Castelli Espresso Jersey review

Castelli set out to create your favourite jersey in the Espresso and they have certainly achieved  that – it is light, comfortable, stylish and just like the coffee it is named after makes you feel great and ready to go!

Castelli Espresso Jersey design

The Espresso range of women’s cycling jerseys and men’s cycling jerseys has a minimalist design in bold colours with a smart colour contrast on the rear waistband. 

The classy, subtle yet recognisable Castelli branding features on the  shoulder and rear pocket, a statement of their Italian heritage offering a really modern, stylish short-sleeve jersey. The fit sits right between race and relaxed and was great for me.

Light and ventilated

The Espresso jersey is really lightweight (you can hardly feel that you have it on) and sits close to the body but does not feel tight or constrictive at all. There is plenty of stretch for freedom of movement in all directions and Castelli’s Air_O fabric creates adequate and even ventilation to prevent the build up of heat anywhere inside the jersey. 

Maintaining a balanced body temperature certainly adds to the comfort of this jersey on warmer rides. The elasticated waistband helps to maintain a secure fit. Added silicone  beading on the rear section helps it grip to the bib shorts and prevent movement – cleverly styled with the  contrasting elastic colour on the rear. 

Impressive features

The sleeves have a raw edge, which is  popular in many jerseys now, reducing the number of seams and potential  irritation points. The jersey has a sturdy, colour-coordinated, YKK Vision zipper with a useful toggle added for ease of use and the flush positioning of the zip means no annoying fabric flaps which can get caught.

The Espresso boasts three good sized  rear pockets. Helpfully they have elastic along the top edge to prevent items inadvertently popping out on that inevitable uneven road surface you always seem to come across. The additional fourth zipper pocket will secure valuables with an easy to access zip.

There is also a reflective tab on the rear of the jersey to improve visibility,  not that this was essential with the Hibiscus/Dark Grey colour way.

The light jersey makes it ideal for warm days but it can easily be layered up  for cooler rides in the shoulder season. The Espresso jersey is quick drying. So it is a fast turnaround in the wash and ready and available to grab and go for your next training ride. This is a useful feature on back-to-back training days where I found it easily dried overnight on an indoor clothes airer.

Castelli Espresso Jersey bottom line

With thirteen colours to choose from, sizes ranging from XS to XL and a whole host of coordinating items can create some good mix and match outfits. Although at the upper end of the price range of jerseys on test, the Espresso offers good value for money. Sarah Broadley

Consult our guide to the best cycling bib shorts to complete your outfit.

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Castelli Espresso Jersey specs

Price	$129.99 / £125
Weight	161g
Sizing	XS to XL
Features	Raw-cut sleeves, reflective tab, full-length YKK zipper, three rear pockets (fourth zipped)