How to tell the difference between MTB pedals and Road?

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Enis Baysal

Senior Member
Location
Essex Romford
I was given a Giant FCR3 by a cousin and I am looking at buying shoes for my riding.

Being an absolute NOOB I cant tell what pedals are currently on the bike so I kmow what shoes (MTB/Road) to buy?

Any ideas what I should be looking at in the pedals??

Cheers Dudes/Dudettes^^
 

Keith Oates

Janner
Location
Penarth, Wales
Take a photo of the pedals that are now on the bike and post it here and we can probably suggest the type of shoe you need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Enis Baysal

Enis Baysal

Senior Member
Location
Essex Romford
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Take a photo of the pedals that are now on the bike and post it here and we can probably suggest the type of shoe you need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2am and im getting out of bed to go to the garage and get a pic... Its bugging me so bad -.-! Lol Thanks for your help I really do appreciate!
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
They look a lot like Shimano M520 SPD pedals. You can ride them with trainer style shoes. I have, on a road bike, for four years on urban commutes and some longer rides. Great pedals. If you need to get some shoes to match them with, make sure they come with cleats for the pedals.

Edit: cross post with KO above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Enis Baysal

Enis Baysal

Senior Member
Location
Essex Romford
They look a lot like Shimano M520 SPD pedals. You can ride them with trainer style shoes. I have, on a road bike, for four years on urban commutes and some longer rides. Great pedals. If you need to get some shoes to match them with, make sure they come with cleats for the pedals.
Sorry but another really noob question... what does spd mean? XD
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
They're old MTB pedals, you need to buy MTB style shoes that accept a cleat with 2 mounting holes. BUT the cleats come with the pedals, not the shoes.

Given that a new pair of M520 pedals (including cleats) can be had for <£20, I'd suggest buying a new pair of pedals: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/

These shoes work well with them: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m088-spd-mountain-bike-shoes/

SPD stands for Shimano Pedalling Dynamics (or something very similar).
 
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Enis Baysal

Enis Baysal

Senior Member
Location
Essex Romford
They're old MTB pedals, you need to buy MTB style shoes that accept a cleat with 2 mounting holes. BUT the cleats come with the pedals, not the shoes.

Given that a new pair of M520 pedals (including cleats) can be had for <£20, I'd suggest buying a new pair of pedals: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/

These shoes work well with them: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m088-spd-mountain-bike-shoes/

SPD stands for Shimano Pedalling Dynamics (or something very similar).
Thanks alot for your help! 1 step closer for me!
Cheers everyone :smile:!!
 

vickster

Legendary Member
You can also get more road type shoes that take the 2 bolt cleats like the shimano r088 shoes, but they are quite treacherous to walk in like the spd sl road shoes as the cleats aren't recessed.

There's a very good clipless FAQ in the beginners section
 

shouldbeinbed

Rollin' along
Location
Manchester way
as well as the treacherous to walk in aspect of road shoes, aesthetically MTB shoes would look better with your bike. Road shoes tend to be a bit more niche looking and really only look matched up with lycra kit. Nothing to say you cant wear what you like of course and I'm no fashion guru.

edit: the cleats you're looking for are small metal cross shaped ones with an arrowhead front & 2 bolts fitted centrally. There are other types of cleat available but they aren't interchangeable. Noted above that you can ride your pictured pedal in 'normal' shoes but its damnably uncomfortable to do so for any sort of distance with lack of a pedal cage & the cleat retention mechanism sitting proud of the pedal frame and poking very noticably through particularly foam soled shoes (adidas samba type) and trainers. You can relatively cheaply replace the pedals with non cleated types or ones known as double sided that have a flat side for regular shoes and a cleated side for clipless riding. Mainly depends on what you'll be using the bike for, just riding out/back home or mixed use with walking about a bit, commuting in the same shoes as working in etc.
One last thing to mention, invariably even a MTB shoe with a more regular looking sole and deeper tread pattern will still grind the SPD cleat on the ground when walking, accentuating its wear and making you sound like a tap dancer clicking along the street, you tend not to realise this when trying them on in shops as new shoes don't come with fitted cleats generally.
 
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