Pearl Izumi Canyon Shorts

Priced on the lower end of Pearl Izumi’s bike shorts, the Canyon offers excellent value, a few welcome features and zero frills. 

When rain storms swung in from the sea and turned the Basque trails in to mud-splattered trenches, the Canyon Shorts weren’t afraid to get down and dirty. Pearl Izumi’s Transfer fabric is designed to wick away wetness and manage moisture — our testers verified this by getting absolutely soaked and continuing to ride in comfort. In fact, the shorts were so comfortable, our testers regularly removed the 3D Chamois — an easily integrated, well-designed bike chamois — and wore them around town, jumping off bridges, cliffs and docks into rivers, oceans and lakes. 

Apart from being quick to dry and comfortable, the Canyon sports two non-zippered front pockets (use at your own risk when going for a ride) and a trustworthy zippered cargo pocket. 

Tester Comment: “The Chamois is top-notch. You minimize sagging — the baggy shorts and the 3D chamois actually work together. Sometimes companies sell MTB shorts without the liner, or if you do get the liner, you’d never remove it to wear the shorts around town. But even though the orange is super bright, I still think the Canyon looks great off the bike. So, in my opinion, this is really a two-for-one deal.”