cvrle1

I am looking into getting a 1st bib and found 3 that I cant decide between. Price is same between these 3 (well $10 max difference) so it doesnt make a difference really.

Castelli Endurance 2
Sportful BodyFit Pro Air (same as pro LTD, but have light mesh on thighs, so made for bit warmer weather)
Alé R-EV1 Speedfondo

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks

znomit

Do they have any colour on them and does that match your bike? Or maybe a bike you'd like to buy, because that would be a great reason to buy a new bike. I'd buy those ones.

cvrle1

All 3 of them are just black, with Castelli having option of dark steel blue as well. Bike is all white, with black lettering, and I just got it about a week ago, so wouldnt get a new one

Castelli


Sportful (only difference is gold vs anthracite on the bottom left, blue isnt available)


Alé


Tried to minimize these pics, but they are automatically reverted back to original size :S

znomit

I'm all over that dark steel blue.

Rides4Beer

Castelli, the Progetto pad is fantastic, I've done 8+ hours in my Free Race Aero (same pad) with no issues.

Have to watch their sizing tho, they tend to run small. I wear a medium in most clothing, but a large in Castelli bibs (and a L or XL depending on which jersey).

noodle soup

The Castelli Progetto X2 pad is great, but the Endurance bibs have a flimsy material in the thigh area, that wears quickly.

Rides4Beer

Good to know, I've only ever used the Free Race Aeros, and LW tights for the winter, both have been great.

NoWhammies

Based on looks alone, I like the Ale. I have zero experience wearing any of the three though.

cvrle1

Thanks everyone, thinking along different lines, I am not sure if going with something higher end like these bibs would make sense for new rider like me that wont be doing any long rides in foreseeable future (no stamina for starters lol) Main reason i thought of these is because I can get them for a bit more than something generic like black bib plus. Black Bib Plus would be $80 shipped to Canada, while these would be around $110. For $30 more I feel like I can get much more. Heck, I was even looking into Castelli Free Aero Race 4 as that one would be about $130 all in. Again though I am not sure if it would be an overkill for me. Thanks again for the help

caloso

Love my Castelli bibs.

Rides4Beer

I tried the Black Bibs Plus, and was not that impressed, only slightly better than $30 bibs from Amazon, and not even close to Castelli quality. Not only the pad, but the fabric itself. I've got two seasons in my Free Aero Race bibs (several pair) and they've still got life in them (I ride a lot too, 10,000 miles last year). I wash them on gentle and air dry.

sfrider 

I've been riding the Endurance 2's since last summer, with no visible wear. Apart from knickers and full leg ones over winter (with the same excellent pad), it's all on the Endurance 2's. But they're borderline too big now at XL, and I want to try the new Assos Cento EVOs, so am waiting for those to go on sale. I used to ride various Assos Milles a lot in the past, and my body shape now is very similar to then (narrow waist and hips, more glutes and legs). I do think as good as the Castellis are, Assos is a notch above and when spending 8 hours on the bike, only stopping to refill my water bottle, every notch counts. After 6-7 hours I find myself wishing I were on the Milles of the past.

cvrle1

Thanks for the info. So even though my measurements are identical to medium according to their size chart, I should still get L?

mgopack42 

Also bear in mind that Castelli and Sportful is the same company. They sell both at the factory outlet I was in Fonzaso IT, so they may be a branding difference only?
I have a pair of Castelli Volo Limited edition Bib Shorts, that were on sale a couple of years ago, and never liked them. I keep them for emergencies only

Beach Bob

My experience with Castelli is that the Progresso pad is fantastic; I loved it so much in the Free Aero Race bibs that I got a pair of the Endurance bibs... problem is that Castelli shortened the straps on the Endurance bibs to "ensure that there is no pad slippage"... that wasn't a problem with the Free Aeros... but the slightly shorter straps on the Endurance bibs tend to dig in when standing and have relegated the bibs to my second tier.

No experience with Sportful...

Ale - Very much like them. I own three or four sets of their kit and the pads are all great and their overall fit and finish is top notch. A lot more "fun" design elements as well. As a brand, it is widely distributed and is ALWAYS on sale somewhere...

Of your three options, I'd be choosing the Ale...