New Trek 1.2 fitted with SPD520 MTB pedals

Leesykoi
Leesykoi Posts: 338
edited August 2009 in Road beginners
Hi,

Picked up a 2wk old Trek 1.2 bike on Friday that is fitted with brand new Shimano SPD520 MTB pedals ?

Seller was a MTB'er through and through and could not get used to road cycling (hence the sale and the fitment of SPD MTB pedals). Plus me getting a 2wk old bargain !!!!

Question is should i change these brand new pedals for some LOOK etc ? OR go buy the SPD cleats and give these pedals a go ?

Cheers.

Lee.
I like shiny bikes - especially Italian ones.....!!

Comments

  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    Up to you.

    Most roadies prefer more substantial cleats.

    I prefer to be able to walk. This is why I stick to spd's and the 520's.
    There are touring style SPD shoes out there and most in the club do not realise I am on SPD's until they see the bare pedals.

    I am sure that Looks etc will offer a slight performance improvement if racing but as a recreational cyclist I don't think the performance will outweigh the convenience.

    I guess it comes down to your needs and tastes.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • justresting
    justresting Posts: 292
    I've put 520s on my Defy 1 as I already have the shoes, so far never had a problem with them.
    ' From the sharks in the penthouse,
    to the rats in the basement,
    its not that far '
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    Keep the 520 SPD's on the bike - that way you will have more available money to get a really decent pair of SPD shoes, otherwise you'd have to budget for new shoes + new pedals.

    The difference in performance between road pedals and SPD's is pretty marginal, especially for the more recreational cyclist. Plus you can still walk when you get off the bike with SPD shoes. :wink:
    Cycling weakly
  • Leesykoi
    Leesykoi Posts: 338
    Thks for the replies guys.

    I have a set of Specialized road shoes that my better half got for me in anticiptation of getting a bike. Will SPD cleats fit to these ????

    All these questions !!!!!!! (i remember when cycling was straight forward ??!!)

    Cheers.

    Lee.
    I like shiny bikes - especially Italian ones.....!!
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    Leesykoi wrote:
    Thks for the replies guys.

    I have a set of Specialized road shoes that my better half got for me in anticiptation of getting a bike. Will SPD cleats fit to these ????

    All these questions !!!!!!! (i remember when cycling was straight forward ??!!)

    Cheers.

    Lee.

    Possibly. It may depend on which model Specialized Road shoes you have - some do, some don't.
    Cycling weakly
  • Leesykoi
    Leesykoi Posts: 338
    I've got Specialized Road Comp shoes if that helps ?
    I like shiny bikes - especially Italian ones.....!!
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    If they've just got three threaded holes in the sole in a triangular pattern - they're for road cleats only. The 3-bolt cleat pattern fits Shimano SPD-SL, Look, Time and Speedplay pedals.

    If on the other hand they've got two slots runinng up the sole, then they'll fit the Shimano SPD MTB (SPD-R) type cleats. The 520 pedals you have are of the MTB variety, so you'd need the slots to fit with your current pedals.

    This pic shows a shoe with both types of fitting:
    15041.jpg
    Cycling weakly

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