What is my Castelli Size?

Castelli Sizing Explained

One of the most frequentely asked questions related to Castelli Clothing.

Question: Does Castelli run small?
Answer: Yes

Castelli is an Italian cycling brand renowned for their high quality cycling garments, and they’re a brand we proudly stock here at Cycle Tribe. Like all clothing brands, the sizing can differ between the different garments, as they all use different materials and some clothing is different sizing to what you’d wear in another brand. To answer your sizing guide questions we’ve created this blog and compared some of the size of the products we sell so you can gain a better understanding of the Castelli sizing.

Castelli clothing traditionally is designed as slim fitting, so most people tend to go up a size when purchasing – we recommend before purchasing anything from Castelli to take a tape measure and get your measurements to compare it to the Castelli size guide. Although this method will be exactly to the Castelli measurements there is more factors to consider, such as the fabric of the material and how you want it to sit on your body. The Castelli size charts are generic across all the garments which causes confusion sometimes – read on to find out about the differences in the garment sizing’s!

The Castelli Rosso Corsa collection is Castelli’s premium collection which contains a lot of the aero and race fit garments, the label is only applied to the highest-level products that they create. Many garments use the Castelli RoS (Rain or Shine) label as the no-compromise best wet weather clothing where they make their garments as close to waterproof as possible without sacrificing breathability and ventilation.

Usually the Castelli upper body is the trickiest to get your sizing right – the reason being that there is a lot of factors such as broader shoulders, or the beer belly whilst the shorts are easier to get right with the sizing as they are made from lycra which is more stretchable, as a result it’s easier to get your sizing right.

Do Castelli Jerseys run small?

50% of all jersey and jackets sold online are returned due to incorrect sizing. Each Castelli range has a big variety of different jerseys that have a different cut or sizing suited to the intended use of riding. The Aero Race jersey will suit someone of a slim build with little to no body fat as it has a very close cut and is designed to stretch so you can save every watt you possibly can when you’re in that aero tucked position! The Classic Fit Jersey is designed for comfort with a looser fitting which makes it more accommodating for those longer training spins.

Castelli Jacket Size Guide

One thing to always consider when purchasing a jacket or winter jersey is that you’ll most likely be wearing it over a number of other layers. Whilst Castelli’s shorts are made from highly stretchable lycra materials, the jackets are usually made with less stretchy fabrics such as GORE-TEX which gives you better protection from the elements but the trade-off is the garments are slightly less accommodating. You may need to size up for the jackets. Once again the sizing is designed for slim body frames. 

Castelli Perfetto and Gabba Collections

Manufactured with GORE-TEX fabric and based on the Rosso Corsa Collection, the Perfetto and Gabba collection are a high-performance cycling garment such as a jacket or jersey. As mentioned, the sizing for this product is typically tight and designed to fit snugly against the body for maximum aerodynamics and performance. 

What size do I need in Castelli Shorts?

The Castelli Competizione and the Endurance 3 Bib Shorts are of similar sizing which are popular for those big days in the saddle. The higher up the line the Free Aero Race shorts and the Premio black tend to run a size smaller than the previously mentioned shorts as they are designed as pure race shorts. Many people when they try the Castelli shorts notice the straps dig into their shoulders as they stand upright but they are designed for when you are sitting on the bike in a tucked down position. Some people who have been in the gym a lot also find the shorts to be too tight around the thighs and quad muscles as they have huge muscle mass in these areas. Shorts are manufactured with lycra fabric, they tend to have a lot of stretch. Always check your hip measurement along with the inseam of your leg, to determine your correct sizing.

Rule of the thumb, the majority will be the same size in both a Castelli Jersey and Shorts, but if you have upper body bulk around chest and shoulder location, one might be an XL in the jersey and L in the shorts.

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We hope this sizing guide has given you some guidance on your next purchase of Castelli garments and that you have a greater understanding of their sizing.

Happy Cycling!