Installing SPD cleats

lyders

I've just ordered SPD cleats for my spare pair of road shoes so I can use them on the spin bike. I've only ever used Look Keo cleats and so not really sure how to install SPD. I've attached pics of the sole of the shoe and the inside. They are Nalini shoes. I'm guessing they are SPD compatible, but I don't know how you put the 'base plate' for the SPD cleats in.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Paul Kiernan

Bump! Anyone ??

I'm curious about this myself! I have Look Keos which are great for long spins but a disaster in Dublin traffic. I'm thinking of getting SPD with double sided pedals (hoping they'll be easier to "push" in on busy roundabouts:eek:).

Am I right in thinking you can walk reasonably well with SPD cleats?

blorg

@lyders- I think you need a new inner plate to use SPDs with that shoe. I think you can get these handily enough, they sometimes even come with cleats IIRC. The SPD cleat will screw on with two screws through the grooves into the new inner plate. I think anyway.

@paul- you can walk very easily in SPD shoes but they would have to be ones with a recessed cleat (e.g. almost all shoes designed specifically for SPDs.) You wouldn't be able to walk easily in road shoes like those ones even if they would actually take a SPD cleat.

Paul Kiernan

It looks like the only shoes that are SPD compatible are MTB shoes. Are there road shoes that take recessed SPD cleats?

I wonder would something like these be a good idea as you can pedal unclipped in slow traffic?

lyders

My SPD cleats arrived from CRC yesterday. I managed to get the base plate in, but it took quite a bit of effort and my Swiss army knife to get the window in the inside sole up to put it in. The test will come when I go to my spinning class on Tuesday!

blorg

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

It looks like the only shoes that are SPD compatible are MTB shoes. Are there road shoes that take recessed SPD cleats?

Plenty of road shoes are SPD compatible but the cleat will stick out the bottom of the shoe (just like a road cleat.) There are "commuting" or "leisure" type shoes like the Specialized Sonoma that are designed for road use; the only drawback is that the sole is not quite as stiff as a road shoe. Nothing wrong with using a MTB shoe, I have Specialized ones with very stiff full carbon soles, the only downside is that they tend to rip up overshoes due to an aggressive tread pattern.

I wonder would something like these be a good idea as you can pedal unclipped in slow traffic?

I would say no, you lose the key benefit of SPDs being double-sided and there is no need to cycle unclipped in slow traffic once you are used to them. The main reason people get that sort of pedal is so they can use normal shoes some days. You can get a plastic platform you clip on to double sided SPDs and I had this on my commuter for a while but I gave up on it. Might be an option while you are getting used to them.