Castelli progetto X2 pad failure..? Pics added to post 1

fudgey

Evening all, i have a coule of pairs of free aero race bibs and lately the pads on both have been bunching up after a wash in the gooch area. Now, i thought some internal stitching or something had come away causing it as once they stretch out the pad sits mostly flat.

Then come to today, get the shorts out and the pad is mega lumpy and wont flatten so i stick my finger in the hole at the back and hook out a silicone insert so the pad has broken down... I found the receipt and i bought them on the 4th of April last year, so thats one pair for the bin. I might cut the pad cover off and see whats going on, but was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to what might have caused this as they are rather expensive to replace...

I use chamois cream on longer rides and they are only ever washed at 30 degrees, no conditioner etc as per the wash instructions


Edit to add pics. This was what i hooked out


Then i operated and cut off the top player of the pad to find this


And this bit of silicone hanging out is what i could feel for a few months now, the other pair is like this too

charlie_potatoes

Is there a correlation between this and your Bike Radar name?

fudgey

No, my surname rather unsurprisingly, is Fudge.

sebbyp

Not had that type of failure with the x2 air pad! However the stitching in all my X2 pads has failed after few thousand miles. Won't be buying anymore castelli bibs till a new seat pad comes out. Moved onto Assos and Rapha now and they seem superior.

fudgey

Cheers, yes had problems with stitching before an had a pair replaced.

Not looked at rapha or assos, so will have a look cheers.

Which ones are recommended?

fudgey

Added pics to post 1.

The foam has stared to disintegrate, no idea why tho...

sungod

i only ever handwash them, never had the pad bunch up as you describe

but the black foam certainly breaks down over time, though by then the lycra is getting thin as well

fudgey

The lycra is fine on both pairs, but they have always been machine washed on 30 degrees.

I would have expected them to last a longer than this tho, equivalent to 6 months use ish.

sungod

that's hardly any time, mine last way longer

probably best not to machine wash them, or at least put them in a small mesh washbag to protect them

fudgey

Yes possibly where i went wrong.
I bought a couple of pairs of rapha shorts that turned up friday, did a 4+ hour ride in the classics yesterday and only started to feel a little uncomfortable near the end, the pad feels different but so far so good. With the castelli's i was feeling it from 3 hours so fingers crossed.

And ill deffo be hand washing those!

bontie

I guess you have been in touch with Saddleback or your retailer?

fudgey

No, i checked the receipt and i bought this pair on the 4th april last year. The others i bought just after but not checked the receipt for exactly when.

So is saddleback the uk distributor for castelli? Ill see if i can find some contact details and send them the pics.

fudgey

Just googled and found them, ill drop them an email.

fudgey

Emailed the pics to saddleback who said they have never seen that before, and to take my other pair back to where i bought them - which i just have.

Ill update with what happens.

stevie63

Fudgey wrote:

Yes possibly where i went wrong.
I bought a couple of pairs of rapha shorts that turned up friday, did a 4+ hour ride in the classics yesterday and only started to feel a little uncomfortable near the end, the pad feels different but so far so good. With the castelli's i was feeling it from 3 hours so fingers crossed.

And ill deffo be hand washing those!

You'll be fine with the Rapha shorts, I've had a pair for about 3 years, always machine washed. As good as the day I bought them.

fudgey

Good to know cheers. Only usd the classics a few times now, will crack out the core ones tomorrow.

itboffin

Never seen that with Castelli shorts and i have at least a dozen pairs, let us know how you get on

fudgey

Its an odd one, they have never been tumble dried, but had been dried on radiators a few times but isnt that std practice?

I also use chamois cream sometimes, but only ever on the central part of the pad, which looks fairly intact, and not on the front part.

The foam just breaks up if you touch it. Most odd

fudgey

Update:

Had a call from the bike shop this arvo, they have my shorts back.

Said that the investigation showed that along with the pad failure, the straps were discoloured and the leg grippers affected.
Their outcome was that they have been washed too hot and that nothing will be done and they are ready to collect.

That is rubbish as they have never been washed at more than 30 degrees. The discolouring of the straps could be down to being washed with the mrs running kit and colours run from that to do it?

They had been dried on a radiator a few times, but usually either hung outside, or on an airer in the house.

All i know is that i will not be buying any more Castelli shorts as they seem to have a quality issue with the 3 pairs that i have purchased.

charlie_potatoes

Fudgey wrote:

they have never been washed at more than 30 degrees.

Maybe your washing machine temperature is inaccurate? Poor old Castelli getting slated when Beko is to blame?

stevie63

Regardless, if the shorts can't stand up to going through the machine a few times then they aren't going to stand up to use on hotter rides. Body temp is hotter than a 30 degree wash. I say poor show Castelli. I would have thought that Rapha or Assos would stand by their products if they deteriorated that quickly.

apreading

I would try saddleback again and tell them what the shop said. Your contract is with the shop but if they arent helping then the distributor will sometimes step in and offer some goodwill.

flasher

That's rubbish, however I've never been convinced by Castelli quality, nice design poor build.

fudgey

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Fudgey wrote:

they have never been washed at more than 30 degrees.

Maybe your washing machine temperature is inaccurate? Poor old Castelli getting slated when Beko is to blame?

Ha, its a Bosch washing machine.

fudgey

apreading wrote:

I would try saddleback again and tell them what the shop said. Your contract is with the shop but if they arent helping then the distributor will sometimes step in and offer some goodwill.

When i go and collect them i will ask who made the decision, wether it was Hargroves head office, or if they were sent back to saddleback.

charlie_potatoes

Fudgey wrote:

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Fudgey wrote:

they have never been washed at more than 30 degrees.

Maybe your washing machine temperature is inaccurate? Poor old Castelli getting slated when Beko is to blame?

Ha, its a Bosch washing machine.

A German/Italian alliance rarely ends well

rozzer32

Been getting less and less impressed with castelli over the past couple of years. The other half has had to do a few stitching repairs on some of my castelli kit. My aero race bibs are starting to show signs of wear after a year. Think I'll try another company on my next pair, might even move to Rapha.

darkhairedlord

You wash them?

craigus89

Yep I have a pair of these that I didn't pay near full price for thankfully, but the stitching is starting to go around the 4rse. Pad has been fine though and is the comfiest I have tried. I'll be going elsewhere in the future though, I don't mind paying near £100 for shorts as long as the quality is good, but these don't impress.

The discoloration is nonsense though, all my bibs that have white straps have gone grey as all kit including sometimes my wifes gym kit gets washed together at 30 on a low spin.

darkhairedlord

probably due to bacteria eating the pad. try washing hotter to kill it off.

apreading

All my white bibstraps have gone slightly grey too - dont know why because nothing else white in the washes seem to go grey.