Nice compression. Fits similar to Pearl and LG. Leg length is slightly shorter than most, at least in the XL size. Great Chamois. These are my go-to shorts for rides over 50 miles.
I admit I'm biased because I was very involved with the design process of these bibs. No bibshort is perfect for everyone, so I'll focus this review on the decisions we made and why we made them.
One of the key elements of any cycling short is the chamois. We chose the Road Performance chamois from Cytech. Cytech is a pioneer in cycling chamois design and manufacturing, and was the first company to develop stretch chamois which they call elastic-interface. This allows the chamois to stretch along with the short fabric which means that it is less likely to chafe as you move around on the saddle. The Performance Road chamois is one of their highest-end products, but it is a little thinner (although denser) and narrower than than the chamois you'll find on many lower-priced shorts. If you are looking for a wide, thick pad, this isn't the short for you.
The fabrics used in the short come from MITI, an Italian technical fabric manufacturer well regarded for their quality. We decided to go with a rolled cuff instead of a gripper to provide better compression and improved comfort. I personally like shorts that end a little above my knee, so the leg length is a little shorter than some shorts, but this places the double thickness cuffs at the ideal position to provide maximum compression benefit.
The MITI Shield Endurance fabric is a bit thicker than you'll find in many cycling bottoms, particularly at the lower price points. Some people may find this results in a slightly warmer riding short, but our goal was to provide a maximum-performance product at a bargain price so we decided to go with a fabric that delivered higher lycra content that delivered excellent compression.
The McKenzie does not skimp on production complexity to save cost. Bibshorts in this price range typically limit panel count to 6 or 8 panels to save cost. We wanted to deliver a premium product with excellent fit, which dictated a 14 panel lower construction.
This product isn't for everyone. If you're looking for a typical lightweight bibshort that you barely feel with a wide, thick pad, this isn't the short for you. If you are looking for a high-performance product that will keep your muscles feeling fresher on a hard ride, and don't like to feel like you are wearing a diaper, this is an absolute steal.
Here we have an affordable offering thrown into the infinite mix of plastic cycling-centric britches. The appearance and construction of the bibshorts are quality and understated, with considered paneling and good attention to detail. The chamois is also top notch, which provides a firmer and more supportive feel than those of some competitors. The fit is a bit interesting, in that the bib straps are positioned closer in than usual, so they go somewhat inside of the pectoral area instead of over it, and the leg bands lack grippers for some reason which makes riding up an issue. Overall however, a solid choice for longer rides and for consistent use as the fabric and chamois are top quality.
Love these. I used to think my Mavic shorts were great, but now they just seem meh. All I want to wear are the McKenzies, leaving all my other shorts to lonely languish in the closet.
Smooth, easy, relaxing just like Kenny G. Which is what you want in a short. Cool. Comfy. No chafing. Great compression. Awesome chamois. Silky smooth. You just don't think about them as they purr along on the background of your ride.
These are a huge upgrade from the mid level shorts, totally worth it, only a couple bucks more, and unlike Kenny G, they will totally rock your world.
Euphemism for booty
I could not be happier with these bibs. I'm about 5'-6 and about 128 lbs and bought a small. These are definitely a more Euro-sized bib, the smalls are tight on me and the lower compression bands make them feel even tighter but I like that. I have a pair of small Castelli bibs (albeit from Performance), a pair of small Death Row Velo bibs, and some small Performance brand bibs and these are the snuggest of them all. Some people said they felt the legs were too short but I disagree. I hate buying smalls only to have the legs go all the way down to my knee (the narrowest part of my upper leg) and feel loose. A slightly shorter leg that ends on my lower quad and is tight is awesome. For me the chamois hits the sweet spot between too thick and too thin. I bought these on sale for under $100 and feel like they are worth double. I know bibs are very a very personal piece of kit but next time you are looking I highly recommend you try these.
I ride on the road, from 20-75 miles rides, 3,000 miles per year. Have been using these for over 3 years now, and will continue to keep wearing them!!
This is an excellent bib short, period. A lot of reviews talk about what a great value it is, and it absolutely is. But even compared to much more expensive products it holds its own quite well. The leg length is a bit on the short side, particularly for taller riders, but I actually prefer it this way.
The compression is quite good, although the fabric is not as heavy as some high-compression shorts so the compression relaxes a bit after a few hours. This seems like a reasonable compromise to have a short that stays comfortable in hot weather.
The chamois is excellent - not too thick but firm. I've used these shorts on many hundred mile (and longer) rides and they remain comfortable. No complaints here (hint, don't change it ProCorsa).
I love the leg cuff - so much more comfortable than legs with silicon grippers and the like.
After years in Assos, Castelli, and Louis Garneau, this is now my go-to bib. I have four pair now that I've been riding almost exclusively for over a year. They have held up quite well. I've noticed the logo on the leg of some of them is starting to show some age, but I think this is primarily from throwing them in commercial dryers while I was on tours - not really a good idea for any technical apparel but I didn't have time to wait for them to air dry.
I've tried my fair share of different bibs over the past few years and still occasionally ride my Assos, Pearl and Louis Garneau shorts. These companies all make good quality garments, particularly in the upper ends of their lines. I decided to try a pair of Pro Corsa bibs because of the great reviews and the price couldn't be beat. I thought, if nothing else, I could use them for short training rides and casual saunters with my family.
What I wasn't prepared for was how good they are. After buying the first pair last spring, I've now bought two more pair and ride them almost all the time. In most respects, they are the nicest shorts I own.
The chamois is fabulous - well positioned, nice multi-density foam, and not overly thick. I did a tour this past summer riding 100 mile days for two weeks straight and never even thought about my saddle contact points.
The fabric is high quality with great compression. I like the wide rolled cuffs. After riding these for a while, I'm not sure why so many brands resort to silicon grippers instead of this approach. These are much more comfortable.
The braces fit me well, although as another reviewer mentioned, the mesh is a touch on the scratchy side. Since I usually wear a mesh base layer, this doesn't bother me too much.
I hope they keep making these and don't jack up the price when the word gets out about how good they are.
I have three pair of these now and have been riding my oldest pair since early spring. If the price was $200, I'd say this was a pretty nice short at a reasonable price. At closer to $100, it's a steal.
The chamios is the best I've had in any short. Not too heavily padded but firm and well shaped. It seems to be one of those pads that well ventilated since it seems to stay reasonably dry and comfortable even in really hot weather.
The bottoms provide a lot of compression, although they do seem to loosen up a bit on long (70 mile) rides. They use a wide fold-over leg gripper (e.g. no silicon here) which is quite comfortable, but I'd like to see the inseam just a bit longer.
The material is very stretchy and the front comes down low enough that I have no problem taking a leak without removing my jersey.
My biggest gripe (which is pretty minor) is the mesh material used on the braces is a bit scratchy compared to some of the best bibs I've used. Since I usually wear a base layer, I rarely notice this, but I'd like to see Pro Corsa use a softer material on their next iteration. All in all, though, this is a great product and an incredible value.
I am 5'11 and around 195 lbs, and the XL fits me very well.
I did my second century in this bibs last weekend and I continue to be impressed. After about 20 wash cycles, they are holding up well. The only sign of wear is a very slight curling of the logo on the thigh, but this is other shorts I own.
These bibs are nice looking and fit great. The bib straps are nice and wide and are very well vented so they don't feel hot, even in the 90 degree weather I had last weekend. The chamois is firm and not too thick, just the way I like it. After over a hundred miles, they still felt fine.
If I compare these side-by-side with my high-end bids (some of which I'm embarrassed to say I paid more than $300 for), these have a construction quality that is comparable in every way. The fabrics have a great feel and a lot of stretch. I love the wide compression band on the legs - much better than the silicon grippers many of my shorts use.
I'll definitely be buying more of these.
These bibs are great. If you haven't tried bibs, these are by far the best bang for the buck I have found. If you do wear high end bibs, these are 95% of the highest end at half the price. I haven't done any really long rides, but I have done a few fifty milers and had no issues whatsoever, even though my sitz are a little soft this Spring. The chamois is excellent and equals the quality from my expensive, high end bibs. The multi panel construction is very well executed, and the shorts have excellent compression in all of the right places.
The legs are a hair shorter than most brands that I have tried, and I like this. Many brands are too long, and fit loosely just above my knee. The bottoms of the legs on the ProCorsas are at the bottom of my quads, just where they start to taper. The straps are comfortable and don't bunch or fold.
I like the looks of the short. The colors are not extremely high contrast, so the labeling is understated. I don't feel like a rolling billboard when I wear these bibs.
I look forwards to longer rides with these bibs, and am definitely getting another pair or two.
I've been riding these shorts since they were first released. So far, I'm very impressed with the look and feel when worn, and I use them for everything from competitive group rides to 6 hour epics on the mountain bike.
While I still think Assos and Exteondo make better product (to be fair they're MUCH larger companies), ProCorsa seems to be on to something (especially when you factor in the price point on these shorts). I like the chamois, it's not too bulky, but definitely gives you plenty of comfort for extended time in the saddle.
Now, here's why you should buy these shorts. I struggle with patellar femoral syndrome (improper knee-cap tracking). On long rides, or rides when I'm getting after it, I tend to over work my inside quad muscle and that causes considerable pain on my knee cap as my exterior quad pulls my patella out of alignment. When I'm working through a flare up (these happen usually early in the season), I need all the muscle support I can get. The Mackenzie shorts have a generous compression bands that supports my interior quadriceps and keep my knee pain at a minimum if not non-apparent. That's made the purchase worth it's weight in gold.
I should also mention that these are super-durable. I went down really hard on a mountain ride and didn't experience any tearing or ripping of the lycra. The seams are reinforced plenty and these shorts should last a long time.
On the whole, these are pretty damn good and totally worth the try.
I was pretty happy with the last ProCorsa bibs I bought, and thought they offered good value for the money. But these are in a whole other class. Bibshorts from other manufacturers that offer this level of precision fit (14 panels!), quality materials, great style, excellent compression, and high-quality chamois are considerably more expensive.
It's hard to tell from the photos, but the mesh in the back is a loose weave that is very breathable and very stretchy. This is a different mesh than used on the front of the straps which is similar to what I've seen on other bibs - a tighter weave that's still very stretchy. I assume this was chosen because it's a little softer feeling and will chafe less on the nipples.
Sizing, at least in the Large, seems to be pretty close to brands like Pearl Izumi and Louis Garneu, although with a little more compression around the quads.
I've always been a fan of the Louis Garneau Neo Power bibs, but these are a nice step up. The chamois on the ProCorsa bibs feels slightly thinner, but with firmer foam so it seems to protect a bit better and will probably take longer to break down. The chamois also has an indented area in the front providing a little more room for your privates. The inseam on the Neo Power shorts always seemed a bit too long - the ProCorsa bibs seem to be just about right. The main material used seems to be a grade or two nicer with excellent stretch. And the mesh material in the straps is a big improvement.
It would be nice if they were manufactured in the US, but I can feel good about buying a product made in Canada, particularly when it's an excellent value.
Nice work. Looking forward to seeing more products from this company.
I first read all the reviews, which were mixed. Some good, some not so good. Based on the price, I decided to buy them. After wearing them for over a month, I agree with all the previous comments. Straps are different, chamois area is smaller than usual. But, I really like these bibs despite any design issues. Great value ( deal of the day) and great product.
Nicer than most bibs in this price range. Excellent quality fabric with good stretch and compression. The chamois is high quality but a bit more minimalist than some. This appears to be the Cytech Road Performance Chamois, which is a high-end chamois but is more oriented to riders that don't want a lot of bulk. The biggest downside is that it isn't really wide, so if you ride a wider saddle, this might be an issue. Cytech provides chamois' to most of the top-end brands such as Assos and Raffa, so ProCorsa doesn't seem to be trying to save money here.
The bib straps are good quality but not as soft as some of the more expensive products. I usually wear a mesh base layer, so this doesn't bother me, but if you wear the bibs against your skin, you may find the straps a bit rough feeling.
All in all though, this is a very well made bibshort, and if you can get it on sale in the $120 range, it's a steal.
well made
Been riding these for two seasons now. I've got a few other bibs made by Castelli, Pearl and LG, but I keep coming back to these for longer rides.
My Castelli bibs (which are admittedly almost twice as expensive) have more comfortable straps, but as long as a wear a mesh baselayer, these are overall considerably more comfortable for longer rides. They offer great compression and have a superior chamois.
Very nice shorts except for this tiny seam where the ends of the red tape edging around the shoulder straps overlaps makes an itchy spot right between my shoulder blades. It bothers me enough to not use them. Too bad because otherwise I like them.
I really wanted to like these, but the chamois is just too narrow for me which makes them uncomfortable on long rides.
A year-plus ago, I bought these for a song on a deal through my Portland-area cycling club. I figured if nothing else, they'd be a fine extra set of bibs. Recently I've found myself gravitating to these due to their quality of construction and comfort. They've held up well, where a set of much more expensive Capo's purchased around the same time, have not. Fit is European I'm 5'11, 170lbs and the Large fits me okay - but I'd say I'm on the cusp. Any larger than me, and XL or larger is the way to go. Initially, compression is pretty tight on big legs, but they do break in some.
