Sportful adds R&D concept line and Fiandre wet-weather gear to 2016 range
Adventurous thinking and design from Castelli's sister brand
This article originally appeared on BikeRadar
Adventure appears to be the buzzword for road cycling in 2016, and Sportful has a few new pieces designed for big rides and foul-weather conditions. Here we look at two pieces in the R&D concept line — where an integrated baselayer replaces shoulder straps on a bib short — and the new Fiandre wet-weather gear.
R&D bib short and jersey
The most interesting piece though is the R&D UltraSkin Short $249 / £120, which ditches the traditional shoulder straps for an integrated baselayer, which zips up like a skinsuit. That's not the only zipper on the short, either: a small one is placed on the shorts as you'd find on a pair of jeans for nature breaks. The thinking here is that a baselayer is a necessity for long days, and that a baselayer alone is more comfortable than a baselayer with bib straps over the top of it.
Thus, the $129 / £85 Fiandre Light NoRain Bibshort and the $179 / £125 Fiandre NoRain Bibtight feature a fabric flap that, like the rest of the short and tight, is treated with the NoRain silicone treatment. Sportful and Castelli are sister companies, but NoRain is not the same as Castelli's NanoFlex, Loots said. "NoRain is part of the fabric, not a spray-on treatment," he said.
Both NoRain pieces are fleece-lined for warmth.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1