Not what I ordered.

Firstly, I love castelli gear. I often use their base layers in the winter and wanted to pick a couple up on black friday deal.

Box came today, opened it up and this is what I found. A Freddy Mercury style base layer!

Turns out this one is actually for the hottest summer days and it keeps you bone dry.

At first I was like - "F$%k I ordered the wrong thing"

Then I was like - "Maybe I can pull it off?"

Then my wife was like "are you trying out for an 80's punk band?"

But then I read what it was actually for and now I'm stoked to try it next heat wave!

Anyone here actually use a base layer in the summer? I never have but now my interest is peaked.

You are beautiful, no matter what they say! Maybe combine it with a bow-tie?

My buddies, wife etc all laughed everytime I swapped a t-shirt and wore a net-shirt.

But on topic. I had a couple similar (with short sleeves though) pieces and they did work for hot days. You feel a bit cooler.

Mine started to smell though after two seasons. ( I did wash them.)

I then swapped to thin cotton t-Shirts for really hot days. They’ll get damp and when you’re moving they cool you a bit. Cheap, easy to wash, don’t develop smell.

For everything else I have a couple of thin Icebreaker merino shirts and they too don’t smell and work terrific for everything under 28 deg for me, after I got used to wearing wool again.

Merino wool works great in the summer, helps keep you cool and no stink. I wear merino year round when riding/hiking/running/etc. 

Quality merino blends are comfy and don’t have that wool feel.

rapha merino mesh, works but rips easy, handle with care

Depends if it's crazy weather again. If it's typical Van 72°F/22°C highs that's one thing, but if it's more of that bullshit like last summer, or the humidity climbs, you'll die.

Only short sleeve light technical fiber tops with thin shorts and thin technical fiber socks work in mid 80'sF+/30C+. I'm regularly riding in humid upper 80's- it's quality thin technical fiber...or suffer naked delirium

Based on the reaction I get from my wife when I put on my bibs for road i can confidently say she would laugh me out of the house.

I am FAR from having the necessary physique to wear any mesh clothes confidently but have used tight fitting undershirt base layers from Specialized before. It gives me that “sausage on a BBQ ready to burst” look that’s so hot these days but on a really hot and humid day I find it helps with wicking sweat. Same goes for a cold day, I think it creates a little more air space btw me and my jersey. 

Haven’t tried one in a while though, since moving to as much wool as possible.

Get these for your wife and you can start a new riding club at VanTan. 

https://7mesh.com/foundation-bib-short-women

I very rarely don’t wear a base layer. I have short sleeved Lifa undershirts, heat gear tight Lycra sleeveless stuff, Defeet sleeveless tops as well as long sleeved Lifa pro wool and merino wool undershirts. I even wear long sleeved light weight jerseys to keep the bugs and sun off my skin even when warmish out.

My dad had those string vests I think from his time in the tropics, he also told us about wearing merino undershirts in the tropics and so he got all excited when we told him Merino was all the rage

so merino wool T shirts became the xmas or B day gift gift, his merino collection all had holes in it from the extreme TV watching an 80 yr old man puts it thru, I inherited it all, so while every piece had holes  they did not stink

IME ALL brands of merino gets holes pretty quick so I just buy the lightweight t-shirts which are cheapest, whatever is close to your body doesnt stank and I can cover the holy Merino with poly

The Costco merino long sleeves aren't the greatest quality, but usually come January ish they go on clearance for $10 each.

Posted by: meloroast

Get these for your wife and you can start a new riding club at VanTan. 

https://7mesh.com/foundation-bib-short-women

Dang, I didn’t know I wanted mesh bibs for hot summer rides but I do. 

I pity the fool who lays eyes on me before I have my baggies on overtop though. Uck.

Posted by: tashi

Posted by: meloroast

Get these for your wife and you can start a new riding club at VanTan. 

https://7mesh.com/foundation-bib-short-women

Dang, I didn’t know I wanted mesh bibs for hot summer rides but I do. 

I pity the fool who lays eyes on me before I have my baggies on overtop though. Uck.

i have the poc version, pad suxx compaired to the rapha brevet pads. you start to feel the saddle after the 5h mark.

Ya I’d want a proper chamois in there for sure. Right Said Fred version of a Sugoi RS please?