Cannondale Chrono Pants Review

I recently purchased a pair of Cannondale Chrono Pants from a seller on eBay.

I’ve been wearing this pants regularly for several weeks now, with a pair of liner shorts underneath, and I must say that I’m impressed with the product.

The pants are quite form-fitting, yet still move well. There are two front packets and one rear pocket, as well as a pocket on the front of each knee, each secured with a zipper. Not quite sure what the knee pockets are for — insertable pads perhaps?

There are also 8-inch zippers at each ankle, which make it easy to get the legs on and off, yet when zippered the legs are tapered enough to not get caught in the chain/cranks.

The waist has two velcro adjusters, one on each hip, to customize the fit. The fly is zippered, and has a snap closure at the top.

The fabric is soft-wearing, yet appears to be windproof and waterproof. It’s comfortable down to at least freezing (lower with a thin tight as a base layer, I expect) and up to the 60’s. The fabric is labeled “Epic”, and I found this description on the web:

EPIC by Nextecâ„¢ utilizes proprietary, patented encapsulation technology to create revolutionary high-performance fabrics. This unique process encapsulates fabric fibers with a micro-thin polymer, forming a breathable barrier to rain, snow and wind. Unlike laminations or coatings, the performance is permanently placed inside the fabric for garments that remain lightweight, soft and compressible for the life of the product.

I’m not sure what vintage these are. They don’t seem to be available through cannondale.com or from any Cannondale retailers, so they must be at least a few years old. I can find no reviews or other product information. Even my search of Cannondale’s old web sites at archive.org didn’t turn up any reference to these pants. Cannondale apparently carried the Chrono line for at least 2002-2004.

I hate to provide a review of a product no one can buy, but Cannondale does have two products in their exiting lineup that might be comparable: the Metro Pants and the Morphis Rain Pants. The Metro lists for $125 and the Morphis lists for $90.

The Metro seems to be a closer match to the Chrono.

Would I buy a pair today, at those prices? I’d consider it, knowing how well the Chrono is constructed, and how well it’s performed so far.

I’ve tried quite a few different pants (primarily hiking pants) for biking, and these are the best I’ve come across so far.

DirtBum Written by:

I enjoy riding bicycles all over -- city streets, suburbia, rural roads, gravel roads, dirt roads, rail-trails, and singletrack. I love exploring the countryside and finding the interesting and historical treasures hidden in plain sight. You can follow my rides on Strava.