Can I use my MTB SPD Shoes for road biking?

sirlylos
sirlylos Posts: 234
edited July 2009 in Road beginners
Hi guys,

I bought some SPD shoes a while back for my MTB but didn't like the fact I couldn't get my feet out quickly. Is it ok to use them for road biking? they are quite grippy underneath but I would've thought they would be ok for road biking - will they be?
1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
1997 - Specialized Hardrock
2003 - Specialized FSR XC
2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
2009 - Giant Defy 3
2010 - Voodoo Wanga
2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105

Comments

  • Yep.

    I have spd pedals and MTB spd shoes. They work great :)

    Might upgrade to some road specific shoes that will attach to spd's at a later date though :)
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Always used Shimano XT SPDs on my road bike as they look better and it means I only need one type of shoe for both bikes.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    Yep, no probs. :D

    I have an MTB and a road bike & have SPD's on both. That way I can use the same pair of shoes for both bikes.

    Ultimately, road shoes are normally a shade lighter and have even stiffer soles than MTB shoes, so can (theoretically) deliver more power to the pedal. The shoe / pedal combo is also a little more aerodynamic. Personally I prefer the fact that you can actually walk normally in "MTB" SPD shoes. :wink:
    Cycling weakly
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I reccommend Shimano A520 or A530 pedals for spd shoes as they are proper road pedals and have a bigger platform than MTB ones, much easier on the knees.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • rogerthecat
    rogerthecat Posts: 669
    @ antfly
    they are proper road pedals and have a bigger platform than MTB ones, much easier on the knees
    m8 why would this effect your knees :?:
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    well I've got mtb pedals on my road bike, and despite the best attempts of two orthopaedic surgeons, my knees are just fine.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    antfly wrote:
    I reccommend Shimano A520 or A530 pedals for spd shoes as they are proper road pedals and have a bigger platform than MTB ones, much easier on the knees.
    I can't quite see how this relates to knees...

    One criticism of mtb pedals is that there is a smaller contact area (smaller cleats) and this can create hot spots due to flex, however this is really determined by the stiffness of the shoe and some mtb shoes are effectively road shoes with rubber tread on the sole, so hot spots can be a non-issue.

    The platforms on A520's are really to allow use without cleated shoes on the platform side. When clipped in, the shoe tread may contact the platform, but most probably it shouldn't as this would impair clipping in to the pedal.

    Any double-sided SPD pedal is fine for road use, how comfy they are will depend on the shoes.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I use the A520`s and they are designed specifically to support a Shimano SPD shoe like the RT 51 or any MTB shoe, the A530`s are the ones you can use the other side without cleats.
    I am only speaking from experience that they are better on my knees than normal MTB pedals on a road bike and I have also read it somewhere that MTB pedals aren`t great for the knees over long distances but If your knees are fine then great. I don`t see the point in using MTB pedals on a road bike when you can get spd pedals designed just for that purpose.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Total newbie (to road bikes) but using Spesh Tahos on M520s and so far I haven't fallen off and my knees (slightly dodgy from lots of running) are fine.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    sirlylos wrote:
    I bought some SPD shoes a while back for my MTB but didn't like the fact I couldn't get my feet out quickly.

    there's no reason why you should not be able to get your feet out quickly with SPDs - thousands of riders do it every day, without issue. It just takes some getting used to...
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Only recently gone back to SPDs (used to have them about 10 years ago but never got on with them) on my MTB - first ride out - some pedestrians stopped suddenly by the road, I stayed clipped in and keeled over - oops! :oops:
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I think there are two reasons that spd pedals / shoes are used on road bikes:

    1.) mtb rider, already has them on mtb, and having bought road bike cannot afford / justify a second pair of cycling shoes, so sticks spd pedals on road bike (me)

    2.) people who want to be able to walk almost normally when they get off the bike tend to go with the recessed spd cleat (me).

    I have no personal experience of road cleats / pedals, but I have often seen cyclists waddling especially on wet and polished surfaces, and put it down to the cleats. I already look ridiculous in the lycra, without wishing to add the apperance of incontinence when off the bike.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Keef you've got a couple of valid points there, they both apply to me and I expect to quite a few others too.
    I've been using SPDs with cheap Shimano shoes (chosen on the basis that they were £25 in the sale) for years now, as soon as Halfords get their act together I'll have a new bike & I plan to get road shoes & probably SPD-SLs for it, I'll be able to comment on the difference then!
    I'll certainly be keeping the SPDs for the MTB though - I can honestly say that I've never failed to get my feet out when I needed to, even things like the chain coming off / wrapping when ascendng on rough ground - I find when the adrenaline's on you can get your feet in no time at all in any direction. You can get great practice at unclipping if you're as useless at trackstands as I am, that could be the secret of my success.
  • jam1e
    jam1e Posts: 1,066
    I changed my xt spds and stiff soled mtb shoes for some look pedals and mavic shoes - what a waste of time and money!

    Pros of new set-up

    lighter
    probably more aerodynamic
    marginally more efficient depending on the set-up


    Cons of new set-up

    Singlesided pedal is harder to clip in, especially when trying to get away from lights with cars around you etc etc.
    If you find you can't clip in for whatever reason and start to "stall" the totally smooth sole means that pedaling with the foot not clipped in is much harder than with spds and a shoe with tread.
    Look cleats would last longer if they were made of cheese - and I only put them on at the door and get on the bike, it's not like I trek around the place in them. (Thats if they don't snap before you tensioned the cleats to the correct torque settings when attaching them to the shoes in the first place. )
    Harder to walk in, dodgy when stopping on side slopes in the wet etc etc.

    In summary - I wish I'd bought some xtr spds and an uber stiff mtb xc race shoe. If you're serious about racing etc then the slight extra efficiency of the roadie set-up might be worth it, if not then I'd give them a miss.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    my 2ps worth on this one - I started off as a roadie on SPDs and once I was happy with unclipping I moved to spds on all my bikes.

    I've now moved to spd-sl on my road bike (new shoes and pedals then..), and instantly my feet feel less fatigued on longer rides - the arch of my foot used to ache. I think this is down to shoe quality as much as anything, do MTB shoes flex more? After all they do need to be walked on in a way the roadie shoes don't.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    They do flex a bit more and can be "properly" walked in. In fact I've run 3 miles with my bike when I had a very bad tyre error in my SPD shoes...
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    Spds all the way on my road bike, I like the stamp and go mentality.

    maybe I'm missing the point, but the flex is a function of the shoe design rather than the pedal type. I have a pair of SPD shoes, can't flex 'em at all.
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • kinesin
    kinesin Posts: 100
    I've always used SPD's on my road bikes, mainly because I've only got one pair of shoes. Specialized Carbon Comp MTB.
    The sole is as stiff as an road shoe, no hot spots etc, but having a tread means I can use them for commuting. I can walk around the house in the morning, (not damaging the wooden floors etc), run back in when I've forgotten my shades/pump/bike etc. I can get up and down the stairs at work. Plus been double sided makes traffic escaping a lot easier.

    Given the carbon sole I doubt I would notice must difference moving a road specific systems.
  • sirlylos
    sirlylos Posts: 234
    Thanks for all the responses fellas.

    I've got some decent specialized MTB SPD's and some shimano SPD pedals, I've just fitted them on to the road bike and wen't out for a quick 10 miler and they felt spot on. They've got a plastic solid base so they didn't feel like I was losing power or anything.

    I tried them on my MTB for a few months but just never got used to them so got some DMR flat pedals and couldn't be happier with them.
    1993 - Ridgeback 301 G3
    1995 - Ridgeback 601 GS
    1997 - Specialized Hardrock
    2003 - Specialized FSR XC
    2008 - Specialized Epic FSR Comp
    2009 - Giant Defy 3
    2010 - Voodoo Wanga
    2012 - Cannondale Supersix 105
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    I'd only use them if you planning on walking frequently. Otherwise it's worth getting some dedicated road shoes (provided you are serious about this road biking hobby/sport and have the dosh to spend)