Though there is no denying that competition is a major part of cycling, sometimes we simply want to get out on our bikes and ride just to have fun. To do that, you certainly want some well-made kit, but you don’t necessarily want to wear top-line, top-dollar togs. The Pinarello Corsa Collection Short Sleeve Jersey is made exactly for those sorts of rides. Comfortable enough to wear on all day treks, but reasonably priced so you can feel flush enough still to buy a coffee mid ride.
The Corsa Jersey chest panels are made mainly from Giordana’s Gi27 fabric. It is a supremely soft material largely due to the special hydraulic treatment process they put it through which smoothes out the knit, creating an almost velvety feel. This makes the material feel so comfortable against the skin that you won’t want to wear a baselayer. Gi27 also has excellent elasticity, which means that it will give you a racing fit without encumbering you. It also has the added advantage of being extremely colorfast, so that you won’t have to worry about fading colors or bleeding dyes in your laundry.
For the rear panels of the jersey, Host Carbon gets the call. The fabric has an elastic composition, which makes it possible for it to mold to the shape of your back while still providing the stabilizing support required to hold the pockets in place and keep the lower half of the jersey from sagging. There is actual carbon incorporated into the material. It provides very practical services such as acting as an anti-bacterial and aiding in the acceleration of evaporating any sweat build-up. Another quality that is less easy to quantify is that carbon helps promote the overall well-being of the wearer since it protects the rider from the electrical charges that permeate our world. Giordana contends that the electrical charges in the atmosphere, often the result of things like cell phone towers, can negatively affect athletic performance by hindering muscle contraction, thereby promoting fatigue and cramping. To combat this, the carbon fibers in the fabric actually conduct the charges away from the body, preventing the body from retaining lactic acid during the training session.
Though Giordana has designed this jersey, the paneling as well as many of the fabrics are exclusive to the Pinarello line. A case in point is the use of Asteria 3.0 shoulders and sleeves. Asteria 3.0 is an evolution of Asteria 2.0, which provides micro-compression and better coverage than its predecessor. The micro-compression is light, facilitating a non-restrictive aerodynamic fit, which makes it a perfect fabric to use for the shoulder and arm areas since that is effectively the leading edge of the human body on the bike. Asteria 3.0 provides excellent moisture transfer, and will move the sweat away from your neck and shoulders, to prevent that soaked feeling. And Asteria 3.0 has also been developed to protect against the harmful UV rays. Micromesh under the arms will help ventilate that often damp region.
As for the other bits and bobs, the Corsa Jersey has a reverse CamLock full zipper, which is what every jersey should have. They have also taken the trouble to put a zipper guard at the top of the collar so you won’t get pricked and scratched on those occasions you feel the need to zip up all the way. Three rear pockets at the back will give you ample storage space, and the light elastic with silicone gripper at the waist will ensure everything stays in place, even when you are fully loaded. And a touch of reflective accents on the pockets will keep you visible when the sun starts going down.
When all you want to do is be on your bicycle, treat yourself to a Pinarello Corsa Collection Short Sleeve Jersey. It will be your constant comfortable companion during long jaunts on the open road.