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

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vorsprung

Veteran
Location
Devon
I don't think that audax riders in general particularly favour one pedal system over another

I use MTB style shimano SPDS. All my bikes have M540 pedals

One time I was doing the "Gospel Pass" 150km audax ride. I believe it was February. Anyway, it was a nice day and most of the roads were fine. Until Hay Buff at the top of the actual Gospel pass. I was following a young M+F couple on his n hers racing bikes. First the road was a bit slushy with snow, then it was snow, then it was unridably deep snow, then it was 3 foot deep drifts. Of course we continued and I carried and dragged my bike 3 or 4 miles over the top. The couple remained just a bit ahead and when I got to the ridable down side of the pass they were clearly having trouble. "These cleats were new last week" wailed one of them. Walking a few miles over snow and mud had worn the brand new plastic cleat so much it no longer wanted to clip in.

I've heard audax people saying Frogs, Time ATAC, Shimano SL etc etc are "best" for audax but really it doesn't make much difference, whatever works for you
 

Fiona N

Veteran
...First the road was a bit slushy with snow, then it was snow, then it was unridably deep snow, then it was 3 foot deep drifts. Of course we continued ...

Naturally :biggrin:

And some people think Audaxers are wrong in the head...:whistle:
 

yello

Guest
Wonder if the 'bike fit' people do bike fits with spd type shoes?

I remember going to a bike fit at that place in Soho (not Madame Fifi's no... I think it is/was actually called BikeFit... anyway...) and I remember the chappie (NZer bloke, Warren something? a decent racer/rider in his own right) asking me why I was wearing "mountain bike" shoes? Put me in my place! I still think his words stinging my ears were at least part of the reason for me getting Looks!
 

frank9755

Cyclist
Location
West London
I remember going to a bike fit at that place in Soho (not Madame Fifi's no... I think it is/was actually called BikeFit... anyway...) and I remember the chappie (NZer bloke, Warren something? a decent racer/rider in his own right) asking me why I was wearing "mountain bike" shoes? Put me in my place! I still think his words stinging my ears were at least part of the reason for me getting Looks!


If someone made a comment like that they I would be slightly concerned that they didn't understand the type of cycling I did therefore might not be the best person to give me a fit for it! When I did mine with Paul Hewitt he didn't think it at all odd that I would be using SPDs for audax, but could certainly envisage a similar comment in my local shop.
 
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