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

dexty

what's the gabba like for warmth? It's not fleece lined? What's it like on @1-6 degree nights with just a cold base layer underneath? Do people just wear a baselayer underneath?

I find the only danger on a cold night is if someone in the group gets a puncture and you are standing around for 10 mins!

Kinet1c

dexty wrote: »

what's the gabba like for warmth? It's not fleece lined? What's it like on @1-6 degree nights with just a cold base layer underneath? Do people just wear a baselayer underneath?

I find the only danger on a cold night is if someone in the group gets a puncture and you are standing around for 10 mins!

I start out on my commute at about 6:30 in the morning and the past 2 mornings it's been 8/9 degrees. I've not needed an under layer have been warm throughout, also wearing castelli bib tights with long finger sealskin gloves. I'd imagine when the clock goes back in a few weeks I'll probably need an underlayer as the temperature will have dropped.

mossym

wore mine for the first time yesterday. after the comments on here about it's warmth, i decided to just put on a sleeveless base layer under it heading out at 9am. mistake. was chilly for the first 2 hours. should have put on a heavier layer.


Jacket itself is excellent. face fit is superb. i got the luninous yellow colour, very handy for visibility, it does show up the dirt very easily though.

all in all happy enough with it. just need to get the layers right

pelevin

I think people can react very differently re warmth. My brother has a Gabba & clearly doesn't find it as warm as I do. A light base layer even in the coldest winter days is to my memory all I've ever needed with it.

stecleary

Just lined up a friend in the states to get me one and send it over. €160 plus postage. Will be ordering it the end of the month

billyhead

Thinking of getting one of these myself for the wet rides the winter will produce. Where is the best place to get it online and in relation to sizing I am 6ft 1 and 75kg so would it be XL or l size I should go for. Is it tight fitting

mossym

billyhead wrote: »

Thinking of getting one of these myself for the wet rides the winter will produce. Where is the best place to get it online and in relation to sizing I am 6ft 1 and 75kg so would it be XL or l size I should go for. Is it tight fitting

it is tight fitting, but it's race fit so meant to be. I'm 6'1, 80kg and ordered a large, happy out with it, can get a couple of light layers under it no problem

mathie

billyhead wrote: »

Thinking of getting one of these myself for the wet rides the winter will produce. Where is the best place to get it online and in relation to sizing I am 6ft 1 and 75kg so would it be XL or l size I should go for. Is it tight fitting

I've a brand new XL for sale if you're in Dublin you're more than welcome to try it on for sizing.

TheBlaaMan

I'm 6'1.5" 78kg and my XL is a perfect fit for me, tight race fit, with room for a base layer and light jersey underneath. There may be some variability in fit, or size.....?

The tax man

jamesd wrote: »

Bump to this question - any know?

I didn't read too much into the washing of these products with special products,until after a few washes with normal detergents that I found the water repellant properties starting to fade. After some reading up on what others have been using I decided to get some Nikwax Tech wash and Nikwax Tx Direct wash in. Both can be found on Amazon. I haven't worn my jacket since getting them, so haven't put anything through a wash with it yet.
I've a number of eVent jackets I also want to put through the wash to bring them back to life.

Boscoirl

Got a gabba recently, took it for its first spin this morning, it wasn't the coldest if morning, but it was chilly enough,

I got the ss version, and a pair of nano flex armwarmers, and wore a light base layer with them.

I was nice and toasty the whole spin, it kept the wind out, the armwarmers were not as good as the jacket. I could feel a bit of a chill through them

Now I need to get new gloves as my hands were frozen.

It wasn't wet here, but the spray from my back wheel beaded nicely on the back of the jacket.


Provided I am not as lazy for the rest of the winter as I have been the last 4-5 weeks, it's a good buy

Ken1975

Has anyone used the VeloRevolution "Hydra" long sleeve jacket, which is supposed to be a comparable product but at €115 it has to be at least considered.
Any views?

eoz

Ken1975 wrote: »

Has anyone used the VeloRevolution "Hydra" long sleeve jacket, which is supposed to be a comparable product but at €115 it has to be at least considered.
Any views?

I've seen the short sleeve and it's fairly impressive. I've a long sleeve ordered. Can't go too far wrong with Velo gear. They supply our club and I find it excellent.

usheeeen

jamesd wrote: »

Bump to this question - any know?

nikwax. They dont recommend the wash in stuff, only the sprays. I would link to bike24.com but I cant (thanks boards!)

Castelli recommend tumble drying for 5 mins on lowest setting or lightly ironing it- so maybe try that too?

Hunterbiker

Took delivery of a Verge Defend direct from Lucca Sports (Marcofan on Boards).
I missed the boards kit order but he does Verge brandes gear too.
For the money a great piece of kit. Will be taking it on a longer spin as soon as I can but the 10/ 20k spins so far have me hankering for rain

outfox

Ken1975 wrote: »

Has anyone used the VeloRevolution "Hydra" long sleeve jacket, which is supposed to be a comparable product but at €115 it has to be at least considered.
Any views?

Our club has Velo gear. I use the long sleeve jacket. Not sure if it's the Hydra, but it's sort of a soft shell jacket which looks like some of the Gabbas I've seen. I can recommend it, although persistent rain will seep in eventually. But at least you'll be warm. With the current weather I just use a long sleeve base layer inside it.

bwalsh1983

Dinging wrote: »

I don’t need a Gabba convertible but I really wanted one after reading this thread but just could not justify paying the Euro price for one. I was lucky enough to spot one on a US site for $150.00 for an XL convertible. Bargain, I thought but how to get it back to Ireland without incurring postage and VAT at customs. I have a colleague working in California who was good enough to purchase it on my behalf as the site would not accept European credit card and I paid him by Paypal so I was half way there, I had the jacket now all I needed was to get it back to Ireland. We agreed to pass it on to whomever from the company was heading back to Ireland from the US so I would have a Gabba convertible for give or take €110.00, sweet. Unfortunately for me my colleague no longer works for the company after almost 6 years and his departure was let's say unplanned. Now he is not answering my emails or phone calls, or Facebook or LinkedIn requests. I am in contact through another colleague with this guy but still no jacket. Damn you Gabba, damn you. I never wanted you so much. My quest continues.

You are not in contact at all with a guy who you know well enough to ask to buy/post/do a favour for you?

clod71

Dinging wrote: »

I don’t need a Gabba convertible but I really wanted one after reading this thread but just could not justify paying the Euro price for one. I was lucky enough to spot one on a US site for $150.00 for an XL convertible. Bargain, I thought but how to get it back to Ireland without incurring postage and VAT at customs. I have a colleague working in California who was good enough to purchase it on my behalf as the site would not accept European credit card and I paid him by Paypal so I was half way there, I had the jacket now all I needed was to get it back to Ireland. We agreed to pass it on to whomever from the company was heading back to Ireland from the US so I would have a Gabba convertible for give or take €110.00, sweet. Unfortunately for me my colleague no longer works for the company after almost 6 years and his departure was let's say unplanned. Now he is not answering my emails or phone calls, or Facebook or LinkedIn requests. I am in contact through another colleague with this guy but still no jacket. Damn you Gabba, damn you. I never wanted you so much. My quest continues.

111 for the old SS here... I got it from this crowd, it's a great jacket. you can stretch 1 euro I guess... XL available!
http://www.outdooraccessoires.nl/producten/cycling/cycling-jacket-vest/castelli-fietsjacket-gabba-ws-jersey-zwart-heren-11508-110-2014/

Dinging

bwalsh1983 wrote: »

You are not in contact at all with a guy who you know well enough to ask to buy/post/do a favour for you?

Update. Jacket received. My colleague came through in the end and passed it on to one of the lads who was travelling back to Ireland. Love it, great fit and very comfy. Well worth €110.00.

bwalsh1983

Dinging wrote: »

Update. Jacket received. My colleague came through in the end and passed it on to one of the lads who was travelling back to Ireland. Love it, great fit and very comfy. Well worth €110.00.

Super bargain even with all the tomfoolery.

pete_9715

artscyclery.com/descpage.html?pcode=CSMG2C

pity about the postage if you knew someone over its free usa postage

Alanstrainor

pete_9715 wrote: »

artscyclery.com/descpage.html?pcode=CSMG2C

pity about the postage if you knew someone over its free usa postage

Cheers, might be able to get a hold of one from there...that's a good saving!

pete_9715

raging i dont know anyone over cos €146 is a serious price have the previous convertible one and its a dream

pete_9715

raging i dont know anyone over cos €146 is a serious price have the previous convertible one and its a dream you wont regret especially coming up to winter

usheeeen

shipito? The shipping calculator at an estimate (1kg box with no dimensions and $150 value) is showing around $20 postage for the slowest and no insurance to $36 for the fastest with insurance.

So it should be cheaper than buying one here still.

Borderfox

Atm I am using a Feroce base layer and a gabba ls combined with a fawnsome gilet. Toasty warm without overheating

nattefrost

I picked up a velo revolution hydra for €100 and its amazing. was up the sally gap this morning wearing a long sleeved base layer, hydra jersey and a light gilet and it was more than enough. hit a few bad foggy patches and you could see the water drops rolling off the jersey.

Plastik

I still barely wear mine because, well, I've yet to be out in weather that justifies it. I'd say four times tops.

Borderfox wrote: »

Atm I am using a Feroce base layer and a gabba ls combined with a fawnsome gilet. Toasty warm without overheating

To be wearing the combination of the above I reckon it would need to be a very low single figure temp, and raining.

Borderfox

Yep, it was at the time

pelevin

Borderfox wrote: »

Yep, it was at the time

Prove it.