Who wears short shorts? Not cyclists who tackle the damp chill of northern Europe in Spring and Fall. In fact, a little insulation is nice as well. Some riders don't like the tight fit and somewhat restricted feel of many protection-type materials, or the challenge of knee warmers over standard bib shorts. Thus the design of the Omloop Thermal Bib Short, which features warm Thermoflex fleece fabric, which runs right to knee length, providing the warmth, coverage and breathability required for cool or cold, damp temperatures. Castelli has seen the popularity of the piece carry over to cyclocross in Europe and North America, and sales are strong as the US and Canada cross scenes continue to grow.

Lightweight and breathable, with moderate insulation and excellent stretch, the Omloop Thermal Bib Short carries the anatomic construction and mild compression you expect from a Castelli bib short. Thermoflex carries up along the lower external obliques, but then gives way to mesh fabric yolk with elastic and mesh bib straps that keep the fit perfect no matter what you are putting your bike through. Some cycling clothing companies opt for a more insulated bib upper, but Castelli believes that the effectiveness and options you have from layering on the upper body is a better way to manage thermal requirements above the waist.

With the extended length of the leg sections, Castelli focused on comfort, especially with the fact that the cuff could irritate behind the knee. The shape follows the function, with a longer front, which reduces around the back of the knee. The fabric is left in a raw-cut edge, which sits flat, and is soft on the skin. You can follow the anatomic shapes of the leg panels up from the knew and onto the hips and glutes to see how Castelli creates complementary muscle support and freedom of movement, with an excellent fit overall. We have found that midweight fleece bibs can struggle to maintain hold and fit, losing elasticity or just feeling loose (even if they actually aren't). With the Omloop Thermal you never need to worry about this.

Getting used to the longer leg and knee interaction might be a challenge for some, but we found that after just a few rides, we didn't even think about it anymore. No behind the knee irritation, and no need to deal with knee warmers or knickers, especially at the start line. Castelli provides their Progetto X2 Air chamois pad, which is an excellent choice, as it matches the stretch, breathes quickly, and offer excellent protection and comfort for race-level pad. It truly completes the package and denotes it as a high quality Castelli bib short. With the Omloop Thermal you get some of the protection your knees deserve without the fuss or restriction from a well constructed bib short with an amazing feel on the skin, ideal fit and seat pad, and just enough insulation to keep you comfortable, wet or dry. You know what we say at all that? Yes, please! and Thank you!