Canyon MTB Pants review – close-fitting and comfortable enduro pants

Canyon doesn’t just sell all sorts of bikes, they also sell a load of complimentary clothing and accessories. Their MTB pants are aimed at trail and enduro MTB riding and are also used by the Canyon CLLCTV enduro team. 

Canyon has done a great job too, the MTB pants have a great fit and feel which makes them some of the best MTB pants we have used, they are a bit heavy though.

Design and specifications

Canyon has utilized a fair amount of paneling to achieve a tapered shape and create the slim profile that we are seeing from a lot of MTB race pants. The panels are made from polyester and elastane which has been DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treated to add a little weatherproofing. The material features some perforation holes around the front of the thigh and at the rear of the knee too.

Ratchet and zipped fly closure, silicone piping around the inside of the waistband to help keep them in place. Canyon has added two reasonably sized zippered hand pockets that sit on the front of the thigh.

Canyon doesn't specify the size but quotes the weight as 275g for the MTB pants, I thought that sounded a bit off and weighed my size small review samples and they came in at 510g. That's not only considerably heavier than the advertised weight but also makes them one of the heavier MTB pants we have used, even heavier than Fasthouse's reinforced Fastline 2.0 pants.

They only come in black with very subtle Canyon logos, although if you want some race taste you can also get them in with the Canyon CLLCTV livery.

Performance

The shaping of the MTB pants is great with a close flap-free fit with enough stretch to assure that there is no restriction of movement or snagging around the crotch. I didn’t have any problems fitting a set of knee pads underneath either, although if you have particularly bulky pads then it might be a bit tight. The Canyon MTB pants feel similar to the IXS Trigger pant but with a heavier-weighted material. 

That means they are a little warmer as the perforated ventilation isn't as breezy as the Trigger's lighter-weight material and mesh vented panels. This isn’t a bad thing though as the weather gets cold sometimes, just something to consider based on the conditions you ride in. I was comfortable riding in the Canyon MTB pants up to around 12 degrees before things started getting a bit hot on long climbs. The DWR didn’t appear to do a whole lot but I found the MTB pants didn’t become unpleasant or heavy when riding in wet weather. 

While we didn't have any problems with the ratchet which gives a secure and easily adjustable waist closure, I would prefer to see an internal method of adjustment. An internal adjustment would be a little less bulky and less likely to be damaged.

The sizing is spot on though, I opted for a size small (30-32 inches) and I found it to be as expected. Canyon also offers a ‘Long’ version in sizes M and L which have 6 cm longer legs than the "Standard" version for tall snake-hipped riders.

Verdict

Great fit and very comfortable, the Canyon MTB pants are well tailored for a close cut. The material is a little heavier which makes them best suited for chillier spring/autumn trail days when the weather can be changeable. 

Canyon’s keen pricing doesn’t just apply to their bikes and their MTB pants are competitive too, especially considering how well they perform. For even better value, Canyon offers a Signature Pro MTB Gravity Bundle which includes the pants, a jersey, and some CLLCTV socks.

The MTB pants are available directly from Canyon.com.

Tech specs: Canyon MTB pants

• Price: $139.99 / £126.95 / €139,95 / $202.95 AUD
• Fabric: 93% Polyester and 7% Elastane; Packet and Lining fabric; 100% Polyester
• Colors: Black, CLLCTV Enduro Team Pant
• Weight: 510g (small)
• Sizes: XS - 2XL