Why SPD's?

Stevie_GTI

Hey guys, hopefully getting my first road bike this week, used to do a bit of MTB stuff. All of the bikes im looking at come without pedals, usually so you can choose your own pedal/shoe set im assuming. Just wondering what the big advantage is of SPD's over standard flat pedals. Cheers

jed1978

greater power transfer (in a nutshell)

CrookedCucumber

Yes. You can, in principle, do work over the whole of the pedal cycle, allowing you to engage a greater amount of muscle than with flat pedals. The same is true of toe straps when properly fastened, but clipless pedals are easier to get into and out of (IMO) than proper straps.

Personally, I don't think it's a big deal. I started using clipless pedals about two months ago after nearly 30 years using toe straps. I like them, but not fanatically. And there are certain advantages to straps, such as that you can use them with ordinary shoes if you need to.

Stewie Griffin

If you dont need to walk anywhere then you might want to consider SPD-SL's. They are designed "for" road bikes. They have a larger surface area than SPD's and allow an even greater power transfer. Although it is at the cost of looking like a Gerry Anderson puppet whenever you walk.

sub55

Why SPD's? full stop get a proper set like sum spedplay

deal

personally i use mountain bike spds mainly because i started off riding mtb before i got a road bike and could see no major benefit of buying a second pair of shoes, also I still find watching spd-sl equipped people hobbling and sliding about rather amusing and have no desire to join them

Dunedin397

SPD is just fine on a road bike, especially if you want to use different shoes on different bikes.

Dunedin

sub55

deal wrote:

personally i use mountain bike spds mainly because i started off riding mtb before i got a road bike and could see no major benefit of buying a second pair of shoes, also I still find watching spd-sl equipped people hobbling and sliding about rather amusing and have no desire to join them

yeah ,but thats like going from a land rover to a farrari and then specifying it with a diesel engine. sort of defeats the object .

akp

CrookedCucumber wrote:

The same is true of toe straps when properly fastened, but clipless pedals are easier to get into and out of (IMO) than proper straps.

aren't clipless pedals also much safer if you fall off?

deal

sub55 wrote:

deal wrote:

personally i use mountain bike spds mainly because i started off riding mtb before i got a road bike and could see no major benefit of buying a second pair of shoes, also I still find watching spd-sl equipped people hobbling and sliding about rather amusing and have no desire to join them

yeah ,but thats like going from a land rover to a farrari and then specifying it with a diesel engine. sort of defeats the object .

i disagree, i have tried spd-sl and found the performance gains do not make up for the negative aspects, the difference between a good stiff soled mtb shoe and a road specific shoe isnt that great.

ps as for your analogy i suggest your study this clip

Gr.uB

I rode a MTB at work the other day for two days and 50 odd miles. My feet kept coming off the pedals. I can't stand riding a bike without clip in pedals anymore.

Mark Alexander

clipless SPD's are great for beginners, buy MTB shoes to walk around in.
when you come off, and you will at some point, your feet automatically come out so you don't break your ankles.
I'm not going to say "get this or that" but go to your LBS and if they're worth their salt, they'll sell you what's best for you.

straps are for the gym

richk

sub55 wrote:

....
yeah ,but thats like going from a land rover to a farrari and then specifying it with a diesel engine. sort of defeats the object .

You didn't watch the Le Mans 24 hour race the other week did you?

Diesels were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th.... First petrol car was 7th. But I digress.

I happen to use SPDs - but that's because I do walk in them (commuting) - otherwise I'd probably go for something lighter/more road specific.

CrookedCucumber

akp wrote:

CrookedCucumber wrote:

The same is true of toe straps when properly fastened, but clipless pedals are easier to get into and out of (IMO) than proper straps.

aren't clipless pedals also much safer if you fall off?

Possibly. My experience is that if you actually can't get your feet out, you hit the ground just as hard in either case.

Someone suggested that an SPD pedal might release in a fall before you fractured your ankle. My advice would be not to rely on this My experience is that in falls (with clipless or straps) my elbows and shoulders take the brunt of the impact. I've not really noticed any ankle stress; but maybe different people fall differently?

When I use toe-straps I don't always tighten them. If I'm just commuting or shopping, I fasten them just enough to hold my feet in position, but not enough that I can't yank my feet out if I have to. This seems to me to be a reasonable compromise between safety and efficiency in stop-start cycling conditions. But that's not really an option that is open with clipless pedals.

Nevertheless, for `real' cycling (i.e., the kind where you just keep pedally for miles) I prefer clipless. They're certainly easier to use than fully-fastened toe-straps.

lloyd_bower

deal wrote:

sub55 wrote:

deal wrote:

personally i use mountain bike spds mainly because i started off riding mtb before i got a road bike and could see no major benefit of buying a second pair of shoes, also I still find watching spd-sl equipped people hobbling and sliding about rather amusing and have no desire to join them

yeah ,but thats like going from a land rover to a farrari and then specifying it with a diesel engine. sort of defeats the object .

i disagree, i have tried spd-sl and found the performance gains do not make up for the negative aspects, the difference between a good stiff soled mtb shoe and a road specific shoe isnt that great.

ps as for your analogy i suggest your study this clip

I'd agree, unless our poster is considering some serious performance road cycling, I'm sure he'll find mtn bike spd's or similar much more useful. Admittedly I've not tried road clipless pedals, but with stiff soled mtb shoes, long road rides are no problem.

heavymental

I wanted some shoes that allowed me to walk about the place ok so went for spds. Got some Shimano A520 (I think they're called). Single sided touring pedals. Have a nice big platform so I think they're as good as anything else really. Plus they don't look like they're off an mtb. Work for me anyway. I'm sure the difference between spd's and other systems is neglible so go for what works for you.

Philip S

I went clipless about two weeks ago and went for the SPD-SLs, convinced I was going to look like a complete c*ck skittering around the place as soon as I got off the bike. Have to say, I've been pleasantly surprised by the relative ease with which I've been able to walk in them. Yes, I wouldn't want to walk around town in them, but I wouldn't want to lock my pride and joy up and leave it exposed to the local youths' best efforts. They're fine for going into shops and cafes (though watch out for damp tiled floors).

In summary, it's horses for courses.

dazzawazza

I've got MTB 540 SPDs on my Road bike and MTB. I use both bikes for commuting / shopping etc so walk around a lot.
Walking is easy with the recessed cleats and I haven't worn out the cleats yet. Even then they are only £10 to replace.
When funds permit I'm going to get some very stiff shoes for longer rides, so SPDs and a couple of sets of shoes is an option depending on the type of riding.
Of course proper road pedals would be an option, but I'm not prepared to change the pedals every time.
For the Winter I've got some MT90 boots, which have surprisingly stiff soles, but are are also very nice to walk in. They also look quite normal with jeans for trips to the pub or around town.