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I got some road pedals and shoes... Problem...

To make the transition from flat to clipless on my new road bike, I picked up some road pedals and shoes, not realizing that the shoes only have two mounting points, while the pedals (Shimano R-540) have three...

Is this an issue? Will it all fit/work together? My cleats, the final piece, will arrive in the post this Monday...

I might just be naughty and return the shoes making up a fault...

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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11 comments

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dotdash | 9 years ago
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I went SPDs but thinking when I get a new weekend bike to have road pedals.

But for commuting SPDs are the bomb.

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tom_w | 9 years ago
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2 bolt cleats won't work with a 3 bolt shoe and vice versa.

If you are using the bike for road riding and not stopping too often or planning on much walking about then swap the shoes for a road specific shoe with 3 bolts.

If you are commuting then swap the pedals for a double sided mountain bike style SPD pedal and keep the shoes.

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gthornton101 replied to tom_w | 9 years ago
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Agree with this - I've just moved to my winter hybrid for commuting and use the Shimano A530 double-sided pedals. One flat side so I can still ride into town and whatnot in normal shoes and SPDs on the other side for commuting, so much easier to walk in than Speedplay cleats!

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MKultra | 9 years ago
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MTB cleats harder to get into?

Rubbish.

If it's for commuting stick with SPD and some shoes you can walk in. You will not see a performance difference but you will see a huge difference in practicality.

You can get the base model Shimano pedals foe less than £20 with cleats right now.

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pants replied to MKultra | 9 years ago
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MKultra wrote:

MTB cleats harder to get into?

Rubbish.

If it's for commuting stick with SPD and some shoes you can walk in. You will not see a performance difference but you will see a huge difference in practicality.

You can get the base model Shimano pedals foe less than £20 with cleats right now.

What this guy said, until the day a test comes out and suggests that there is a massive performance gain in something like speedplay over your bog standard spds, I will just stick with my spds for everything.

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mike the bike replied to pants | 9 years ago
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pants][quote=MKultra wrote:

........ I will just stick with my spds for everything.

Exactly. Simple 2-bolt SPDs are all you will ever need, unless you are a pro racer.

Reasons to be cheerful :

They are cheaper to buy.

Being metal they last at least ten times longer than flimsy plastic cleats.

The recessed shoe soles allow you to walk like a human.

If you eventually buy Shimano touring pedals, with their slightly extended body, nobody will know you are on SPDs.

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Flying Scot | 9 years ago
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Swap the shoes, it's an easy mistake.

Most road shoes will have a 3 point plate anyway, so they probably aren't a road orientated shoe.

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DanJ | 9 years ago
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The mountain cleats look much smaller, harder to get into than road cleats which have a larger connection/cleat like you say?

Exchanging the shoes anyway, the stores refund policy allows it, just debating whether to get DHB shoes for £32 or Shimano R078's for £50, I find the Shimanos more aesthetically pleasing but they both serve the same purpose at the end of the day

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bdsl | 9 years ago
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I'm fairly sure it won't work. The cleats will be ones like these: http://www.wigglestatic.com/product-media/5360008129/shimano-pedal-cleat... that need to be fitted to shoes with three bolts.

I don't know where you bought the shoes, but many shops will refund or exchange things even if there is no fault, as long as they are still in unused condition. They don't have to do that but it's usually good customer relations.

Traditionally road bike pedals have much bigger cleats that use three bolts and project out from the sole of the shoe, while mountain bike cleats have two bolts and fit into a recess in the sole of the shoe.

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wycombewheeler | 9 years ago
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That's the argument I hear, but if the soles of the shoes are rigid and the shoes are solidly fixed to the pedals what are you actually pushing down on? also the line of force must always be through the pedal shaft or the pedals will rotate anyway.

No need to make up a fault, your lbs should be happy to let you (part)exchange for road pedals, or if you ordered online, you are entitled to return because you have changed your mind anyway. Or you could just say they didn't feel comfortable. I am assuming they are unused as you haven't fitted the cleats yet.

Do the cleats not come supplied with the pedals? mine always have.

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DanJ | 9 years ago
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Think I would rather stick to the road pedals... larger surface area to push down on by the looks of it, should feel much more secure when I'm pedaling? I will return the shoes I think and get these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-r10-road-cycling-shoe/

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