Thinking of going from SPD-SL to SPD

[ColinJ]

Shoes: just about anything from shimano for £40-50 will do fine under most conditions, imo.

But note - they tend to be narrow. I have to go up 1 to 2 sizes to fit the width of my feet. They may offer some with a wider fit but all the ones my normal size that I have tried were too tight.

 

[Person]

What I noticed from changing from SPD-SL to SPD is that the screws on SPD cleats seize far easier than the screws on SPD-SL cleats. I grease mine at least every two months. Whatever you do don't let them cleat screws seize. Especially in a new expensive pair of shoes.

 

[Tom B]

I prefer spd-sl feel on the bike.

But the cleats just don't last for commuting or any amount of walking. So SPD for me.

Screws do seize, especially if you are getting them salty wet. Decent cleats come with bolts with threadlock on.
I add copperslip,.never lost a cleat or bolt yet. But did drill through a shoe trying to get the bolts oit.

You can replacement plates but I've never figured out how to change them without destroying the shoe.

 

[Ian H]

And newbies tend to run too little tension, and that can cause issues. I'd recommend starting at least 1/3 up from minimum.

Given that I run min tension even on fixed with no issues, I'd hazard that that only applies to the multi-release cleats.

I have used Look and SPD-SL for racing (and toe-clips and plates, long ago), but single-sided SPDs* for me nowadays.

*I find them easier to clip into than the double-sided ones.

 

[ColinJ]

Given that I run min tension even on fixed with no issues, I'd hazard that that only applies to the multi-release cleats.

I think that you probably have a really good pedalling action because of how much you ride, and especially being used to riding fixed.

I have never used multi-release cleats but have accidentally unclipped several times when riding up steep hills with my release tensions set to minimum. It happened when I was tired and not paying much attention to how I was pedalling.