If you're looking for a winter cycling jacket that can handle everything from temperatures down to freezing, biting winds and yet more rain, then you're in luck because the Castelli Alpha RoS 2 Light jacket is currently on offer at a better-than-half-price deal in the January sales at Wiggle.
I first reviewed this jacket back in winter of 2020/21, and ever since it's been one of the few jackets that I reach for whenever it's clean. I find that despite not being quite so well-equipped as its heavier-weight sibling (the Alpha RoS 2), it actually proved a more useful jacket.
Notably the Alpha Ros 2 is also discounted heavily this week, but given I feel that the Light jacket is better suited to the winter riding that most people will do, that's where I'll keep my focus for this article.
Castelli claims it is best used in temperatures that range from 7C/45F to 15C/59F. However, with a winter base layer beneath, I find it's most comfortable from around freezing up to roughly 10C/50F. That's the perfect sort of winter temperature range for me. Any colder and I'm probably going to avoid the ice risk and stay indoors; any warmer and I'm into long-sleeve jersey territory, albeit swapping to a short-sleeve base layer extends the Alpha RoS 2 Light's range.
Castelli Alpha RoS 2 Light: £280.00 £126.00 at Wiggle
Save 55% - The Alpha RoS 2 Light jacket is rarely priced at its full £280 retail, and we have seen discounts bringing it down to near half price before, but this is as cheap as we've seen it.
Castelli Alpha RoS 2: £320.00 £160.00 at Wiggle
Save 50% - If you do find that the heavier weight jacket is better suited to the riding you do, then as mentioned, you'll find that it too is on offer at Wiggle. At 50% off, it's not quite as big a discount, but still very strong, although the higher original retail price means it'll set you back £160.
The biggest feature of the Alpha RoS 2 Light jacket, like its heavier sibling, is the double-layered front panels, complete with two zippers. The internal layer is made from the same material Castelli uses for some of its summer jerseys, and is great for wicking away moisture while still offering an additional layer of protection against the elements. The outer layer is made form GoreTex Infinium, a wonder-material quite frankly, that is breathable, waterproof (albeit not completely impervious in a downpour) and incredibly wind resistant. This outer material does an excellent job of staving off the biting cold chill of a January wind, and together they provide an excellent winter jacket.
The only negative listed in my review, and one that I stand by writing this today, is that the flap of material behind the zipper at the neck has a habit of jamming the zipper. It's easy enough to overcome with two hands, but that's not always easy when you're zipping up while riding.
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Elsewhere, the arms are long enough to play nicely with pretty much any winter cycling gloves. I have long arms, I'm not a gibbon by any stretch but they're proportionate with my lanky figure and I often suffer cold wrists at the hands of badly-designed jackets. Thankfully that's not the case here, as long as I choose a glove that extend beyond the wrist to create a little overlap. I do wish it had the two-layered cuff found on the heavier-weight Alpha RoS 2 which lets you layer the glove in the middle of the two, but you can't have it all, I suppose.
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At the back, the three pockets are big enough for all the essentials needed on a big winter ride, including a spare rain jacket, phone, keys, cash and spares, and they're low enough on the back to be reachable even after a few hours of riding have seized up every hint of my flexibility.
Incredibly, the discount here is available pretty much across the board, in all seven sizes and in actually nice looking colours including black, high-viz yellow and grey. The red variations do increase the price a tad, but even those are priced at £139.99 - still half price.
I'm aware this is still £126.00 for a jersey you'll only use for half of the year, but if my experience is anything to go by, then it'll stand the test of time and live with you for at least four winters (and still going strong). I'm reticent to say "act now before you miss out" because I'm not a used car salesman, but if you're after a winter jacket that can handle what I'll describe as a safe winter of riding - meaning anything down to potentially frozen roads - then this is a jacket I'd be happy to recommend.
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
