From time to time I’ve lamented the lack of practical bikes on the market. When I really got this blog going in late 2010, it seemed like we were on the cusp of a Practical Bike Revolution, where smartly provisioned steeds would carry us all through town and suburb for our daily needs, and spandex and lycra would only be seen on the dwindling ranks of roadies. Alas, what dwindled was those practical bikes (unless they are of the e-variety.) Now people like myself and Tony H. look back wistfully and weep.
There were byproducts of that almost-coup that also have faced an ignoble fate. Namely, the urban bicycle knicker,1 a pair of trousers that were not shorts nor full-length pants, but a length in between. These were great for bicycles because there was no worry about cuffs in chains and the things people do to prevent that. And it also gave you a chance to up your sock game as they’ll be visible to the whole world. Now not everybody was on board with this garment. Those who never wanted any part of their attire to show that they cycle avoided it. (For example, I once asked Todd B. at Clever Cycles why they didn’t stock them, and he rolled his eyes.) But I was cool with it. Yeah, some transpo cyclists would say the need for knickers is negated by a chainguard, but not too many modern bikes have them, and trying to retrofit them on a bike not designed for one is difficult to impossible.
In the beginning, I simply did the punk rock thing of hacking off the bottoms of thrift store trousers, then got them hemmed, and then actually got two pairs custom-made for me. These wool knickers were everything that I wanted in a pair of urban cycle knickers: practical, stylish, and warm when I needed it. What they weren’t was durable: Within a year or two I blew out the inner thighs on both pants due to rub against saddle. This can also happen with denim, but wool tolerates even less abrasion. If I was smart I would have gotten a gusseted crotch made out of nylon or polyester, but hindsight is 20/20.
So then I moved on to non-custom knickers. I had a couple pairs of Rivendell’s MUSA knickers when they still made them. I’d consider going back and getting their new pants, but I wonder if I’d still fit in them. Now they only make full-length ones, and they removed the buttons from the back pockets.2 I like having some kind of back pocket security, thank you. I had a couple pairs of Mountain Hard Wear ones that were technically rock climbing pants, but I don’t think they make them anymore. I also got a pair of inexpensive “hunting breeches” from the UK that looked cool but were not comfortable. About a decade ago I tried a pair from Bicycle Fixation out of LA. They were wool and looked nice, but they were basically regular wool slacks with a bit of length cut off. Plus they had small back pockets with no buttons. I wore them during my first Lake Pepin Three Speed Ride in 2014 and I got sick of people constantly warning me that it looked like my wallet was going to fall out of my pocket. So much for that.
The majority of these pants I got about ten years ago and none of them are in my wardrobe anymore. I’ve casually searched for new pairs, but there are scant choices nowadays. The only ones I have found are made by Aero-Tech Designs. I’ve owned a few pairs of their Urban Pedal Pushers (ugh, that name). They are lightweight and fit well–Aero-Tech realizes that not all cyclists have no body fat. And at $65, they are pretty inexpensive. But they leave oh-so-much room for improvement. There are only three colors–black and grey are fine, but bright navy? Could you not do khaki and/or olive too? And I wish they made a heavier-weight version for cold-season riding. But my main complaint is they are just too short, bordering on long shorts instead of knickers. A good knicker when cinched should come below the knee, not on it. That way you can wear long socks on cooler days and be protected from the chill. I’m down to one pair and am debating getting another one. I’ve got my gripes, but there really aren’t many options out there.
What I really want is a set of ventile breeches from Hilltrek. Ventile is a kind of cotton material that is water-resistant due to the tightness of the weave. A garment can be made waterproof by making it two-ply. Those Hilltrek breeches look nice, but not only are they pricey, but I’d have to order them from the UK. (They like the Ventile over there.) Ordering a set of pants that are semi-custom without a way of trying them on beforehand, or a real way to return them if they don’t work, gives me great pause. Maybe someday when I’m more flush with cash I’ll take the chance, but right now I’ll have to admire them from afar.
So until I find some good urban knickers, I’ll be rolling my regular pants when I ride my bikes without chainguards. Let me know if you know of any good options.
- Yes, I realize that in the British Isles “knickers” means underwear, but they don’t here where I am writing it. If you are from the UK or Ireland, simply paste in “plus fours” every time I say “knickers”, thank you. ↩︎
- According to Grant, he doesn’t think anyone “in the world” would develop the dexterity to unbutton then button the pocket to take a wallet out, even though I had done that for years. This is coming from a man who once sold sticks as a way to shift gears without a derailleur. ↩︎
Urban Adventure League 
I used to have a pair of Swrve knickers in a light olive that I wore often. I got too big to fit in them and sold them, but I used ’em in all kinds of weather, even winter.
I see their appeal, but these days I would only use them for riding and not for general wearing around. It is too bad that wool is so susceptible to abrasion cause that’s so cool you got custom knickers! Even my base layers have a brief half-life, and I don’t get them for underwear anymore. They usually don’t last a year.
It was certainly noticeable in Copenhagen that the majority of bikes had chainguards; and not only full chain cases on traditional bikes, but on all kinds.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I just go through pants faster than normal people, and I’ve even resorted to having riding pants I use when I want to wear my nicer ones for work. If it’s just a periodic date or something I’ll ride with the nicer pants, but I don’t want to risk premature wear on vintage tweed trousers, for instance.
It looks like even Rene Herse phased out their knickers in favor of tights. Alas!
I remember those Swrve knickers. I tried on a pair years back, during the end of the Big Tour, and found them tight. I figured if I couldn’t really fit into them then, I’d never fit into them.
Thankfully I haven’t had issues with abrasion lately since most of my pants are polyester and/or nylon. For wool baselayers, I’ve found the key is to get a wool blend. The other material helps prevent abrasion and wear. It’s what they do for most pairs of wool socks.
I forgot about those RH/Compass knickers. It’s probably inevitable as Jan has stopped denying that he’s all about performance. A friend had a pair of Rapha urban knickers and he liked them a lot, but I don’t think they make them anymore.
Yeah Swrve notoriously sized only for skinny people
I found the “sized only for skinny people” is a problem in bike clothing in general. That’s why I’m glad that Aero-Tech exists, even if their knickers aren’t ideal.
I also hate the terminology “active” or “athletic” fit on clothing, when they really should say “trim” or “slim” fit. It implies that if you can’t fit into this narrower sized clothes, you aren’t active.
As I write this, I’m wearing an old gray pair of nylon/spandex knickers from MEC. They’re not stylish, but they fit well and have lasted years and I have another black pair in the closet. Looks like they’re not sold anymore, probably they weren’t very popular. Makes me a bit sad, because I used to wear knickers all the time. Any photo of me from 2006-2009 and I’m probably wearing a beat-up pair of knickers, often made out of trimmed thrift-store wool pants. They were great for fixed gear riding (which is what I often rode at that time), because I didn’t have to worry about getting my pants caught in the chain. Now that I’m back commuting again, knickers fill the shoulder season wardrobe where it’s too cold in the morning for shorts, but too warm in the afternoon for pants. Makes me sad that when I wear these ones out, they’ll be difficult to replace.