Castelli at Beeline
We have been stocking Castelli for several years; Castelli offers road cyclists high performance garments to make riding better, and looks great too!
History of Castelli
The story of Castelli originates 134 years ago in a small tailoring shop in Milan founded by Vittore Gianni. The Company took a definitive turn toward cycling in 1935, when one Armando Castelli became a part of Gianni’s staff.
Four years later, Castelli purchased the company from Gianni, and the story kicks into gear. Armando supplied the cycling heroes such as Coppi, Bartali, Bobet, Van Looy, and Anquetil, and along the way expanded that effort into supplying a handful of professional teams.
It wouldn’t be until the birth of Armando’s son, Maurizio, that Castelli as we know it today, would soon take shape. The youngster came up in cycling, and it was only logical that he would end up in the business, however, the extent of his passion and desire for innovation would soon cause a parting of ways with his father and the founding of the Castelli brand in 1974. The firsts began to roll out with regularity soon after.
For three decades, Castelli created apparel that defined modern cycling. Eddy Merckx carried a refined version of a Castelli body suit to the world record in the one-hour. Bernard Hinault wore a Castelli windproof jersey to win the Fleche Wallone classic. Perhaps most importantly, Maurizio pioneered the sublimation dye process, an advance that allowed colors, logos, and his signature aesthetic flair to be added to even the most technical fabric. Cycling – and sponsorships – would never be the same.
1995, Maurizio’s life was cut short at age 47 when he died of a heart attack riding up the Cipressa hill, the legendary ascent on the Milan-San Remo course.
Castelli has been at the forefront of essentially every breakthrough in cycling clothing since making the wool shorts obsolete. In 2010 Castelli created a garment that would set a new industry standard, the Gabba offered water and wind resistance and became a favourite with pro’s and amateurs.
Castelli Today
Castelli can still be found at the front end of the pro peleton, sponsoring Team Sky and playing a part in Chris Froome’s 2017 Tour and Vuelta victories