2010 Canari Cyclewear Velo II Bike Shorts–Initial Review

A few weeks after we published our initial review of the Canari Velo II Bike shorts, we were contacted by a representative from Canari.  He explained that he thought the shorts we had were much older than we were told and that the current model of Canari Velo II’s were a superior product.  He agreed to send along a test pair of the new and improved Canari Velo II shorts.  This is our initial review of those shorts.

Appearance:

Not much has changed from the previous pair in basic appearance.  These shorts are your basic black cycling shorts.  Canari makes these shorts out of six panels of fabric which leads to a nice snug fit with no bunching or extra fabric.  The major change to these shorts, however, is the chamois.  These new shorts feature the Stirato Fondella pad, made of a hydrodynamic, 4-way stretch fabric on the top and wings.  According to Canari, this offers better stretch, breathability, and wicking.

Canari Velo II Chamois Pad

Canari Velo II Chamois Pad 2

Comfort and Fit:

In the first review, we mentioned that the shorts run a bit large, though we didn’t fault Canari because we purchased these from an online store and used their supplied sizing chart.  When we received these shorts, we ordered a size smaller than we did originally.  Makes all the difference in the world.  The pad fits much better and is less bulky, though that could be a result of the new pad style too.

As a Clydesdale, we really appreciate the higher rise of these shorts.  With an 8″ inseam, we don’t get the feeling that we’re being too scandalous with our spandex.  Once again, we really like the leg grippers that Canari uses on these shorts.  We’ve tested the shorts on the road and in spinning class and in both applications, we haven’t experienced any problems with the shorts riding up or bunching.

The new  chamois is great.  The padding is much firmer than the previous model and has a really firm and comfortable feel.  Now that we’ve dropped to a smaller size, the pad fits very well and we don’t think it’s too large or bulky.  Especially in spinning class, we’ve noticed that the pad stays put and provides a level of comfort that you don’t expect for a relatively inexpensive pair of bike shorts.

Overall:

We’ve worn these shorts in multiple spinning classes and in the Southern heat for rides of up to 35 miles.  In all cases, these shorts provide a great deal of wicking and moisture control.  The new chamois fits well and provides a great deal of comfort without being too large and obtrusive.

The leg grippers keep the shorts in place no matter what we do.  This is especially noticeable during our harder spinning classes.  On the bike, the chamois provides great padding in our standard position and when we get into the aero position.

We’ve yet to ride longer than 35 miles and we’re looking forward to doing this as the true test of these shorts.  In the mean time, rest assured that these shorts are at least as good as any other pair you can find for the same price.  We’re looking forward to putting a few hundred miles on these and reporting back to you in about three to four weeks.