Jensen
So. Cool. Take care. Have a good evening. Cheers. Ciao. Bye-bye.