Pearl Izumi Ride Men's Pro In-R-Cool Bib Shorts - Cycling Bib Shorts for Men with Cooling Technology - Perfect for Road Biking, Triathlon & Summer Training

This review is for the 2015 Pearl iZumi men's Pro In-R-Cool bib shorts. I've purchased lots of Pearl iZumi cycling clothing over the years---it's my favorite brand. And I've got clothing from all three lines (Select, Elite and Pro).There were several reasons why I chose these Pro bib shorts.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 - Chamois (pad) -- I think Pearl iZumi shorts have the best chamois. Since 2014 (I think), their Pro pad has been one of the best you can get on any pair of shorts regardless of price. Unlike the Elite and Select lines, the Pro pad places all of the sculpting away from the skin so it is completely smooth against your body. It is amazingly comfortable.2 - Compression fit -- I was ready for the full-on compression fit of a Pro short. It is much better for my muscles on my intense long rides. Some customers have mistaken the compression fit for bad sizing. This is not true. It is intended for a tight athletic fit for athletes whose legs are working at a very high level.3 - Wicking fabric -- The capillary action of the Pro fabric is the best. It has an amazing ability to wick sweat away from your skin and cool you in the process. But it only works while you're moving and have wind passing over it. While zooming on a bike, it actually feels cooler than having nothing on at all. But the opposite is true if you stop---without the wind there will be no cooling and you'll just get hotter.4 - Seams -- It's tough to make a compression short whose seams are comfortable and these are it. Sure, you'll see seam lines on your legs when to take them off after a long, hard ride. But I've never felt the slightest discomfort while wearing them. This is one area were Pearl iZumi seems to almost always excel---seam comfort.5 - Leg length -- The leg length of the shorts seems about an inch shorter than past versions and definitely a little shorter than the Elite bib shorts. I like that. These bibs are designed for warm or hot weather---not cool weather---they are not thermal bibs. So a slightly shorter leg length seems appropriate.There were a few features that I didn't like...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X - Leg bottoms -- I didn't care for the soft fabric at the bottom of each leg. I wish the heavier compression fit extended closer to the bottom of the shorts.X - Lame colors -- If it weren't for the lame colors that Pearl iZumi is using now, I wouldn't have ordered the all-black pair like I did. But the colors are truly awful. Pearl iZumi needs to fire their inept clothing artist. Why would anyone choose an ugly Mikonos blue over a true blue?Finally, I'd like to clear up a few misconceptions to help shoppers pick the best Pearl iZumi clothing for them...------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pearl iZumi offers three general lines of cycling clothing: Select, Elite and Pro. You'll see some variations within these lines like Select Attack or Elite LTD or Pro Pursuit. But they will still fall into one of these three groups.o - Select -- The Select line is designed for casual riders with an average body shape. The fit is relaxed. This is the fit that many cyclists are familiar with after they've bought their first pair of Pearl iZumi shorts.o - Elite -- The Elite line is designed for advanced amateurs and budget-minded pros. It has a medium athletic fit. Elite jerseys will fit more snugly than Select jerseys but they won't be skin-tight. Elite shorts have mild compression. Because of this, Elite shorts will appear to be smaller than Select shorts but this is by design to support more vigorous exercise.o - Pro -- The Pro line is for athletes and has a full-on athletic fit. Pro jerseys will fit snugly so they are aerodynamic and do not flap in the wind. Pro shorts, bibs and tights are designed for a full compression fit to help athletes endure the highest level of long, hard exercise. They need the tight fit. All of the Pro clothing will appear to fit tighter than both the Select and Elite lines. Again, this is by design. If you do not have an athletic build (think pro cyclist with low body fat) then you probably won't like the fit.If your past experience with Pearl iZumi shorts is from the Select line, a pair from the Pro line will seem much smaller. Many of the inane comments by customers about fit are due to their ignorance of the purpose for these three clothing lines. The fit of the Select, Elite and Pro lines will be different. This is intentional and it is correct. I hope this will help you choose the best line for your application. My advice is to first choose the line that is best for you. Then pick the style within that line that you like the most. If you don't have the athletic build of a pro cyclist and you want to buy a pair of Pro bib shorts anyway, then you'll need to size up. How many sizes you should increase will depend on your body shape and goals.Lastly, if you want to buy cycling clothing that will last the longest, you should probably choose the Elite line. It is made to endure more wear and tear than the Select line. And the Pro line must sometimes sacrifice durability for some of the other qualities that athletes prefer for intense competition (like superior breathability, less weight, etc).Bottom line...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I highly recommend these Pro bib shorts to anyone looking for an athletic compression fit and one of the best pads on the market.These are the first bib shorts I've ever owned / worn. This is going to be for the first time user, who has also worn the more common lower half spandex chamois bike shorts only. I wanted another pair, both the ones I own are Pearl Izumi, and for pure vanity I wanted the type that pros are always seen wearing.The Good: Quality material for the price, I think. No holes, or loose stitching, or anything sketchy. They get 5/5 for build. They hug in all the right places, cushion in the right places, and feel ventilated in the right places too. The upper shoulder straps are much thinner fabric than the pants and lower back. Stretchy all around. My size fit perfectly. I'm about 5' 8", 155 LB and this fit damn good. Naturally, these will compress against your body all over. But its less of a deal on the road. Riding, I forget about the tightness, or the feel of it really. Was worried about chaffing on the shoulders, but the fabric doesn't move. Weird sensation not feeling a waistband where it normally would be, but I quickly got over it. An elastic waistband is not ungodly irritating to me anyway. That being said, I can appreciate not having to feel one at all, or that gap between shirt and shorts. Cushion is pretty ergonomic, nothing space age, but works the way it should be. No hot spots, or rubbing really at all.The Bad: If I had to nit-pick I'd say it got a little steamy around my crotch, which is not news to riders, but I could use just a little more ventilation, or moisture wicking perhaps.I find them very comfy my avg ride's are 50miles each time I go out roughly 4 or 5 times a week weather permitting. Other day put just under 100miles on a road trip and had no issues as well. I gave only a 4 star , I am finding some stitching issue along seam of leg, slight but still there. other then that the chamois are nice. guessing I have about 2k on these as of now.Ok update on Chamois, 1:1 , a little about me, this may not affect all for weight and size, I'm about 37in waist , 195 pounds 5foot10 and I'm wearing the large, no issues there, however this Chamois as of this year, after about 1k in riding , giving these shorts a total of about 4k on them, basically 1 season of riding for me, the Chamois is no longer under my sit bone, for some reason about a inch and a half of the edge is totally flat of the padding within the chamois, and on top of that, the padding within the chamois has moved forward for about 2 inch's , needless to say they are useless now. When I first got this set from the older pros I was totally impressed I could easily per say go 120mile rides and not think twice about it. but now after a total of less then 4k , 1 season of riding the chamois is shot. keep in mind I am very watchfull to my seat making sure its level, correctly positioned and all other factors into riding. just a bad chamois for if your "my size" , maybe some one smaller or other sizes I duno, I can only speak for myself. but for the price be nice to get more then 1 season of comfy riding in my opinion.Comfortable and cool on a one day 150 mile ride. Recommend for sportives and general rides.Excelente bib, ajuste a talla y muy buen chamois , mido 1.70 y el pad es muy cómodo para distancias de 80 a 100kHabe die Hose nun bereits auf 2 Fahrten à 80 km getragen - das Polster super!!Verarbeitung und Qualität sind sehr gut und machen langlebigen Eindruck.Très beau cuissard pour l'été. Taille S correcte pour 1m70 et 62 kg. Par contre réservé aux sportifs à jambes fines car très/trop serré aux cuisses.