Castelli

Body Paint Tour Limited Women's Bib Shorts

When Castelli first introduced its Body Paint collection, the apparel had already been put to the real-world-racing test by professional riders. The materials and fit were refined until both Castelli and its team cyclists were satisfied, and only then was the line released to the public. Well, Castelli is at it again, having worked with its original Body Paint formula to develop a limited run of its super-sleek bib shorts. Castelli is calling them the Body Paint Tour Limited Women's Bib Shorts, and they're available in the all-new 'Tour' graphic colorway.

The Body Paint composition feels as it sounds, like a barely-there skin layer that's been painted on. However, this isn't a byproduct of design, but the intent itself. In fact, every aspect of the design works to make the fit as precise as possible. This way, by eliminating fabric bunching and pulling, airflow passes over the shorts more freely. Integral in this concept is the fabric selection itself, in this case a lightweight Lycra that can only be described as soft. Furthering this attribute is the bib shorts' nearly seamless construction. The legs feature a one-piece design that flows continuously to the upper regions of the shorts. This smooth upper portion of the bibs is made from the exclusive Giro bib straps. Basically, this is a single strip of Giro fabric that's very soft and stretchy. Castelli then eliminated the Lycra trim that typically edges bib straps, and more often than not, cuts into your shoulders to cause discomfort. Over the past year, Castelli has worked extensively with Team Garmin-Barracuda in order to absorb rider feedback, tunnel test, and to achieve real-world race experience. As a result, the cut, shape, and elasticity of the bib shorts have been scientifically and methodically dialed-in.

This brings us to the shorts' aerodynamic benefits. It all comes down to managing airflow, and coincidentally, the human body accounts for over 90% of aerodynamic drag on the bike. To mitigate this, the shorts have been made to be what Castelli calls 'slippery.' Essentially, by combining a virtually zero-seam design with a low-profile, compacted thread Lycra, airflow remains attached to the body as it comes off of the helmet and front of the bike. Through this, turbulent air is controlled, and your drag numbers decrease.

At the cuffs of the bibs, the leg grippers aren't actually grippers. This is a Body Paint exclusive, as the inner-layer of the Lycra is precisely 'stripped away,' leaving thin lines of exposed fiber. These 'reduced' Lycra fibers have a soft, yet firm, grip on the skin, only without the potential irritation caused by a silicone band.

Rounding off the shorts is Castelli's most innovative chamois to date, the Progetto X2 Air. The Progetto's surface uses a skin-care layer comprised of a seamless bacteriostatic fabric that conforms to the body without folding. The material supports airflow, and aids in evaporation. The second layer is comprised of multi-density foam. With variable thickness, Castelli ensures that padding is only placed where you need it, not where you don't. The comfort level is also aided by Castelli's Viscous comfort inserts. Basically, these are perforated padding that have been added to the highly-sensitive ischial pressure regions.

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The Castelli Body Paint Tour Limited Women's Bib Shorts are available in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large and in the color Black.