Gabba: expensive luxury or a great jacket worth the money?

Jim Stynes

Cant keep my eye off the Gabba even though I don't really need it! Question is short sleeve with nano flex arm warmers or long sleeve version?

mossym

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Cant keep my eye off the Gabba even though I don't really need it! Question is short sleeve with nano flex arm warmers or long sleeve version?

for the temp ranges the gabba works in i'd be unlikely to go sleeveless at any stage of a cycle. meaning the arm warmers would stay on all the time, so would be pointless and the long sleeved made more sense to me. i get cold easy though.


only you can answer the question of what you want to use it for

Jim Stynes

mossym wrote: »

for the temp ranges the gabba works in i'd be unlikely to go sleeveless at any stage of a cycle. meaning the arm warmers would stay on all the time, so would be pointless and the long sleeved made more sense to me. i get cold easy though.


only you can answer the question of what you want to use it for

I'm always cold so I would imagine that I would very rarely have the arm warmers off as well. Long sleeve it is then!

Boscoirl

I have it with the short sleeves and nano flex armwarmers, regret not getting the long sleeve one, when there is a cold wind, you notice the difference on your arms.

Borderfox

Had my long sleeve gabba on today, caught out in a right downpour but dry as a bone.

The Black Oil

I'm still a n00b here. I'm more familiar with hiking stuff rather than cycling clothing. What's the advantage of this sort of stuff? Durability? Practicality? Haven't done much cycling in the rain. :pac:

dragratchet

have the gabba with the removable sleeves. best of both worlds.. rarely gone out though and taken off the sleeves. wore it warming up before donore yesterday.. some shock when i had to take it off

mossym

The Black Oil wrote: »

I'm still a n00b here. I'm more familiar with hiking stuff rather than cycling clothing. What's the advantage of this sort of stuff? Durability? Practicality? Haven't done much cycling in the rain. :pac:

Same as hiking stuff. Light warm waterproof windproof but still breathable

Jim Stynes

Ordered the Gabba!

Alanstrainor

I popped on my Gabba in the last week or so after not wearing it since early May, I've found the waterproof element is now pretty non existent. A bit frustrating... I've only washed it twice since getting it, and followed all the instructions from Castelli. Anyone know how to get it back? :(

Red Belly

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I popped on my Gabba in the last week or so after not wearing it since early May, I've found the waterproof element is now pretty non existent. A bit frustrating... I've only washed it twice since getting it, and followed all the instructions from Castelli. Anyone know how to get it back? :(

I'm in the same boat. I've just washed it and when dry I'm going to give it 20mins tumble dry at low heat which is supposed to do the trick.

mossym

there are also waterproofing solutions you can get, bottle of liquid you add to the washing machine which work. not sure castelli recommend any of them thouhg

Alanstrainor

mossym wrote: »

there are also waterproofing solutions you can get, bottle of liquid you add to the washing machine which work. not sure castelli recommend any of them thouhg

Cool I think I'll give something like that a go!

The Black Oil

I use Nikwax stuff two or three times a year for hiking gear. Might be what mossym means.

http://www.nikwax.com/en-gb/index.php

mossym

The Black Oil wrote: »

I use Nikwax stuff two or three times a year for hiking gear. Might be what mossym means.

http://www.nikwax.com/en-gb/index.php

hadn't any particular brands in mind, i looked it up previously and there seemed to be a few different products, so if you have good experiences with that one it might be a good choice

TheTubes

Have been following this thread and the Gabba for quite a while but haven't purchased yet.

Wiggle now have the Gabba 2 LS marked as no longer available, they won't be getting more stock.
I may be reading too much into it but there has definitely been a price drop in the last month, I suspect that there will be a refresh coming up soon.
The original Gabba was out for 4 years before the Gabba 2 showed up. Castelli may be about to release a Gabba 3 or maybe just new colors of the Gabba 2 for 2016.

In any case, I was planning on getting the blue version so I'm getting closer to picking one up now.

There have been a few posts in this thread recently that have made me second guess it though.

If it looses it's waterproofing after a couple of washes and needs to be re proofed regularly I probably won't bother.
Have a lot of you noticed the waterproofing fading after just a few washes?

park500

They are not waterproof jackets. They have a windproof lining in the front panel only.
The surface is water resistant but you will get wet if it is raining.
The gabba is an excellent jacket for windy,cold conditions but if its raining an extra waterproof shell is necessary.

TheBlaaMan

mossym wrote: »

hadn't any particular brands in mind, i looked it up previously and there seemed to be a few different products, so if you have good experiences with that one it might be a good choice

Dont put Nikwax near your Gabba, it is a wax that you apply to waxed cotton jackets such as the Barbour range of outdoor jackets - I'd suspect it will make a right mess of the Gabba......

Oryx

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Dont put Nikwax near your Gabba, it is a wax that you apply to waxed cotton jackets such as the Barbour range of outdoor jackets - I'd suspect it will make a right mess of the Gabba......

Nikwax do a range of products.

I have a Gabba. Rain does get through it over a few hours but like wool, it still insulates when wet so you dont chill. I plan to reproof it with a wash in product once it loses its ability to bead off surface water.

mossym

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Dont put Nikwax near your Gabba, it is a wax that you apply to waxed cotton jackets such as the Barbour range of outdoor jackets - I'd suspect it will make a right mess of the Gabba......

i didn't look at what he posted, but yeah if it's wax based it's NOT what i meant.

the ones i meant are liquids, you add them to the washing machine when washing. definitely not wax based

Red Belly

TheTubes wrote: »

Have been following this thread and the Gabba for quite a while but haven't purchased yet.

Wiggle now have the Gabba 2 LS marked as no longer available, they won't be getting more stock.
I may be reading too much into it but there has definitely been a price drop in the last month, I suspect that there will be a refresh coming up soon.
The original Gabba was out for 4 years before the Gabba 2 showed up. Castelli may be about to release a Gabba 3 or maybe just new colors of the Gabba 2 for 2016.

In any case, I was planning on getting the blue version so I'm getting closer to picking one up now.

There have been a few posts in this thread recently that have made me second guess it though.

If it looses it's waterproofing after a couple of washes and needs to be re proofed regularly I probably won't bother.
Have a lot of you noticed the waterproofing fading after just a few washes?

Mine lost its waterproofing after maybe three or four washes but more significantly I think, after four or five real heavy drenchings in wet conditions. I tumble dried it for twenty minutes the other day and light rain was beading again that evening. I'd agree with the poster who said it is good for cold windy conditions and light rain showers. In future, during anything heavy I'd actually put a waterproof jacket or shell over it.

It is REALLY good in those cold windy conditions though. I have the short-sleeve and I can really feel the different levels of windproofing between the gabba and my arms which would be covered by a longsleeve base layer and fairly cheap arm warmers. A lot of people pair the gabba with nanoflex warmers.

RB

The Black Oil

http://www.nikwax.com/en-gb/products/productdetail.php?productid=3&itemid=-1&fabricid=-1

http://www.nikwax.com/en-gb/products/productdetail.php?productid=4&itemid=-1&fabricid=-1

I've used these for hiking gear.

coach22

About to get one of these for my birthday. My chest size is 38-39" and waist about 32". Anyone know would I be better of with the medium or the large?

mossym

coach22 wrote: »

About to get one of these for my birthday. My chest size is 38-39" and waist about 32". Anyone know would I be better of with the medium or the large?

that's roughly my sizes too(32 waist is big on me), and a large allows me to get a couple of tight base layers under. could wear a medium i'd guess but would be tight.

coach22

mossym wrote: »

that's roughly my sizes too(32 waist is big on me), and a large allows me to get a couple of tight base layers under. could wear a medium i'd guess but would be tight.

thanks. was going to go for the large but just wanted to be sure.

G1032

coach22 wrote: »

About to get one of these for my birthday. My chest size is 38-39" and waist about 32". Anyone know would I be better of with the medium or the large?

I'm seriously thinking about getting one too. Have you looked around for best prices?

What's a good waterproof top to wear over it on the really wet days? I bought an Altura jacket which was posted on the bargins thread about 18 months ago or so and I sweat a lot in it. Not exactly waterproof either.

It's €165 on Swim Cycle Run. Is that what I can expect to have to pay?
http://www.swimcyclerun.com/cycle-jerseys-tops/castelli-gabba-long-sleeve-jersey.html

It's available on Evans in size medium and Sprint Green colour for 98 GBP
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/castelli/gabba-2-long-sleeve-wind-rain-jersey-ec067225#features

mossym

why wear a gabba and then put waterproof layers over it? if you're putting on a waterproof, you can put on a normal long sleeve jersey,a base layer, and be just as warm. with the gabba, you're putting a waterproofing layer over something designed to be breathable while offering rain protection, kind of defeats the whole purpose.

if you want a decent waterproof jacket the sportful hot pack no rain gets my vote, had mine one when the heavens opened on me yesterday and it was superb

Red Belly

coach22 wrote: »

thanks. was going to go for the large but just wanted to be sure.

+1. I'm a 38 chest and 32 waist and the L is a good fit.

Rb

coach22

G1032 wrote: »

I'm seriously thinking about getting one too. Have you looked around for best prices?

I did look around and I think I found some good deals on a site called retto.co.uk http://retto.co.uk/cycling/fasts/castelli%20gabba.aspx

Think they are spanish based. Haven't used them before so cant comment on how reliable they are

I just ordered the convertible version for €175 all in including delviery to Parcell Motel up north. Should be with me between 8-13th of August

They have the blue longsleeve version for €125, black €143

Delivery times on these did not suit me though. Seems to be cheaper and quicker to get it delivered to Parcel Motel in UK

G1032

mossym wrote: »

why wear a gabba and then put waterproof layers over it? if you're putting on a waterproof, you can put on a normal long sleeve jersey,a base layer, and be just as warm. with the gabba, you're putting a waterproofing layer over something designed to be breathable while offering rain protection, kind of defeats the whole purpose.

if you want a decent waterproof jacket the sportful hot pack no rain gets my vote, had mine one when the heavens opened on me yesterday and it was superb

Righteo! Makes sense. I just saw a couple of posts here saying you'd want an extra waterproof layer for very heavy rain.

mossym

G1032 wrote: »

Righteo! Makes sense. I just saw a couple of posts here saying you'd want an extra waterproof layer for very heavy rain.

they're right. the gabba was meant as an outer layer though, if it's too wet for it i don't think putting another layer on top is the best approach, i'd leave the gabba at home and put a proper waterproof layer on

Oryx

mossym wrote: »

they're right. the gabba was meant as an outer layer though, if it's too wet for it i don't think putting another layer on top is the best approach, i'd leave the gabba at home and put a proper waterproof layer on

A layer on top (which will probably leak too) will stop the gabba doing what it does, beading water, and youll sweat inside it all anyway. I learned this layering 'waterproof' stuff last winter.

DeiseBoy2015

Has anyone any experience of the Onda Ultimate Rain Jersey? Seems to be a Gabba like jersey but has removeable sleeves...

Look up seankellycycling.com

G1032

DeiseBoy2015 wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of the Onda Ultimate Rain Jersey? Seems to be a Gabba like jersey but has removeable sleeves...

Look up seankellycycling.com

You've got me interested in this now too. Would love to hear any reviews

The Black Oil

Slightly cheaper here compared to Chain Reaction Cycles, though stock is limited in sizes, nothing above medium.

Anyone familiar with probikekit.co.uk?

Jim Stynes

Yeah. Very good site!

mossym

The Black Oil wrote: »

Slightly cheaper here compared to Chain Reaction Cycles, though stock is limited in sizes, nothing above medium.

Anyone familiar with probikekit.co.uk?

very reputable site, used several times, no issues. shipping can cost though so consider parcel motel

ednwireland

The Black Oil wrote: »

Slightly cheaper here compared to Chain Reaction Cycles, though stock is limited in sizes, nothing above medium.

Anyone familiar with probikekit.co.uk?

Used probikekit a fair bit never had any problems

G1032

The Black Oil wrote: »

Slightly cheaper here compared to Chain Reaction Cycles, though stock is limited in sizes, nothing above medium.

Anyone familiar with probikekit.co.uk?

The yellow is available in a large

G1032

Ordered one of these last night! Hope it'll fit right.

182cm tall. 79kg. 98.5cm chest. 90cm waist. I ordered a large.

The Black Oil

Thanks for the posts.

Ordered medium blue. It has been dispatched.

G1032

My Gabba arrived today. Large fits perfectly. Glad I didn't go for the XL like I was thinking about. Tried it on with one base layer and another will fit if need be. Now just to wait until the weather gets colder (but it still might get a run out this evening)!

The Black Oil

Nice. Where did you order from?

cython

Looks like Wiggle have just added an expanded range of the Gabba long and short sleeve today: http://www.wiggle.com/?s=gabba

Incidentally, has anyone got direct experience of the Gabba 2 vs the original to compare? I've seen the reviews online explaining the zipper storm flap, mesh pocket and redesigned waistband, but there are a couple of sites selling the original convertible for maybe 2/3 the cheapest price for the Gabba 2, and just wondering if it's actually worth spending the extra on the Gabba 2 or is it relatively small changes in reality?

G1032

The Black Oil wrote: »

Nice. Where did you order from?

Swim Cycle Run.
Just in from a spin! 35km or so. Love the jacket already. Fits so well. No flapping around. Good and long at the back to cover your behind. It was probably a degree or two too warm for it but I didn't really sweat too much. Really delighted I bought it now. It'll be a great jacket for the winter.

mossym

cython wrote: »

Looks like Wiggle have just added an expanded range of the Gabba long and short sleeve today: http://www.wiggle.com/?s=gabba

Incidentally, has anyone got direct experience of the Gabba 2 vs the original to compare? I've seen the reviews online explaining the zipper storm flap, mesh pocket and redesigned waistband, but there are a couple of sites selling the original convertible for maybe 2/3 the cheapest price for the Gabba 2, and just wondering if it's actually worth spending the extra on the Gabba 2 or is it relatively small changes in reality?

looks like wiggle just dropped the standard versions and went with a red wiggle exclusive version.

i've had the original, and now have the 2. too warm to have worn the 2 yet, only have it a week. it does appear to be a lighter material. haven;t noticed anything else, i'll have a close look at it tomorrow for you

macadam

Wore mine on Wednesday night in a good heavy rain shower, its definitely NOT waterproof, the seam on the shoulders was the worst, my back and front was dry but shoulders were soaked. Im a cold creature so Im happy enough that it keeps me warm, I had my rain jacket but decided to see what the Gabba2 was made of.

The Black Oil

Mine arrived today. Looking forward to trying it on the road.

brownian

Wore my SS Gabba2 for first time last weekend. Cool day, jersey was grand and warm. Heavy shower for last 20 mins of cycle - I did get properly wet across chest and shoulders. This suprised me a little, as I'd hoped for a bit more water resistance. Similar experience to macadam, really.

Great pockets, nice to have zip all the way down, for warmer days...but no substitute for a waterproof jacket, at least once we get a heavy shower.

Incidentally, they seem to be getting cheaper!

Don't Chute!

I'm in Sweden on holiday at the moment and just happened to go into a big sports shop called XXL and found the Gabba 2 long sleeve jersey for €150:eek: down from €280 so I took the feckin hand off them! Here's a link to the website but not sure if they deliver abroad and it's in Swedish.

https://www.xxl.se/castelli-gabba-2-ls-cykeltroja-15/p/1098398_1_style

Can't wait to get home and try it out now!