Pedals and shoes to suit both MTB and Road bike

martyc5674

Lads,
I pedal on flats on my MTB and have those over the toe clips on my road bike,
since ive been using my road bike more lately im beginning to like the feeling of being connected to the pedals.
What type (there are several??) of clipless shoe/pedal combination lends itself best to both disciplines?
Cheers,
Marty.

copacetic

eggbeaters.

Morgan

Shimano SPD, Time ATAC, Eggbeaters - all grand.

DirkVoodoo

Shimano M520 pedals. Then you can pick up a pair of MTB shoes and Road shoes on CRC (Shimano shoes going for dirt cheap if they have your size).

Is it a budget thing? I would tend to go for a road specific system on the road bike. I commute on 520s with mountain bike shoes and it's fine, but longer trips I am not so sure about.

blorg

I use SPDs on my road bike, particularly for long distances as the shoes are walkable, and they are absolutely fine.

I use a road-specific pedal system only for road racing as they are less likely to unclip accidentally in a sprint. They are a LOT better for racing. If not racing, not necessary.

You only need one pair of shoes for both MTB and road, especially if you get something relatively stiff- I have Specialized BG Expert MTB shoes with a carbon sole and they provide a very stiff pedalling platform even on the road bike... although most of the summertime on the road bike I will be in SPD sandals.

DirkVoodoo

The DHB mountain bike shoe looks like a good compromise. Light enough for the road and yet has a grippy surface so you don't break your neck in the mud.

martyc5674

Cheers lads for the onslaught of replies!!
Yeah budget is a concern, and the road bike at the moment is the one id like to ghte something for.

Can i ask a question...are alll shoes compatible with all pedals?

DirkVoodoo

martyc5674 wrote: »

Cheers lads for the onslaught of replies!!
Yeah budget is a concern, and the road bike at the moment is the one id like to ghte something for.

Can i ask a question...are alll shoes compatible with all pedals?

Most road shoes would support SPD (2 bolt) and SPD-SL/Look (3 Bolt). However I think most mountain bike shoes are 2 Bolt only. I've never used Crank brothers pedals so I'm not sure what bolt pattern they use.

DirkVoodoo

These are the DHB M1 shoe. I think they look pretty nifty and the price is spot on.

blorg

martyc5674 wrote: »

Can i ask a question...are alll shoes compatible with all pedals?

No, they are not. Generally speaking there are two systems, road (3 bolt) and MTB (2 bolt) and although you can get adapters these are not a great idea so best consider road and MTB shoes two different worlds that are not compatible at all. Generally with a road system the cleat protrudes from the sole of the shoe (making walking very difficult) while with a MTB system the cleat is recessed into the shoe.

While some road shoes at the lower end will take a SPD cleat this is really pointless as the cleat will still stick out of the shoe in such a way to make walking difficult while providing none of the benefits of a proper road system. So don't do that- worst of both worlds.

Cleats (that you screw onto the shoe) always come with PEDALS not the shoe although you can buy extra sets if you have more shoes than pedals. If you are buying two sets of pedals for the two bikes you will get two sets of cleats so no issues there.

With regard to what shoe, that is down to personal choice, MTB shoes range pretty widely between ones with a flexy enough sole to ones with a very stiff one... Unless you are going to be doing a LOT of hiking in them generally the stiffer the better, even my carbon soled ones are OK for a bit of walking about in and certainly fine for MTB. You can get something of idea how stiff they will be looking at them, e.g. these M1s look like they have a stiffer sole than these T1s.

It is a concern of mine that no-one makes a stiff carbon-soled pair of sandals, why I don't know, the market would be huge. I am considering taking a box cutter to a pair of SIDIs to attain my perfect footwear...

petethedrummer

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Shimano M520 pedals. Then you can pick up a pair of MTB shoes and Road shoes on CRC (Shimano shoes going for dirt cheap if they have your size).

Pedals are half price at the moment. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=3759

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

It is a concern of mine that no-one makes a stiff carbon-soled pair of sandals, why I don't know, the market would be huge. I am considering taking a box cutter to a pair of SIDIs to attain my perfect footwear...

This + this + this + this.

Bunnyhopper

I think Shimano R086, and some of the Specialized shoes will take either 2- or 3-bolt cleats.

petethedrummer

Looks like they do.

SPD-SL, SPD and Look* cleat compatible

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=mad-BR086

martyc5674

Hi again,
To be totally honest lads i was confused with all the different systems you mentioned...so i went to LBS today and got shoes and pedals they recommended for my road bike...€130!!
Got spiuk shoes and those compact pedals that use 2 bolt cleats.
Anyway went for a few spins felt OK but i notice im sinking the outstep of my right pedal the whole time...tried rakes of adjusting nothing really helped and then low and behold i sheared one of the bolts so im snookered till i get another bolt :-(

Anyway i decided id root out this thread i had started after actually seeing a pedal system for the first time in the flesh to see if now it would make sense...
and ive a feeling ive done exactly what Blorg told me not to do!!



Quote
"While some road shoes at the lower end will take a SPD cleat this is really pointless as the cleat will still stick out of the shoe in such a way to make walking difficult while providing none of the benefits of a proper road system. So don't do that- worst of both world
Is the system i have a POS for the road bike???
Marty.

These are the pedals
http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php/4458/0/vp_m11_off_road_clip_in_pedals
And the shoes
http://www.spiuk.co.uk/acatalog/Composite_Sole_Road_shoes.html

Lumen

Doh!

A bit of an odd combo to sell you.

Get a refund on the pedals, buy some Looks. IMO they're pretty much the default choice for road use. Check that your shoes are three bolt compatible, but they almost certainly are.

martyc5674

Yeah shoes are 3 bolt compatible...theyll hardly take em back now as they a bit scratched from clipping in and out!!

Ive just re read the thread(now with a LITTLE knowledge!!) and one or two of u do use spd's on the road..??..isnt this what im doing?
Cheers,
Marty.

Lumen

SPDs are fine for road use, when used with MTB shoes which have a deep tread with a recess to give you walkability.

You've sacrificed walkability by buying flat bottomed road shoes, so you may as well buy proper road pedals.

edit: just re-read the OP. I thought you wanted a single system for both road and mountain bikes. Why did you buy road shoes?

martyc5674

Yeah i get you now...using the resessed MTB shoe with a MTB pedal on a road bike would be fine.

regarding my original thread where i was looking for a system for both, well since then ive really only been out on the road bike so today i went looking for a system just for the road, however i did ask the guy in the LBS if i could get a system that suited both so maybe i partly confused him.
He said the system i got would be absolutely fine for the road bike and if i decided to get a system for the MTB at a later date that i would be used to the type of pedals he sold me and hence would transition to a clipless system on the MTB more easliy.
Should i still change the pedals?
Marty.

EDIT:
He did also say that a lot of road users were going for the compact type pedal as they are more light weight or something to that effect!!

EDIT 2:
He also said that the metal cleat wouldnt wear as quickly as a plastic cleat which are the 3 bolt type.

Lumen

martyc5674 wrote: »

i did ask the guy in the LBS if i could get a system that suited both so maybe i partly confused him.

He said the system i got would be absolutely fine for the road bike and if i decided to get a system for the MTB at a later date that i would be used to the type of pedals he sold me and hence would transition to a clipless system on the MTB more easliy.
Should i still change the pedals?
Marty.

Yes. They're broken anyway, so not fit for purpose (unless you installed them wrongly somehow, causing the bolt to shear).

I think you should consider changing your bike shop. The advice is bizarre, and those pedals look crap.

For the sake of clarity:

Sane choice #1: specific shoes and pedals for each type of bike.
Sane choice #2: one pair of MTB shoes with two sets of pedals which take exactly the same cleat type (e.g. SPD).

martyc5674

Lumen wrote: »

Sane choice #1: specific shoes and pedals for each type of bike.
Sane choice #2: one pair of MTB shoes with two sets of pedals which take exactly the same cleat type (e.g. SPD).

Cheers!
Well not exactly broken..i just stripped the threads on the bolt so easy fix...im happy with the shoes, and i suppose the pedals can go on the MTB and ill get a cheap pair of SPD's on CRC @ a later date.

The thing is when i went in I picked up a pair of MTB shoes that had the recess telling him id like something for both and he totally put me off buying them!!!

Thanks for clearing this up.
Marty.

Home:Ballyhoura

I'm thinking of going clipless on the mountain bike....I already have these dhb M1 shoes in mind but I'm stuck on the pedals. I think I will go with something two sided if ye don't say I shouldn't as I use the bike to get around on too and would need normal shoes most times. However, would you look stupid turning up to a MTB race with combination pedals, becoming known as dual sided commuter pedals, or would they even be up to the job?

Which one would ye recommend, the Shimano M324 or the Shimano M545?

steinone

I have the single sided spd single sided platform pedals and find it a pain to clip in, having to flip the pedal is annoying, especially when you need to unclip coming down rough terrain and reclip to regain proper control.
I haven't used the double sided platform and spd but I would guess it would be the better option.
I wouldn't think it strange for a hardcore mtbr to have dual use pedals, its practical really.

blorg

For off road you need double sided SPDs no question.

Yes you would look stupid. Do you care?

Home:Ballyhoura

No, I don't care really...I just want something that suits my needs!
Anyway, if two sided is necessary...which one should it be (good reduced prices on CRC atm)

• Shimano M520
• Shimano M540
• Crank Brothers (which model?)

Any other recommendations? Thanks for your help guys, I really appreciate it!

blorg

M520s are fine. I think with Shimano really the only difference is the weight, they all work the same (=very good.) I have M515s (old 520s) and XT.

steinone

blorg wrote: »

Yes you would look stupid. Do you care?

Shh! I was trying to help :P

Home:Ballyhoura

Alright thanks guys, I will go with the white M520s then....that actually is a good price alright. Both PBK and Wiggle selling them for €40 so basically half price...nice one! Cheers

ednwireland

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

Alright thanks guys, I will go with the white M520s then....that actually is a good price alright. Both PBK and Wiggle selling them for €40 so basically half price...nice one! Cheers

use those on the commuter they are grand (look keo2 on the road bike)