wolfbrother

I just got a pair of the cotton knickers about a month ago and I love them. They do look a little goofy, but they're just great when riding. They keep my knees warm and they really move nice on a bike. The quality is outstanding.

As far as the "buy local" thinking goes, I can sum it up with one word : service. Even though there are many other reasons to buy from a company like swrve, their service was amazing. When you email them a question, they write you back the same day. I wanted to know some measurements that weren't listed on the website so I drew up a little graphic and sent it over. In about an hour Muriel (one of the owners) wrote me back and filled in all the blanks. Try getting that from Nashbar.

kemmer

I have the cotton ones and they are ok.

The good: Customer service is outstanding, I don't think I've ever had a better experience with a company. I ordered my normal size and they were a bit snug, so I ordered the next size up. Unfortunatly, they were pretty much exactly the same size. I should have exchanged them again, but they were only a little too tight. They look good (in a "look at me, I ride a fixxxie!" kinda way) and are comfortable on the bike.

The bad: They faded quickly. The ass faded really fast, like after 4 washes. One of the legs always ended up with the seam on the front of my leg for some reason. No big deal, just kinda strange. Finally, two belt loops and the cel phone pocket came unstitched after about 4 months of use. I only wore them once or twice a week, so they really weren't as durable as 80 dollar pants should be.

My thrift store Columbia hiking pants turned knickers cost me 4 bucks and a half hour at the sewing machine and have been 4 times as durable and are more comfortable off the bike.

ecp8

These shants are so much better than cut-offs. I love mine. They fit great and are fine for longer rides. They dry quickly and can be worn several times before having to wash them. Most of the other cycling pants I looked at had those stupid cargo pockets (why would you want a bunch of crap banging on your leg as you pedal?) If I had to recommend an improvement it would be that they need a slightly higher rear waist.
I also rock climb in mine - they've held up fine to the abuse.

SSSasky

I have some of the SWRVE jeans. I think they rule. Fit is really good. Fabric feels great. My only real concern is long-term durability.

I rambled about them a bit on my blog.

Oh yeah, customer service is top notch, and I think the pricing is totally reasonable, given that they are basically made to order in the US, with fairly expensive fabrics and ethical production practices. You can spend a lot more money on a pair of jeans whipped up in a developing country for a brand name if you want.

oneredstar

[QUOTE=LoRoK;6198271]3 reasons:
First, they are too short. The articulated knee is more like an articulated lower thigh. The hem is around/above my kneecap when I ride.QUOTE]

Seriously? Mine go at least 10 inches below the center of my knee.
I have the Dryskin ones, so maybe the other models that they make are a little different.

mjd

Wow - you got a response to your email? I've emailed them twice in the past month with no response. I have the gals' version, which I really liked to begin with, but when I followed their washing instructions they shrunk an entire size. They're skin-tight now, and at that point I'd just as soon wear lycra.

Similar to your pocket issue, they sewed the belt loops in the front right through the pockets! The only reason I can get into the front pockets at all is because I have very small hands.

I may have to just break down and call them and see if they can replace this shrunken pair with another pair that I won't put in the dryer. I'm not very impressed with their online customer service so far.

paramount

I have several pairs in different fabrics, and like them a lot. Every other knicker I've tried are kind of baggy, which I don't like. The Swvre ones are very slim fitting, so if you like that type of fit, I would definitely recommend them. The customer service is the best. They are American-made, and no sweatshop labor. I find them very comfortable for riding and I think the Schoeller fabric ones are especially good. My only complaint would be that there is inconsistency in sizing. I wouldn't mind if they cut them a little bit longer, too -- but I am tall and I'm pretty much used to clothes being slightly short on me.

artismyrevolt

+1

my cutoffs are much more comfy than anything else i've tried. which isn't saying much.

mjd

I don't know if it was coincidence, but not long after posting here I finally got a reply to my email from swrve. I, too, take back what I said about their customer service. Though it did take a while for them to respond, I am completely pleased with the result (which was "send them back and we'll send you a new pair").

Apparently the belt loops sewn through the pockets issue has been resolved since I orginally bought mine.

I'm jealous at all the options out there for guys in semi-normal-looking, non-lycra cycling knickers. Is there really such a limited market for these for women?