Santini MADSS V3 – Aerosuit

The Santini MADSS V3 Aerosuit is a light, airy and good-fitting road skinsuit designed for competitive riding and racing in warm conditions. Some bunching on arms and a lack of number pockets were the only faults I found in this boldly styled all-in-one outfit that was cool and comfortable on mid-summer endurance and faster-paced rides. It sits in the middle of the skinsuit market and you can easily spend twice as much, so I think it provides reasonable value too.

> Buy now: Santini MADSS V3 Aerosuit for £220 from Santini

Sizing and fit

A choice of eight sizes, from XS to 4XL, means the Aerosuit is effectively semi-custom because the measurement range for each size is very narrow.

At 190cm and 76kg, a size L was mostly spot on for me. And though MADSS stands for ‘mega aerodynamic speed shell’, Santini doesn’t supply data to substantiate this billing.

My test suit’s Verde Militaire (Military Green if my French is correct) colour scheme is eye-catching: a zebra-patterned black and suit top half and moss green legs. I’m all for non-black bib shorts, though, and liked the look.

Internal silicone grippers kept the long legs securely in place.

Because the sleeves were a tad too long for my upper arms, they bunched up ever so slightly above the elbow.

Elsewhere, the aerodynamics of the Santini MADSS Aerosuit seem good. The ribbed pattern on the sleeves, absence of bulging seams on the top and smooth transition into the laser-cut legs carry the hallmarks of a fast skinsuit.

Lines of almost imperceptibly thin stitching run either side of the zipper, which opens down to the waist.

But these shouldn’t cause too much drag and they certainly didn’t chafe. Meanwhile, an internal fabric guard stops the low collar’s zipper from rubbing against your neck when done up.

Like other road racing skinsuits, the fit is less aggressive than a time-trial skinsuit, which can be so tight you struggle to stand up straight when you’re off the bike. However, even when pushing the pace at 40-45km/h on the flat, I didn’t notice any material flapping or catching the wind, so I think the garment is tight enough for road racing.

Chamois pad

Santini sews its C3 seatpad into the MADSS Aerosuit. The chamois is comparatively thin compared to those in the plushest endurance bib shorts but denser than the pads used on other skinsuits I’ve worn.

Personally, I prefer a thinner pad, and I found the C3 comfortable for rides of up to four hours. This is longer than most UK road races and unless you wear the MADSS V3 Aerosuit to target a fast sportive time, you probably wouldn’t ride further in it.

As is the case over the rest of the suit, there’s no exposed stitching in the chamois area or seams to irritate your skin.

Pockets

Santini has got the three rear pockets on the MADSS Aerosuit just right. They’ll fit everything you’d need to carry on a medium-to-long road ride (snacks, phone, inner tube and even a small mini-pump), so their capacity is more than adequate for racing.

The pockets didn’t sag even when fairly full, perhaps because they are connected to the legs, giving more structural rigidity.

Thanks to the thin, light material used in the top of the suit, breathability is impressive. I rode the suit for hours at 20-25°C without sweat building up.

Quite where Santini intends you to pin on numbers for racing is unclear. Lacking something like a Nopinz Speedpocket (a transparent sleeve at the back of the suit you can slip your number into), I presume you have to pierce the lightweight, and possibly delicate, material with safety pins – this seems a shame on a £220 aerosuit.

Value

The value of the Santini MADSS Aerosuit seems about average for a mid-range skinsuit.

The Nopinz Pro-Evo RR Suit Men’s costs £189.99 (Liam praised the previous generation) including the Speedpocket, and Nopinz says it has optimised its performance based on aerodynamic testing. Santini makes no such claims.

I own this Nopinz suit and think the MADSS Aerosuit is more comfortable thanks to its softer fabrics, especially in the legs, and the better padded chamois.

Meanwhile Van Rysel’s Road Cycling Aerosuit Racer Team Suit (£109.99) costs much less than Santini while the £239 Kalas Passion Z3 road racing skinsuit is a little pricier.

If you want kit for fast road rides, it’s worth noting that any of these suits represents better value than buying a high-end aero jersey and pair of bib shorts separately.

At the top end of the market you’ve got the likes of the pro-level Le Col Pro Speedsuit, which is a hefty £400, and similar to the Col x McLaren Project Aero Speedsuit we tested.

Conclusion

Good comfort, light, airy and reasonable value, with the only let-downs a slight bunching in the arms and the lack of a pocket for a race number. The wide range of sizes should ensure you get a good fit too without the need to go custom, and I liked the moss green and monochrome colour combination.

> Buy now: Santini MADSS V3 Aerosuit for £220 from Santini

Verdict

Wonderfully cool and comfortable while pedalling hard in the heat, but look out for the length of the sleeves

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