MTB SPD shoe

irish_emma85

I am new to cycling and want to get a shoe that I can also walk in that's affordable. Can anyone suggest anything and also the pedals I need to go with it? Thanks

not yet

irish_emma85 wrote: »

I am new to cycling and want to get a shoe that I can also walk in that's affordable. Can anyone suggest anything and also the pedals I need to go with it? Thanks

Is it a road bike ?

Either way I'd advise mtb shoes and pedals if you're commuting in town, If on the other hand you are planning on doing long spins regularly then road pedals and shoes.

PS, You can walk easy enough in mtb shoes whereas it's quiet hard to walk in road shoes...

not yet

If you're on the southside I'd recommend dropping into cycle superstore, they will advise and show you what's available.

irish_emma85

not yet wrote: »

Is it a road bike ?

Either way I'd advise mtb shoes and pedals if you're commuting in town, If on the other hand you are planning on doing long spins regularly then road pedals and shoes.

PS, You can walk easy enough in mtb shoes whereas it's quiet hard to walk in road shoes...

Yes it's a road bike, I do plan on doing a few long spins alright (charity cycles).

Mr. Grieves

not yet wrote: »

If on the other hand you are planning on doing long spins regularly then road pedals and shoes. .

Can you explain your reasoning for this? SPD's have so many advantages over any road system for a beginner that I wouldn't recommend anything else.

OP, SPD pedals will be 20-25 euro online. For shoes, Aldi/Lidl sometimes have them very cheap, I don't know about the quality. I personally like Shimano shoes. Probably best to try different ones in your LBS.

irish_emma85

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

Can you explain your reasoning for this? SPD's have so many advantages over any road system for a beginner that I wouldn't recommend anything else.

OP, SPD pedals will be 20-25 euro online. For shoes, Aldi/Lidl sometimes have them very cheap, I don't know about the quality. I personally like Shimano shoes. Probably best to try different ones in your LBS.

Ok thanks, never realised this would be so confusing!!!

at1withmyself

For pedals these are brilliant value for money and include the cleats:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-m520-clipless-spd-mtb-pedals/rp-prod3759

For shoes, loads of options here:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shoes-cycle?f=2258&sort=pricelow

irish_emma85

Thanks for this, I think I'll those ones, my problem is now I have a small foot so I don't have much of a selection on shoes! But sher that can be another days battle

Thargor

not yet wrote: »

Is it a road bike ?

Either way I'd advise mtb shoes and pedals if you're commuting in town, If on the other hand you are planning on doing long spins regularly then road pedals and shoes.

PS, You can walk easy enough in mtb shoes whereas it's quiet hard to walk in road shoes...

How much of a difference is there between SPD and SPD-xx (the road one) do you know? Is it a major difference?

I want to go clipless but not being able to walk around at my destination is completely useless for me, love the look of those Shimano SPD runners on CRC and they have great reviews.

rab!dmonkey

Here you can see the two different cleats installed on shoes intended for them respectively.

Three-bolt shoes (i.e.: 'road', SPD-SL) have no tread, so you walk on the cleat with your toes pointing upward. They are slippy underfoot and uncomfortable to walk any further than from your bike to a café table. Walking tends to wear out the cleat too. SPD-SL pedals can only be clipped into on one side and are low-profile, allowing you to lean further whilst pedalling without pedal strike.

Two-bolt shoes (i.e.: 'MTB', SPD) have tread, which the cleat is recessed into. The cleat may or may not gently touch the ground, depending on the model of shoe. They allow you to walk relatively normally, though as you move towards more performance-oriented models, the stiffness of the sole increases, making them less comfortable to walk in. SPD shoes are available in almost any style imaginable - from sandals, skate shoes, XC race shoes as stiff as top-end road models. Some people report having problems with hotspots on their feet with this system, due to the small area the force is transferred through. I reckon this can be avoided with a sufficiently stiff shoe though. Typical SPD pedals are two-sided, which makes clipping in in a hurry easier. They are also available in one-sided versions, or with an SPD mechanism on one side and a platform on the other.

Some road shoes can take either cleat system, but if you mount SPD cleats to them, you get the worst of both worlds. Walking will be even more treacherous, because you'll be standing on a tiny metal cleat which was never intended to be used in that way.

Inspector Coptoor

I got the North Wave MTB shoes & Shimano SPD cleats at Christmas aswell as North Wave Husky Overshoes and haven't looked back since.
All from chain reaction cycles

Link to shoes

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/northwave-drifter-gtx-2013/rp-prod58523

not yet

Thargor wrote: »

How much of a difference is there between SPD and SPD-xx (the road one) do you know? Is it a major difference?

I want to go clipless but not being able to walk around at my destination is completely useless for me, love the look of those Shimano SPD runners on CRC and they have great reviews.

Not a huge difference really, A little bit more power transfer from road shoes (stiffer) and road pedals (bigger platform) Most people seem to go with mtb pedals and shoes.

If you're doing 100k plus spins then road pedals and shoes, if you're commuting or just around town then mtb....

Pinch Flat

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

Can you explain your reasoning for this? SPD's have so many advantages over any road system for a beginner that I wouldn't recommend anything else.

I used SPD pedals / MTB shoes when I started back cycling - they are perfect for the beginner and I have this combo on my commuting bike. Much easier / intuitive to clip in and out (you can get double sided pedals).

I started road cycling about 4 years ago - commuting first then longer spins. I found that the MTB Shoes (I was using Specialised BG) uncomfortable after abouy 100km - granted they were entry level shoes. The main problem I found is the flexing - the soles were not as stiff as a road shoes and it strained the arch of my foot.

No problems with current road shoes - stiffer (carbon sole) and Look pedals (I still find them a pain in heavy traffic / stopping & starting).

blobbie

irish_emma85 wrote: »

Thanks for this, I think I'll those ones, my problem is now I have a small foot so I don't have much of a selection on shoes! But sher that can be another days battle

RE pedals, it might be worth considering http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-a530-road-pedals/rp-prod28050

SPD on one side, flat on the other. Handy if you just have the 1 bike and plan to use it for a mix of short commutes without SPDs and longer spins with SPDs.

Thargor

Well Im a long way off 100 km spins so I think Ill go with SPD for now thanks for the advice, just dont see the point of going up into the Sally Gap or down to Glendalough and not being able to stretch your legs while down there. Going to chance a pair of those shimanos and a single sided pedal.

idiottje

I mentioned it in another thread about the Lidl Shoes, I would recommend as a beginner that you buy an extra set of SPD cleats. The silver ones (SH56). They are easier to unclip as they go in any direction. The pedals come with single direction release cleats. Also, start of with the resistance on the pedals set to the lowest setting, then tighten up as you go along. Expect to fall off a few times as you get used to them.
Learn to make a face at traffic lights as people watch you fall over like a tree.

Pinch Flat

blobbie wrote: »

RE pedals, it might be worth considering http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-a530-road-pedals/rp-prod28050

SPD on one side, flat on the other. Handy if you just have the 1 bike and plan to use it for a mix of short commutes without SPDs and longer spins with SPDs.

Or these:

http://www.wiggle.com/shimano-m424-spd-pedals/

I used these. You can hop on with runners and it's also SPD both sides.

In my experience, avoid these:

http://www.wiggle.com/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/

They're too small and definitely create pressure spots on you foot over longer spins.

Thargor

Which pedal would people reccomend please:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-a530-road-pedals/rp-prod28050

or

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-m424-clipless-spd-mtb-pedals/rp-prod7808

Also open to suggestions but must be able to use with regular shoes aswell.

Lumen

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

SPD's have so many advantages over any road system for a beginner that I wouldn't recommend anything else.

The main drawback (even for non-racing use) is that SPD shoes tend not to be very stiff compared with road shoes of a similar price.

I agree that SPDs are otherwise perfect for starting out on and much better than using runners and flat pedals.

Pinch Flat

Thargor wrote: »

Which pedal would people reccomend please:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-a530-road-pedals/rp-prod28050

or

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-m424-clipless-spd-mtb-pedals/rp-prod7808

Also open to suggestions but must be able to use with regular shoes aswell.

I use the first pedals linked on my commuter. No issues with these. Also cycle to training with my little guy on a Saturday in runners.

The 2nd ones I had on a previous bike - probably have the edge in terms of better grip when in normal shoes / runners

Thargor

Thanks, seeing as the second ones are dual sided for flat and clipping Im going to go for them I think.

Thargor

A pair of these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m064-spd-mountain-bike-shoes/

and a pair of these on the way:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m424-spd-pedals/

Thanks all, sorry for the thread hijack OP.