Review of the new Castelli Premio Black bib shorts

The Premio Black is Castelli’s new high-end bib short, a lightweight and airy model designed for endurance riding, and much more technical than its understated all-black livery suggests, as we found out during our test.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: @3bikes.fr/Castelli/DR

Delivered with premium packaging, the Castelli Premio Black may seem disappointing at first glance, at least if you compare its full black look to its retail price, which places it among the most expensive bib shorts on the market, at nearly €230. However, you only need to put it on to understand all the technicality behind the product, and even more so to try it on to make it one of our favorite models for long rides or even in difficult conditions such as repeated indoor trainer sessions, where the glutes can also be put to the test. With a verified weight of 146 g in size S, the Premio Black is also a very light bib short, whose fabric retains very little moisture.

Comfort is first assessed by the quality of the Progetto X2 Air Seamless chamois, the same one found on all Castelli’s high-end bib shorts. A padding that is not excessively thick like some competitors, but which features two foam densities and gel inserts under the sit bones and perineum, and a soft, stretchable surface designed to minimize skin friction. The Progetto X2 Air Seamless perfectly follows the body’s movements, for athletic yet lasting comfort throughout a ride.

The Premio Black is then made with only three panels and very few seams, which again greatly limits friction. A single fabric is used, for a “progressive woven” look, which has the advantage of adapting to different parts of the body, with differentiated thicknesses. It is thus thinner at the thighs, like the Castelli Superleggera bib short, and proves to be particularly airy at this level, in addition to retaining very little moisture. Stretchable in four directions, it does not wrinkle and provides some support. At the bottom of the thigh, there is a raw edge with rubberized threads, for excellent support without causing a tourniquet effect on the muscles.

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There is slightly more support at the pelvis, which has the advantage of keeping the chamois perfectly in place during effort, or when regularly changing position on the saddle, with a thicker fabric on the glutes.

On the upper body, the abdominal area is well cleared, and the flat straps are slightly offset towards the hips, to maximize breathing and avoid friction on the nipples. Their flexible nature provides good support, but without causing discomfort in a more upright position, as is sometimes the case with purely competition-oriented bib shorts. On the back, the perforated fabric wicks away heat, and the bonded edges facilitate comfort with overlapping layers.

In terms of finish, one might regret excessive sobriety, but that is also Castelli’s objective with these bib shorts. Only discreet logos are present on the back of the thigh, laser-engraved into the fabric, which does not alter the product’s characteristics, particularly in terms of panel placement and different material thicknesses, which would not necessarily be the case with glued logos or even a sublimation process, which is not necessarily suitable here.

Comfort and support

The Premio Black is quite long on the thighs, as is customary with modern models. The fabric is supportive and offers excellent muscle compression, but without feeling constricted. In action, there is no discomfort in the legs, even during intense efforts, as is sometimes the case with elastic bands or a silicone strip.

When standing, the bib shorts do not feel restrictive at the shoulders and straps, but they also remain well in place in a low position on the bike. We greatly appreciate the open area on the stomach, especially during intense efforts on the indoor trainer, with a great feeling of freedom when breathing.

Despite sessions of more than two hours on Zwift, sweating and with no coasting moments, the chamois stays in place and causes no chafing. At the end of the workout, the thighs are practically dry, and only a little more moisture is felt around the hips and on the straps.

On the road, the Premio Black provides a bit of freshness in the thighs, and again the chamois causes practically no chafing despite hours in the saddle and sweating. The padding is relatively firm compared to other endurance bib shorts, and in our opinion, is more suited to committed and athletic riding. The bib shorts are not as “cushioning” as some of their competitors, but their design, support, almost complete absence of seams, and the material used delay the appearance of irritation as much as possible. We also note that after a dozen washes, the Premio Black has lost none of its superb quality, nor its sizing. Finally, only the label (long, as on most products) eventually became bothersome in certain extreme conditions of heat and repeated movements. A flaw we gladly forgive, quickly remedied with a simple snip of the scissors.

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