During the halcyon days of fall riding, it’s easy to forget the winter weather that’s to come. We naively pedal under crisp blue skies and through tunnels of orange, yellow, and red, but winter always arrives, thwarting our autumnal bliss with heavy grey clouds and temperatures that dip far too low for thermal jerseys alone. Around the Competitive office, this is the cue for some of us to take out the trainer and resign ourselves to a few months in the basement, but if you’re looking to gain a competitive edge for your spring season, you’ll want to be braver than we are and stay outside, and the Castelli Men’s Espresso 4 Jacket will help you do it. Cut in a silhouette that’s kind for a season of rich holiday meals and hearty food, the Espresso 4 was crafted for miles that won’t always feel pleasant. Castelli focused on equipping you to handle frigid temps and mixed precipitation, constructing the Espresso 4 with Gore’s venerable Windstopper X-Fast fabric to provide wind and water resistance for hours at a time. Four-way stretch panels integrated throughout the body of the jacket keep it moving with you as you shift positions in the saddle, and zippered ventilation openings allow you to add airflow on interval days. As we expect from Castelli, a host of other innovative touches on the Espresso 4 serve to enhance comfort on the bike, especially during a season filled with long, low-intensity base mile efforts. Castelli’s CrossWrap wrist closures keep the arm cuffs lying flat under gloves, while a double-layered collar seals out especially aggressive gusts. The zippered vents not only help you stay cool, but serve as extra space to stash ride fuel or cash for the coffee shop, and they work with the three rear and zippered chest pocket to provide you with ample storage space. Finally, reflective piping along the jacket’s waist enhances your visibility to motorists during winter’s limited daylight hours.