Cyclist
Castelli claims its new Gabba R rain jacket is ‘faster’ than its Sanremo BTW speedsuit
Castelli has launched a new version of its iconic Gabba rain jacket, the Gabba R, with a distinctive new look, new performance criteria and some remarkable claims about its aerodynamics.
The original Gabba appeared in 2009, aimed at providing a more race-friendly alternative to the baggy, flappy rain jackets of the day. While it wasn’t the most waterproof of garments, the Gabba was close-fitting to maintain aerodynamics and kept riders warm in foul conditions without the ‘boil in the bag’ effect. It came to prominence during a freezing, sodden edition of Milan-San Remo in 2013 when pro riders who weren’t sponsored by Castelli were seen to be using it but with the logo blacked out using marker pen.
This latest version of the Gabba takes a slightly different approach. With the new Gabba R, the emphasis is still on foul weather racing (the R stands for ‘race’), but the aim has been to create a properly waterproof jacket that is much thinner and more packable than the original (in cold conditions the Gabba R needs an insulating layer underneath).
According to Steve Smith, Castelli’s brand manager, ‘For a long time we wanted to have a high stretch fabric that gave us waterproofness and breathability. It was always an idea in the back of our mind, but we just didn’t have the technology yet.’
That tech has appeared in the form of a fabric exclusive to Castelli that combines a waterproof outer membrane with a stretchy, lightweight inner fabric. It’s the outer membrane that gives the new Gabba R its distinctive look, with a texture that can only be described as… rubbery.
‘The membrane itself is a Japanese-made microporous hydrospun polyurethane that has been given a hydrophobic treatment inside the chemistry of it [the membrane itself is waterproof rather than having a waterproof coating applied],’ says Smith. ‘The textile part is an Italian-made four-way stretch knit fabric which gives us that right weight.’
So, while the original Gabba helped keep wet riders warm, the new Gabba R aims to keep them completely dry. Although that does depend a bit on your definition of ‘waterproof’.
‘The industry standard for “waterproof” calls for material to withstand 10,000 millimetres – that’s ten metres – of water pressure,’ says Smith. ‘That’s 10 bar of pressure – you might get that if you stand in front of a fire hose, but in my experience anything that can stand up to 2,000 millimetres in a cycling type of activity means you’re completely dry. The Gabba R tests out at 6,000 millimetres.
‘Also, we can’t actually call the garment waterproof because it’s not taped at all the seams [the shoulder has been left untaped so as not to restrict stretch in a vital area]. But it’s effectively waterproof for what it needs to do for cyclists.’
The Gabba R includes a long tail to cope with road spray, a close-fitting high collar and a waterproof zipper. It comes in a short sleeve version to make it easier for riders to put it on and take it off while racing, as well as a long sleeve version for full protection.
The arm ends of the long sleeve version are made of a softer material that helps riders slip hands into the sleeves more easily, as the rubbery membrane material can be sticky to the touch with wet hands. For the same reason the pockets on the rear are in a mesh material that won’t prevent hands from sliding in and out easily.
The whole jacket squashes down into a ball that will fit into a jersey pocket, meaning it can be taken on a ride as an emergency rain jacket in a way that the old Gabba was just too bulky to do. As for colours, the membrane material can’t be dyed, so it’s a choice of rubbery grey or rubbery grey.
Faster than the speedsuit
For all its lightness, stretchiness and waterproofness, perhaps the most remarkable thing about the new Gabba R is its slipperiness.
According to Castelli, the Gabba R has tested even more aerodynamic than the brand’s dedicated aero speedsuit, the Sanremo BTW. In the company’s own wind-tunnel tests, in a ‘normal’ riding position the short-sleeved Gabba R, worn over a Sanremo BTW speedsuit, proved to be approximately one second faster per kilometre than wearing the speedsuit alone.
‘When we got that number we just kinda looked at each other,’ says Smith. ‘We analysed the numbers carefully and in the debrief we said, “OK, that’s the number we got, but can we just go out and say that’s what it is? It’s a pretty big claim.” So we went out and spent a Sunday afternoon riding back and forth on our test track with it, and what we saw was almost exactly what we saw in the wind-tunnel.’
Does this mean Castelli-sponsored riders will now be seen wearing the Gabba R in time-trials? Probably not – the overheating effect may undermine any minor aerodynamic advantage, and the figures are only positive for a ‘normal’ riding position rather than time-trial position. However, the aero claims will still be welcomed by pros, especially as the same wind-tunnel tests put the new Gabba R at 7-8% less drag than the previous Gabba, and 12-15% less than a traditional rain jacket.
For non-pros, the aero credentials of the Gabba R may be of less importance, but Smith believes this is still a jacket that is eminently practical for the majority of riders.
‘If I have to go out and ride in the rain all day, this is hands down the jacket I would take. It’s so close to the body that whatever moisture is inside is warm, you don’t get the chills and you don’t get overheating like you do with many rain jackets. It just creates this little cocoon of comfort to keep the weather out. You just ride all day and don’t really worry about it.’
The Castelli Gabba R and Gabba R jacket (a long sleeve version) are available now, priced at €259.95 and €299.95 respectively. Pricing in other currencies is to be confirmed.
For more like this, check out our guide to the best packable rain jackets
The post Castelli claims its new Gabba R rain jacket is ‘faster’ than its Sanremo BTW speedsuit appeared first on Cyclist.