Gravel/ mtb or road racing pedals
- Thread starter TAV
- Start date
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cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
another a600 user here , no issues whatsoever with them and i use m520s for commuting duties
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Read a post on another group with regards the oft mentioned power transfer and a chap actually compared road to mtb cleat /pedal systems with a power meter, upshot was no loss of power with mtb style .
OP
OP
TAV
Guru
- Location
- mountainash
Hoe much are you looking at? Cheers Tav
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
My most used bikes are all SPD. The M520 is nice and cheap, but the M540 has a neater axel like the XT pedals. I've got XT's and a pair of 520's.
My two road bikes have Look Delta. The advantage with SPD is you can walk with them - so less of a faff getting to the shed/garage/shop/cafe.
Never noticed and power loss or less comfort with SPD. I've also got more SPD shoes now - two pairs of winter boots, three pairs of 'summer' shoes and a pair of SPD trainers for casual stuff. Road bikes, just a pair of winter boots and a pair of summer shoes.
My two road bikes have Look Delta. The advantage with SPD is you can walk with them - so less of a faff getting to the shed/garage/shop/cafe.
Never noticed and power loss or less comfort with SPD. I've also got more SPD shoes now - two pairs of winter boots, three pairs of 'summer' shoes and a pair of SPD trainers for casual stuff. Road bikes, just a pair of winter boots and a pair of summer shoes.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
SPD, SPD, SPD!
All my bikes have double sided SPD pedals and the ease of clipping in and getting away from the lights quickly far outweighs any perceived 'wrongness' from other, less enlightened cyclists.
YOU can even have the fancy XTR version if you want some bling. I have some of the XTRs, a couple of XTs and some of the basic 520s. No difference in use at all, so basically boils down to how much money you want people to think you spend on your pedals. I like to show off so always take the XTRs on holiday for fitting to hire bikes......
All my bikes have double sided SPD pedals and the ease of clipping in and getting away from the lights quickly far outweighs any perceived 'wrongness' from other, less enlightened cyclists.
YOU can even have the fancy XTR version if you want some bling. I have some of the XTRs, a couple of XTs and some of the basic 520s. No difference in use at all, so basically boils down to how much money you want people to think you spend on your pedals. I like to show off so always take the XTRs on holiday for fitting to hire bikes......
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
always take the XTRs on holiday for fitting to hire bikes......
Saves weight in the hand luggage - extra couple of polo mints ! Marginal gains !
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
When you are riding noone will gaf what pedals you are pushing.
So the 'look' (of the pedal) is one for you alone, communing with yourself, and your perception of the views of stereotypically influenced riding companions at the café stop, those that take an interest in others' bikes.
If you care about this more than the convenience of being able to walk around/up hills with the stability SPDs offer then procure 'road' pedals. And worth buying used, as 'new pedals' is the 'wrong look' at the café.
In my view the issue is not the pedals but more the limited range of smart shoes which you can walk around in with SPDs fitted, recessed to take advantage: and those shoes are so heavy (and maybe less stiff causing havoc with the power transfer
) compared with road shoes designed for road pedals.And you will be judged by the shoes you wear. Do others' judgements, tacit or shared, make a difference to you? Better have shoes with laces then, ftw.
I recommend a long ride on another of your bikes and spend time having a careful think about life et al. On return home you'll have sorted it out. Pre-reading is Rule #34: // Mountain bike shoes and pedals have their place. On a mountain bike.
And some commentary: "Looking past the obvious reasons for the Rule #34: the [SPD] shoe-cleat connection is sloppy, mtb shoes look lame on road riders and we are riders, not walkers. [With SPDs there ] is the cruel temptation to put a foot down and push the bike up to the top of a hill. This is something noone needs in their time of need."
For me this fear of walking has got me up countless climbs. With SPDs (and the shoes to fit) I shudder to think how often the devil would have beaten me (think Lynmouth, Hardknott, Wrynose, Bushcombe Lane, Pepperdon, Peak Hill, Rosedale Chimney) oh and that double chevronned climb on the NYM which I could not believe was so hard, until I got to where it eased and I realised I'd being climbing in a 35" gear rather than my 25" lowest.)
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I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
These are what you NEED!
https://dromarti.com/products/sportivo-gravel-brown-tan-leather
Stylish, comfortable and practical. I love mine and when on tour along the North East coast last summer wore them as my only shoes for the entire trip, cycling by day and dinner attire in the evenings
https://dromarti.com/products/sportivo-gravel-brown-tan-leather
Stylish, comfortable and practical. I love mine and when on tour along the North East coast last summer wore them as my only shoes for the entire trip, cycling by day and dinner attire in the evenings
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
I have these on four bikes. I find them easier than double-sided ones - in fact I hardly think about them, they just work.
cougie uk
Guru
What shoes have you got ? 2 or 3 hole ?
I have Time Atac double sided on my gravel/winter bike - great pedals - they and their cleats last for years. And you can walk around on them.
My summer bike has Speed plays - a bit more faff and you need a cleat mount thingy on your shoe if you don't want to slip when walking - but they do look dinky on the bike.
OP
OP
TAV
Guru
- Location
- mountainash
Yeah I know I've got gravel shoes and spds on my audax bike,but I've bought a carbon racing bike light weight for the nice days in the summer so I'd like to keep it looking good. I know it's a bit sad but if I put spds on it I thought it wouldn't look right. Like putting cheap alloys on a ferrari lol.
and those shoes are so heavy (and maybe less stiff causing havoc with the power transfer
Don't know if your being serious or not, my Sidis were the exact same shoes as road Sidis apart from 2 holes instead of three and some tread bits bolted on, which weighed grams.
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Up to you, but like has been posted above, you can get SPD shoes that look just like the road versions, and even have carbon soles if you are bothered. On a modern bike, I don't think it matters as they are ugly anyway, big carbuncles for shifters, disc brakes, etc.
A decent pair of SPD's won't look out of place. I've a pair of Shimano SPD shoes that look just like a pair of road shoes I have, some shoes that do look like MTB shoes, and all my three pairs of winter books look the same - but my MTB ones are actually the 'better model'.
If you've got a 'classic' bike, then keeping it period was more important to me, so hence Look Delta's, but doing 90% of my riding with SPD, I'll say road shoes are a pain in comparison. It's like walking on ice all the time.
