Castelli Nel Mezzo RoS Jersey Review

Before facing the deep cold of winter, we put on the Castelli Nel Mezzo RoS jersey to ride through the heart of this off-season. A jersey-jacket (or a jacket-jersey!) warm and breathable enough to accompany you in often changing weather conditions and which will perfectly find its place in your cycling wardrobe.

By Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE. Photos: 3bikes.fr

In the heart of autumn, apart from those privileged on the French Riviera, avid cyclists often play cat and mouse. Sometimes the sun is generous, often it disappears; often the rain pours, sometimes it fades. In front of the wardrobe, the cyclist often finds himself at a loss: jacket? Long-sleeve jersey?? Windbreaker??? If there is one brand that knows how to protect or adapt to weather conditions, it is the Italian Castelli. With its wide range of products for all temperatures, in dry or wet weather, its technical fabrics and its fitted cuts, Castelli has been the reference in apparel for many years. A careful look at the professional peloton is enough to notice it or to be convinced.

Rain or Shine

For our part, as summer has gone, we opted for the Nel Mezzo RoS jersey. In French, “in the middle” for Nel Mezzo and “Rain or Shine” for RoS. But in the middle of what? Of the range, more precisely: between the jersey and the jacket, and between cold protection and breathability. The Nel Mezzo features a double-layer Nano Flex Xtra Dry (polyester interior and Nylon exterior) that protects against wind, much more than a simple traditional jersey, and which at the same time is air permeable, meaning it is more breathable than a winter jacket and, moreover, a windbreaker.

From 10° to 18°C

Less technical in its design than an Alpha jacket tested at the beginning of the year or a Perfetto, this jersey is also intended for warmer temperatures, between 10° and 18°C, in dry or wet conditions. While the fabric has a water-repellent treatment, it is not completely waterproof. As always with Castelli, the cut is (very) fit and designed for the cycling position with a back panel that extends much lower than the front panel and with a wide silicone elastic band to keep it in place during effort.

The Nel Mezzo is made from a hyper-stretch fabric. The sleeves are long to optimize the connection with gloves, the collar goes high, right under the jaw, and the inner fabric is fully fleeced like a vest.

4 accessible pockets

It features a YKK Vislon zipper with an internal protective flap at the top. Also, three large and deep pockets in the back, to which a fourth “open” pocket, but still with an upper flap, at the bottom of the right side and equipped with a mesh inner fabric, where you can, for example, slip your keys or your phone (be careful in case of rain though). Note the presence of reflective strips around the arms and across the entire width of the back at the lumbar level. A discreet “Castelli” mention is present on the upper chest. Available in sizes S to 3XL and in three colors (black, red, and a very classy navy blue), this jersey still weighs 450 g (L) on the scale and costs €189.95.

Great comfort

The first sensation when putting on a jersey or jacket: comfort. Here, the Nel Mezzo RoS has a very fitted cut and fit, like all Castelli products. This is especially true for the arms, shoulders, chest, and a little less for the stomach and lower back. This enveloping sensation is very pleasant, especially with this double layer of fabric and this very comfortable fleeced interior. It almost feels like putting on your favorite little winter sweater, which you know in advance will keep you warm. The sleeves go beyond the wrists and the height of the collar prevents air and water from passing through, as it “sticks” under the jaw. Take your time to choose your size: accustomed to wearing tops in size M, our test of size L proved to be ideally fitted.

Thermal retention as a strong point

In motion, the back panel perfectly hugs and covers the upper buttocks. Despite alternating between seated and out of the saddle positions, the Nel Mezzo doesn’t budge. A few creases appear around the stomach but they are not at all bothersome. The sleeves don’t ride up and their length helps preserve warmth even when hands are in the drops of the handlebars as the distance lengthens.

Tested during a first sunny morning ride at 21°C without intensity, with a simple base layer underneath, the Nelmezzo kept us a little too warm: definitely too much on the climbs and just right on the flats and descents. It was mainly the height of the collar that caused this excess heat and the need to open the zip to cool down. In the temperatures for which it is recommended (10°-18°C), it proved to be much more balanced between excellent body heat retention and fairly good ventilation. Let’s say the balance leans more towards thermal retention, its strong point, than breathability, which remains quite limited in our opinion.

The Castelli Nel Mezzo RoS can be considered for temperatures slightly below 10°C, if the weather is dry.

In our opinion, the Nel Mezzo RoS can also be considered for lower temperatures, slightly below 10°C, if the weather is dry, especially if you add a thin layer such as a classic short-sleeved jersey. That said, having tested this configuration, adding a layer under this very fitted cut is not the most comfortable and is not the intended purpose when buying this product anyway.

A few minutes under water… no more!

We didn’t have the opportunity to do a real ride in the rain. Out of curiosity, we therefore put it on during a running training session on a rainy evening. Besides the uncomfortable high collar for running, the Nel Mezzo held up quite well for about fifteen minutes before taking on water. This jersey is not intended to be used as a rain jacket anyway, but on a wet road or in a light drizzle, it will protect you for a few minutes thanks to its water-repellent treatment.

The YKK Vislon zip slides particularly smoothly, making it easy to manage temperature in case of thermal imbalance. At the back, the width of the pockets is practical for slipping in a gloved hand and grabbing a bar or gel without difficulty. Their depth also allows you to carry everything you need for refueling or repairing a puncture if you don’t use a saddlebag. The 4th pocket on the right side is also wide enough for your smartphone if it doesn’t exceed a normal size. Larger sizes fit less easily. The tested color may not be the classiest compared to the very beautiful navy blue available, but it has the advantage of offering great visibility, in addition to the 3 reflective strips, which is particularly interesting at the end of the afternoon with the time change.

On paper, the weight of 450 g in size L for this jersey clearly appears as a disadvantage for a “jersey”, however warm it may be. But during our rides, it never bothered us, the feeling of comfort largely taking over. The Nel Mezzo RoS is an ideal mid-season jersey to wear during autumn before the heavy winter jackets or in spring when you can’t completely undress. A jersey… or rather a small jacket in our eyes, so much does it provide this feeling of a protective envelope against the elements.

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