Chrome Industries partners with Panaracer to re-engineer its range of urban cycling shoes

Chrome has refreshed its urban shoe range in collaboration with Panaracer who has supplied its expertise in rubber compounds to produce grippy soles. The refresh also sees the return of the Kursk AW Pro, an SPD-equipped trainer that could make for some of the best commuter cycling shoes, as well as being well suited to couriers and urban riders who want the efficiency of clipping in, with the casual aesthetic of a trainer.

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Headlining the Chrome AW21 footwear launch is the Kursk AW 2.0 Pro. Across the Chrome range, the Pro name is used to denote the SPD-equipped models which feature a recessed two-bolt mountain bike cleat in the sole. While more and more brands have started releasing casual SPD-equipped footwear, such as Adidas' Velosamba, Chrome was one of the first to do it with the original Kursk Pro range.

The new version of the Kursk AW Pro features a Rigid Flexplate nylon shank underneath the Panaracer No Slip outsole which extends the length of the foot and is designed with the aim to offer good power transfer without affecting walking comfort. 

The uppers are made from abrasion-resistant 1050 Denier PU-backed material that's hydrophobic, and use a gusseted tongue to help keep the elements out. Lastly, there are reflective details on the rear to add a little extra nighttime visibility when riding through the city.

If you prefer the style of a mid-rise trainer, Chrome has the Southside 3.0 Pro as well, with all the same sole construction and 1050 Denier Cordura as the Kursk Pro, just with a higher cut and rubberised toe bumper.

Pricing for the Pro models is £110 / $120 for the Kursk AW 2.0 Pro and £130 / $135 for the Southside 3.0 Pro, both of which only come in a Night Reflective Black option. The shoes are available in sizing between US 5 and 12 (Southside 3.0 Pro goes up to 13) and half sizes between 7.5 and 11.5.

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Chrome offers both the Kursk AW and Southside 3.0 shoes in a non-SPD regular sole along with the Dima 3.0 slip on and Southside Low, all of which have been reworked with Panaracer's rubber sole. Interestingly, despite not having an SPD cleat interface, Chrome still specs all its flat pedal shoes with a stiff nylon shank for better power transfer than you would get from a regular trainer sole, which means you shouldn't lose much in the way of performance if you prefer riding in town with flat pedals.

The slip-on Dima 3.0 is constructed using 1050D Cordura with PU backing while the Southside Low has a leather and canvas upper. 

There is more colour choice for the flat pedal shoes too, with options for Night, Woodland Camo or Olive Leaf colourways for the Kursk AW (£90 / $100) and Dima 3.0 (£90 / $95). The Southside 3.0 (£110 / $110) comes in Night or Olive Leaf and the Southside Low (£90 / $100) version only comes in black.

Chrome Industries' full range of footwear is available now from Chromeindustries.com.