SPD V SL

daysofspeed

Cage pedals on bike, need clips methinks (meknows).

Fear of single-sided awkwardness.

No commuting more long Sunday rides with plenty of stops/traffic lights etc.

SPD appear the easy/beginner option but read like mountain bike only. Any recommendations re SPD on road bikes? (mine's a Spesh Secteur).

Thanks.

fludey

I use both spd on my mtb and spd-l on my road bike, I do find spd are easier to get clipped in and out of esp with double sided pedals.....that's the plus side
......BUT.......
The down side on my road bike found spd shoes tend to have more flex in the sole which seemed to create more pressure around cleat area giving hot foot on longer rides (pins and needles).
I also found with double sided pedals that cornering and pedaling it was a lot easier to catch a pedal when banked over.

So I would spend some time getting used to single side pedal and spd-l clipless

alihisgreat

i've had both too -> prefer SLs because they feel more secure and you can't really feel the cleat through the shoe because its so big.


SPDs are not easier to clip into, but i found you can dial back the tension more than SPD-SLs to make them easier to unclip from. Although SLs still aren't hard to unclip from.

t4tomo

nothing wrong with using spds on a road bike. there are a number of road style spd compatible shoes (often called "touring" shoes if you don't want to have a big moutain bike style shoe with massive grips and studs. Also mean you can walk from bike to cafe quicker and be first to the cakes.

twoodley

Speedplay - Best of both

keef66

I have SPDs and touring shoes which I find to be a great combo.
The shoes are stiff enough so I don't notice the cleat or get any hot spots
The sole / recessed cleat means I can walk about normally, even on a wet supermarket floor.
They look like a road shoe
The cleats last forever and so should the mechs since they are double sided.
I don't pedal through tight corners so I'm in no danger of grounding a pedal.

rolf_f

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

SPDs are not easier to clip into, but i found you can dial back the tension more than SPD-SLs to make them easier to unclip from. Although SLs still aren't hard to unclip from.

SPDs are easier to clip into than SLs. Basically, to clip into an SPD all you need to do is put your foot down in the right place. In a way, it is easier to clip into an SPD than put your foot in the right place on a flat pedal because the SPD trains you to get it right. On a road clipless pedal, you have to hook the front of the cleat to the pedal and then press down. Ultimately, once you've been doing one or the other for years it becomes second nature but the SPD undoubtedly has a simpler clip motion (unclip being much the same aside from spring strength, as you mention though that doesn't make much difference to me).

I suspect the biggest difference is down to the shoes and you can get stiff soled shoes that work with SPDs.

twoodley wrote:

Speedplay - Best of both

Except for clip clopiness walking I presume?

alihisgreat

Rolf F wrote:

SPDs are easier to clip into than SLs. Basically, to clip into an SPD all you need to do is put your foot down in the right place. In a way, it is easier to clip into an SPD than put your foot in the right place on a flat pedal because the SPD trains you to get it right. On a road clipless pedal, you have to hook the front of the cleat to the pedal and then press down. Ultimately, once you've been doing one or the other for years it becomes second nature but the SPD undoubtedly has a simpler clip motion (unclip being much the same aside from spring strength, as you mention though that doesn't make much difference to me).

I find SLs easier because the pedal naturally tilts downwards the front clips in first anyway, and acts as a guide.

I never quite got the hang of getting into SPDs... probably because i didn't use them for that long -> but the SL just feels easier for me.

team47b

What about...

http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/shima ... fAodvxSLnw

Or is not the done thing?

Rigid sole road shoe using spd cleats, a bit of edge like a mtb shoe, best of all worlds or not?

g00se

Mavic Pulse shoes are SPD two-hole style but very stiff - they look like road shoes too (except for the tread).

If you do go down MTB cleats/pedals - consider Time ATAC as well as Shimano SPD. Very positive clipping in and out of and make a great noise.

alihisgreat

team47b wrote:

What about...

http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/shima ... fAodvxSLnw

Or is not the done thing?

Rigid sole road shoe using spd cleats, a bit of edge like a mtb shoe, best of all worlds or not?

there is a pretty decent range of road shoes which have both the 2 bolt and 3 bolt fixings


my Shimano R087s do ( i think the whole R0 range does i.e. R077, R0106) -> and i remember trying some specialized shoes with the two cleat options aswell.

sorbum

......The down side on my road bike found spd shoes tend to have more flex in the sole which seemed to create more pressure around cleat area giving hot foot on longer rides (pins and needles).


Hi I use mtb shimano clipless pedals / shoes on my road bike and i found that if you ease the lacing off at toe end of the tongue and position your cleats so that your feet mimic the angle taken whislt walking a lot of discomfort will go.

I used to have terrible pins and needles, but after playing around with the laces and cleat position it sems to have disappeared. I can ride all day now without any pain.

cougie

I love my Time ATAC pedals - double sided, and very easy to get in.

What are you doing with the bike though ? If its shorter rides then MTB stylee would be fine. And you can walk round too.
If its long roady style rides - then go for a pedal with a bigger area - SPD SL or Looks. Walking is tricky.

I'd never go back to toeclips and straps now. Its so easy getting in and out of clipless. Maybe road pedals are slightly harder to get into than the double sided ones, but its getting out thats important.

simon_e

daysofspeed wrote:

Cage pedals on bike, need clips methinks (meknows).

Fear of single-sided awkwardness.

No commuting more long Sunday rides with plenty of stops/traffic lights etc.

SPD appear the easy/beginner option but read like mountain bike only. At recommendations re SPD on road bikes? (mine's a Spesh Secteur).

Thanks.

I use both SPD and SL and would say that SPD is the better option unless you take your road racing seriously. I have been commuting, weekend riding, time trialling and MTBing for several years on Shimano M520 (double sided, bargain) and the A520 (single sided).

A pair of M520s with good-fitting SPD-compatible shoes (v. important) and you'll be sorted. Wind off the tension and practice somewhere safe and it will soon become second nature, just like pulling your feet from toe clips. With half decent shoes you shouldn't get hotspots.

daysofspeed

cougie wrote:

What are you doing with the bike though ? If its shorter rides then MTB stylee would be fine. And you can walk round too.
If its long roady style rides - then go for a pedal with a bigger area - SPD SL or Looks. Walking is tricky.

I'm a green as they come recent convert, had two rides out (9 and 19 miles) loved both but the pedals drove me mad. I'll be doing long rides at the weekend until the weather/light allows more rides out after work (or I'll have to run instead which bores me senseless!).

No commuting but the occasional road/crossing/tramline/cyclepath fence to navigate - the "out the box" pedals can't be worse than learning the clips (although I expect to fall off a few times) - the worse part is having to spin the pedals the correct way up.

I'm not over-fussed about walking about, mainly I'll be walking when I dismount at home. Certainly no walking about a supermarket for example.

Many thanks for the feedback, great replies all round. M520's had caught the eye already.

John.T

Many posters have complained of sore feet or hot spots. This is nothing to do with the SPD pedals and cleats. It is the fault of poor shoes with too soft soles. I use Northwave winter boots and Specialized BG Expert shoes. No problem with either.
I also use SPD-SL for summer riding and racing. I find them a bit more stable and they seem to give a bit better support. I don't believe the claims of better power transfer. The actual contact area is much the same on either.

knack-knees

+1 for spd's and a get a cheap set of dhb's spd shoes (that look like road shoes). You'll be able to walk in the, and as said get to the cakes first.

puppiesdanglybits

I had toeclips & only recently changed to SPD SL road pedals & shoes, so glad I did difference is amazing & backed the tension on the pedal off as far as I could & clip in & out no problem.
Tried both MTB & road pedals & shoes in shop, road shoes/pedals seemed more comfortable as bigger contact area with pedal.
Don't worry about falling off you won't if you think about uncoupling before the junction, not looked back since I did it, but try a number of shoes on to get ones that fit you well

Good luck

lastwords

Been a MTB'er for a lot longer than a roadie and i dont agree with SPD's causing hotspots there is something else wrong if thats the case. I have spent all day out on my mtb before with no problems and your feet take some hammer on a mtb specially when decending on rocky terrain.
Howevere never tried SPD-SL so i am unable to comment on the difference.

alihisgreat

lastwords wrote:

Been a MTB'er for a lot longer than a roadie and i dont agree with SPD's causing hotspots there is something else wrong if thats the case. I have spent all day out on my mtb before with no problems and your feet take some hammer on a mtb specially when decending on rocky terrain.
Howevere never tried SPD-SL so i am unable to comment on the difference.

its mainly due to the quality of the shoe.. you're not going to get hotspots in a good stiff shoe. (and i suspect MTB shoes are better than road shoes for SPDs anyway)


however SPD-SL cleats have a bigger contact area with the shoe, so you can use a cheaper shoe that is less stiff and still not feel hotspots.