SL vs SPD (shoe & pedal)

ridgeway_swiss
ridgeway_swiss Posts: 146
edited March 2019 in Road buying advice
I stopped riding SL's a few years back as i just found SPD's more convenient although i am now riding predominantly on the road (was more CX before) and i wonder how much i'm loosing out on...

What would you say are the main advantages of SL's above SPD ? shoe and pedal.(weight isn't an issue as i'm a FB)

Still got some half decent Spesh road shoes so only need pedals & cleats if i decide to change.

Comments

  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,523
    If you're getting on okay with SPD, and find them more convenient, then why change?
  • ridgeway_swiss
    ridgeway_swiss Posts: 146
    Singleton wrote:
    If you're getting on okay with SPD, and find them more convenient, then why change?

    It's a good question, only worth it if there's some performance benefit that i would now take advantage of vs on my CX bike where SPD is a must.

    Just a thought as i'd riding longer and harder these days and i'd like to improve.
  • edward.s
    edward.s Posts: 230
    I ride SPD on everything. I've some XC7 shoes which are as stiff as most road shoes and work on all bikes in the family (currently 12 bikes across the 4 of us, all with SPDs). they are the newer ones with twin Boas and are really comfy. Never had an issue with the oft-sighted 'lack of support platform' that SPDs are supposed to feature, but I guess thats the carbon soled shoes.
  • edward.s
    edward.s Posts: 230
    Also I use the single sided A600 pedals on the 'good' bike which have a reasonable platform anyway. I've done 100+ miles on them no problem at all (with my feet, anyway :-) )
  • ridgeway_swiss
    ridgeway_swiss Posts: 146
    edward.s wrote:
    I ride SPD on everything. I've some XC7 shoes which are as stiff as most road shoes and work on all bikes in the family (currently 12 bikes across the 4 of us, all with SPDs). they are the newer ones with twin Boas and are really comfy. Never had an issue with the oft-sighted 'lack of support platform' that SPDs are supposed to feature, but I guess thats the carbon soled shoes.

    Thanks for that info, so stiffer shoes is i assume helping efficiency and probably that's where true road shoes help but as you pointed out selecting a "more stiff" SPD shoe could be a good approach.

    The beauty of my logic is that Nº3 daughter has size 42 feet and could inherit my current SPD shoes..... :D
  • edward.s
    edward.s Posts: 230
    The shoes I use are intended for XC racing and are as stiff as road shoes, I certainly find them stiff enough.
  • janwal
    janwal Posts: 489
    https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m53 ... EMQAvD_BwE
    I use these on two road bikes. They offer a good platform.
  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,229
    I use both regularly. SPD for my winter bike and commuter, SPD-SL for my racing bikes.

    SPD is much more practical, you can walk, double sided pedals you can clip in without ever looking, never wear cleats out.

    Main advantage of SPD-SL is that the best 3 bolt road shoes are uber stiff and light. Its a little bit of marginal gains for racing, a little bit that the shoe/pedal interface feels rock solid, a little bit that they look the part. But with the right shoes that difference is tiny e.g. I've got a nice pair of Fizik MTB shoes that look good & feel very stiff.

    Ultimately if I could only keep one it would definitely be SPD.
  • ridgeway_swiss
    ridgeway_swiss Posts: 146
    Great feedback, thanks
  • yiannism
    yiannism Posts: 345
    I am the only one on my group that is using SPD's, but at least i can walk normally. If its any performance advantage that one is marginal and there is no comparison vs the practicality. You just losing on style, nothing else if you are asking me.
  • yiannism
    yiannism Posts: 345
    I am the only one on my group that is using SPD's, but at least i can walk normally. If its any performance advantage that one is marginal and there is no comparison vs the practicality. You just losing on style, nothing else if you are asking me.
  • yiannism
    yiannism Posts: 345
    I am the only one on my group that is using SPD's, but at least i can walk normally. If its any performance advantage that one is marginal and there is no comparison vs the practicality. You just losing on style, nothing else if you are asking me.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    For many years I had SPDs on both road bikes, and some old Nike Touring shoes which looked OK. Soles were a bit flexible which was good for walking but my feet would ache a bit at the end of a long ride. When the shoes started to look a bit tatty I weighed up the options for replacements. 2 bolt touring shoes were thin on the ground, and stiff, carbon soled MTB shoes seemed a bit pricy and still looked chunky. Since on 99% of my rides I rarely put a foot down I decided to give SPD-SL a try. There is much more choice when looking at 3 bolt road shoes, they are generally quite a bit lighter, and the wider support platform meant I could get away with a more basic pair.

    6 months on and I'm loving them. SL pedals on both bikes. Feet feel better supported and more securely attached. I'm not pretending it's made any difference to my actual performance on the bike though.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,331
    I started on SPD's carried over from my mountain bike and had no problems on the road at all. I bought SL's when I realized that my MTB shoes were a bit clunky.

    If I had some nice sleek mtb shoes I may still be riding in them.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,331
    I started on SPD's carried over from my mountain bike and had no problems on the road at all. I bought SL's when I realized that my MTB shoes were a bit clunky.

    If I had some nice sleek mtb shoes I may still be riding in them.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • Darius_Jedburgh
    Darius_Jedburgh Posts: 675
    I use SPDs on all my bikes. I have some comp quality stiff soled mtb shoes. They look just like normal roadie shoes, but I can walk around in them normally.
    And I get two chances of clipping in!
  • Darius_Jedburgh
    Darius_Jedburgh Posts: 675
    I use SPDs on all my bikes. I have some comp quality stiff soled mtb shoes. They look just like normal roadie shoes, but I can walk around in them normally.
    And I get two chances of clipping in!

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