Road cycling is, in many ways, a gentlemen’s sport. Although grueling in nature and at times, incredibly intense, there’s a certain style that remains amidst the pain – a style uncommon in most other sports. Part of it’s the engineering style of a gorgeously designed road bike; part of it’s the style that permeates great cycling gear. And when it comes to looking good on your bike, there’s few companies that can compete with Capo. They’re like the Armani of the cycling world. They create sleek, sculpted pieces of cycling apparel that are seemingly tailored to fit your precise contours, and they do it while it maintaining the comfort and performance vital for a day in the saddle.
When it comes to selecting which Capo gear to opt for, I personally love the Modena line (for men). It’s stylish, incredibly comfortable, durable, and as far as price goes, it’s a tremendous value. As for the ladies, our female staffers love the Cortina line for the same reasons I’ve mentioned, and although it’s a little pricier than a men’s Modena gear, it’s still offers a tremendous value for the money. Here’s a look at both the men’s Capo Modena gear and the women’s Capo Cortina lineup, accompanied by some photos showing just how great they both look.
capo modena black jersey and black bib short
Capo Modena Short Sleeve Jersey (Men’s, $79.99)
Available in both white and black designs with contrasting white and black race stripes, the Capo Modena jersey is an exceptionally stylish, well-tailored jersey perfect for a quick sprint on the bike or a longer, more intense day of riding. The Modena jersey is constructed from lightweight polyester Drop fabric, offering both superb comfort and excellent moisture management properties. Other features include a full length lockable zipper, a silicone waist gripper and the traditional three pockets in the rear.
While it is the entry level jersey in the Capo line, the Modena jersey really does offer a superb level of styling. Despite owning other jerseys in the Capo line (all of which perform brilliantly, I might add), the Capo Modena is the one that garners the most praise from other riders, no doubt due to its elegantly simple design. Add to that a quality construction that’s held up brilliantly after numerous washes, and the Capo Modena jersey offers riders an incredible value for the money at a mere $80.
Capo Modena Bib Short (Men’s, $139.99)
Designed to match the styling of the Modena jersey, the Capo Modena bib short again features Capo’s trademark tailored fit in a stylish, comfortable package. Available in black with white stripes, the Modena bib short is constructed from Power Lycra along with an all-way stretch mesh upper and an anti-microbial multi-layer EIT (elastic interface technology) insert. The result is an extremely wearable bib short perfect for those of you seeking a medium level of padding when you ride.
While comfort is of course subjective depending on body type, for me, the Modena Bib short is an exceptionally comfortable option for non-competitive riding. Although it doesn’t offer the same level of compression as its more expensive Capo siblings, the Modena still offers excellent support due to its slimmer fit. If you’re looking for a stylish, well balanced bib short geared towards general everyday riding, the Modena bib short fits the bill exceptionally well, and at $140, it’s a tremendous value for the price.
white capo cortina jersey and black shorts
Capo Cortina Jersey (Women’s, $129.99)
When it comes to styling it wouldn’t be fair for men to have all the fun, so for women, Capo has created the Cortina jersey. It’s an incredibly sexy jersey that in addition to its stunningly gorgeous good looks, features the utmost in Capo technology to match. At its core, the Cortina Jersey is constructed from two key fabrics: Silver and HSC. Capo Silver is a dual knit micro fiber featuring quick dry technology that’s both exceptionally breathable and provides excellent moisture management properties. The second fabric – Capo HSC – is a high-gauge, lightweight microfiber that adds the perfect level of stretch to the jersey. Designed to move with you while you ride, HSC again provides excellent moisture management and anti-bacterial properties, and just as importantly, it doesn’t bunch or pull the more you move, making it remarkably comfortable. Other features of the Capo Cortina jersey include a full length lockable zipper, two back pockets, and your choice of either white or black designs with contrasting red accents.
On the road, the Cortina is just a gorgeously designed piece of cycling gear. It’s one of the most tailored women’s jerseys you’re going to find, but just as importantly, it’s construction places it easily at the forefront of jersey technology. Comfortable, breathable and beautiful, the Capo Cortina is everything you could ask for in a women’s jersey, and at $130, it’s well within the price range for most cycling enthusiasts.
Capo Cortina Shorts (Women’s, $159.99)
Complimenting the women’s Cortina jersey, the Capo Cortina shorts feature a matching design in black with white and red accents, and they look fantastic. Featuring an eight panel construction of Power Lycra and Dual-Ply Power fabrics, the Cortina shorts offer a superb level of muscle compression without sacrificing comfort. Inside, a women’s High Performance EIT insert featuring elastic one-piece construction offers an ideal level of padding for longer rides, and thanks to an intelligent design that utilizes varying thicknesses, the chamois remains comfortable without bunching.
Adding to their unique feature set, another notable attribute of the Capo Cortina shorts are their waist. Unlike cycling shorts that feature a traditional waist, the Cortina shorts feature a crossover waistband, offering support without placing too much pressure on the stomach. It’s just one of the many custom features Capo has implemented specifically for women in their Cortina line, and it’s one of the reasons Capo consistently ranks as one of the favorite cycling brands among our female riders.
To see more of both the Capo Cortina jersey and shorts and the Modena jersey and bib short, you can find photos of both in their varying color options in the gallery below. For more info on the Modena or Cortina or any of the other lines offered by Capo, you can find more information at the official Capo website.
