Cycling shoes compatability

[DLB]

For xmas i'm going to be asking for some cycling shoes (which can also be walked in), a set of pedals with cleats for my road bike and a set of shimano pedals which are 'cleated' on one side and 'normal' on the other (i forget their name/code)

Do i need to be careful about buying items that are compatible or do these items generally work well together.

Hope it's not too stupid a question , this is all new to me.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

make sure that both shoe and pedals are both shimano spd (NOT spd-sl or look/time etc) compatible and that the cleat recesses into the soul of the shoe.

 

[Membrane]

You'll need Shimano SPD (not SPD-SL) pedals, and shoes that are compatible with them (often called MTB shoes, using a 2 bolt cleat system) if you want to be able to walk in the shoes. Note that the cleats come with the pedals.

 

[buggi]

personally, i'd go for double side pedals. i've got specialized MTB shoes and the cleats are recessed. i've got double sided pedals (SPD-SLs) because someone told me the others are a pain to flip over. i'm glad i got them and a couple of mates who got the one sided ones wished they'd had double sided pedals.

 

[TheDoctor]

OTOH, it's useful to have a bike you can ride in normal shoes if you want to. Most of my bikes have double sided SPDs, but I've got one that has pedals with SPD one side, platform on t'other.
And as everyone else has said, MTB shoes and SPD pedals. Not SPD-SL.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

FWIW I have Nike walkable roadshoes and shimano double sided spd's works a treat.

 

[andy_wrx]

When people are saying SPD rather than SPD-SL or Look/Time, etc this means that the sole will have two slots in it, with plates inside which you screw the cleats to, the plates slide up and down the slot before you tighten it all so you can adjust as required.

You don't want the sort with just three bolt holes in a triangle, which is the Look/SPD-SL system.
I don't know of any single-sided + plain pedals that work with these types of cleat.

If it's got both slots and triangle-of-three that's fine as well.


Incidentally (sorry, I really am not trying to take the p*ss Alex, but you did make me laugh), I like the idea of the soul of a shoe...

 

[domtyler]

I want, I want, I want. What's the matter with you kids nowadays?

 

[yenrod]

All I got xmas when younger was a bunch of fruit !

I want, I want, I want. What's the matter with you kids nowadays?

 

[domtyler]

All I got xmas when younger was a bunch of fruit !

Ah well, better than a bunch of fives!

 

[Membrane]

a set of pedals with cleats for my road bike and a set of shimano pedals which are 'cleated' on one side and 'normal' on the other (i forget their name/code)

Btw, although I've no experience with them myself, I've heard bad things about cleated one side, normal on the other side pedals. One side is heavier (the cleated side IIRC), so you'll have to flip them over before you can click into them. Shimano M647 SPD pedals are liked better by most (if you can tolerate the slightly higher weight): http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=122&idproduct=4260

 

[John the Monkey]

I'm still riding flats myself, but these are weighted so that the cleat side is uppermost.

(Those M647s look like a great idea though).

 

[Big T]

personally, i'd go for double side pedals. i've got specialized MTB shoes and the cleats are recessed. i've got double sided pedals (SPD-SLs) because someone told me the others are a pain to flip over. i'm glad i got them and a couple of mates who got the one sided ones wished they'd had double sided pedals.

I don't think you'vew got SPD-SL's, by the sound of it. You've got normal SPD's.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

of course if you use proper road cleats it's easy enough to learn the correct technique to flip the pedal over. my winter bike has look pedals that are cleated one side and flat the other (with proper reflectors too). flip and click. easy.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

I've never understood it, so I asked the LBS for pedals and shoes that fitted.