Two sided SPDs less injurious than dual sided?

[scotsbikester]

I've got Shimano T8000 pedals. One side is SPD, the other flat, with pins. I'm tired of shin injuries, especially having got a really nasty gash during an "off" last week.

I'm wondering about moving to pedals with SPDs on both side - I'm hardly ever on the flats. Are they less likely to result in injuries?

Or maybe taking the pins out completely, has anybody tried that?

I'm not, by the way, completely sure it's always the pins doing the damage. I'll be investigating shin pads too.

 

[Mike_P]

Why are you getting shin injuries from a pedal? Its not a commonly reported occurrence.

 

[fossyant]

Why are you getting shin injuries from a pedal? Its not a commonly reported occurrence.

It is on a mountain bike.

 

[fossyant]

In answer to the question, yes standard dual sided SPD won't dig into your shin, but you'll still get a painful hit, but your shin won't look like you've been attacked by an alligator.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I replaced my T-8000 with pedals with SPDs both sides but that was on my recumbent where you always use the SPDs

Those T8000s moved to my upright for a few months but now replaces with more traditional flat pedals with toe-clips (much netter).

I suspect a lot depends on how often the SPDs are used and how often the flat sides.

 

[DCLane]

Shimano T8000's have studs, which will hurt if you catch them.

I use dual-sided Shimano A530 pedals on some bikes, which don't have studs so won't.

 

[scotsbikester]

Shimano T8000's have studs, which will hurt if you catch them.

I use dual-sided Shimano A530 pedals on some bikes, which don't have studs so won't.

Thanks. It looks like the A530 aren't a current model, replaced by the EH500, as far as I can tell. What are the flat side of the A530 like?

 

[DCLane]

Thanks. It looks like the A530 aren't a current model, replaced by the EH500, as far as I can tell. What are the flat side of the A530 like?

They're ridged rather than spiked:

 

[scotsbikester]

They're ridged rather than spiked:

View attachment 819632

thanks. Did you use the flat side much? What were they like for slipping off? Or not slipping off?

 

[DCLane]

thanks. Did you use the flat side much? What were they like for slipping off? Or not slipping off?

I've never slipped off, but then these are on hybrid / town bikes rather than off-road use.

 

[scotsbikester]

I've never slipped off, but then these are on hybrid / town bikes rather than off-road use.

Thanks. If/when I use the flat side it would be for town cycling, mainly.

 

[PaulSB]

I've always ridden double-sided and never needed flats as SPD shoes have recessed cleats and I don't walk much when I'm out on the bike. All I can say is double-sided are a doddle to clip in and out. People have commented on how quickly I clip in.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I've always ridden double-sided and never needed flats as SPD shoes have recessed cleats and I don't walk much when I'm out on the bike. All I can say is double-sided are a doddle to clip in and out. People have commented on how quickly I clip in.

Same here: I've used SPD pedals I can clip in on both sides for many years, and walking in the matching shoes isn't a problem.

 

[scotsbikester]

Why are you getting shin injuries from a pedal? Its not a commonly reported occurrence.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/xezinc/how_often_do_you_scrape_your_shin_on_your_flat/
https://www.mtbr.com/threads/flat-p....947879/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/slashed-open-shin-yesterday-need-pad-pedal-advice/
https://markhowermtb.com/best-shin-guards-for-mtb-flat-pedals-stop-pedal-shinners-for-good

Or any Google search you want with words like "shin" "pedals" "pins" etc.

 

[scotsbikester]

This is a road bike, not an MTB, so maybe I'm just a clumsy oaf.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/xezinc/how_often_do_you_scrape_your_shin_on_your_flat/

Most of my very long-standing bruises/scars are on my right shin, and most of them are from when I used flat pedals with pins (both sides of the pedal). The number of times it happened went down a lot when I went clipless, but still happens occasionally. As per the comments in the Reddit link above, I generally get a thwack not when I'm riding, but when I'm moving/handling the bike. An awkward turn getting it next to a bike rack, or if I'm dismounted and standing over the bike, or similar. I was getting a lot better at being "pedal aware", and avoiding the thwacks. So this one is a real disappointment. I gave up the modelling career a while ago, but quite apart from the pain, I'd rather not have shins that look like a map of the moon. And this one involved a trip to minor injuries, and so on.

This latest one is a very long, 6 inch, gash on my left shin. It might have not been the pins, there's no way to be sure. It was an "off" that could have been a lot worse, luckily I fell on to a lawn. And in an amazing co-incidence, the place I went to (to buy a spare inner tube) was also the home of a retired nurse, who very kindly patched me up.

Anyway, a pair of M324s are in the post, they look a lot less gouging than the T8000s. On any "serious" cycle trip, I'll be clipless. The flat side is for trips in normal clothes with normal shoes, or in a city with lots of stop/start cycling, especially sudden unexpected stops.