We made our first Chrome shoe 12 years ago, building on our mission to make functional, durable gear that works on and off the bike. When we started making bags for bike messengers in Denver, in 1995, we had one very important goal in mind - make it durable and make it last. That goal was applied again when the idea of making shoes using the same material as our bags - tough Cordura nylon - turned into reality. Add the power of vulcanized rubber, Chrome’s PowerPlate™ / FlexPlate™ technology and *BOOM* - the Chrome Pedal Series and Pro Series were born.
Panaracer is legendary in the bike industry and well known for their fine rubber and durable bike tires. Not like we had to tell y’all that.. but we did it anyway. They’ve been at it for 70 years (!!) making some of the grippiest, most durable, high performance products in the game.
For the rebirth of our footwear collection, it was a no-brainer to collaborate with Panaracer to bring their signature rubber compound, made to pound pavement day in and out, from the bike to your feet. 70 years of bike tire manufacturing + 25 years of urban cycling = shoes that were born to pedal.
From design to finish, our new footwear collection has been in the works for over a year. Panaracer, alongside our team, put in the work and ran the tests to make sure our rubber was grippier, stronger, more abrasion resistant and exceeded the quality currently found in the market. Outside of the lab tests, new Chrome x Panaracer shoes were also street tested by our crew in Japan to make sure they stand up to the test. And they didn’t have any fun doing it at all.. Check it out below.
Alongside these new, dreamy, Panaracer vulcanized rubber outsoles for traction and durability, our new line of footwear features abrasion resistant fabric that’s also water repellent and quick drying. Each shoe features Chrome PowerPlate™ or FlexPlate™ technology designed for more push in each pedal stroke, less fatigue on your feet, and the ultimate in comfort when you are off the bike.
Check out the rest of our Chrome x Panaracer Collection to find your next favorite shoe.
