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Between ultra-aerodynamic skinsuits designed for competitive riders and traditional jersey-and-shorts sets focused on comfort, Castelli is attempting to create a new category with the Saturday Morning Skinsuit. This high-end road skinsuit promises to combine aerodynamic performance, practicality, and long-distance comfort in a single product. This positioning perfectly aligns with the evolution of modern cycling, where rides with friends often turn into full-fledged race sessions. We tested this skinsuit on several long, fast rides to see if it truly delivers on all its promised qualities.
By Guillaume Judas – Photos: ©3bikes.fr / DR
For a long time, full-body suits were reserved for pure competition: high-intensity criteriums, elite races, or time trials where every watt counts more than comfort. With the Saturday Morning Skinsuit, Castelli is taking an approach much more in tune with the recent evolution of cycling. The Italian brand starts with a simple observation: today, the fastest rides don’t necessarily happen with a race bib. Between intense group rides, long training rides pushed to the limit, and ever-faster cyclosportives, many cyclists are now seeking the aerodynamic efficiency of a skinsuit without having to make the usual compromises in comfort or practicality.
The Saturday Morning Skinsuit embodies this philosophy perfectly. More accessible than a radical racing skinsuit—thanks to its more forgiving fit—yet significantly more high-performance than a classic jersey-and-bike-shorts combo, it’s designed for demanding riders who spend several hours in the saddle while maintaining a competitive approach to cycling.
=> Buy the Castelli Saturday Morning Skinsuit for €270
A Strategic Position in the Castelli Lineup
In Castelli’s world of road skinsuits, the Saturday Morning Skinsuit holds a special place. It does not replace models designed purely for competition, such as the Sanremo Speed Suit or Body Paint, which were clearly developed for high-level racing and maximum aerodynamic performance. Instead, it aims to appeal to a broader audience: ambitious recreational cyclists, enthusiasts of long, fast rides, and riders who love to ride hard without resorting to extreme gear.
Castelli has cleverly designed this skinsuit by combining two already well-established products from its lineup. The top embodies the spirit of the high-performance jerseys from the Corretto series, while the bottom is based on the excellent Espresso 2 bib shorts, renowned for their comfort over long distances. This connection is immediately apparent once you put the outfit on. Whereas some full-body suits feel like you’re trapped in a compressive second skin designed solely for performance, the Saturday Morning maintains a more forgiving and comfortable fit.
The product is clearly aimed at those who want to optimize their aerodynamic performance without venturing into the sometimes extreme world of professional cycling apparel. Think of fast club rides, mountain bike rides, long summer days at a steady pace, or even amateur competitions where you’re looking for a marginal advantage without sacrificing comfort after four or five hours in the saddle.
=> Buy the Castelli Saturday Morning jersey for €270
A particularly cohesive technical design
Technically, the Saturday Morning Skinsuit impresses with the coherence of its construction. The top uses a very lightweight and breathable fabric, with a close-fitting cut that effectively minimizes flapping at high speeds without feeling tight. The long sleeves, with no visible seams, hug the arms perfectly and clearly contribute to the overall aerodynamic performance. The support is excellent, without feeling overly tight, which greatly enhances comfort on long rides.
The lower half features one of the best technical foundations in the Castelli catalog. The bib shorts are made with the Progetto X2 Air Seamless fabric, a well-known favorite among long-distance riders. Its main advantage is its ability to provide excellent support without creating pressure points even after several hours of riding. The fabric on the lower section combines moderate compression with great flexibility, allowing you to pedal freely even during prolonged out-of-the-saddle efforts or repeated changes in pace.
Another important point: Castelli has retained real rear pockets, including one with a zipper. This detail may seem trivial, but it completely changes how the product is used. While some jerseys quickly become restrictive as soon as you step outside a pure racing context, the Saturday Morning remains perfectly suitable for long training rides or full days on the bike.
Finally, the thermal management is particularly effective. The suit performs ideally across a wide range of summer temperatures, with excellent moisture-wicking even during intense exertion.
Surprisingly natural
The main quality of this Saturday Morning Skinsuit is immediately apparent as soon as you get on the bike: you forget you’re wearing it. That’s probably the best compliment you can give a full-body skinsuit. And this is mainly thanks to the absence of shoulder straps, which offers a rather rare sense of freedom without compromising overall support—all thanks to the product’s design. I tested the Saturday Morning in temperatures up to 32°C without feeling the need to open the center zipper to catch my breath.
The upper body support is remarkable. No unwanted flapping disrupts the sensation of speed, even at speeds over 40 km/h. However, unlike some ultra-compressive suits, you never feel like you’re vacuum-sealed. Castelli has clearly prioritized a more balanced approach, and it works extremely well in real-world use.
On long rides, comfort is good, but it could be better with a different pair of shorts. After several hours in the saddle, the Progetto X2 chamois lives up to its reputation with excellent cushioning and very little chafing. But I find the shorts slightly too loose around the hips. I would have preferred just a tiny bit more compression in that area to limit the movement of the Progetto X2 pad. It didn’t cause me any discomfort, but I sometimes had trouble feeling securely seated in the saddle. Perhaps the size S bib shorts are actually a bit too big for me, or maybe a more racing-oriented cut would suit me better. After all, the same chamois on other Castelli bib shorts feels much more comfortable to me.
Still, overall, the transition between the top and bottom is perfectly seamless, which prevents the wrinkles or tight spots sometimes found with separate pieces. The aerodynamic benefits also seem credible in practice. Without turning you into a WorldTour sprinter, the outfit provides that fluid sensation typical of very form-fitting clothing. At a steady pace, you can clearly feel that the air “catches” less than with a traditional jersey.
As is often the case with Castelli, the sizing is quite tight and often requires choosing a size larger for those with intermediate body types. This obviously depends on individual body types. It’s also slightly less practical than a traditional two-piece set, especially during bathroom breaks. Finally, the price clearly positions this jumpsuit in the high-end segment.
Minimalist, but not too much
Still, in the end, Castelli succeeds in offering a suit that’s truly usable on a daily basis—at least between May and September for those living north of the Loire. The Saturday Morning isn’t a lab-grade outfit reserved for a handful of elite riders. It’s a suit designed for passionate cyclists who love to ride fast, for long distances, and with a certain style—even if they don’t have the lean physique of a pro rider. And in this category, it’s probably one of the most well-rounded options on the market today.
=> Buy the Castelli Saturday Morning jersey for €270
The CASTELLI SATURDAY MORNING SKINSUIT at a glance…Pros: comfort of the “strapless” design, build quality, aerodynamics, heat and moisture management, overall fit, practical features An all-in-one model featuring the Corretto Jersey and Espresso 2 bib shorts – Chamois: Progetto X2 Air Seamless – Collar construction: contoured – Pockets: 3, with a fourth zippered pocket – Zipper: full-length YKK® Vislon® – Colors: 3 – Sizes: 7, from XS to 3XL – Weight: 262 g – Price: €270 – Contact: castelli-cycling.com |
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