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review
Shorts & 3/4s
Castelli Velocissimo Team bib shorts Castelli Velocissimo Team bib shorts Castelli Velocissimo Team bib shorts
Castelli Velocissimo Team Bibshort

Castelli Velocissimo Team bib shorts

7
by David Arthur @davearthur
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jun 19, 2013

4
£100.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Stylish bib shorts with a comfortable chamois at an agreeable price, the Velocissimo Team bib shorts from Castelli are a good choice for summer riding.
Weight: 
215g
Contact: 
www.saddleback.co.uk
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Stylish bib shorts with a comfortable chamois at an agreeable price, the Castelli Velocissimo Team bib shorts are a good bet for summer riding.

The Velocissimo Team bib shorts run Castelli's much more expensive offerings very close, with the same good fit we've come to expect from the Italian company along with a chamois that offers decent comfort.

The KISS3 insert is a much simpler design than the Progetto pad you get in the pricier shorts, but it's still anatomically shaped and uses a seamless fit with the shorts.

Settling into the saddle, the KISS3 liner doesn't feel as plush as the posher pads, but for short and middle distance rides the padding provides enough cushioning that you won't ever become uncomfortable.

Some like it hot

The body of the shorts is made from Affinity Lycra 210g fabric. It's very stretchy and light stuff that in the heat provides very good breathability. Castelli give a temperature window of 17 to 35°C, and they certainly cope well with the hottest days we've experienced in the UK so far.

Sizing is spot on, the medium fitting me nicely. Castelli have a reputation, Italian as they are, for coming up small, and I know plenty of people have to size up. For that reason I'd recommend trying them on before you buy. Castelli produces a large size range from small to XXXL.

While the shorts are on the snug side, the stretch and 10 panel design ensures they shape around the thighs, legs and waist with no restriction.

Comfy mesh and grippers

A full mesh back with wide mesh bib straps keeps the shorts anchored over your shoulders. The mesh back helps with breathability, while the front section scoops down low and, with the stretch of the fabric, makes toilet stops a cinch.

Trickling down from their more expensive shorts is the Giro3 leg band, a wide strip of elastic that snugly keeps the legs in place without exerting too much pressure. It's a real step up from shorts that use a more traditional narrow stitched hem with a band of silicone tape, which never settles comfortably on the leg. The Giro 3 is so comfortable you don't even feel the shorts, and they stay put.

You get to choose from three colours options; black/yellow fluoro, navy/white and white/grey/black.

Verdict

Stylish bib shorts with a comfortable chamois at an agreeable price, the Velocissimo Team bib shorts from Castelli are a good for summer riding.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Castelli Velocissimo Team Bibshort

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Velocissimo Team Bib Short isn't our pro-level short, but it's no lunch-ride slouch either. The goal was to create a fantastically comfortable bib short for riders of all types, and rides of all distances. And in that, they have succeeded with flying colors. The Velocissimo Due's ten-panel Affinity Lycra construction ensures a perfectly sublime fit for a wide variety of body types, and the lightweight mesh straps won't bind or roll up over your shoulders during heavier exertions. Castelli's Giro3 elastic grippers round out the package, eschewing damage-prone silicone to keep the shorts in place no matter what you're doing in or out of the saddle.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Exceptional fit and comfort thanks to 10-panel construction in Affinity Lycra® 210g fabric

KISS3 seat pad for all-day comfort

Giro3 leg band elastic grips leg without binding

Mesh bib straps

Reflective band at back of legs

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Usual Castelli excellence

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Really very good, the chamois isn't quite as plush as their more expensive Progetto, but for the price it's not bad

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Yes very good

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Excellent, good fit, the chamois offers decent but not startling comfort and the Giro 3 leg openings are great

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

They stand up well against other mid-level bib shorts

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Brilliantly

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Nice fit and impressive chamois for the money

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Not a fan of the white stripe down the side, but that's purely personal, other colours are available

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

Castelli Velocissimo Team bib shorts
Castelli 2013
Castelli
David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

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4 comments

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5th | 11 years ago
0 likes

Loving my Velocissimo shorts; great fit, comfy chamois, look good too (not that you'd expect anything less from Castelli). The fit is definitely on the racy side, but that suits me just fine.

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jimmo62 | 11 years ago
0 likes

Have been using these for a year now and they are absolutely flawless. Super comfortable, great padding, snug but not over-tight fit, never had any chafing or soreness - an absolute delight!

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mrmo | 11 years ago
0 likes

not sure what short and middle distance means but did 135miles on Saturday and was fine, no issues in the shorts department.

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3cylinder | 11 years ago
0 likes

"the front section scoops down low" you can translate this as "if you have even the slightest amount of belly fat it will be pushed up into a nice little bib muffin"...

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