Making the transition to clipless (shoes that physically attach to pedals) can be daunting. Clipless shoes are stiff (to maintain efficiency), hard to walk in and it is always a pain in the ass to carry a change of shoes. Chrome’s SPD-compatible Pro line is a nice solution: The soles are slightly more flexible, and the shoes are infinitely better-looking. This is not my first pair of Chrome shoes. Prior to acquiring these, I purchased a pair of Kursk Pros (the low-top Converse-looking ones) and wore the shit out of them. Chrome shoes have an excellent build quality and an even better warranty program, and these shoes are no exception. Keep in mind that these shoes are a compromise between stiff shoes for cycling and street shoes for walking, and as such, are the best at neither. If you are walking distances farther than those between classes, they are probably going to be uncomfortable (especially at first). Chrome shoes are great at tearing up your heels (I have had countless blisters), and these are honestly much worse than the Kursks in that regard, but that is nothing that an angle grinder or some sandpaper won’t fix. If you’re going to be walking a lot, expect to replace your cleats on a fairly regular basis because they will wear out very fast. All that being said, I love these shoes. They are well made, look great, and Chrome is a great company to deal with if they end up breaking. –Cody Hudson

Chrome Industries
Welded Rucksack
chromeindustries.com

This was my first foray into bags specifically made for biking, and it was a godsend. My previous bag was some wax canvas messenger bag, and, while it was quite pleasant to look at, it left much to be desired. I can honestly say this made my life better: Commuting is multitudes more pleasant now. No matter how hard I mash up City Creek Canyon, this bag doesn’t move. I honestly forget I am wearing it. It has a detachable protective laptop sleeve (which fits 15” MacBooks perfectly), two pockets that were clearly designed for U-locks (which beats my previous method of shoving them in my belt), and it is entirely waterproof (like rain, not submersible). It is very attractive and durable, employing metal slide clips instead of buckles (fewer moving parts means less stuff to break). It is on the smaller side of rucksacks, but it can still fit 9–10 22 oz bombers of beer comfortably. –Cody Hudson