The Pearl Izumi Pro Bib Shorts are comfortable cycling shorts with a well-built chamois pad, breathable material, and supportive leg muscle compression. They also feature useful shoulder straps and a comfortable fit.
The new Levitate chamois is thick enough to hold up to long rides on firm saddles, but it doesn’t feel like a diaper. It’s positioned in the right place and lacks excess seams that can cause discomfort on long rides.
Comfort
You’ll appreciate the soft next-to-skin feel of these bib shorts, which feature Pearl Izumi’s best chamois pad, Levitate PRO. They pair the cushion with luxurious Italian PRO Transfer fabric for a bib explicitly crafted for long rides, featuring seven carefully engineered panels that minimize seaming for perfect contours.
The shorts also have a few extra features that make them incredibly comfortable, including low-profile laser-cut bib straps and raw edge hems that keep the shorts from riding up. These features add up to a pair of bibs that are very comfortable and functional during even the longest days on the bike, except for one issue:
A good chamois pad and breathable material are crucial to comfort, but so is getting the excellent cut and fit. Much of that comes down to how the bib shorts lay across your shoulders, but it’s also essential for the leg muscle compression that keeps you feeling strong on your rides.
Design
With seven carefully engineered panels, minimal seams, and a supportive fit, these bib shorts are one of the best we’ve tried. Wide laser-cut bib straps give a minimally invasive supportive fit, while raw edge hems are smooth and sleek, and a printed silicone leg gripper holds the short securely in place during strenuous efforts.
These bibs are crafted with long rides in mind and feature Pearl’s Levitate PRO chamois combined with luxurious Italian PRO Transfer fabric for an exceptional combination of compression and supple feeling. The material is a perfect blend of nylon, polyester, and elastane, with moisture-wicking properties that keep the rider cool and dry.
These bibs score well with their mix of body and chamois breathability, though the padding retained some moisture during our testing. We would have liked to see more moisture-wicking fabric in the pad to help it stay drier.
Fit
Bibs with the right fit, support, and compression to feel comfortable on long rides are essential for a successful ride. The Pearl Izumi Pro Bib Shorts are a solid option for riders who want the best performance in a classic bib design with a top-notch chamois.
The fabric is soft and silky against the skin, making it incredibly comfortable on the bike. They also have an excellent fit that allows the chamois to form on your skin rather than causing chafing and irritation.
We’ve found them to be highly durable as well, enduring a lot of abuse from multiple washing items. They’re not made of a stiffer, more durable material like the Quest Splice, but they’ve lasted us a couple of years without showing signs of wear or tear, which is excellent for a pair of bibs at this price point.
These bibs have two thigh pockets and one rear pocket, ideal for small items like a phone or a wallet. However, the cargo pocket is unique and can be used to store more important things.
Value
The Pro Bib Shorts from Pearl Izumi are a high-end option to keep you comfortable on long gravel rides and races. The bib is made from a mix of recycled nylon, virgin polyester, and elastane, which helps to cut down on weight without sacrificing comfort.
The bib is crafted with Pearl Izumi’s Levitate PRO chamois which utilizes a multi-density design that keeps it from bottoming out during long rides. It also features a foam layer that provides a bit of extra cushioning for your legs.
A cargo pocket along the right thigh is also available to stash your phone or keys. I think that’s a feature that’s hard to find on other bibs, making these an excellent value.
