Castelli Velocissimo IV Bibshort

The Velocissimo IV bibshorts from Italian clothing specialist Castelli are sublime, especially thanks to that KISS Air pad. You seem to float over the saddle, and the whole shorts fit beautifully. Comfort is key and these have it by the chamois load.

• Pros: The pad is soooo comfortable, beautifully cut
• Cons: Low front panel

Velocissimo is Italian for very fast but these aren't Castelli's high-performance shorts, they are focused on comfort – 'It'll just seem like you get there faster,' Castelli reckons. They are certainly very, very comfortable.

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KISS Air pad

The heart of any bib shorts is the pad; get that wrong and it doesn't matter how good everything else is, they'll spend more time in your wardrobe than on your saddle. This KISS Air pad is one of the most comfortable I've worn, and I spent a lot of time in these shorts while riding the ultra-stiff J.Guillem Orient (review to come).

When you look at it there isn't a whole lot going on. There aren't grooves and channels running between various density pads, it's just a saddle shaped piece of foam with dimples in it.

For me at least, the foam is the perfect balance of thickness and firmness, so as you move around during the pedalling stroke it compresses without ever feeling bulky or bunching up. It's like a little shock-absorbing cushion that takes out a lot of the vibration that the bike can't handle.

Whether you are sat a little more upright and relaxed for a long day on the road, or hunched right over on the nose of the saddle for an eyeballs-out blast, the pad just seems to work.

A simple flatlocked seam around the outside to keep it attached doesn't irritate at all; you don't even know it is there.

Shorts story

As for the rest of the shorts, the material has a high level of stretch to it which means they can feel quite restrictive when you put them on, especially around the thighs, but this soon passes once you are on the bike and moving.

On the outer thigh there is another section of material that runs vertically and is more taut than the rest, which makes sure the legs stay put and means Castelli has only had to put vertical thin strips of silicone at the bottom of the legs rather than a thick gripper. This is great for comfort.

Castelli bib shorts have always had quite a low front compared with a lot of brands where the material comes higher up over the stomach. I'm not a massive fan of the lower design as I find it less supportive when in the saddle. I'm not whippet-thin with a single digit body fat percentage, though, so it could be that. (It's not me in the photos.)

For the bib section Castelli uses a mesh material to keep things lightweight and you cooler. They are comfortable as they pass over the shoulders and don't feel restrictive in any way, plus they are wide enough to avoid any pressure points.

When it comes to sizing Castelli is consistent... consistently small like a lot of Italian brands, so it's always worth going up a size to get a good fit in my experience compared to most others.

Good value?

Looking back through the list of bib shorts we've tested recently suggests that £100 for a pair isn't that excessive. Sure, we've had plenty under that, from the likes of dhb and Lusso that have scored very well, so more cash doesn't necessarily mean a better product.

But these Castellis are worth the money in my opinion, as the comfort levels are so impressive that you'd be likely to use them a lot. Looking at the quality of the build, they are going to stand the test of time too.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best cycling bib shorts

The recently reviewed MAAP Team Bibshorts look to be very similar to the Velocissimos in terms of performance and comfort but are nearly £75 more expensive.

Overall, the Castellis are right up there in the comfort stakes and will provide many fast and luxurious miles.

Verdict

High-performance bib shorts with a very comfortable pad for long rides or quick blasts