SPD Shoes

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
OK can someone give me advice on some SPD shoes. I got these pedals:
Shimano MTB SPD M520 Pedals . Just looking at Decathlon for some shoes for these pedals and im getting confused. With words such as clipless, etc. It is road biking im doing, but was recommended these pedals.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/cycle-road-shoes-854160/ shoes some cycle road shoes. Im really after recommendations and what works with these pedals for long distance cycling. Posisbly in Decathlon because I have a store near me. (im in Spain)

Cheers
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
You have bought MTB pedals but they can be used for road cycling too. you need to get shoes with the correct fittings for these pedals. A lot of road shoes will not be compatible with these MTB pedals - you need to get shoes that have the 2-bolt fitting. Road shoes do exist with this fitting but not that many so your choice will be limited if you want a road specific shoe. Touring and MTB shoes have this type of fitment so you'll have much more choice if you consider those too.
 
With M520 you are needing to get a two bolt (spd) compatible shoe like the first one on that page but not a 3 bolt (spd-sl, etc) type like the last 3, they are not compatible with your pedals. Any MTB shoes will be compatible (like Spesh Tahos, etc) and they feature a recess which means you can walk in the shoes. Personally for longer distances; I've got Spesh BG MTB Sports; they're a bit lighter and stiffer soled so are more efficient on the bike. The stiffer sole means they are not quite as easy to walk in but they still feature a recess and are walkable.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Several other manufacturers equip their road shoes with drillings to suit both road and off-road SPD cleats. Decathlon don't but their XC shoes won't look amiss on a road bike imo. The chunky sole makes a huge difference to how the shoes feel off the bike.

I use Spesh Taho for commutting and Spesh BG Sport for club rides. Both are MTB shoes used with mtb cleats and compatible pedals. Perfectly normal to see people doing this these days.
 
GregCollins said:
Several other manufacturers equip their road shoes with drillings to suit both road and off-road SPD cleats.

IMO a flat road shoe and a metal cleat would be near lethal, the reviews that have been posted confirm this.
I use Spesh Taho for commutting and Spesh BG Sport for club rides. Both are MTB shoes used with mtb cleats and compatible pedals. Perfectly normal to see people doing this these days.
I use that combo too :becool:
 

adscrim

Veteran
Location
Perth
Shimano produce a road spd cleat - basicallly the same cleat with an additional plate which fits under the cleat and hold two rubber 'grips' to aid walking. Also, the shimano shoe on the page you linked will take a two bolt cleat.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
HLaB said:
IMO a flat road shoe and a metal cleat would be near lethal, the reviews that have been posted confirm this.
I use that combo too :becool:

TO hijack the thread.... Did you have any problem adapting to the BG Sports? Whereas the Tahoe's slot straight in to my A530's and are pretty grippy on the 'wrong' (non-SPD) side the BG Sports need a big stomp to engage and slip right off the wrong side faster than a slippery thing falling off a teflon coated cliff edge.

I wonder if the fact my Tahoe's have multi-release (metal) cleats whilst the BG Sports are have single release (black) cleats is the cause of my trauma?
 
GregCollins said:
TO hijack the thread.... Did you have any problem adapting to the BG Sports? Whereas the Tahoe's slot straight in to my A530's and are pretty grippy on the 'wrong' (non-SPD) side the BG Sports need a big stomp to engage and slip right off the wrong side faster than a slippery thing falling off a teflon coated cliff edge.

I wonder if the fact my Tahoe's have multi-release (metal) cleats whilst the BG Sports are have single release (black) cleats is the cause of my trauma?
I cant recall ever having a problem with the BG sports as oppose to the Tahos (I use A520 Pedals); I've got single release in both my shoes :blush: Is it possible that the cleats are positioned slightly differently on the two pairs of shoes :ohmy:
 

Rezillo

TwoSheds
Location
Suffolk
HLaB said:
I cant recall ever having a problem with the BG sports as oppose to the Tahos (I use A520 Pedals); I've got single release in both my shoes :evil: Is it possible that the cleats are positioned slightly differently on the two pairs of shoes :wacko:

I had Tahoes and got severe foot pain (hot foot) on long trips due to the cleat plate flexing in the sole.

I now have these:

http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=39459&menuItemId=0&eid=0

but also have a pair of BG sports owing to forgetting to pack the above shoes when taking bike with us on holiday last month :sad: They are both supremely comfortable.

Both work really well with the A520 - the tread depth by the cleat matches the pedal well to give a wide support platform. One of the problems with the Tahoes was that the tread depth was more shallow and the shoe could rock on the cleat. I think that may be the reason for Greg's observations about clipping in differences

[edit] Just noticed Greg was using A530, not to mention the OP has M520s, not A520s, so we're all kind of recommending variations on a theme.

John
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
HLaB said:
I cant recall ever having a problem with the BG sports as oppose to the Tahos (I use A520 Pedals); I've got single release in both my shoes :rolleyes: Is it possible that the cleats are positioned slightly differently on the two pairs of shoes :biggrin:

They better be. The Tahoes are size 46 and the BG Sports are 47's (and my lake spd sandles are 44's!). Such are the mysteries of shoe sizing.
 
Top Bottom