Commuting Roadbike - MTB Shoes?

BigLights

Hello
I'm thinking about getting one of those Ribble 7005 Winter bikes to replace my Sirrus hybrid. They seem to get amazing reviews and I couldn't be happierwith my Ribble Gran Fondo carbon effort.

My question is this: is it crazy to consider getting MTB type pedals on the commuter bike, like my Sirrus?

I find it monstrously inconvenient to walk in road cleats, so for commuting and zipping round town i'd much prefer MTB type shoes and cleats. But is that a crazy thing to do on a 'road' bike?

Views always appreciated!

zx6man

I use the shimano M520 on my road bike so can use my MT077 shimano shoes on both Roadie and MTB

herb71

After years on look pedals / cleats, I have just changed my road bike to PD-a520 pedals so I can use MTB shoes. I don't notice much difference when riding to be honest and the best bit, I don't risk a hernia skating across the tiled floor at my cafe stop. For the mixed riding I do now I can't see me going back to look pedals.

BigLights

cool - thanks folks - nice to have a sanity check sometimes.

jonomc4

one bike with Look pedals other with Shimano SPD MTB pedals.

Differences
MTB pedals - shoes easier to walk in and as metal last long time
Look pedals - more comfortable on bike (better platform). - far less play (lateral movement) therefore much more comfortable on a longer ride - less grabby when taking them out.

Given all this I will change commuter to Look pedals soonish as I cycle in cycle shoes and dont have them for walking in!

edhornby

M520s are probably the best selling clipless pedals of all types and common for commuting

I have them on my fixed gear for the very reason that you mention - walking in Look/SPD-SL cleats isn't great on a daily basis

BigLights

i've actually got both - 520s on my hybrid, Look Keos on my road bike (which I can't use to commute in). It's not uncommon for me to swing by the pub or shop or whatever on the way home from work and faffing around in proper road shoes and cleats is quite an ask. I agree with Jonomc4 though - it is more comfy cycling in full Look pedals but the convenience in a city wins, I think.

Likebike-1

I never have ridden anything else but MTB pedals and MTB shoes on a roadbike, hybrid or even on an MTB. This was also the case when I wasn't a commuter. I like to have the discussion with full-bred (...) roadbike riders. Heee you have MTB shoes! On a racing bike! Why is that? Then I explain they are the same as theirs except some more rubber in the form of blocks. The rest is marketing history.

redvee

I've had MTB clipless on my bikes since 1st gen XT SPD, PD-M740?, and my bikes currently include a SS commuter and Allez road bike which means I have 4 pairs of shoes for both bikes. Cost was the reason for sticking with one type of SPD for me.

passout

Yeah it's fine. I'd go for some fairly stiff shoes though - more comfortable and efficient on the bike.

The Rookie

SPD shoes/cleats make a lot more sense for commuting in than SPD-SL, a little quicker to clip in/out, easier to put a fut down when stopped, easier to walk into the office and don't look stupid while doing it!

That and I only have one pair of shoes I also use on my real bike (MTB).

YIMan

I use SPDs on my CX commuter and on my mountain bike. I have Specialized (that's Specialized, not specialised) shoes that are of a hybrid style that don't look out of place at all as a road or MTB shoe.

bails87

I also MTB, use MTB clipless for that, and with ~£200 worth of shoes (shoes and winter boots) already bought, it's hard to justify spending that again, and buying the pedals, just so I can have 'road' shoes.

My shoes are pretty stiff, not as stiff as the raciest road shoes, but not flexible, so I don't get hotspots from the cleats and don't feel like I'm wasting effort.

DrLex

Another "SPD on all bikes" example checking in - double-sided pedals on the commuter & single-sided on road bike. Also prefer the sneaker style shoe (DZR currently) to the disco slipper; just size-up on the overshoes.

corshamjim

Yes I've just got a pair of DZR too - they're the best SPD shoes I've tried so far for walking in.

Nik Cube

I have a Ribble winter bike and have taken my normal look pedals off and replaced with spd's using mtb shoes. No worries did a 100 k today with no issues at all. Most importantly the advantage of having shoes I can walk in at the end of my commute is a god send.

Look pedals stay on my other bikes

Headhuunter

Just take the SPD pedals off the Sirrus and stick them on the winter Ribble when it arrives. The benefit of 1 sided road bike pedals are the stability and support of the platform over long distances but that's not really necessary on a commute of 20 miles at most and when you're likely to be stopping relatively frequently at lights etc. For the commute you need something you can quickly and easily clip in and out of and SPDs fit the bill. Also you can get shoes which are walk-able in...

Kieran_Burns

A520s on both my CX bikes (which have been used for >100Km rides without a problem) and Looks on the Madone.

For commuting the A520s are WAY better. Frankly I'm a bit sh*t at clipping in and out on the Looks but never have a problem with the SPDs

BigLights

Right - all done. Ribble Winter bike ordered with Shimano SPD pedals, just like my Sirrus. Headhuunter - I'll leave the pedals on teh Sirrus as I'll still probably use that for nipping to shops/Saturday afternoon pub missions and such things. A dignified retirement after years of very good service.

Bordersroadie

All of my bikes have M540 SPDs, summer/winter/commuter/MTB/ice bike. The money I saved on two sets of shoes went into one pair of decent shoes for all bikes, carbon-soled S-Works. The argument about larger contact area of MTB SPDs vs road pedals is irrelevant with carbon soled MTB shoes.

inkz

I've committed a sin and put SPDs on my Roubaix Elite :P

I use it every day to commute to work and can't imagine doing that with Road Cleats. I also already had the shoes for my MTB.

I did fit Shimano A520's though so it does look a little 'roadie' :S

Single sided pedals really annoying me though, keep missing the clip. Hopefully I'll get used to them soon!

MrSweary

Glad to see this topic.. just bought Specialized Comp MTBs and gubbins to fit to the hybrid in advance of getting the new roadie.. no way I could walk in road shoes from the bike garage to the office.

equinefunk

I thought the Shimano M324 are a good set of pedals for a Hybrid. Cage one side SPD the other.
I was told that there had been research to see if there was a difference in performance between the SPD & SPD-SL & at "normal" cyclist level there was no difference in performance or stability.

DrLex

InkZ wrote:

I've committed a sin and put SPDs on my Roubaix Elite :P

I use it every day to commute to work and can't imagine doing that with Road Cleats. I also already had the shoes for my MTB.

I did fit Shimano A520's though so it does look a little 'roadie' :S

Single sided pedals really annoying me though, keep missing the clip. Hopefully I'll get used to them soon!

Equally "guilty" with A520s on a Roubaix Expert; the weight should tilt the pedal back so that you can catch the front "lip" & clip straight in.