Chrome Madrona 5 Pocket Pant

Chrome's Madrona 5 Pocket Pants are smartish, stylish and comfortable trousers with enough cycling-specific design details to make them equally at home on or off the bike.

Chrome's Madrona pants – or trousers, as I am more comfortable in calling them – come in either black or navy blue and follow a chino-esque design. Which means they're a welcome smarter alternative to the prevalence of cycling denim that seems to be inundating the urban cycling market.

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I have to say, from first wearing, I was quite smitten with these even though I've never been a chino kinda guy. The cut is very nice with smart straight legs – none of that tapering at the bottom nonsense. And while the aftereffects of Christmas still linger round the old waistband, fit was pretty flattering, too.

Although it's loudly proclaimed as a '5 Pocket Pant', the Madrona actually has six pockets – one on each hip, one on each buttock, a hidden zipped 'passport' pocket at the right rear, and, of course, a small right hip watch pocket. The zipped passport pocket is particularly useful for safely stashing keys and a welcome improvement on most open-pocketed cycling trousers.

Reflectivity isn't bad, either. There is reflective inseaming on the outer side of both legs, perfect for a high-vis stripe on your turn-ups. And the large Chrome patch on the rear waistband will also help to make your presence known... as long as you don't wear a belt. Unfortunately the patch is sewn down on all four sides, so a belt can't pass underneath. A button and zip fly round out practicalities.

The best feature of the Madrona trousers, however, is their performance off and especially on the bike. Comfort is superb, thanks in large part to the four-way stretch cotton/nylon blend fabric, which offers just enough give while still providing shape and support. This is augmented with a reinforced waistband and diamond of extra material at the gusset. Chrome says this gusset is reinforced, but to my eye and delicate hand, it feels very much like the same weight fabric as used throughout the rest of the Madrona.

In the saddle, the Madrona offers a perfectly natural riding experience. Pedalling action is unencumbered thanks to the give of the stretch fabric, while that extra material at the crotch means you don't find yourself sitting on any awkward seams. Perhaps the one concern I have is leg length – if you have longer than average legs, you may find use of those reflective turn-ups will leave you with chilly ankles.

That consideration aside, there are a couple of surprising and important benefits. The Madrona's cotton/nylon fabric doesn't just stretch but has also been treated with a durable wind and water repellent... treatment. Considering the fabric's quite soft and lightweight nature, I was surprised to see light drizzle beading on the surface, at least initially. Constant exposure to rain confirms they are not waterproof pants, but they'll put up a fight for a little while.

Even better is the windproofing. I've used these trousers on very gusty and chilly days with only padded shorts beneath and felt no ill effects. In terms of non-rain weatherproofing, I can't recommend them highly enough and their unassuming texture belies their active performance.

Value and conclusion

There are plenty of commuting trousers on the market, and even more urban pants if you take jeans into consideration. However, for those not wanting the denim look, Velocity's Men's Climber Trousers are a great option and cost only £85, and Rapha does a nice pair of cotton trousers that come in at £95.

However, perhaps most like the Madronas are Gore's Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants for £149.99, which feature almost total resistance to the elements, including rain. In this company, the Chrome's much more limited rainproofing makes them look just a little pricey.

> Buyer’s Guide: The best casual cycling commuter wear

Chrome sets much store by its 15-year history making technical trousers and says the Madrona is 'the ultimate commuting pant'. Of the trousers I've personally tested, they're certainly up among the best. They're smart, comfortable, sturdy and offer fantastic in-saddle performance with slightly more than a token nod to weatherproofing. For everything other than rainy days, you'd be mad not to consider these Madronas.

Verdict

Very comfortable, stylish and surprisingly windproof trousers that look great and work well, both on and off the bike