Chrome Telegraph Knicker Post 1

As I have gone through different stages of cycling over the years my thoughts on cycle related clothing have changed a great deal.  Prior to moving to New York City cycling was something I did after work or on weekends to exercise and socialize.  I rode with a cycling club, participated in many formal rides, and my cycling wardrobe consisted of lycra shorts and road jerseys.

When I moved to New York and started commuting by bike, the first few months I wore the same tight fitting clothing.  I remember a few people at work teasing me when they saw me walk in (typical stuff, like "Hey Lance!") and I started to reconsider what I was wearing.  I had pair of pants that could be turned into shorts by zipping the bottoms off and one day rode in them and really liked the way they felt.  I still wore my lycra shorts underneath for comfort but I was not "out there."

Eventually I started asking my wife to chop old pairs of pants into knickers - I wrote a post on this a while back.  It was a nice alternative to dropping a decent chunk of cash on knickers produced by companies like Chrome.  Recently I connected with a rep from Chrome and brought up my penchant for knickers and they were kind enough to send along a pair for me test and compare with my hacked knickers.  They sent the Telegraph Knicker, which on their site is priced at $100. 

The main question to me and possibly to readers is, is the price worth it?  Some might remember that I posed the same question about merino wool t-shirts in my post, Is a T-Shirt Worth $60?  The answer to that question is "yes" for me because for the past year I have only been wearing the three merino wool t-shirts I own and I have been slowly disposing of all my cotton and mixed blend t-shirts.  After going merino I can't go back. 

So I am going to be testing out the Chrome knickers and will post my thoughts.  I start with a couple of pictures.  They are nice looking and the construction and materials seem very sound. 

The picture below does not do it justice, but what I was trying to convey is that they are sewn in a way that I think is meant to make them fit better than normal pants while in the saddle.  I will try to get a better picture in the future. 

Of course this opportunity to review comes as the temperatures are dropping in Boston so I might have to suffer a little, but at least I'll look good =)

I'll have more thoughts on them over time but if others have owned Chrome products and wish to comment or write their own reviews for the site, let us know.  Also, if you have clothing hacks of your own or die hard loyalty to a bicycle related clothing product feel free to share them with us. 

Comments

[Leo Horishny]

I'm still sold on the traditional knicker leg closure
design versus the 'capri' leg opening...as a recumbent rider, parachute operation of pantaloons is an issue. Not to mention 'drafting'.

As for the weather where you're at, try cross country ski socks and possibly women's knee socks at the discount clothing stores if that's your price point.

[RDHague]

I've had a pair of these for over a year and from my point of view they have definately been worth the cost. Considerably more comfortable than most other shorts and they show no signs of wear.

I've worn them on my ten mile roundtrip daily commute through a Wisconsin winter over long underwear (and with heavy socks) and they've been ideal - the material really blocks the wind.

Just a heads-up on care: they've been tossed in the laundry with regular detergent a couple times and lost their water repellance but I re-washed them with Nikwax products and restored it. Most recently I sprayed them thoroughly with Kiwi Camp Dry.

I give the Chrome knickers my favorite superlative: they're SWELL!