We have reduced the number of panels, seams and inserts to a minimum by incorporating these components into a single engineered fabric that supports the body like a second skin. The 3 panels that make up the shorts replace up to 10 components in traditional shorts.
We have reduced the number of panels, seams and inserts to a minimum by incorporating these components into a single engineered fabric that supports the body like a second skin. The 3 panels that make up the shorts replace up to 10 components in traditional shorts.
Less is more Performance
This short wouldn’t be possible without the state-of-the-art engineered-weave fabric created exclusively for Castelli.
When we say “engineered” we mean that we can change the structure of the fabric according to the specific needs of each area of the short.
The bottom of the leg includes 7 cm (men’s) or 6 cm (women’s) of grip to prevent the leg from riding up. The grip is not coming from any sort of silicone applied to the surface but rather a specific weave that brings the Lycra® fiber to the inner surface.
Further up the leg, in the thigh, we lighten up the fabric to keep you cool while providing just the right amount of compression.
In the hips we make the fabric thicker for more compression and to keep the seat pad in place.
The advantages of the fabric include staying drier, since there’s just less fabric, as well as a wider temperature range. It’s better in cool weather since the tight weave means less wind comes through, while it’s great in hot weather since the thinner fabric means that moisture evaporates closer to your skin to keep you cool.
Less is more support
The elastic straps cover as little of the torso as possible to keep you cool. There is a tab over the strap at the front of the shoulder to prevent the strap from bunching. The soft perforated back panel provides even support to the back of the short. Little details that make a big difference on your long rides.
Progetto X2 Air Seamless Seat Pad
Next to your skin we place the appropriately named Skin Care Layer. It’s the softest and stretchiest layer we’ve ever made, to move with your skin and avoid abrasions.
Beneath that layer is a completely separate component that we call the Cushioning Layer. It’s in the shape of a saddle and provides progressive cushioning exactly where you need it. There’s a soft foam for immediate comfort, with a medium-density foam for support and 3 mm gel pads under the sit bones and perineum. Made with a 3D forming process, the pad features infinitely variable thickness and has no pronounced steps like many pads that are simply punched out with a die.
This pad has seen more than 12 years of continuous evolution. It originally debuted with the Cervélo TestTeam in 2009, and since then it has seen more than 40 adjustments to every material, shape, position, and manufacturing process, with each modification intended to make it more comfortable. This iterative process of continuous improvement means that not a single material used today is the same as it was in 2009. It just keeps getting more comfortable