I have been cycling for nearly 46 years, and surprisingly, I have never used cycling gloves either partially or completely made of Pittards leather. Always wore gloves made of microfiber or synthetic fibers. Not sure, perhaps, because these gloves were on sale, or they just look really cool to me that I made the decision to buy them. I bought these gloves, the Monaco II Gel Gloves because I was looking for a glove that was reasonably price yet durable and comfortable. I had Giro gloves before and my experience with them was positive. First impressions after receiving these gloves is their quality. These are exceptionally made gloves. The pictures you see online does not do justice on how well the gloves are made. And, yes, they look really cool. This is a half Pittards glove. The palm side is made of Pittards leather. The top part is microfiber. No wonder Pittards are the name when it comes to leather cycling gloves. They look and feel top quality. Giro makes a full Pittards leather glove, the LX, but it is so expensive, nearly 80 dollars a pair!! Now, the fit. These gloves fit perfectly, snug, but not too snug, just perfect. I am a size large and occasionally some gloves that I have purchased in the past make the large too large. Not, this one. Fit is perfect. Comfort wise, I find them really very comforttable. In fact, the first time that I wore these gloves, I kept thinking and comparing them to all the previous gloves that I used. The gel paddings feel thicker, but comfortable. Overall, my experience with these gloves is good. I gave the gloves 4 stars rather than 5, because of 2 issues. First normally, after taking out my gloves, I pull them from the straps and basically, turning the gloves, inside out. Perhaps due to the leather palm, which makes the gloves slightly stiffer, turning the gloves back to its normal side takes some effort. Unlike, microfiber gloves that are very easy to turn inside out then back again to its normal size. Perhaps, after I washed them several times, the leather would soften more and be more flexible. Second, the pull tabs at the end of the gloves are fine, but i wished Giro made them the old fashion way, in between the webbings, rather than 2 small pockets on top of the tips of the gloves. Otherwise, these are really good cycling gloves, great buy, if on sale and a price that would not break the bank. Top quality. Highly Recommended!! Thanks!!
The dye from the leather on the inside turned my hands black. Definitely WASH SEPARATELY BY HAND - they will stain other clothes in a washing machine. At the time of purchase, I'd forgotten that I've had this dye problem with Giro gloves before. And since you have to hand wash, I found on my previous pair that they got permanently stinky, the leather deteriorated from hand wringing, and they never stopped leaking dye. I won't be buying Giro gloves anymore. If not for the dye issue, I'd be happy. The gloves fit my narrow palm, long fingers pretty well (size large). Good padding, comfy while riding.
Wanted to like them, but they would turn my palms black for 2-3 days, after showers and multiple hand washings. They also almost ruined my white club jersey, because we all tend to touch out jerseys in small ways as we ride. Sorry to sound overly picky, but the leather becomes a bit slimy toward the end of a 60-70 mile ride in the heat of summer (I live in Texas) and makes it hard to pull the water bottle out of the cage. Yes, they do run quite small. After getting fed up trying to get them off, I just had to pull them off by turning them inside out, which is not preferred and not really good for the gloves. Was able to return for a refund.
When I put these gloves on, it made me think I'd been skimping on good gloves my whole life. They fit my hands really well and provided a good grip with the handlebar.
But they're not machine washable, and quickly got pretty gross. A handwash didn't help much. And after less than a full season, the leather tore.
If you have a big event coming up and want comfy gloves that will last a few weeks, these might be good, but I can't recommend them as standard go-to gloves.
I bought these to replace some cheap ones that wore out prematurely. They worked well on a recent week-long trek. My hand is really a medium, but the mediums were far too tight. I returned them and got large which are still a bit tight.
Long rides can be hard on the hands when you lean on the handlebars. The Giro Monaco II Gel Glove provides superior padding in the right places to prevent wear and tear while relieving pressure.
Gloves are well made and seem to be holding up well. Lesson learned is they run small. My hand measurements were in the middle of the range for a size medium. Could not even get my hand in the medium. I kept them for my wife who has very small hands. I ordered the large and found them to be quite tight having to peel them off after a ride, but they felt good and were not too tight. Great glove, I have ordered another pair. Save time and order a size larger than you typically wear. There was a bit of black transfer on the palms of the hands after the first few rides, which easily washes off. This stopped after the first few rides.
I have a couple hundred miles on these and really like them so far. I've been wearing Giro Jag and Bravo the past year or so, and decided to upgrade to the Monaco. The fit is very similar, and has the pad inside the thumb which is what drew me to Giro. The palm is holding up well and has broken in very comfortably. It gives good grip, and the cushion is nice. The back is comfortable and light, definitely summer weight. Overall a solid pair of gloves, especially at Western's sale price.
These gloves are very well made. I love the leather and the light weight nature of the gloves. I am 6'2" and ordered a large. They fit, but they are a tad bit tight. That being said, I likely would not go with an XL because they might be too big. And with leather, these gloves stretch out as you break them in. Great gloves. I highly recommend them.
Other reviews note that they fit small. While true, you will also find that they relax (stretch may be too strong). When your hands are a little damp after 50 miles peel these off; don't expect them to slide off like the skin off a banana
Something about these glove doesn't fit correctly so that I experience radial (thumb/forefingers) numbness. They just feel too tight despite measuring and following the size chart. Also, I got the black ones and due to the Tennessee summer heat my palms are are discolored from the dye.
I always get a large. These fit well and better than my Pearl Gloves which were a large as well. I prefer the cushion and fit of these Giro gloves much better. My hands do not get as tired (numb) as they do with the Pearl gloves. Have used them on three longer rides (over 25 miles) and performed well.
I have used many different gloves in the last 40+ years of riding and these gloves seem to meet the three things I look for. 1. Comfort with padding in the right places. 2. Breathable and 3. easy to get on and off.
