At first glance, the Coronado Cruiser is a simple and stylish street shoe with its hip, casual profile and muted colour palette. But Keen pump up the underside with a section of softer rubber to help gain a grip on flat pedals plus a partial-length midsole plate that cuts down on flex when it's time to roll down to the local cafe.
We were surprised to find that those enhancements yield a tangible improvement in pedalling efficiency and feel on our townie bikes, yet without sacrificing walking ability since the plate is only modestly rigid. Plus, the shoe is still free to flex around the toes so long jaunts on foot aren't all that different from full-on skate shoes.
Even the fit is well dialed with a medium-width last, reasonably compliant upper materials and a heel cup that manages to hold tight even with the benefit of a beefy moulded counter. Toe clip users will be happy to see that Keen have included a rubber-reinforced cap to prevent wear, too.
At 1,034g per pair for our US size 10.5 testers, the Keen Coronado Cruisers certainly aren't light and they're fairly lacking in arch support. Then again, these aren't about getting anywhere in a huge hurry and no-one is likely to do a day-long hike in them. But if you're looking for a smartly styled casual shoe that still provides some cycling-specific benefits these will fit the bill and at US$80, they're reasonably priced, too.