I picked these for several reasons. Firstly these are the most like a road platform pedal in the spd range. Secondly, they look right on a road bike and thirdly the platform style made them a litle bit more flexible and offered a bit of extra support.
So first things first does the platform offer a little extra support and help eliminate hot spots? These pictures were taken with my Specialized Taho's attached.
And the answer is yes, it does give some extra support once clipped in. Exactly how much could well depend on the design of the shoe. Does it eliminate the hot spots you hear people talk of? It probably helps but I do still get them on my right foot sometimes, though this tends to happen when I've not been on the bike much.
These pedals are only singe sided and I've read a lot of opinion of the, 'why bother with the hastle of flipping them', sort, 'just get double sided'. Well flipping them or rather sweeping your foot into them is quite easy as the cage makes them easy to catch and helps locate the foot. I find these easier to get into than my double sided M520's.
These pedals are only singe sided and I've read a lot of opinion of the, 'why bother with the hastle of flipping them', sort, 'just get double sided'. Well flipping them or rather sweeping your foot into them is quite easy as the cage makes them easy to catch and helps locate the foot. I find these easier to get into than my double sided M520's.
Even when I get it wrong and end up doing a few power strokes upside down, my foot has never slipped off.
In use these pedals feel good. The have the usual degree of float, mine are pigeon toed out and still have enough wiggle room and the spring clip gives plenty of feel. My tension was initially quite low as I got used to them and even then I never pulled a foot out. I've tightened it up a bit now.
All in all, I'm very happy with them and would recommend them. The platform design does offer more support once clipped in, though it does seem to depend on the shoe as well.
Added comments from Discussion thread:
HJ: I think the hot spot issue is more a function of the shoe rather than the pedal.
Rezillo: At least a couple of us in the forums here have had hot spot problems with Tahos. They are a very comfy shoe but the sole just isn't stiff enough once you start upping the mileage.
Link here
I changed to Specialised BG Pro shoes - expensive but supremely comfortable and an incredibly good fit for my size 12 plates. They are fantastic shoes and stopped hot spots completely. The tread ridges are a perfect fit for the edges of the 520, giving a wide effective platform. The Tahos have a less recessed cleat (or a shallower tread) which means they rock a little on the cleat, which only goes to make problems with the lack of sole stiffness worse.