Pedals /shoes for gravel bike.

[Superlight-Andy]

I've just moved to an area of Scotland where it looks as if there are loads of tracks on forestry tracks etc that will be suitable for a gravel bike.
I slapped a pair of old Look pedals on just to get me mobile but these are useless for walking any distance in plus they're a bit slow to unclip from, leading to a number of falling over incidents when a quicker release might have prevented this.
I've a pair of ancient Shimano mtb boots with spd cleats in the cupboard plus could possibly utilise some spd pedals if I can find them post-house move but I wonder if now is the time for some new appropriate pedals and shoes appropriate to off road riding.
Should I just get an mtb spd setup or is a road/off-road setup better?
TIA

 

[Bristolian]

Personally, I ride with an SPD set-up no matter what terrain I'm on - I ride almost exclusively on road. There is little difference in the security of the shoe between SPD and SPL-SL but the SPD is far easier to clip out of and walking in the shoes is much like walking in ordinary ones.

A couple of my friends that only ride gravel or mountain bike use flat pedals without any clips at all. They don't report any issues.

Hope that helps

 

[fossyant]

SPD for gravel. TBH no issues doing long rides on them either.

 

[StuAff]

SPD (or alternative two-bolt system).

 

[chriswoody]

I've ridden over 20 thousand kilometres with my gravel and mountain bikes using flat pedals and shoes. I've even ridden over 600 km of the Scottish Highland 550 route with no issues on flats. I use DMR V12 pedals and Five Ten Freerider shoes. I find the shoes super comfy for off the bike and really grippy on the pedals. I must admit I was a little anxious about using these shoes in Scotland, but they were perfect for my trip, I really wouldn't contemplate using anything else now and I definitely wouldn't go back to being clipped in.

 

[Drago]

Off road on flats has become de rigeur in recent times, but ive stuck with SPD for the control options it gives, particularly in a skidding low-side type scenario.

Conversely the real fast fly-boys are are happy to forego that and tend to prefer flats for the extra movement required for big shifts of weight and balance.

Even when I was teaching MTBing I was in a minority with SPDs, but then I never dropped it half as often as the students trying to emulate me on flats. But then I might have struggled compared to them in some fast sections on a red trail besause that placed relative limits on large body movements. You pays your money, makes your choice.

Try the options and do what works for you. Dig out the old gear and try a few hundred miles, and if it's not working out for your speed, style, or distance then give a decent set of flats a whirl. Its what works for you that matters, not me or old Uncle Tom Cobley.

 

[oxoman]

I've been SPD for pretty much 15 yrs and thats on road, mtb and gravel and tbh can't see me changing anytime soon. Bare in mind I do ride my gravel bike on red routes quite happily as well as my mtb. Only had a couple of failed to unclip moments and that was in the early days on my roadbike. Use what works for you.

 

[PaulSB]

I've ridden SPDs on all surfaces and bike types for 25+ years.