Review: De Marchi Veloce Road Bib Shorts
De Marchi is an Italian kit manufacture founded in 1946 in north Italy. As with many other Italian brands they make some high-end kit for the more style-conscious rider and there are some nice quality touches on the kit such as embroidered logos and Italian flag tags.
The De Marchi Corsa short sleeved jersey is made from two-layered fabric which is designed to promote cooling in hotter weather by heat and moisture wicking through the outer mesh layer. It also has a sun protection factor of 50. I’ve been quite happy wearing this in the late spring and early summer without being too warm or cool.
The fit of the De March Corsa jersey wasn’t as small as some skinny Italian kit that I’ve tried and as a UK 8-10 I found the medium a bit on the large size. As you can see from the photos, it was a bit too long in the body and wide in the shoulders for me.
The De Marchi Corsa jersey has three large and accessible rear pockets and a full-front zip. The top of the zip is nicely housed so doesn’t scrape on your chin. The silvery-grey colour is best described as a bit ‘meh’ although handily didn’t clash with any other bits of my kit which made the jersey nicely versatile. It’s also available in black which looks pretty smart.
The De Marchi Classico shorts had more of a stereotypical Italian fit. The leg was much shorter and waist much lower than all the other cycling shorts that I own which gave them the feel of gym-bunny lycra-shorts rather than cycling kit.
Whereas I’d have gone for a smaller jersey I’d opt for bigger shorts if I was buying as they were pretty tight on my thighs. Aside from the cut and resulting abundance of thigh and belly I liked these shorts. The chamois was lightweight and provided sufficient padding in the right places without unnecessary bulk.
PROS
Stylish kit with nice finishes
Jersey a good fit for taller riders
CONS
Lack of jersey colour choice
Price: De Marchi Corsa Jersey £64.00, available from De Marchi.
Price: De Marchi Classico Shorts, £64.00 available from from De Marchi.
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