Santini is a cycling clothing brand with a lot of history. The Italian company makes the leader’s jersey for the TDF and a host of other races… but what is the current summer range like to ride in?
The videos below are part of a longterm review of a clothing collection from Santini’s 2023 summer catalogue.
– Santini video review: part 1 (below) –
At the start of summer late last year, I received a package from BikeSportz, the long-time Australian agent for Santini clothing. Inside was a bundle of Lycra goodness: several jerseys, a few pairs of knicks, some socks and mitts. There are a lot of highlights of the clothing I was sent to review and it has taken a while to get around to sharing my thoughts.
With a few more weeks of the Aussie summer remaining, this is part of what will be an ongoing review of Santini’s range.
In the introduction video (above) I explain that this review varies slightly from previous features on cycling clothing, as I’ve asked Santini if it’s possible to trial a few different sizes to ensure I get the fit right.
It is the first time in a while that I wondered if I might need a medium rather than small. After a bit of trial and error, this assumption seems incorrect.
– Santini review: part 2 (below) –
What prompted my original rethink is the relatively short length of the sleeves and legs, certainly when compared with contemporary cycling kits from other brands. My guess that the medium jersey might have longer sleeves, or that the medium knicks might have longer legs, turned out to be wrong.
With both the small and medium, the chamois is snug, the braces appropriate length, and the fit around my chest, waist, and bum just about right (with small being just that little bit tighter – as I prefer)… it’s just that Santini doesn’t seem to have followed industry trends with this kit.
– Santini review: part 3 (below) –
Once I had come to terms with the length of the sleeves and legs, each ride in the Santini was more enjoyable. Instead of trying to pull the knicks down closer to my knees, I just rode and let them settle where they are designed to (ie. on my thigh, up higher than I’d like – and more akin to knicks from only a few years ago).
In this series of three videos, the products referenced are the Mirage Summer Jersey and the Redux Speed Bib knicks.
There is more to the Santini review than the Mirage / Redux combination alone but this is the first of what will be a more detailed overview of cycling clothing and how things have evolved in recent years.
There are many highlights of the Santini collection and more will be published on ridemedia.com.au as well as RIDE’s YouTube channel in the coming days). There are various reasons why it’s worth taking a look at the catalogue, it is immense and you will surely find an outfit that’s suitable for the kind of cycling you do and the styling you like.
This is high-quality clothing from an established player in the cycling clothing market and while Santini doesn’t quite share the buzz that surrounds other labels, it continues to explore the possibilities that exist with modern fabrics, clever designs, and a range that caters equally for men and women, pro and amateur, winter and summer (and all else in between).
Click play on the videos above to get an overview of my thinking while I’m riding in the new Santini kit. And stay tuned to RIDE Media as there is much more to say about cycling clothing.
As referenced in the third video of the series, I’ll be showing this clothing (and other kit collected over the years) to someone with a long history in sporting fashion and getting her insight into the stitching used, the seams and finish, and fabrics, grippers, zipper and more… and there will be even more to say add about cycling kit that is about a lot more than just following one trend or another.
This is performance sports clothing and a market segment that has evolved and grown considerably in recent years. There is a lot of tech, plenty of innovation, some interesting colour selection, and plenty of consideration required when it comes to selecting the garment that suits your cycling.
Cycling kit in 2023 doesn’t always come cheap and it is certainly worth investigating the full range to ensure you find the outfit that’s right for you.
I’ll keep riding, filming and writing about this topic and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to write and I’ll do my best to provide an answer. To be continued…
– By Rob Arnold
