Road shoes/pedals vs MTB shoes/pedals

sabgla

hi all
Getting a new bike (going for a Rose Xeon CDX). Have been riding my old planet x road bike using my MTB shoes (Shimano sh-xc61) and SPD pedals (PD-a600). Really happy with the shoe/pedal setup i have - pretty light and comfortable. but, wondering if i should switch over to road shoes and pedals now i am swapping bikes.

i have never used road shoes - will they make a difference? more power, ... ?

is it worth the investment?

SAB

fenix

I wear MTB shoes on my winter bike as they're warmer and brilliant for cake stops.
Road shoes on the best bike.

More power ? Hmm maybe a little if the MTB shoe isn't as stiff.

Definitely more unstable when you're walking though.

I'd probably not bother if you're happy.

sabgla

this new one will become my best bike ...

the mtb shoe is a 7 on the shimano stiffy scale, so not bad. puts it at the same level as the RP5 road shoe but just a bit heavier.

pblakeney

It won't be long till either, or both, predictable falisies get mentioned.

Anonymous

Please, please, please, stay with MTB shoes/pedals.

With all the haters around I am guessing that, like me, no one that uses and prefers road shoes/pedals really gives a fcuk what you do.

simon_masterson

Why would one pedal increase the amount of power going through it over another?

For what it's worth, that isn't to say that there aren't benefits to three (and four) bolt pedals - pedalling platform is pretty stable, security is good (I have my Looks slacker than my SPDs and I've never pulled a foot), range of shoes is good, they work a bit better with overshoes...

Anyway, I can't imagine that Andy Wilkinson would use SPDs if they were making him slower.

Anonymous

Why does he use them do you think?

N1TRO

In the end, it all comes down to personal satisfaction and feeling, like all things these days. If you're not a pro rider or a die-hard amateur SPDs are all you need I think, there's no real need to buy another pair of shoes and pedals. But the urge to buy them anyway will get to you eventually, like it does to all of us, so better get them now and be done with it.

Anonymous

Simon has listed a couple of good reasons there may be a need.

Personally (like a lot of things in cycling) I think its something you should try for yourself.
No real need to spend loads of cash unnecessarily, but if/when circumstances mean you easily could, get them.

Pro riders have bugger all to do with it (yours or Simons).

They are not an 'investment'.
I used SPD's for years (as I had them for mounting biking) before running out of other stuff to buy, and buying SL's became viable.

I wished I had done it sooner though.

grenw

Those XC-61s are pretty light and stiff for MTB shoes. I had a pair myself - they're actually lighter than the Dragon 4s that I replaced them with. Can't imagine you'd get much lighter/stiffer from road shoes without paying a few quid.

For me, maybe the time to try is when you need new pedals or shoes. Then at least you're only duplicating 1 purchase

Anonymous

Thats what I did.

I Did not want to run my nice MTB shoes into the ground (which would have meant buying new ones anyway) so switched to SL's for the road bike.

Having a second (clean/dry) pair of shoes is sometimes quite handy for other reasons.
The OP needs to get new pedals anyway.

Could try Boa closure too. I would not go back to ratchet.
I liked Boa so much I upgraded to the multi directional (and quick release) Boa.

lakesluddite

I went from SPD to 'upgrade' to SPD-SL, complete with road shoes (after all, they are 'road' pedals and shoes, whereas the SPD are 'MTB' shoes and pedals - right?).

Did not get on with them, kept slipping off the pedals and slamming my shins into them, especially on 'hill starts' - also the cleats got very tatty very quickly, so went back to SPD. Have them on 'winter' bike and 'best' bike. As long as you have a stiff sole in whatever shoe you have, there will be no loss of power (and even if not, there probably won't be any noticeable loss of power).

Anonymous

You have said that before.
How does slipping off mean you slam your shins into them?

Anyone else had that issue. Cannot say I ever have, and I regularly use both (so brain is not as trained to one type).

Do not mean this rudely, but it sounds more your fault than the pedals.
SPD's are for sure better for some rides/riders.

lakesluddite

Carbonator wrote:

You have said that before.

Anyone else had that issue. Cannot say I ever have, and I regularly use both.

Yes - if someone asks the same question, I tend to give the same answer. My experience hasn't changed in the meantime, and I can't speak for anyone else, nor was I trying to.

Anonymous

LakesLuddite wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

You have said that before.

Anyone else had that issue. Cannot say I ever have, and I regularly use both.

Yes - if someone asks the same question, I tend to give the same answer. My experience hasn't changed in the meantime, and I can't speak for anyone else, nor was I trying to.

So just being angry at your inability to use the pedals and assuming others will be the same?

lakesluddite

Carbonator wrote:

LakesLuddite wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

You have said that before.

Anyone else had that issue. Cannot say I ever have, and I regularly use both.

Yes - if someone asks the same question, I tend to give the same answer. My experience hasn't changed in the meantime, and I can't speak for anyone else, nor was I trying to.

So just being angry at your inability to use the pedals and assuming others will be the same?

Just giving my opinion, no anger on my part - I'm Kool and the Gang.

Last post on this thread - not prepared to turn it into a debate between two forumites - it puts people off posting.

Anonymous

Like I said OP, please just stick with the SPD's

sabgla

I have the A600's on my planet x. They work well with my MTB shoes and are pretty light.

Seems like i should wait until something wears out and then try a change.

thanks for the info all!

keef66

I've got SPDs on both my road bikes. Stems from the fact I initially rode a MTB on the road, so I bought some SPD touring shoes to go with the pedals. Then cos I had them on one bike it made sense to kit out the second one the same. I do like the fact I can walk about normally, and the double sided stomp and go pedals are pretty idiot-proof (as long as you remember to unclip :oops: )

Even if I found I suddenly needed new shoes and pedals at the same time I think I'd stick with touring shoes and double sided SPD pedals.

Sportiveman

Ditto I have spd s on both my road bikes and mountain bike and have just changed my road shoes to spd as they can take spdl and spd. Unfortunately chain snapped today and was stranded miles from home had to wait for a lift if I had my xc shoes could of walked a bit .

debeli

Road shoes are lovely if you like road shoes. The link between shoe and pedal is exquisite and firm. The shoes tend to be light (or very light) and the soles rigid. On a road bike, they are sans pareil.

I have not worn them on any bicycle for a decade or more. I even used to do TTs in MTB shoes.

Road shoes are a bugger to walk in - and can even be slippery when putting a foot down on wet tarmac at a junction.

If you do walk in them, the cleats wear out in about eight seconds.

Off-road shoes are excellent. The cleats are buried in the sole. They are fine for road use.

I favour Egg Beater and Candy pedals, as do my kids. They are not as tough or well built as some of the other (SPD) stuff, but they are a joy to use.

ForumNewbie

If you don't get any more power I don't see the benefit of changing from SPDs to SPD-SLs.

For me the main benefits of SPD pedals and shoes are:
- I don't need to try to track stand at lights or grab a lamp post or railing - I just unclip because easy to clip back in without looking down.
- No problem with hill starts.
- I find it easy to pedal with one foot unclipped when necessary, just by pressing down on the pedal further back under the shoe, without slipping off like you would if you tried that with SL pedals and shoes.
- SPD shoes are easy to walk around in.

sabgla

seems like the balance is swaying towards SPDs! i do like to be able to walk in them. i have to walk from the bike shed at work to the office and no problem doing that in the MTB shoes every day.

But there are some road shoes that look really nice.

need to wait for the credit card to cool off after buying the bike, so will take the pedals off my old bike and put them on the new one for now.

pblakeney

My stock response -

bmxboy10

I moved to speed plays and they are great when clipped in. However a few times now I have smashed the Crown Jewels on the saddle as the shoes have no grip. I can't walk in the shoes either and if I had an issue out on a ride I like to know I can walk if needed. With this in mind I'm going back to spds.

prawny

Against the grain slightly but I've just switched to look keo's for commuting after using double sided SPDs for a few months.

I clip out 5-10 times each way on a 20 mile commute, and they're much more pleasant on the bits between clippings. Don't have to walk far when I get to work either.

Also, I prefer the look of road shoes other than the Sidi MTB shoes, which I can't afford.

pblakeney

prawny wrote:

Also, I prefer the look of road shoes other than the Sidi MTB shoes, which I can't afford.

That is an interesting opinion, apart from the cost.
Everything above the sole would appear to be designed the same as a road shoe. Does a little bit of grip and cleat protection offend that much?

bmxboy10

Shimano M163?

prawny

PBlakeney wrote:

prawny wrote:

Also, I prefer the look of road shoes other than the Sidi MTB shoes, which I can't afford.

That is an interesting opinion, apart from the cost.
Everything above the sole would appear to be designed the same as a road shoe. Does a little bit of grip and cleat protection offend that much?

Yeah, I'm not saying it's a particularly legitimate issue I have but generally cheap mtb shoes (I'm talking sub £50 here, that's the pool I fish in) are ugly, there's some decent looking cheap road shoes. And even the ones that are the same above the sole, the mtb soles are almost always super aggressive tread on cheap shoes.

Mainly though the pedal feel has been the keeper on the looks, much more stable TTing home on the commute.

pblakeney

prawny wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

prawny wrote:

Also, I prefer the look of road shoes other than the Sidi MTB shoes, which I can't afford.

That is an interesting opinion, apart from the cost.
Everything above the sole would appear to be designed the same as a road shoe. Does a little bit of grip and cleat protection offend that much?

Yeah, I'm not saying it's a particularly legitimate issue I have but generally cheap mtb shoes (I'm talking sub £50 here, that's the pool I fish in) are ugly, there's some decent looking cheap road shoes. And even the ones that are the same above the sole, the mtb soles are almost always super aggressive tread on cheap shoes.

Mainly though the pedal feel has been the keeper on the looks, much more stable TTing home on the commute.

Each to their own.
I feel I have got my money's worth out of my Sidis as they are over 10 years old. I fancy some Drakos but the old ones just won't wear out! :P

bmxboy10

PBlakeney wrote:

My stock response -

Sidi Eagles on sale at Ribble £98