# Castelli sizing...



## schotter

I am just about to get Castelli Free Aero Race Bibs and due to the sizing chart (measured hips=94 and waist=80) I am a 'small' but I hear one should go up a size for Castelli. Some forum members even stated they'd wear an 'L' being same or similar size as me. Rather long legs (84cm inseam) for my size (178cm) and sometimes suffering from numbness with my current race size M bibs from another manufacturer, I am wondering if going up even 2 sizes would be the thing to do...or will the chamois then be too bulky? For a cyclist I have rather slim legs.

Thoughts/Castelli Experience? Thanks!


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## Got Time

WRT chamois size: AFAICT that does NOT change with the bib size
(unfortunately... it seems stupid to have the same chamois in an XS bib as an XL bib)
that's one of the things I strongly dislike about the Castelli Progetto X2 -- it's too big for XS.


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## mik_git

definately 1 size, maybe 2...but you won't know till you get them.


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## tomato coupe

With Castelli bibs, height seems to be a critical dimension because the straps aren't super stretchy. For reference, I'm 184 cm height and size XL makes for very tight straps.


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## woodys737

78 waist and 176.5 tall with a about an 83 inseam for me and medium in the free aero and the old body paint fit perfect.


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## schotter

Thanks everybody! I'll go for an 'M' then. 2 sizes up seems a bit of a 'stretch'...


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## GlobalGuy

IMO Castelli makes an excellent bib if you "fit" within a narrower "window" body size than the fit by another top of the line bibs makers. 

Except for pro bike rider body types and size Castelli are too small by advertised size by a minimum of one size and they are unfriendly to taller riders that otherwise have good biking bodies.


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## Srode

I only have their tights, but they do fit me in the same size as others (Large) just snugger - particularly in the height and legs. The waist seems to fit fine though.


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## bike981

I know we're mainly talking bibs here, but I wanted to add that I ordered my first Castelli jersey and went one size up (L rather than M) based on the comments here and on some other websites.

Jersey arrived, and while the shoulders and sleeves (short sleeves) fit fine, the chest and overall torso fits too loosely. On the other hand, my guess is that if I went for a M rather than a L, I'd find the chest/torso fits fine but the shoulders and sleeves would be too tight. Seems like they expect you to have teeny, tiny arms like the pros seem to.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention all this in case it helps someone.


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## schotter

Funny. OP here. Exactly the same happened to me. I actually went with another quality bib now but ordered a Castelli jersey one size up. And while the arms are a very tight fit, the torso/belly area is really loose (flappin‘ in the wind loose). Not even sure if going down to my regular size will do.


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## Got Time

Wouldn't it be nice if manufacturers would provide actual measurements of their clothes?
Including the size of the opening of the sleeves and legs
-- and not just some "S"/"XL"/... with additional vague comments like "race fit", "club fit".


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## sm525

I'm 6 foot tall, 195 pounds with a 36 inch waist, and I've never bought any Castelli bibs over a size large. Now, with their tights, especially their one piece thermosuits, I have to go with an XL because as others have said, Castelli isn't very friendly for taller riders. 

In terms of jerseys, their half zips, I can wear a large all day, but if it's full zip or their race cut, I have to move to an XL. The issue with their jerseys is the same as tights and thermosuits: They're not friendly for taller riders. 

In short, in my experience with Castelli- I own enough of it for my closet to look like a storefront- you need to size much more toward your height than your overall weight. If you're close on weight and waist and not overly tall, do not size up unless you're at the very end of the spectrum of a size. On the other hand, if you're tall and in the middle range or upper range of a size, absolutely move up.


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## Srode

I only have one Castelli Jersey which is their wind/water proof Perfetto. I got it in XL instead of Large which I wear in PI, Assos and Gore. The Perfetto fits pretty much the same as the PI and Assos, a bit tighter than the Gore. 6 foot tall, 175lbs and I wear 32 inch waist jeans comfortably so not racer lean really.


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## dcorn

If you are spending $200 on bibshorts, do yourself a favor and check out the Assos Equipe S7. I used to only wear Castelli bibshorts until someone convinced me to try Assos. Every pain I had from the bibs went away. The Assos chamois was in the right spot, so my sit bones were actually on the padding and the front stitches weren't digging into my junk. Speaking of which, my junk wasn't getting crushed by shorts with no room up front. Plus, the sizing is fairly normal and predictable. I'm 5'11" and a muscularly legged 200 lbs and I wear a large. Castelli's XL is like compression tight on me now.


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## rochrunner

tomato coupe said:


> With Castelli bibs, height seems to be a critical dimension because the straps aren't super stretchy. For reference, I'm 184 cm height and size XL makes for very tight straps.


+1. My current Castellis are comfortable in XL while every other bibs I've owned (Giordana, Garneau, Pactimo) are great in L. I was lucky to be able to return my Castellis in size L after the straps were tight enough that the stitching between the lower and uppers started to come apart.


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## Nicolas77

ActualIy, I am 178cm for 66kg. About 90cm chest and 82cm waist...Hips around 94cm (inseam of +/- 80cm) which puts me to the extreme for a small size bib. I recently ordered 1 small and 1 medium of the Castelli Entrata bib (long legs) to compare and I finally returned the medium one. The major difference was in the chamois in my case, I could not fill the medium at all and it was rather wide for me but...In both the small and medium, the strap was not too tight and the legs seems to have a decent look (not too short).

Otherwise, for jerseys. I recently ordered a medium Pericolo jersey (long sleeves) because according to their size chart, I would have too much belly for a size small. My problem with the medium size is that the jersey is too loose and the chest on one hand, but also the arms are not tight at all...In short, not satisfied at all with the jersey.

I am waiting for a kit of La Passione (size small) which should be delivered to me soon...I will come back with the details when I receive it.


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