Castelli Espresso 2 W Jersey

The Castelli Espresso 2 W Jersey is a great lightweight summer option, with a fantastic fit, excellent breathability and a wide range of colour choices. Its only real issue I had was with the pull tabs on the zips – they fell off in the wash. I can forgive that as there’s little effect and the rest remains excellent, but some may feel differently given the price.

The Espresso 2 is designed for warm weather riding between 18°C and 35°C. I haven’t tested the upper limit yet, but in 20-23°C, it performed well.

Castelli’s Air_O Stretch fabric wicks moisture really effectively, and it dries out fast. It worked just as well on the accompanying Espresso 2 W Vest I also tested recently.

At 104g (size M) this is a featherlight piece of kit, but it’s not so thin it’s see-through; you don’t need to worry about getting dodgy tan lines. The Le Col Women’s Pro Air Jersey I tested was lighter at 77g (size S), for instance, but uses a see-through mesh to get there. The Castelli’s fabric is also UPF 30, which means it blocks around 97% of the sun’s UVA and UVB radiation.

At the rear, there are three main pockets and a fourth zipped valuables pocket, and though the latter isn’t big enough for my iPhone 13, it will comfortably hold keys and cards. As with the gilet I tested, however, the Castelli-branded pull tab almost immediately fell off in the wash. While you won’t often want to access that pocket on the move, the lack of pull tab does make this zip slightly more fiddly.

The main pockets are a good size, and the openings are neatly finished – it’s an area Castelli says has been refined for this second-generation jersey.

The smooth YKK Vislon zip also featured a Castelli-branded pull tab, but that fell off in the wash as well. Clearly Castelli has issue with this it badly needs to fix. Again the zip still works fine (and the puller is easily replaced with a little bit of cord), but it’s a downer.

There are no zip garages top or bottom, but this didn’t cause me any problems. With the low neckline it isn’t really required.

There are nine colour options for this top including the Winter Sky option I tested. The design is understated and can easily be paired with any other cycling kit.

Castelli describes the Espresso 2 W as having a close to body fit without being constrictive, and the fit really is fantastic. The fabric has plenty of stretch while hugging the body closely with no excess fabric. And no, that’s not me in the pictures.

Castelli also says the fabric has been optimised for aerodynamics and ‘tests well in the wind tunnel,’ but this is not something I can verify any more than they have. My wind tunnel is currently being redecorated, for starters.

The raw cut sleeves are a good length and fit, staying in place well.

Castelli says the Espresso 2 fits about half a size smaller than the previous Espresso jersey, though they recommend sticking with your usual Castelli size thanks to the stretch. Which I think is basically just a strange way of saying it’s a bit tighter.

It’s also shorter at the front, but unlike many race jerseys, it still offers plenty of coverage and there’s no risk of you exposing your stomach when stood up off the bike.

It’s available in six sizes, from XXS to XL, and I opted for the size M based on Castelli’s size guide. It was correct. I’m often a size S in cycling kit, but Castelli kit often comes up small, so make sure to follow the Castelli guide.

Value

At £135 the Espresso 2 costs £10 more than its predecessor, but it remains less expensive than the women’s Corretto jersey, which combines elements of the Espresso and Grappa ranges for £169. Castelli’s women’s range tops out with the Premio Evo W Jersey at £230.

Alternatively the Santini Spot Women’s Jersey is a solid all-round option, and though it’s lacking a little in breathability it’s cheaper at £100.

The Jelenew Horizon Short Sleeve Jersey is more expensive at £182, but it also offers good breathability, sun protection, an aero fit and zip pullers that don’t fall off.

Overall

This is an excellent summer jersey. The fit is great, the breathability is excellent and it looks good too. Castelli really needs to sort of its zip pullers so they can survive a spin in the washing machine, but aside from that irritation, the Espresso 2 W does the job almost perfectly.