Pedals / Shoes

MarcMyWords

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.

Shimano A600 pedals and RT82
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.

I have Speedplays and swear
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.

The Shimano R088 shoes I wear
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).

Speedplay X-series or light
Speedplay X-series or light action maybe better than Zeros.