When most of us hear the words 'body paint,' we think of Mardi Gras or wild Vegas shows. But that certainly is not what Castelli had in mind when it coined the phrase to describe this line of high-quality cycling wear. The Castelli Body Paint 2.0 Bib Shorts will fit so well that you'll feel like -- you guessed it -- they have been painted on you. The result are bib shorts that Castelli is proudly calling its fastest and most comfortable shorts ever.

The shorts on the Body Paint Bib Shorts are formed from a single piece of seamless fabric for a naturally supportive fit. The short feels like it is hugging you perfectly in any position, thanks to this anatomic fit and the as well as a highly compressive fabric. This smooth fit, combined with the aero dimples employed in the material, make this is the most aerodynamic bib short on the market. Castelli engineered the dimples into the fabric to induce flow separation and reduce aerodynamic drag. Think of it as the clothing equivalent for the Zipp rim dimples.

Virtually no seams also means that there are fewer places to irritate your body and there are fewer opportunities for a wardrobe malfunction to occur. After all, who hasn't experienced a perfectly good pair of shorts coming apart at the seams?

The upper portion of the bibs is made from the special Giro2 Bib Straps, a single strip of Giro fabric that is very soft and stretchy. Castelli has eliminated the Lycra trim that typically edges bib straps and more often than not cuts into your shoulders to cause discomfort. The new mesh on the back will help keep your torso cool by allowing air to circulate. Likewise, the updated Giro3 integrated leg grippers have been intelligently fashioned so that the grip material has been knit directly into the short. The generous 5 cm wide band gently compresses to secure the leg hem in place. It also lies completely flat, keeping your leg as aero as if it were in a skin suit.

Perhaps nothing in these bib shorts has benefited as much from Castelli's association with professional cycling teams as the Progetto X2 Air Seat Pad. The Garmin-Cervelo team spend a year testing this short; that's a lot of saddle time to be thinking about how comfort could be improved. Since Castelli had it pretty right to begin with, there wasn't much more than tweaking going on. What it has done is add a perforated foam layer to the pad to help ventilate and keep the nether regions cooler by allowing air to flow directly onto the surface fabric. That layer sitting next to your skin is made from a four-way stretch, seamless, bacteriostatic layer designed to move with you, reducing any bunching and friction. The cushioning layer consists of strategically placed, multi-density foam. For good measure, perforated viscous comfort inserts have been added under the highly sensitive ischial and perineal pressure areas, so that your undercarriage will be supremely protected whether you are out on a two-hour weekday jaunt or training over cobbles for Roubaix.

The Castelli Body Paint 2.0 Bib Shorts are available in three color combinations: Black/Red, Black/Black and Black/Red/Yellow Fluorescent. They come in sizes Small through XXX-Large.

POC offers a panoply of armor to suit your hard-riding needs. And the POC Joint VPD Knee Pada are but one critical component. They're a superior choice for your gear bag because they use VPD visco-elastic polymer dough for protection, in comparison to many other "soft armor" designs on the market that simply rely on foam padding. VPD is modified polyurethane foam that is soft and pliable, so it moves easily and naturally with your joints. But in the instant of an impact, it works some molecular magic, stiffening and absorbing the impact energy and saving your body from the brunt of the blow.

The Joint Knee places the VPD material around the front and sides of the kneecap, right where you'll need it. Stretchy, perforated neoprene covers the back of the knee joint. It's perforated to add some breathability for sultry summer afternoons at the bike park. The rest of the Joint Knee is finished with an aramid cloth making it remarkably abrasion resistant. And to keep them snug and in-place right where you want, there are elasticized velcro straps at the top and bottom. The Joint Pads are also slim enough to wear under jeans or shorts without leaving you feeling restricted.

The POC Joint VPD Knee Pads are sold as a pair and come in Black in Small, Medium, and Large sizes.

POC offers a panoply of armor to suit your hard-riding needs. And the POC Joint VPD Knee Pada are but one critical component. They're a superior choice for your gear bag because they use VPD visco-elastic polymer dough for protection, in comparison to many other "soft armor" designs on the market that simply rely on foam padding. VPD is modified polyurethane foam that is soft and pliable, so it moves easily and naturally with your joints. But in the instant of an impact, it works some molecular magic, stiffening and absorbing the impact energy and saving your body from the brunt of the blow.

The Joint Knee places the VPD material around the front and sides of the kneecap, right where you'll need it. Stretchy, perforated neoprene covers the back of the knee joint. It's perforated to add some breathability for sultry summer afternoons at the bike park. The rest of the Joint Knee is finished with an aramid cloth making it remarkably abrasion resistant. And to keep them snug and in-place right where you want, there are elasticized velcro straps at the top and bottom. The Joint Pads are also slim enough to wear under jeans or shorts without leaving you feeling restricted.

The POC Joint VPD Knee Pads are sold as a pair and come in Black in Small, Medium, and Large sizes.