Advice on pedals - SPD for road/commute?

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Dan77

Senior Member
Location
Worcester
I've never used clipless pedals before. I was thinking SPD may be better for me as they're apparently easier to get out of and probably more importantly, the cleats are recessed allowing me to walk in the shoes properly. This would be particularly useful for the commute.

They will be fitted to my new road bike when it arrives although I might try them on the hybrid in the meantime. One slight concern is that they generally seem to be rather small and I'm wondering how my feet will get on with that on a long ride.

Shimano M530 look good value and have a bit more of a platform but are quite heavy.

I'd appreciate your thoughts
 

newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
I've never used clipless pedals before. I was thinking SPD may be better for me as they're apparently easier to get out of and probably more importantly, the cleats are recessed allowing me to walk in the shoes properly. This would be particularly useful for the commute.

They will be fitted to my new road bike when it arrives although I might try them on the hybrid in the meantime. One slight concern is that they generally seem to be rather small and I'm wondering how my feet will get on with that on a long ride.

Shimano M530 look good value and have a bit more of a platform but are quite heavy.

I'd appreciate your thoughts
Works for me. I have SPD on all my bikes except my pub/shopping bike. As you say, recessed cleats let you walk normally when you’re off the bike. I mostly use M520 pedals, cheap as chips.
 
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Dan77

Dan77

Senior Member
Location
Worcester
Works for me. I have SPD on all my bikes except my pub/shopping bike. As you say, recessed cleats let you walk normally when you’re off the bike. I mostly use M520 pedals, cheap as chips.
How do you get on with such a small pedal? Does it get uncomfortable on a longer ride?
 

Gunk

Guru
Location
Oxford
I would use single sided, so you can then still ride in trainers if you want to. XLC are a good choice.

549300
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I've got M530s on my CAADX. They are fine, but I have M520s on all of my other bikes and think they are perfectly ok and slightly lighter.

How do you get on with such a small pedal? Does it get uncomfortable on a longer ride?
I get on perfectly well with them, using mountain bike shoes with fairly stiff soles. I have done many very hilly rides of 100+ kms and had no problems with my feet.

@Gunk has just suggested SPD/flat pedals. I tried them and was annoyed at having to flip them over. They often seemed to be the wrong way up! Yes to them if you do want to use normal footwear on a regular basis, otherwise - no!
 

newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
How do you get on with such a small pedal? Does it get uncomfortable on a longer ride?
I’ve heard some people suffer from hotspots but I never have. It probably depends on the shoe as much as the pedal. I wear moderately stiff Shimano MTB shoes usually, including on 1500 km tours (when such a thing was possible).
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I wear moderately stiff Shimano MTB shoes
Ditto.

I find Shimano sizing really bad with my wide-ish feet. I need to go up about 1.5 sizes to get the width. My current shoes are +2 sizes. There is a gap beyond my toes, but the rest of each foot fits really well so they don't slide forwards. The result is surprisingly comfortably. Definitely try on before buying, or buy from somewhere with free returns.
 

newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
Ditto.

I find Shimano sizing really bad with my wide-ish feet. I need to go up about 1.5 sizes to get the width. My current shoes are +2 sizes. There is a gap beyond my toes, but the rest of each foot fits really well so they don't slide forwards. The result is surprisingly comfortably. Definitely try on before buying, or buy from somewhere with free returns.
I must be lucky, I’m always a size 46, whatever the brand.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I must be lucky, I’m always a size 46, whatever the brand.
My feet got badly squeezed across their widest parts by Shimano shoes my normal size. I had to take a month off the bike after riding for an hour or two!

I went up a size but still had problems so I gave those shoes to my cousin, who has narrower feet than me.

The length seems to be right so anybody with slim feet shouldn't have a problem.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Most of my riding for the last ten years has been commuting on road bikes with Shimano M520s. I've found them to be absolutely flawless. I tended to use North Wave shoes because they had a wide fit and were excellent for use off the bike......at least as comfortable as a good pair of trainers and they don't stink! I wouldn't worry too much about the size of the pedals. With a halfway decent pair of SPD shoes you won't feel them. BTW, it's really easy to use SPD pedals with normal shoes for a few miles. They feel a bit odd but it's no great challenge.

Some lucky souls escape but most people fall off a few times when they use SPDs. Just practice a bit on quiet roads or on paths.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Some lucky souls escape but most people fall off a few times when they use SPDs. Just practice a bit on quiet roads or on paths.
I find it helpful to set the pedal release tensions to minimum. I never unclip by accident, but I can in a hurry.

NB Make sure that you do all 4 tensions. I got distracted when setting up a new pair of pedals and missed one. It was so tight that I couldn't unclip at all. I had to get someone else to turn my heel for me. (I didn't think of taking my foot out of the shoe! :laugh:)
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I find it helpful to set the pedal release tensions to minimum. I never unclip by accident, but I can in a hurry.

NB Make sure that you do all 4 tensions. I got distracted when setting up a new pair of pedals and missed one. It was so tight that I couldn't unclip at all. I had to get someone else to turn my heel for me. (I didn't think of taking my foot out of the shoe! :laugh:)
I set the release tension to the absolute minimum on the day I fitted the pedals and I've never slipped off any of them by mistake. It probably says a fair bit about how much of a crap cyclist I am, but hey!, it works for me.
 
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Dan77

Dan77

Senior Member
Location
Worcester
Thanks folks. I'll get a set of 520's then.

Now got the hard job of figuring out which shoes! There are some nice lace up's like Shimano AM5 but not sure laces are the way to go. I've been riding in normal trainers and had no problems with laces though.
 

SGG on a bike

Senior Member
Location
Lowestoft
It sounds like you e made your mind up already reading the above. I’ve got SPDs on both my bikes. Single sided with a platform on the mtb and double sided on the road bike. Both work perfectly and have no issues with lace up shoes (mine also have a Velcro strap to retain the laces and prevent flapping about). They’re also great if you’re getting off and walking around.

Shoe choice is important for not only fit, but also for stability. There’s a definite difference between a good shoe and one less so. I also tried look Keos and road bike specific shoes. While being poor by comparison off the bike, they were very, very good on it. Not practical for anything other than just riding the bike.
 
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