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“Um, I think I’m going to need a smaller size.” Never in my nearly 20 years of wearing lycra did I expect to utter these words about a Castelli kit, but here we are.

Castelli, the premium Italian cycling apparel manufacturer, is perhaps most often associated with racing and the high-performance (and skin-tight) apparel required by professionals. I, too, have raced for a couple of teams that relied on Castelli for its kit. The Espresso collection, however, is a side of Castelli I hadn’t seen before.

“We tested 20 fabrics, with the ultimate goal – and end result – being a pair of bibs which feel great while you’re pulling them on and while riding, move with the body, have great elasticity and compression, have improved strap comfort with wider, more breathable bib straps, a drop-tail for women, a higher waistline for stomach support and comfort, a lengthened inseam, and a new, super comfy, minimal, vertical gripper,” he said.

Castell-engineered Air_O Stretch fabric for breathability, comfort and perfect fit
Fabric optimised for breathability and aerodynamics
Raw-cut sleeve endings for comfort
Three back pockets with a fourth zippered security pocket for valuables
Full-length YKK® Vislon® zipper with easy-use zipper pull
Elastic at the waist with silicone to keep the jersey in place
Reflective tab for added visibility
Tailored fit
Weight: 113g
Price: $129.99 / £125.00

The Espresso kit pleasantly surprised me. There was absolutely no “sausage” effect. I even had to size down to achieve the tailored fit Castelli intended with this collection. Castelli has always been known for its “Italian sizing”—very snug, often requiring you to size up— but with the Espresso kit, the sizing seems more generous. So, if you’re ordering without trying it on first, I highly recommend checking the size chart.

The fabric of the shorts is soft, with just enough stretch and compression to maintain a form-fitting shape. It makes for a comfortable, don’t-think-about-it-twice short. I was also impressed with the Progetto X2 Air Donna chamois pad. It performed well across a variety of rides—from 20-mile jaunts to 120-mile gravel epics— and in hot, sweaty weather. The pad offers ample support without being overly thick. Breathability is key in warm weather and I found that chamois did a good job wicking moisture away from my skin to prevent chafing and saddle sores from sweat buildup.

The Espresso W jersey is incredibly soft, lightweight and breathable, making it ideal for summer rides. During the heat waves we experienced, it quickly became a frequent choice thanks to its airy feel and freedom of movement. You’ll likely need a vest or jacket for cooler morning starts or during the shoulder seasons, but Castelli’s wide temperature rating of 64°F to 95°F (18°C to 35°C) is spot on.

The jersey sports three open pockets and an additional zippered pocket for valuables. There’s an elastic band around the opening of the pockets intended to prevent items from bouncing. As mentioned above, the pockets have less stretch than the material used elsewhere on the jersey to prevent sagging. Still, with jerseys this thin and light, sagging is inevitable, and while there’s ample storage space, I limit my pockets to a light outerlayer, a credit card and a gel or two. Anything heavier gets put inside a small bar bag.