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Pedals / Shoes

Hi ladies and gents,

Any roadies out there using SPD rather than SPD-SL pedals? I'm a bit sick of struggling to engage and thought I'd give the SPD's a try so bought a cheap pair off of eBay. Any recommendations on shoes? I don't want to have to buy some chunky paid of MTB shoes...

Thanks

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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27 comments

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arfa | 9 years ago
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Very happy with my RT 82's, they do the job for commuting, road and dare I say it mountain biking.....
As an aside, I was due to be riding with a bloke this weekend but he slipped in his spd-sl's and broke his wrist....

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keef66 | 9 years ago
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I've had SPD M540 pedals on both my road bikes from the outset. Paired with some Nike touring shoes which mean the cleat's recessed and they are still stiff / light and look like road shoes. Win-win. Nike stopped doing cycling stuff a while ago; that's when I got them in the sale, but as others have suggested a pair of Shimano touring shoes would do the same job

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MarcMyWords | 9 years ago
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Oh dear - Rule #34...

Rule #34 // Mountain bike shoes and pedals have their place.
On a mountain bike.

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bikebot replied to MarcMyWords | 9 years ago
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MarcMyWords wrote:

Oh dear - Rule #34...

Rule #34 // Mountain bike shoes and pedals have their place.
On a mountain bike.

Phew, good thing you reproduced the rule itself. Quoting "rule 34" can lead to all kinds of misunderstandings on the Internet... (one for the geeks)

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Chris James | 9 years ago
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Sorry, didn't read the original post very closely. If you don't want mountain bike shoes then somehting like Shimano RT82 would give you the roadie look.

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MarcMyWords replied to Chris James | 9 years ago
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Chris James wrote:

Sorry, didn't read the original post very closely. If you don't want mountain bike shoes then somehting like Shimano RT82 would give you the roadie look.

That's much more along the lines of what I'm thinking, I really want the best of both worlds with the mtb pedals but the roadie shoes for stiffness. Seems like Touring shoes are probably the way to go... I'm also checking out the Bontrager Solstice.

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Chris James replied to MarcMyWords | 9 years ago
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MarcMyWords wrote:
Chris James wrote:

Sorry, didn't read the original post very closely. If you don't want mountain bike shoes then somehting like Shimano RT82 would give you the roadie look.

That's much more along the lines of what I'm thinking, I really want the best of both worlds with the mtb pedals but the roadie shoes for stiffness. Seems like Touring shoes are probably the way to go... I'm also checking out the Bontrager Solstice.

The RT82's might not be your bag then. I have some RT81s and they are not that stiff. In fact my MTB shoes are stiffer. The RT81s are comfy though and i don't get hots spots etc with the 'platform' type SPDs.

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Chris James | 9 years ago
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I use SPDs for flexibility between my summer, winter / commuter and cyclocross bike. I have some RT81 shoes for general riding and some XC30 for cyclocross and messing around off road.

I like the A520 pedals for road use, they do offer more support than the M520 on the cross bike.

I don't find the pedals slow me down at all compared to people using SPD-SLs etc.

The cleats last forever too, although they can squeak a bit - nothing that a dab of grease on the cleat / pedals interfaces doesn't sort out though.

To be honest, I think there is an element of the emperors new clothes in road cleats. People go on about power transfer etc, but cyclocross races involve loads of accelerations out of corners and SPDs work fine.

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fukawitribe replied to Chris James | 9 years ago
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Chris James wrote:

To be honest, I think there is an element of the emperors new clothes in road cleats. People go on about power transfer etc, but cyclocross races involve loads of accelerations out of corners and SPDs work fine.

The prompt for moving to road cleats (from SPDs) on my road bike was hot-spots. Subsequently, I moved to Speedplays due to the free-float (knee and leg injury.. and a spacer issue due to my old cleats, not normal that one though). I love them now for a lot of reasons, and find the clipping in and out better that stuff i've used before (SPD-SL/SPD/Time) especially with the Keep On Kovers.

Of course tottering around on them does make me feel like an extra from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert sometimes but hey - I don't tend not to go walk-about in them so that's not much of an issue. For mixed surface use, especially if you think you might get off the bike etc, i'd go for SPDs or flats. For pure road work, i'd take the Speedplays any day. YMMV.

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PJ McNally | 9 years ago
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I'm another roadie using SPDs, and I love it!

Shoes at the moment -

Shimano SH-M082 (built like a tank, everyday shoe, meant for MTB or 'cross but works great on road with the studs off) (these are ancient, they don't make them any more),

Bontrager RL Mountain - awesome summer SPD shoe, these weigh half as much as the shimanos.

Shimano AM50 - High ankle shoes / boots for winter. Odd ones, these; they're not actually any warmer than the others. Good coverage / protection though.

Mavic Tourmaline Womens Road Shoes - just ordered these yesterday from CRC, they had an amazing price! "Road" shoes but with a recessed 2-bolt sole - could be the new everyday shoe.

There may be others I've forgotten. I may have too many shoes.

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MarcMyWords replied to PJ McNally | 9 years ago
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PJ McNally wrote:

Bontrager RL Mountain - awesome summer SPD shoe, these weigh half as much as the shimanos.

Thanks for your comment, are you sure you've got enough shoes?  1 I've always been a Bontrager and Trek fan so am checking out some Bontrager options as it happens and good to know they're not big old heavy clunky things! I had the Road RL's and always found them really comfortable.

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kev-s | 9 years ago
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same as above for me, both my bikes have crank bro egg beaters fitted and i wear shimano am45 shoes, look good on and off the bike and you can walk like a normal human being in them

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Jack Osbourne snr | 9 years ago
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I last raced over 20 years ago, so absolute power transfer comes as a poor second being able to walk in my cycling shoes. I used LOOK pedals for years, but once I hit mid 30's and got accustomed to stopping at coffee and cake shops, I decided to go with the audaxers advice and try a pedal/ shoe system that gives you half a chance of not landing on your arse.

I use Crank Bros pedals on all my bikes. I have to replace the bearings on the ones on the commuter every 18 months or so, but that's after 5000 miles in horrendous Glasgow weather.

I've got narrow feet, so Gaerne mtb shoes are my favourite - Particularly since there are frequently special offers on them. The mtb soles aren't overly clunky and don't look massively different from road shoes once you're on the bike. I will decline to say how many pairs I have.

Mtb pedals and shoes for me.

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Nat Jas Moe | 9 years ago
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Yes crank brothers are a two bolt system I have used egg beaters on my bike which I use every day for my commute to work very recommended with four points of entry nothing could be simpler. My shoes are shimano mt40, but I don't think you can get those any more.

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parksey | 9 years ago
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If it's of any use, I started the following thread back in January which ended up with a fair amount of input, so might be worth a quick read:

http://road.cc/content/forum/109722-beginners-advice-pedals-shoes

Notwithstanding the generally positive recommendations for "normal" SPDs on road bikes, I was eventually swayed by the advice of my LBS and went for SPD-SLs. I use them daily for commuting on the bike and don't have any problems clipping in/out (after my requisite three stationary falls whilst learning...), I'm using Shimano R550 pedals with the tension set in the middle.

No problems for me actually walking in them either, not that I walk miles in them but I can get up and down stairs without difficulty. The concern is that the yellow Shimano cleats I use have basically worn out already after only 4 or so months, although all the walking on the London to Brighton ride weekend before last really didn't help...

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60kg lean keen ... | 9 years ago
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Shimano A600 pedals and RT82 shoes, I use RT82 shoes which are brill but currently run with cheap 520 pedals, will soon be buying some A600 as they have good reviews!! I use my bike for fun and for transport so prefer to be able to walk like a normal person off the bike and when in town much better for the stop start traffic.

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MarcMyWords replied to 60kg lean keen climbing machine | 9 years ago
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60kg lean keen climbing machine wrote:

Shimano A600 pedals and RT82 shoes, I use RT82 shoes which are brill but currently run with cheap 520 pedals, will soon be buying some A600 as they have good reviews!! I use my bike for fun and for transport so prefer to be able to walk like a normal person off the bike and when in town much better for the stop start traffic.

That's what I'm thinking in terms of use, I commute 10 miles a day through London so I'm constantly in and out of the pedals and then when I do the longer rides I want to be able to walk properly when we stop for coffee / beer! I'll check out the A600's but am actually leaning toward Speedplay and Crank Brothers after all of the positive things I'm reading on this thread.

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gdmor10 | 9 years ago
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I had SPDs on my road bike for ages then changed them to SPD sl.

If I had my time again I would maybe just have bought a set of stiffer shoes and stuck with the SPDs, they are definitely easier to get in an out of if you are stopping at lights but then again I don't race...

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notfastenough | 9 years ago
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I have Speedplays and swear by them. Some find the force required to engage a bit heavy but I have 2 pairs and have no problems with either. As regards maintenance, every 6 months I squirt a bit of bearing grease into the grease port, and wipe off the old dirty stuff that comes out of the other side. I also squeeze a couple of drops of dry lube onto the cleats (since these, rather than the pedals, have the spring-loaded parts) every few rides. Thats it, it really isnt a hassle.

However, you do state that you've already bought the SPD pedals. I think SPD adapter kits are available for the 3-hole bolt pattern on most shoes.

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MarcMyWords replied to notfastenough | 9 years ago
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notfastenough wrote:

However, you do state that you've already bought the SPD pedals. I think SPD adapter kits are available for the 3-hole bolt pattern on most shoes.

Thanks for your post - I do have the pedals but they were only about £15 so if something else is better, I'm happy to sell them on / give them away and start again for the right pedal and I'm hearing lots and lots of positives about Speedplay.

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notfastenough replied to MarcMyWords | 9 years ago
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MarcMyWords wrote:
notfastenough wrote:

However, you do state that you've already bought the SPD pedals. I think SPD adapter kits are available for the 3-hole bolt pattern on most shoes.

Thanks for your post - I do have the pedals but they were only about £15 so if something else is better, I'm happy to sell them on / give them away and start again for the right pedal and I'm hearing lots and lots of positives about Speedplay.

Ah, ok. I chose them because they give you a large pedalling platform (check out the size of the cleat compared to others, they're double-sided and the float is not spring-loaded. It's neutral, which means that the pedal doesn't keep trying to pull you back to it's central position. I've had knee issues in the past.

Check this out - I don't think this has spd on the list, but the comparions are interesting all the same:
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=roadcompare.compareroad

I use Specialized Body Geometry shoes, but that's partly because the sole is laterally tilted, with a built-in 1.5mm varus wedge. I actually require about 4.5mm varus wedging, which is difficult to achieve while leaving enough room in the shoe for your foot, so that built-in amount has value to me.*

There are shoes with 4-hole bolt patterns specifically for Speedplay, which are worth looking at because they allow you to do away with the adapter kits that allow you to use speedplay on shoes with 3-hole patterns. This is good because it reduces the distance between the sole of your foot and the pedal axle. These shoes are usually at the pricier end of the scale though. Off the top of my head, I think Lake, Northwave and Sidi each have a speedplay-specific shoe.

*If this is jargon is sounding like a mystery, check out the Specialized Body Geometry websites to understand more. You may be one of those people who can use any fitting shoe without a problem, but you could also be the kind with more specific requirements. It would be a shame to spend your money on something that turned out to be unsuitable.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

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Shades | 9 years ago
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I use SPDs (Shimano M520 pedals) with Touring Shoes (Shimano RT32, but plenty of other options). Look like road shoes but have recessed cleats and you can walk around in them reasonably well without feeling you're going to twist your ankle. Really good bit of LBS advice as I was all set to buy road shoes/cleats. Saw a interesting custom built carbon road bike the other day with disc brakes and geared up for climbing. It had Crank Brothers Candy 2 pedals on it which looked quite smart.

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MarcMyWords replied to Shades | 9 years ago
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Interesting about the Crank Brothers, not seen those before but having a look now at some promising reviews. And they look like they fix in with a 2 bolt system?

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parksey | 9 years ago
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The Shimano R088 shoes I wear can take both 2-bolt and 3-bolt cleats, but I think you need to use a little adaptor if you are wearing them with 2-bolt SPD cleats (I use SPD-SL so can't confirm for definite).

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MarcMyWords | 9 years ago
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Couple of great shouts there and I have read a lot of good things about Speedplay pedals. I think I've been a bit put off by the price in the past and I hear they take a lot of maintaining?

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Yorkshie Whippet | 9 years ago
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Speedplay X-series or light action maybe better than Zeros.

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therevokid | 9 years ago
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Speedplay are double sided ...  1

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