Chrome Southside 3.0 Low Pro (SPD) review - this urban shoe grips better than dedicated gravel and mtb models

A stylish and robustly built urban shoe with an extremely grippy sole that puts certain off-road kicks to shame

Image shows Chrome Southside 3.0 Low Pro SPD cycling shoes.
(Image credit: Anna Abram)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Southside 3.0 Low Pro SPD-compatible shoes are robustly built and a brilliant option for transitioning from powering it on the bike to walking in style right up to your office floor (depending on dress codes). They’re expensive and a little heavy, but do feature a very grippy sole – which is great for walking around on wet cobbles – and includes useful little details such as a reflective stripe for on-the-bike visibility.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Well-built and durable

  • +

    Very grippy sole

  • +

    Stylish

  • +

    Stiff enough for pedalling but still walkable

  • +

    Rear reflective detail

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    A little heavy

  • -

    Lace pouch doesn’t really work

  • -

    May find the material cuts a little around the ankles

  • -

    Expensive

  • -

    Only in black

  • -

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Chrome Industries’ stylish street-style sneakers, the Southside 3.0 Low Pro, have been built for dyed-in-the-wool cyclists who still want to be clipped in and push the pace when on urban duties. The stiffness of the sole will keep you happy on the bike, but they’re also pretty easy to walk in, with only some slight heel slippage experienced. 

The well-known and highly respected maker of rugged and hard wearing biking bags - such as the Barrage Cargo backpack - Chrome Industries also applies its durability-first approach to a range of stylish shoes for city outings.

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Anna Marie Abram
Fitness Features Editor

I’ve been hooked on bikes ever since the age of 12 and my first lap of the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit in the bright yellow kit of the Hillingdon Slipstreamers. For a time, my cycling life centred around racing road and track. 

But that’s since broadened to include multiday two-wheeled, one-sleeping-bag adventures over whatever terrain I happen to meet - with a two-week bikepacking trip from Budapest into the mountains of Slovakia being just the latest.

I still enjoy lining up on a start line, though, racing the British Gravel Championships and finding myself on the podium at the enduro-style gravel event, Gritfest in 2022.

Height: 177cm

Weight: 60–63kg