There are flashier shorts on the market the market than the Castelli Endurance X2 bib shorts, but there aren’t too many that are more comfortable, especially if you’re embarking on some long hours in the saddle.

At the heart of the Castelli Endurance X2 bib shorts is the Progetto X2 Air seatpad, the same pad used by the Inferno bib shorts, Mondiale bib shorts, and indeed all of the other shorts at the top of Castelli’s range.

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No surprise then that this is an exceptionally comfortable pad. The areas around your perineum and sit bones that need the most protection have been given a substantial 15mm of padding for highly impressive comfort on long days out, while the pad is also breathable and comes with an anti-bacterial upper that has meant that I haven’t suffered any, errr, sensitive hygiene issues while using these shorts.

The main body of the Castelli Endurance X2 bib shorts is made from Castelli’s Endurance Evolution fabric, a dense weave fabric that, according to the manufacturer “provides optimum muscle support and feels dryer in nearly all conditions”. Unfortunately I can’t say that I noticed any increased muscle support when wearing these shorts, but at least the fabric gave the shorts a high quality feel that befits a £100 pair of shorts.

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At the bottom of each leg is Castelli’s Giro3 leg grippers. These have a very different feel to other gripper as they are not just a generous distribution of silicon. Instead they feature horizontal elasticated stitching which does an even better job than normal silicon grippers without being uncomfortable and pulling at your skin.

If I had to find fault with the Castelli Endurance X2 bib shorts it’s with the straps, which are a little basic. They offer excellent breathability and half-decent support, but for a pair of shorts of this price I think you could begin to expect lazer cut straps.

For more details visit the Castelli website.