Bib fit question
 

I picked up a pair of Castelli Body Paint 2.0 bib shorts on sale at competitive cyclist.
I got a medium and it's pretty tight... I'm a US medium and tend to wear large for Castelli European sizing stuff.
The sizing chart on this guided me towards getting the medium once I saw the waist measurements!
Now I realize I own another cheaper castelli bib size large. Made in el salvador. The new one is medium and made in the USA.

Question is - Should I rock these tight and small and that's how they are and the size is right?? I know they have more compression and are a much nicer bib. Tough call.

It's called "body paint" for a reason, methinks.

You may have a point...

yeah good point. still a tough call because they are really tight and I see the recommendation to go with a large (one size larger) and also the fact that I've worn large. What do I do?

I ordered a large Body Paint based on the sizing chart. When they arrived I found that the shorts part fit fine but the shoulder straps were incredibly tight & though they're wide enough that the tightness didn't bother me, I worried that they'd just rip in time. So I returned them & swapped for a 2XL. They fit much better, still not too big. I'd return & replace.

Get extra large.

I had some Castelli bibs that were too tight in the straps when walking around, but just right when leaned over on the bike. I figured if they were comfortable on the bike, I'd keep them because I don't wear them to walk around in. If they're not so tight they're mashing your junk, just keep them.

Don't the body paint ones run tigheter in general for castelli sizing? I would say large would be tighter than your regular castelli large stuff. Keep it if you want the pro skinsuit look.

Yeah, I'll swap to large, like my other bibs, and it should still be tighter than them.
The sizing chart threw me off though. Mentioned waist 32 to 34 for the Medium and that's where I'd fall.

Wow, so if I were a Medium in a "general/typical" Castelli bibs I should be buying Large in the Body Paint versions?

The Mediums fit me well on reg. Castelli bibs and I've been looking at BP bibs forever. I missed one what went for $85 on ebay :(

I like the tightest I can get that does not get uncomfortable or restrict movement. If it does neither of those things, I dont see why you would not keep it.

OK, so what better way to try it than doing a hilly 8k ft century on the new bibs? They looked good and felt good despite being tight. The straps, which are wider and have a lot of lycra were tight but not at all uncomfortable. They were crunching into a string at first but I got them to sit flat.

Well, now I don't know if it was the bibs or the antares saddle on my new bike that I have not gotten along with (2nd ride), but I'm in pain. Specifically, and I could feel this on the ride, my butt cheek, under my sit-bones is all red, that whole area. Too much info, I know. But I believe this must have been caused by the excessively tight shorts / chammy. I put on more DZ Nuts chammy cream to try and treat it. I don't know what exactly a saddle sore is and if that's it. I can't be without riding.

Also, when I removed the bibs for the after ride pool party, aside from the tan lines, there was a strong circle impression (from the castelli logo on the other side) on my quad! It was crazy. So yeah, probably tight.

Should I wash it before sending back to competitive cyclist? :)
I don't think I'll even get the Large because then the length and stuff will be wrong.

Wait for it to loosen up. It's your first ride.

You are too fat for this sport anyway.

Lose some weight and they will fit perfectly.

My ripped six pack, lean and bulky upper body, beasty quads, power, and race results would disagree with that statement!

Ignore this statement. Some people believe only fat people wear a "large" size. Not realizing there are men twice their size and of equal percentage body fat. I can wear medium size bibs.. that is, if I dont mind not being able to stand up straight without snapping the straps.

Besides. I dont think larger guys in the pro's, like Tom Boonen etc, even fit small size Castelli gear. That stuff appears to be made for Italian midgets.

If I were you I would send them back for a size large. I wear the Body Paint 2.0 bibs and I don't get an impression from the logo. I typically wear a small in US size gear, but go for medium in Euro sized gear. The inseam is a bit longer than I would like on the Body Paint bibs, but I think they are designed to be like that and they fit great otherwise. By the way, I also have the issue with the bib straps rolling up and it is super annoying!

Faster: I did the same as you: Bodypaint from Competitive Cyclist on sale, size medium. Sending them back: too small. I wear mediums in every other brand (Assos, Hincapie, LG, etc.) but the Castellis just run small.

OK clear. Thanks everyone one! I'll definitely return and either swap for a large or try something different.
Haha I'm no Tom Boonen. 5' 9 1/2" 165lbs low body fat. Sprinter build. :)