Chrome is a US brand designing products influenced by the unique stylings of messenger cyclists. It's designed for the rigours of riding around a city all-day long, shrugging off rain, grit, and everything a messenger has to deal with everyday.
The range includes messenger bags and packs, laptop bags, roll-top bags, shorts, shoes, t-shirts, jackets and more.
With autumn/winter settling in, the Riding Jacket is particularly interesting, as much for its understated styling as its technical features. It's one of the few cycling jackets you could probably get away with wearing down the pub. Made from Schoeller material, it's a lightweight shell and hidden panels reveal high visibility sections for commuting safety. And for those who like to listen to music while cycling, there's a shoulder mounted pocket for your MP3 player.
The Pacer is a long-sleeve jersey made from Merino wool, with a full-length zip. Completing the clothing lineup are the Shins, three-quarter length shorts made from a stretchy, mid-weight and wind/water resistant material. Fit is designed for cycling with a lower front and higher back, a slim chamois pad and large cargo pockets for stashing stuff.
Moving onto the bags, there's too many to mention, with different sizes and styles, so we'll focus on the Citizen, a mid-size messenger bag. It ticks all the usual messenger-style bag tick-boxes, and the 1000d Cordura material should see it lasting a long time. It comes with a lifetime guarantee should you have any problems though.
Roll-tap bags are becoming increasingly common appearances strapped to messengers, and Chrome offers three such bags. They're all fully waterproof with large easy-to-access pockets, an external wet-dry pocket, and unbreakable stainless steel hardware.
Take a look at www.chromebags.com for the full range.
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