Castelli Cattivo Bib Shorts - Gear Review

The Cattivo Bib from Castelli is a solid performance bib. Although not the top of the line like the Castelli Ypro Bib which from what I've heard has a very comfy chamois worthy of the extra loot, the Cattivo stacks up quite nicely among bibs and is no slouch. Truth be told, it's become my go-to bib for climbs and longer rides so far this cycling season. The bottom hem of the short has a rubber lining that prevents movement on the leg, adding to the perfomance fit. Flat seams and stitching keep the comfort level high and are done so well as to be non existent. Surely quality Italian tailoring doens't stop with Armani. Castelli turns heads and this type of design and build is visible in the Cattivo. The Benefits of a Bib If you've never tried a bib before there are obvious benefits. Those include: Regardless of your jersey riding up you'll not be hoisting your shorts up higher Increased warmth to your core which will prevent cramping and increase blood circulation, aiding in muscle performance Moisture wicking over a greater area, particularly with Castelli's Urano Lycra This spring I've really seen the benefit of the bibs with the added warmth to the core as the chill in the morning air has in the past made my core cooler. I have been wearing a sleeveless dri-fit shirt under the bibs most of the time but yesterday I rode without the dri-fit shirt for the second time and the only discomfort I found was with my heart rate monitor against the bib strap. Moving the heart rate monitor strap down a bit and I was solid for the 45 mile ride. The chamois made by Castelli is the trademarked Kiss pad. It is a non-binding, non-bunching, four-way stretch chamois with antibacterial treatment for solid and lasting comfort. The antibacterial treatment also fights odor. To test this I rode 5 days in a row with these bibs without washing and unlike my dri-fit shirt which was repulsive from 25 feet, the bibs weren't smelly. (the things I do to "test" gear) Since I prefer doing long climbing rides the chamois has been great with little to no discomfort. Most shorts I own I've had to ride them a few times to get used to chamois. Surprisingly the Cattivo chamois has been great from day one. The mesh back in this bib is an obviously plus but I know that come mid summer I'll be wanting the shoulder straps to be mesh as well. Right now I'm thinking they'll be too warm and the Cattivo may not be my go to short/bib when temps push 90 and higher because of this reason. Bottom Line The bottom line on these bibs is that they perform well, are comfortable from the first mile and I certainly am stoked from making the purchase. The bike category will never look the same to me as the Cattivo shine above the rest. Plus with the quality that Castelli puts into their products I'm sure I'll have these over many cycling seasons. If you've had experience with this bib chime in below with your comments. BUY NOW: Get some Castelli Cativo Bib Shorts at BackcountryOutlet.com Check out other Cycling Gear at Overstock.com