Chrome Kursk Shoes: Pedal Faster
Serious bikers know that regular street footwear can only take you so far. Tennis shoes and sneakers look great and feel fine, until you're trying to travel dozens of miles with maximum efficiency. Pretty quickly, you start wondering if there are other options that can help the natural motion of your feet, and we've got good news: the answer is yes.
As with many enthusiast products, today's gear is not for everyone. If your preferred method of cycling is a few mile jaunt, then you're unlikely to need other footwear options. For the rest of you, Chrome offers a range of shoes to complement their famous messenger bags. We've been using the Chrome Kursk Pro shoes for the past month or so, which has been enough time to travel quite a distance on our bikes.
Featuring SPD-compatible cleat plates, they're available in black (like ours) and grey. If you don't know the acronym, it's for Shimano's special pedal system, which hooks into the shoes and allows greatly improved pedaling dynamics. They are also apparently compatible with other clipless systems as well. The look is classic low-top, with standard laces. These aren't really street shoes- they are pretty heavy, and the weight balance is unusual (thanks to a foot rocker), plus the cleat plate does change the feel. They're fine for some walking though! And when biking, the feeling is miles away from 'regular' shoes- stiffer pressure and more natural movements made us faster and definitely reduced strain.
It's not all roses. These aren't super-breathable, and we did find them a little awkward in the rain. All told, the Giro shoes we checked out recently offered a bit more comfort and a tighter, more secure feel, but definitely compromised on the style and street-worthiness. If you don't want to look like you're wearing weird shoes, and want a bit more mobility, the Chrome Kursk Pros look great and are available now for around $95. As their site warns, remember to order them about 1/2 size smaller than your normally would! And they offer non-pro models for those who like the look, but don't need the built-in SPD-compatibility.
About the Author
Greg Greg dreamed up the idea for the Truly Network while living in Hawaii, which began with a single site called TrulyObscure. In 2010, when advertisers and readers were requesting coverage beyond the scope of that site, TrulyNet was launched, reaching a broader audience over a variety of niche sites. Formerly the head technology correspondent for the Des Moines Register at age 16, he has since lived and worked in five states and two countries, helping a list of organizations and companies that includes the United States Census Bureau, TripAdvisor, Events Photo Group, Berlitz, and Computer Geeks. He also served as the Content Strategy Manager for HearPlanet, a multi-platform app that has reached over a million users and has been featured in the New York Times, Hemispheres Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Fox Business News, PC Magazine, and even Apple’s own iPhone ads. Greg has written as a restaurant critic and feature journalist for a number of national and international publications, including City Weekend Magazine, Red Egg Magazine, the Newton Daily News, Capital Change Magazine, and an arm of China Daily, Beijing Weekend. In addition, he has served as a consulting editor for the Foreign Language Press of Beijing, as well as a writer and editor for the George Washington University Hatchet, the school newspaper of his alma mater. Originally from Iowa, Greg is currently living in the West Village of Manhattan.
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