Castelli's says its new Do.Di.Ci jacket is the "spiritual heir" to the Gabba

Castelli Do.Di.Ci jacket — (Image credit: Castelli)

As a cyclist, autumn isn’t an easy season to dress for. Temperatures often fluctuate. It can be mild. It can be cool. It can be downright cold. And while rain is often on the cards, there can be plenty of dry days, too. Ultimately it means that one jacket is rarely enough to handle all the vagaries of weather at this time of the year.. Which seems to be the genus behind Castelli’s new Do.Di.Ci garment.

Castelli is known for making some of the best jackets for cycling, with an extensive range to cover the seasons. The latest edition, the Do.Di.Ci, aims to deliver breathability and comfort for high-intensity rides in cool, dry conditions.

The Italian brand says the jacket is “the spiritual heir” to its iconic Gabba jacket. While this was ostensibly created for racing in the rain its popularity led to many riders using it in dry weather, which isn’t where it performs best.

Enter the Do.Di.Ci. By removing the need for waterproofing, Castelli has been able to use a material that blocks the wind while still allowing the wearer to breathe. Called Ristretto technology, it’s been developed in partnership with “fabric pioneers” ITTTAI. The result is a stretchy PFAS-free material that Castelli says has “unrivalled breathability; its air permeability of three cubic feet per minute makes its the brand’s most breathable jacket in its 2025 Fall Winter line-up and a claimed 12 time more effective that the Gabba at evaporating sweat.

How does it work? In short it restricts the amount of air flowing through the fabric to protect against the wind but still evaporates sweat far more effectively than a waterproof layer, thus, Castelli says, keeping cyclists drier on the inside. Certainly anyone who’s worn one of the best rain jackets in dry conditions will know just how uncomfortable they can be when they aren’t called on to do their sole job.

Castelli says the Do.Di.Ci is best suited to temperatures 8-15°C, or 46-59°F. If this makes it appear rather niche, presumably this range can be expanded with the addition of a warmer baselayer. However, the recent release of the Perfetto RoS 3, which offers additional weatherproofing, does suggest that Castelli is happy for the Do.Di.Ci to be a specialist for those racing and training hard in dry and cool weather.

Offered in both a short and long sleeve design for men as well as long-sleeve women's version, other details include three rear pockets, a full-length YKK Vision zipper, and reflective piping. Colour choices are Rich Red, Ultraviolet, Light Black and Mocha for men, while the women’s jacket is offered in light Black and Ultraviolet only.

Prices for the Do.Di.Ci are £250/$280 for the long-sleeve and £220/$240 for the short sleeve.

Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for over twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, Golf Digest, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.