Castelli Women’s Bib Shorts Guide
By Stan Portus – 22 February 2021
Castelli’s women’s bib shorts and shorts provide unrivalled comfort and performance. For riding at the weekend, racing, embarking on gravel adventures, or taking part in sportives and grand fondos. This guide explains Castelli’s range.
Bib shorts are the best way to ensure a great ride. Castelli are committed to providing the ultimate race wear, but there is also something for everyone in its collection.
Designed for you, whether you're riding at the weekend, every day, racing, embarking on gravel adventures, or taking part in sportives and grand fondos, Castelli’s bib shorts provide unrivalled comfort and performance.
The Seat Pad
There are many factors that make a great set of bib shorts but the seat pad, or chamois, is the most significant. As the main contact between the body and the shorts the seat pad plays a crucial role in ensuring comfort and support.
Castelli uses two women’s specific seat pad designs in its road and gravel collections: the Progetto X2 and the Kiss Air 2.
The Progetto X2 seat pad is used in all Castelli’s pro-level shorts. The pad is constructed from two layers. The top layer is seamless and made of a four way stretch microfibre that offers maximum softness and moves with the body to prevent irritation. The layer is seamless to reduce chaffing and has a perforated back that allows airflow. There is a separate saddle shaped cushioning layer that has gel inserts and high-density foam for comfort.
The Kiss Air 2 has a seamless skin care layer to reduce chaffing and abrasion. It is stretchy to move with you. The anatomical shaping of the pad creates the perfect interface between shorts and body. The Kiss Air 2 has variable thicknesses of padding providing the right amount of cushioning in every part of the pad.
Shorts or Bib Shorts?
Bib shorts offer great support when out riding, as the bib straps hold the seat pad and body of the shorts in the perfect place, ensuring great comfort. They are great for when every second counts, and for avoiding any unwanted digging in of the waistband you’re your lent over the drops. However, bibs do involve a bit more hassle as they sit underneath your jersey.
Castelli offers many of its designs as bib-less shorts. These are great if you’re riding every day, training indoors as they are cooler than bibs, or simply don’t want the hassle of straps for any inevitable comfort breaks. The waists of Castelli’s women’s shorts that are designed to hold the shorts and seat pad in place.
Free Aero Race 4 Bib Shorts
Castelli Free Aero Race 4 Women's Bib Shorts
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The Free Aero Race 4 Bib Shorts are for all out fast riding. First introduced over a decade ago they have since logged millions of kilometres, which
The inner leg is made from Forza fabric, but the outside of the leg is made from Vortex fabric which is dimpled for aerodynamics. Flat lock stitching reduces abrasion. Giro4 leg grippers distribute grip over a large area and stripe mesh straps keep things cool.
The Free Aero Race 4 Bib Shorts use the Progetto X2 seat pad.
Unlimited Women’s Bib Shorts
Tailored to the demands of gravel riding and taking the road less travelled. The Unlimited Women’s Bib Shorts use 200g/m2 fabric that is highly resistant to abrasion and is resistant to tearing, while not compromising on stretch or moisture control.
A double layer of fabric on the thighs and hips means that in case of any tumble the fabric-sliding-on-fabric effect offers some extra protection. The double layer of fabric also creates two pockets on the thighs for stashing any supplies and easy access while cycling. On the back of the bibs there are two more pockets meaning these shorts deliver big on protection and big on cargo room too.
The women’s Unlimited Bib Shorts use the Progetto X2 seat pad.
Velocissima 2 Bib Shorts
The Castelli Velocissima 2 Bib Shorts offer unrivalled breathability whilst maintaining maximum comfort and freedom of movement for long endurance rides or even quick hour-long sessions.
The bib shorts are made from Endurance Evolution fabric. Highly breathable, the fabric provides just the right amount of compression to help with optimal muscle support and blood circulation.
A flat-form waist construction in the front and rear, in conjunction with featherweight bib straps that fall effortlessly across your shoulders, accommodate a wider range of body shapes.
The Velocissima 2 Bib Shorts use the Kiss Air2 seat pad and are also available as strapless shorts and three-quarter length knickers.
Prima Bib Shorts
Castelli Prima Women's Bib Shorts
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The Prima Bib Shorts are ideal if you’re new to the world of cycling, or simply to a bib design. Made from Pro Dry Soft matte Lycra, the Prima Bib Shorts are highly breathable and cool to the skin while maintaining a sleek understated appearance.
Attention to detail is paramount: the rear reflective panels are sewn on rather than printed and the Giro3 elastic leg grips are woven straight into the fabric.
The Prima Bib Shorts are constructed around the Kiss Air2 seat pad.
Illusione Shorts
The Castelli Illusione Shorts bring incredible comfort to your longest days in the saddle.
The shorts use Invita fabric which is luxuriously soft while providing excellent muscle support keeping your legs working their best throughout your ride, while an articulated soft-touch waistband holds the cycling shorts in the perfect place.
The shorts are complete with lie-flat leg bands and silicone dot grippers that hold the shorts in place without compressing the leg too much.
The Illusione Shorts use the Kiss Air2 seat pad.
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