# Louis Garneau clothing feel cheap?



## carlflow

I went to my lbs today to buy the 2014 equipe jerseys cause the designs are awesome. I have a couple castelli and capos and their quality is top notch but their designs are kinda ehh.

I arrived and saw the LG equipe jerseys and they felt kinda cheap. I understand its their lightweight jersey offering but the material felt really thin and the stitching could be seen easily. I tried on a medium as I am always a medium on all other brands and it was waaaaay to big despite being the race/pro fit listen on their site. I tried a small and it was fine tightness wise but it was too short and the very lower half of my torso was showing.

Anyone have experience with LG series more specifically equipe series? I didn't think they would feel this cheap and I find the fitting a little bit off. I didnt purchase it because the quality didnt feel worth the $85 price tag. But if their design proves otherwise I might think about purchasing it again.


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## Peter P.

I have a pair of Louis Garneau shorts. Cost was @$100. After 30 minutes, the chamois is like a belt sander against your crotch. Considering all the other brands I've used over the decades without having a problem, the Louis Garneau's are junk-I'll never buy another pair.

However, I will say my Louis Garneau lobster mitt style winter gloves were well constructed and warm.


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## Bob Ross

My favorite pair of cold weather bib knickers is by Louis Garneau. Very comfortable, no belt sander crotch, lasted a long time/lots of miles, and probably would have lasted more if the EMTs hadn't cut them off of me in the ambulance after my last crash. I was thrilled when my sister bought me an identical replacement pair for the holidays. Would recommend them highly.

And I have a Louis Garneau winter jersey that I absolutely love, super warm and super comfortable. If it wasn't for the fact that it isn't a full zip, and is white -- and hence gets uglificated from road spray after most winter rides -- it's be my favorite winter jersey.


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## Charlie the Unicorn

I have about 5 short sleeve garneau jerseys, all either carbon ion, carbon elite or carbon pro. I love them. 2 of them I've had for about 6 years now and they show no signs of wear. 

I've used some of their lower end bibs and haven't like them, but I recently picked up a pair of their mondo evo bibs on clearance ( for about $99 ) and they've been fantastic. I also have a couple of pairs of bib tights, the ones w/ a chamois suck, but the ones without one are just fine.


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## bikerector

I've also had pretty good experiences with Louis Garbeau. Their sizing can be a bit weird but so are many of the others. I like their winter stuff, haven't used any of their summer offerings (I use old race kits for training attire) but I know a lot of local clubs/teams use LG for their custom kits and like them.


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## Brian J

I have a lot of garneau I'm wearing right now, so I can share some thoughts:

I got the Garneau Classico kit this past year, and I've ridden it for the last 5 months, and I absolutely love it. They've washed well, and held up well. Am definitely planning to get another Garneau kit once they release another one whose colors appeal to me. Not seeing another pattern i like among their current offerings.

Ive used Garneau Wind arm and leg warmers since the onset of fall, and through the Northeast winter, and love them too. They do what they're supposed to and stay where they supposed to.

i also got Garneau Elite Touch gloves, and these, I didn't feel fit well, and likely would not buy more gloves from them. Have 2 sets of PI gloves, and like these much better.

just recently got the Garneau Carbon Mesh vest, and while I've only worn it on 2 rides, am pleased with it so far.

also have garneau neoprene shoe covers. They've been functional, but they're a pain to get on and off, but I'm satisfied, they keep my feet from getting cold, but not sure they're that different from the rest of the market here.

Have garneau matrix balaclava, but have not used it on a ride yet. It works well for shoveling snow! 

When I tried on skullcaps at my LBS, the garneau one did not fit well with my sunglasses, so I came away with the PI ones.


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## robnj

I have found it depends on where the LG stuff was made. If it is made in USA, Canada or even Mexico, they appear to be high quality. I have bought some stuff made in China (off ebay, so I could not read the tag) and it is noticeably thinner and cheaper. Oddly enough though the China stuff is more true to size, where everything else runs small.


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## Alfonsina

I have LG neopower shorts and they are a nice outer fabric but the chamois is weird in that it really retains water. One day I am doing pre and post ride weights, I am relatively continent BTW. I didn't pay more than $50 for them though, but I won't buy anymore. My only LG top is meshy lightweight and really great for hot weather. Again though, only on sale. They all hold up OK.


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## 9W9W

I ordered - and subsequently returned - some LG stuff. Their items have always struck me as expertly designed but lacking in quality, or execution. LG was the only company to have venting in the palm of winter gloves, which seemed like a great idea. I got the gloves... and they seemed a little flimsy.


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## den bakker

robnj said:


> I have found it depends on where the LG stuff was made. If it is made in USA, Canada or even Mexico, they appear to be high quality. I have bought some stuff made in China (off ebay, so I could not read the tag) and it is noticeably thinner and cheaper. Oddly enough though the China stuff is more true to size, where everything else runs small.


wanna place bets that LG was actually involved in the making of the chineese stuff bought off ebay?


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## robnj

The stuff was not from a China seller (I am more suspicious of those). It had all the tags on it, including the "micro dry" tags that are held on with those plastic clips. To me it was from LG, just made in China. I have purchased gloves at Performance that were LG and made in China as well. I just hope not all production is going over there.


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## RaptorTC

My summer/cross team's kits are from LG. The jersey is super thin compared to my others, but I don't really see that as a terrible thing as its nice in the summer. The bibs I have from them are pretty comfortable too, although the straps run a little long on me. My collegiate team is going LG this year as well, but our kits haven't come in yet. Add in a new kit for my summer/cx team and I'll have 3 full LG kits by this summer.


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## wabasso

I have a pair of LG bibs which are as nice as any I have ever worn. Of course they are the Corsa line which I believe ran about $270. In the top 3 bibs I have ever had.

If memory serves me right they were made in France.


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## Drew Eckhardt

carlflow said:


> I arrived and saw the LG equipe jerseys and they felt kinda cheap. I understand its their lightweight jersey offering but the material felt really thin and the stitching could be seen easily. I tried on a medium as I am always a medium on all other brands and it was waaaaay to big despite being the race/pro fit listen on their site.


Medium != medium. On paper an XS Louis Garneau fits the same people as a Small Castelli. I'd assume a similar relationship at larger sizes.

Pro-fit != race cut even though people used to club cut may call anything tighter race-cut. Race cut from LG would be racer-fit officially one size smaller. In 2013 they claimed 3" more circumference in the chest, 2" in the waist and hips, and 2" in the arms. It doesn't look like that much laying the jerseys on top of each other except in the arms, although racer-fit is significantly tighter. "Elite" jerseys are racer-fit, and nearly everything else pro-fit or looser.

The Diamond fabric is moderate weight and well ventilated. Carbon Ion is lighter still.

Pro-fit, Carbon Ion









Racer-fit, Diamond











> I tried a small and it was fine tightness wise but it was too short and the very lower half of my torso was showing.


There are some fondo-fit jerseys on ebay which are 1" longer in front with longer sleeves which otherwise fit the same as pro-fit.



> Anyone have experience with LG series more specifically equipe series? I didn't think they would feel this cheap and I find the fitting a little bit off. I didnt purchase it because the quality didnt feel worth the $85 price tag. But if their design proves otherwise I might think about purchasing it again.


I got a backcountry.com 2014 Equipe with hidden zipper for $55, and custom program prior year (flatlock seams) Equipe sizing sample off ebay for $25.

They're a nice relaxed fit, seemingly identical to my other pro-fit LG jerseys. The fabric is well ventilated.

I shrunk and had to buy new jerseys this year so I don't know how they'll hold up; although over all I'm happy.

I've yet to find a chamois made this century I really like. LG "air zone" is less bad than some, but not an improvement over late 1990s synthetic goat leather.


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## ParadigmDawg

I have a pair of CB CARBON LAZER bibs I got a few months ago. They seem like a thinner material than what I am used to but I actually like how they fit and feel. I am 50/50 on the chamois as it seems a little bulky and I could see it bothering me on a really long ride. I have only been on a 40 miler in them so far and they were fine for that.


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## metoou2

Have an LG winter jacket. It is top notch.


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## Rob-c

I have a pair of road shoes all good after 8 months


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## Sweet Lew

I picked up a closeout Europcar kit from LG at Performance a couple years ago. Great quality and the bibs are really comfortable.


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## Migen21

I have a few pieces of LG gear. No real complaints. 

Don't confuse lightweight fabric with 'cheap'.


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## Tig

Their shorts and jerseys from 15 years ago were pretty cheap feeling but one team jersey is in great shape so I occasionally wear it.

I've been riding with a pair of Elite Lazer Bib Shorts for about a year now. I've owned over 50 shorts and bib shorts over the years and these are by far the most comfortable. The chamois is perfection. Every aspect of the design and craftsmanship are excellent.

I love these so much I bought a second pair. Considering the price range, that says a lot.


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## Dunbar

I just got a couple of the Corsa 2.0 aero jerseys on closeout at Competitive Cyclist. Originally I got the XS at Drew's direction but I couldn't even get them on. It was like fat guy in a little shirt - except I'm not fat anymore (5'9" 145-150lbs.) Exchanged for mediums and they fit great. I love the skin tight pro fit. Wish I could find more jerseys that fit this way that look good. The aero zippers have a small learning curve.


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## Drew Eckhardt

Dunbar said:


> I just got a couple of the Corsa 2.0 aero jerseys on closeout at Competitive Cyclist. Originally I got the XS at Drew's direction but I couldn't even get them on. It was like fat guy in a little shirt - except I'm not fat anymore (5'9" 145-150lbs.) Exchanged for mediums and they fit great. I love the skin tight pro fit. Wish I could find more jerseys that fit this way that look good. The aero zippers have a small learning curve.


Yeah, I really like mine for hard rides. Should buy a red one too before they sell out. 

At the stated size next-to-skin or skin-fit is a compression fit more like shorts than most jerseys starting out substantially smaller than racer-fit - top to bottom XS next-to-skin, racer-fit, pro-fit.









As you've discovered there's a lot of wiggle room in wearing sizes bigger than you - I'm 2" under on the waist and don't have any slack there.

I'm comfortable in the XS, but 34"/27"/35" chest/waist/hips where XS is officially a bit bigger at 35-37/29-31/35-37 and I was used to tighter jerseys from squeezing up to 205 pounds into mediums. 5'10 and 145 pounds which seems to be mostly below the waist.

When I lost my middle age spread I fell off the bottom of the size charts and had problems finding jerseys that fit. I documented most of my fit findings here:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/apparel-cycling-clothes/xl-xxl-but-no-xs-343589-2.html#post4810660


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## Drew Eckhardt

Dunbar said:


> I just got a couple of the Corsa 2.0 aero jerseys on closeout at Competitive Cyclist. Originally I got the XS at Drew's direction but I couldn't even get them on. It was like fat guy in a little shirt - except I'm not fat anymore (5'9" 145-150lbs.) Exchanged for mediums and they fit great. I love the skin tight pro fit. Wish I could find more jerseys that fit this way that look good. The aero zippers have a small learning curve.


Hows this? Custom program 2014 20705 Mondo fit sample. Same fabrics as the Corsa 2.0, 3/4 zipper not full, fits the same except the front is 1" shorter on my XS (19" vs 20").
















There are small grey hexagons in some of the white areas which seem to have been down-sampled on upload; you can see them at the link below.

All sizes XS through XXL, $49.99 shipped.

Louis Garneau Mondo Jersey (705) - www.strongbiker.com

Stays put with my regular shorts, although I haven't paired it with my lowest rise shorts yet (Boure small) and hope if it stays connected keeping my belly + back covered on my next hard day (that's an issue with those shorts and regular XS racer fit for me, although I have an unusually long torso).

Ingress is surprisingly trouble free - legs first, one arm then the next.

Egress takes some contortions or a trick I have not figured out yet.


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## dookie44

I can not speak to their clothing but I have one season with a pair of road shoes (carbon HRS 2) from them and I do enjoy the shoes. The shoes are light, stiff, breathable and priced reasonably.


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