Nothing ensures an enjoyable ride like a good chamois that keeps you comfortable in the saddle. When your bibs can also carry snacks, tools, and other items, that’s just icing on the cake! Several years ago I tested 7mesh’s non-bib MK3 shorts, and they are still one of my most comfortable chamois that I typically save for longer rides. With the Cargo Bib version, road or gravel riders can haul a few extra items, and MTB riders can likely ditch their packs.
I tested the MK3 Cargo Bib Shorts on my MTB, and paired with a water bottle, I was able to carry all the essential supplies I’d typically put in a pack with no discomfort or excess bulkiness. Between the absence of a pack and the strap-style uppers, these bibs were a great option for staying cooler on hot rides.
Editor’s note – I hope you chuckle at my ‘cheeky’ photos bookending this post – As an MTB rider reviewing bib shorts, I had to get creative to show you a product that’s entirely hidden while in use! Might as well have some fun with it!
7mesh MK3 Cargo Bib Shorts – Construction Features:
7mesh designs a lot of their clothing to be versatile across different riding styles, and these bib shorts are a great example. The MK3 bibs are equally suitable for road, gravel, or MTB riders. If these bibs were MTB-specific, I’d say a fly would be a great addition to them. However, I wouldn’t expect a fly on bibs that are intended as an outer layer for road/gravel riders.
The MK3 Cargo Bib’s body is made from a Nylon/Elastane fabric blend and was designed to offer moderate compression with a ‘skin fit’. 7mesh’s Clean Finish tailoring keeps seams and stitching away from key areas that can cause discomfort.
These bibs feature the same floating Elastic Interface Performance Space chamois as my older MK3 non-bib shorts, which is great – You shouldn’t mess with a good thing!
The Performance Space chamois features high-density foam in the center channel and a breathable, perforated top layer. Men’s and women’s models get gender specific channels or inserts to avoid pressure points or discomfort. This chamois was designed to remain comfortable for long hours in the saddle.
A significant feature of these bibs is the minimal uppers. The MK3 Cargo bibs have 45mm-wide soft elastic bib straps which leave most of your upper body uncovered. Slim, clean-looking raw hems on the legs support your muscles without feeling like elastic bands, and thin silicone grippers are printed inside to keep them in place.
As for cargo, the MK3’s offer three back pockets, plus large side pockets on both legs.
7mesh strives to be eco-friendly, so these bibs are made using Bluesign-approved fabric, Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified fabric, recycled fabric in the chamois, and PFAS-free body fabric. The MK3 Cargo Bibs can be machine washed in cold water, but 7mesh recommends hanging them to dry.
Ride Impressions: Fit/Comfort:
I’ve been riding the MK3 Cargo Bibs since mid-May. I’m 5’ 10” with a slim build, and the size small bibs fit me great. The upper straps are snug but not too tight, and the legs are long but cut off high enough to overlap but not interfere with kneepads. The wide, flat hems on the legs are very comfortable.
The body and belly cut both fit my torso well. The fit of the body is a bit looser than the waistline of my snug-fitting non-bib MK3 shorts, which is great. If my older MK3s were much tighter, they would not be comfortable.
I like the moderate compression fit of the MK3 bibs, particularly on the legs. My muscles feel very well supported in these shorts: from the lower hems to the body area, everything fits nice and snug. For MTB riders, the snug legs also discourage kneepads from slipping downwards.
While the seams surrounding the chamois are all hidden or minimized, there are some seams inside the hips, legs, and back that aren’t. The seams around the hips left impressions on my skin after each ride, but fortunately none of those unprotected seams caused noticeable discomfort.
After all my test riding, I’ve found the MK3 Cargo Bibs perfectly comfortable all around – there are no issues to report!
Chamois:
7mesh’s Performance Space chamois is very comfortable, providing excellent saddle padding. Even on my third ride with a new Chromag Limber saddle (which is less padded than the Ergon seat I was riding) I remained comfortable for over three hours.
It’s not a particularly thin chamois, but I don’t find it too thick. It’s substantial enough to keep you comfortable throughout long rides, as intended. The floating construction seems to keep the chamois in position really well, and I never had problems with the chamois shifting around, bunching, or chafing me anywhere.
Straps:
The best thing about the suspender/strap uppers is how cool they are compared to bibs with back panels. I came home from one short, hot ride and realized I wasn’t that sweaty… then remembered I rode without a pack! Being able to carry ride essentials in the bibs, especially for those (like me) without frame storage, allows you to stay much cooler on any ride you can pull off with a water bottle. I avoid wearing bibs in the summertime, but I won’t think twice about wearing the MK3 Cargo Bibs for any ride.
The other thing I liked about the straps is how they remained comfortable when I did ride with a pack. I still wear hydration packs for most rides (and have to carry my camera pack often), and wearing them over the slim straps was never uncomfortable. Even the junction piece between the shoulders was easily forgotten during rides.
Fit With MTB Shorts:
Since I tested the MK3 Cargo Bibs riding MTB, I always wore them with shorts over top. With items in the back pockets, I noticed my Endura shorts had to sit a bit low in the back. I would have pulled up the waist a tad higher, but it was interfering with the pockets. Luckily it was only by a small margin, so my shorts were fine where they were – they didn’t slip down on the ride and the waist wasn’t nearly low enough to restrict motion.
When I wore my Patagonia shorts, they initially sat slightly overlapping the bottoms of the pockets. I loaded up the pockets and rode, and when I got home the shorts’ waistline had settled in just under the pockets. Again, the waist moved downwards so slightly that I didn’t even notice.
Only my pair of Yeti shorts, which have a higher rear waistline, sat over the rear pockets considerably. Thankfully, if you don’t fill the pockets, this overlap isn’t noticeable at all. Most MTB shorts will likely not be problematic with the bibs’ rear pockets… worst-case scenario, you can still wear any shorts with higher waistlines if you leave the pockets empty.
Cargo:
I found the MK3 Cargo Bibs can comfortably carry an impressive amount of essential items. On an early test ride, I put Skittles in one leg pocket, a Clif bar in the other, and quickly forgot about both! The leg pockets hold small items snugly, and those items never sat right underneath the stuff in my shorts’ pockets.
On a couple of rides, I put all the essentials I’d typically carry in a pack in the bibs to see if anything felt obtrusive or annoying. Between the legs and back pockets, I carried a Clif bar, a small multi-tool, a large and a small Co2 canister, a dynaplug tool, a pack of spare plugs, my Co2 inflator head and valve core tool, plus a spare set of batteries for my Archer electronic shifter.
I even tempted fate and put the multi tool in the middle back pocket, right on my spine. While I would say the multi-tool was noticeable, it was never annoying, and it didn’t bounce around on my back while I rode. The worst I can say is that items in the back pockets may be noticeable, depending on what you put in there, but nothing I carried ever became problematic.
Even riding with a pack and shorts with pockets, I put some energy chews in the leg pocket of the cargo bibs just for easy access. It also spread out my phone and the chews instead of shoving both in my shorts’ pocket. I did notice one thing – cargo in those back pockets will get sweaty! Metal items like multi-tools or Co2 inflators might eventually start getting rusty, but I suspect it would take a while.
The MK3 Cargo Bib Short sells for $250. Men’s color options are Black, Deep Sea, or Purple Velvet. Sizes range from XS-XXL. Women’s models are also available: The WK3 Cargo Bib Short retails for $230. Color choices are Black, Midnight Blue, or Peat, and they come in sizes XS-XL.
