Castelli

Great big shorts, love Castelli products overall. But I forgot that Castelli are sized for elite racers and will run small for an American cycling enthusiast. I purchased a medium, which i normally do for bib shorts of other brands, for ex Gore or Pearl Izumi. A large size would not be as tight with the bib straps and more room. Otherwise, these shorts have a fantastic pad and a solid fit on the legs.

When I bought these on sale, I was a bit skeptical about how this much performance could be packed into this short. The fit, feel, finish is superb. The gripper legs are perfect for no slippage, and the chamois is top notch. They look great too, and compare to other Castelli bibs like the free aero quite well. They don't breathe as well as the aero, but for cooler weather, that is no problem. I am normally a M/L size but in Castelli, I wear the XL at 5'11', 172 pounds.

This is my 3rd Castelli bibshort in roughly 8 years, I still have the first one, still usable if a bit rough around the edges & not sufficiently padded & fitting for a day-long ride. But still excellent, and holding together. I always want 2 good ones in the drawer of bike clothes for my day-long rides, now I have 2. Very pleased with this latest. Form-fitting, comfortable, excellent for long rides in hot, temperate & even cold weather (this last essentially as "underclothes").

These shorts are good quality with a comfortable liner and nice finish. The pockets are nice and quite useful. I've used them for road and gravel riding. The usual caveats about Castelli sizing come into play. I'm 6' 2' and ~185lbs and XL fit me well.