Bike Reviews

Descente Leibnitz

My clothing line for biking has been very limited for many years… it just never seemed to be a priority of mine. I found some shorts and shirts I liked and just wore them.  In fact up until two months ago I had been wearing the same two pair of shorts for over 8 years and as you can image… they have a permanent stench to them that nothing will remove.

Don’t get me wrong, I have purchased other shorts over the years, but I never found a pair that fit as well and all the other shorts I had purchased turned out to be a huge disappointment. So back to the tried and true… old smelly shorts.

But as spring came around this year and as things started warming up… the stench was just too unbearable! I couldn’t stand the smell any longer and I can’t image what my buddies and other riders where thinking. So I finally decided to ditch the old shorts and find a new pair.

Not wanting to drop a lot of cash I started looking for a pair of shorts that were on sale and came across the Descente Leibnitz for $38.00 (58% off $90 msrp). For that price I figured I could go too wrong, but I was skeptical that I would actually like them enough to stick with them and quit searching for other short options. So I checked the sizing chart and ordered a large size and waited. About 4 days later the shorts arrived. I pulled them out of the box and started inspecting them.

The stitching seemed clean, tight and double bar sewn at all the stress points. The snap front closure seemed decent and I liked the fact that the side buckles where no too large so as not to dig into my gut as I ride. But I wasn’t too impressed with the material at first inspection, because they felt more like a pair of swimming trunks than biking shorts. So I put on the inner shorts, felt good and then the outer shorts. Before I even snapped them up, I knew that they would never work. The large size I had order felt more like an X-large and they slipped right off me and around my ankles.

Back in the box and shipped back.

A few days later my new Medium Descente Leibnitz shorts arrive. Out of the box I slipped them on and to my surprise these where border line too large to fit me as well. Now according to the chart on the web site I should be wearing a size Large, but considering the fact the Medium sized shorts I now have are as tight as I can get them and are maxed out on their adjustment, I know I should actually be in a size Small. But I’m able to make the mediums work for me, and I figure if I loosing any more weight, I’ll just get the wife to take them in a bit for me.

So I finally got to use the shorts. As mentioned I wasn’t impressed with the material because it felt like swimming trunks and not what I would have expected out of a pair of bike shorts. But I was mistaken! The outer matte Nylon shell material is perfect for riding! This matte Nylon shell has zero drag on the saddle, is really comfortable, light-weight, are cool on hot days and dries super fast! The hip pockets of the outer shell are a bit shallow and tight, but I can’t image actually carrying anything in my hip pockets while I ride anyhow. The side pockets are nice and the perfect size for carrying gels, blocks, bars or a map. The snaps stay closed well and do not irritate the flesh at all and the side buckles stay put with zero slipping. 

The inner shorts are just as comfortable as the outer shorts. The Chamois is really comfortable and I have experienced any discomfort at all. The Chamois has good coverage, the hip and leg bans stay put and hug nicely and the inner shorts breath well too.

Pros:
Extremely comfortable
Excellent moisture wicking
Very breathable and cool on hot days
Dry really fast
Light weight
Zero discomfort! No abrasive rubbing seams or anything else that irritates the skin
Zero saddle drag, nor any areas that can snap on the saddle.

Cons:
Sizes run about two sizes too Large
Side pockets are a bit tight and shallow 

All-in-All
I would definitely recommend these shorts to anyone who is looking for a pair of baggies. And for the sale price, you can’t go wrong. I plan to purchase another pair as soon as I get paid again.

(3 votes, average: 5.33 out of 7)

 Loading ...