Why do audax riders prefer spd's to look type shoes/pedals?

[DooBlood]

Why oh why?

 

[frank9755]

Why oh why?

I wear SPDs for audax and Looks for time trials because SPDs are easier to walk in at controls.


Also if doing a long ride at moderate effort you don't get as much benefit from the broader platform as you do if pedalling harder for a shorter distance (ie racing)

However I do see quite a lot of people audaxing in Looks or SPD-SLs or similar.

 

[Greenbank]

Why oh why?

Because you stop more on Audaxes and it's easier to walk around at the start/finish, at controls, petrol stations, etc in SPDs than it is road shoes (even with cleat covers).

 

[yello]

Ease of walking to/from controls and cake stops is the obvious answer.

That said, I wear Looks. Did for LEL and will do for PBP. I also take judo type slippers to make matters easier if and when needed.

 

[Fiona N]

Of course if you use Crank Brothers cleats you can move seamlessly from out-and-out mtb pedals (eggbeaters) to small platform spd-equivalent (Candys) to full platform road pedals (Quattros) changing shoes or not as you go.

I use stiff, racing mtb shoes for longer rides/Audaxes on my road bike with Quattros so I get the best of both world But sometimes just to look the biz, I use a pair of Sidi Genius too

 

[ian_oli]

Of course if you use Crank Brothers cleats you can move seamlessly from out-and-out mtb pedals (eggbeaters) to small platform spd-equivalent (Candys) to full platform road pedals (Quattros) changing shoes or not as you go.

I use stiff, racing mtb shoes for longer rides/Audaxes on my road bike with Quattros so I get the best of both world But sometimes just to look the biz, I use a pair of Sidi Genius too

I used to use ordinary egg beaters for shorter Audax rides (up to 200K) whic are very similar cleats to spd as you could wear mtb shoes and walk easily. Then I swapped to Quattro for longer rides. I found that over 400K I started to get nasty foot problems as too much of my pedalling force was going through a small point, the eggbeater cleat.

I swapped to full-on road pedals (Shimano SPD-SL) and carbon soled shoes and these and some other adjustments cured the problem. While I still like using Eggbeaters, I tend to leave the road pedals on my Audax bike all the time.

By the way some Audaxers like wearing sandals and I think you can only get SPDs for that.

 

[TheDoctor]

Wot Lee said.
I've done Audaxes, Sportives, a century and Mont Ventoux in SPDs. No problems with my feet, and it's so much better not doing an involuntary pirouette on slippery floors while carrying cake.

(A full 360. And I didn't drop the cake )

 

[mcshroom]

Same as Lee and our Dalek friend.

Why do you ask btw?

 

[Banjo]

Wot Lee said.
I've done Audaxes, Sportives, a century and Mont Ventoux in SPDs. No problems with my feet, and it's so much better not doing an involuntary pirouette on slippery floors while carrying cake.

(A full 360. And I didn't drop the cake )

I just had a mental image of a cyclist spinning out of control, Cake in one hand coffee in the other , gloves tucked under arm. and crashing onto a table in a crowded lunchtime cafe somewhere.
It must have happened.

 

[Noodley]

I wear Looks - I learned to balance years ago!

 

[fungus]

I use Shimano spd sl cleats, same style as the looks but better traction control. MTB shoes make sense for audax though, race stiff carbon soles aren't really needed and they are much more comfy to walk around in. Simples really

 

[frank9755]

I just had a mental image of a cyclist spinning out of control, Cake in one hand coffee in the other , gloves tucked under arm. and crashing onto a table in a crowded lunchtime cafe somewhere.
It must have happened.

It did to me after a time trial last year. I was wearing my Looks and slipped backwards. There was tea on the ceiling and all over me, sitting on the floor. But no cake was involved, thankfully

 

[TheDoctor]

I just had a mental image of a cyclist spinning out of control, Cake in one hand coffee in the other , gloves tucked under arm. and crashing onto a table in a crowded lunchtime cafe somewhere.
It must have happened.

I didn't crash into anything, but it was a close call.
Looks + polished wooden floor = Comedic potential

 

[Baggy]

I didn't crash into anything, but it was a close call.
Looks + polished wooden floor = Comedic potential

Looks + tiled pub floor = slithering across it until you collide with the bar and then falling over backwards

Luckily it wasn't me, but after witnessing it I decided Time Atac pedals were a good thing.

 

[DooBlood]

ThANks guys,

I have looks and was wondering why I was the minority. Wonder if the 'bike fit' people do bike fits with spd type shoes?