A520 vs M520 pedals

Sprool

I have M520 pedals on both my road bike and my mtb. I have cheap mtb shoes with spd cleats as well as some more expensive shimano spd-cleat road shoes which are a bit stiffer soled.
My question is if you notice any difference in the larger platform of the one-sided A520 spd pedals for the road bike?
Does it actually give a more stable platform or is this really down to the stiffness of the sole of your cycling shoe?
I quite like the amount of float the M520 pedal gives on both MTB and road bike. Just curious if anything is to be gained from fitting a 'proper' road pedal to the road bike? Seems the majority of 'serious' road cycling shoes are spd-sl cleat types anyway. There's a lot less choice of sod-cleated shoes.

daviesee

I am a heathen that deserves to be burnt at the stake as I use SPDs on my roads bikes.

The reason is simple, I got my Sidi SPDs back in the day and can't fault them or the platform so see no reason to change, mostly because that would mean buying new shoes that are awkward to walk in.

Back OT, I use M520s on the trail bike and A520s on the commuter. I use Ritchey Pro Road Micro V4 SPD on the Colnago but that is a diversion.
When you are riding you won't notice the difference between the M520s and A520s as the platform is the same.
You gain a lighter pedal, quite a bit lighter and lose the flat side.

Edit:- I think that a lot of the problems people do have with SPD is due to the soles. Mine are stiff and I feel well connected and don't get any hot spots.

mercia_man

I have a selection of A520 and M520 pedals on my four bikes and do notice a difference on long tours but not day rides.

I did a coast-to-coast across France in stiff S Works carbon-soled shoes and M520 pedals and was bothered by a hot spot around the cleat on right foot towards the end of the trip which involved daily rides back-to-back averaging 53 miles a day carrying camping gear.

The wider platform of the A520 gives more support and reduces the hot spot build-up - as a I found on a subsequent cross-France ride.

daviesee

'tis a strange thing, hot spots. :?

My Ritchey Pro Road Micro V4 SPDs have zero platform, nada, zilch. Yet I don't get hot spots.

Lucky maybe but I still think it is to do with shoe comfort and soles.

t4tomo

I think Daviesee is possibly talking abouit A530 pedals not A520.

I too am a heathen and use SPD pedals on my road bike so i can use same shoes for road and MTB. I switched from M520 to A520 and yes I can feel some benefit of having the platform contact point and I find them more comfortable (but obviously slightly more awkward to clip into as they are single sided). I used to get a cramp like pain (is that a hot spot?) after 30 miles or so with M520s but don't with the A520s.

daviesee

t4tomo wrote:

I think Daviesee is possibly talking abouit A530 pedals not A520.

Ah. :oops:
Close. I have the M530 trail and A520 road.

mercia_man

I had those minimalist Ritchey pedals on my Orca and found them good to use and comfortable (although I didn't do any multi-day rides with them). However, their mini size means the bearings are tiny (and non-adjustable). The bearings in one pedal were shot after a year and I've had to junk the pedals. They have a mixture of miniscule balls in a low quality cup and cone design with a more substantial roller bearing in the middle.

canny_lad

I switched from M520 to A520 when I got my new bike and I prefer them as the bigger platform offers some support. I've got mid range Bontrager shoes which feel pretty stiff to me and comfort is fine.