By James Haycraft
There are three things that make a bicycle feel comfortable: the bike fit, the saddle choice and the apparel. The first and the second are obvious but the third is, for the most part, taken for granted. People are happy to spend thousands of dollars on a bicycle and a couple hundred or so on a saddle but more often than not overlook what can be the most important element.
I have been riding bikes for 11 years, including several years of competitive bike racing and triathloning. For at least eight out of those 11 years I purchased the cheapest apparel I could get my hands on; for at least eight out of those 11 years I compromised on quality. Those less-than-$100 bike shorts usually lasted at most a year and frequently less, had paper-thin chamois that rubbed, chafed and generally didn’t flex to fit any of my anatomy, and the panel cut designs usually resulted in only a semi-decent fit.
Then, one day, I bought my first pair of Castelli bib shorts. It is relatively rare that I have occasion to pull on an article of clothing and simply say “Wow,” but this was just such an occasion. And before you admonish me for waxing on about super-expensive Castelli clothing, let me say that this particular pair (the Velocissimo Duo Bib short) retails at $124.99. That, my friends, is a positive steal. Of course, you can go as luxurious as the Body Paint line, whose shorts retail at double that price, but many of the great features of the top of the line trickle down to the more “entry level” items.
One of my personal favorites with Castelli shorts (Velocissimo and above) is the compressive leg band they utilize instead of the silicone grippers that have been on shorts for so long. I always used to flip those bands “up” because the silicone material would irritate my legs over the course of a long ride. Problem solved with Castelli. I can line up my shorts perfectly with my existing tan lines and receive no irritation other than the envious looks of other cyclists out on the road in lesser clothing.
Castelli also has two different types of chamois: the Kiss3 and the Progetto X2. The Progetto comes in their “nicest” shorts and the Kiss3 in their more “entry level” shorts. I use those words in quotes because even though Castelli deems the sub-$150 shorts “entry level” they are far, far superior to any price-comparable short on the market today. You may think it’s tough to tell a difference between different types of chamois pads but whatever it is about these, they fit ME right. Ultimately you can only determine for yourself after purchase and subsequent miles of use, but I feel confident in saying that you would be hard-pressed to find an anatomy with which these shorts do not interact well.
The designs of Castelli clothing make the wearer faster. Just kidding – but not really. Looking fast is a key in going fast, in my opinion. When you show up to a masters swim workout you perform best when you feel as though you are a part of the group – when you look like a swimmer. This serves to improve your mental edge and ultimately help you become a better athlete. On the bike, it also can make a difference when you look the part. The designs that Castelli produces are very current and match well with most bicycle colors and designs. And with a positive panoply of choices you would be hard-pressed to look anything but stellar dressed in Castelli attire.
You can benefit greatly, from a comfort perspective, by spending a bit more money on apparel. The clothing not only functions better, but it lasts much longer as well. Castelli offers tons of options across the price spectrum but their Velocissimo line is extremely tough to beat in terms of quality, price and durability.
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James Haycraft is the go-to bike guy for Inside Out Sports in Charlotte, N.C. His claimed knowledge of all things aero- and crr-related is unparalleled, at least in his own mind. Competing for the second year as a professional triathlete, all that he’s gotten so far is some cool race shirts.
