SPDs on a road bike

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markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

Mick F wrote: 19 Apr 2021, 4:46pm ............ but double-sided SPD pedals are easy to clip into, and single-sided ones aren't.
If you have double-sided SPDs and use them, and then want to go out on a different ride, change to different pedals. They will be double-sided too.

Simple.
Simple: yes, for my argument on the convenience and flexibility of single sided.

It’s not normal to be continually changing pedals for differing rides when you go on a hilly ride one day and shopping the next.

If you are retired, and have plenty of time on your hands, do as you wish - you may want to change the tyres every ride as well - but for those of us who work extremely long hours, and have small children to look after, changing pedals regularly is a tad eccentric.

Still, it would be a dull world if we were all the same.
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markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

Sorry, I’ve got this vision in my head of Mick F changing pedals multiple times a day or daily and, while I know it won’t be as often as that, it makes me laugh.

Thanks for making me laugh after a very hectic day.
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markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

And I should say that I can do different types of rides in one day: for example, hilly, long ride with cleats and then a shorter pootle around with small children - ride to an area to play football and then ride back again.

Why swap pedals when I’ve got the flexibility of both (I don’t have problems clipping into single sided).
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Mick F
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Mick F »

I still stand by my point.

I used road pedals for more years than I can think. Basic clips and straps, then Campag clips and straps, then Campag ProFit.
Let's have a guess ............ 1978ish to 2018ish.

Tried single-sided SPD's for a while, but the Campag ProFits were much better.
It was only in 2016 that I bought the Moulton, and originally fitted flats to it.
2016-03-03 08.59.01.jpg
Later, I tried the Campag ProFits off Mercian, and that worked fine. Then I bought Speedplay Frogs for Moulton and then for the Mercian. Campag ProFits put away in a drawer in the shed.

Double-sided and easy and in walkable shoes.

If I want flats to ride locally ................ relaxed and to the shops and the pubs, I'll fit the flats and wear whatever footware I chose. Even bare feet?

Five minute job to swap pedals. No worries.
No-one will convince me otherwise.
Mick F. Cornwall
markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

Mick F wrote: 19 Apr 2021, 5:06pm I still stand by my point.

I used road pedals for more years than I can think. Basic clips and straps, then Campag clips and straps, then Campag ProFit.
Let's have a guess ............ 1978ish to 2018ish.

Tried single-sided SPD's for a while, but the Campag ProFits were much better.
It was only in 2016 that I bought the Moulton, and originally fitted flats to it.2016-03-03 08.59.01.jpg

Later, I tried the Campag ProFits off Mercian, and that worked fine. Then I bought Speedplay Frogs for Moulton and then for the Mercian. Campag ProFits put away in a drawer in the shed.

Double-sided and easy and in walkable shoes.

If I want flats to ride locally ................ relaxed and to the shops and the pubs, I'll fit the flats and wear whatever footware I chose. Even bare feet?

Five minute job to swap pedals. No worries.
No-one will convince me otherwise.
Yes, fine for you but not everyone (as stated above) wants to continually swap pedals.
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Mick F
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Mick F »

Who "continually swaps pedals"?
I certainly don't, and I never ever suggested that I do.

One ride is one sort, another ride is another sort.
Who goes out on a ride and swaps to different shoes?
Mick F. Cornwall
drossall
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by drossall »

iandusud wrote: 19 Apr 2021, 7:22amI have a set of those on my Moulton which means that I have pedal reflectors and if I want to grab a bike to run down to the post box or local shop I don't need to change my foot wear.
I do the same thing on my Tern Verge folder. In part, I just happened to have some SPDs with the plastic platforms fitted, lying around when I needed some pedals for it. But I do use it both for commuting and for leisure riding - I did an Audax on it last Saturday, and I may race on it tomorrow, just for fun - so it's convenient to be able to use either kind of shoe.
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RickH
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by RickH »

I've a pair of Click'r T400 pedals on my friend's tandem when she had a neighbour willing to do some occasional piloting.

Image

They're double sided clip in so I can happily use them in my cycling shoes but the SPD bit doesn't stick up so much that they aren't OK in ordinary shoes as long as there is a bit of give in the sole (such as trainers). And they have reflectors if that's what you want.
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iandusud
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by iandusud »

Mick F wrote: 19 Apr 2021, 4:29pm I still say, that if you want SPD clips and cleats, use them.
If you want flats, fit flat pedals.
Five minute job to swap them over.

Why not?
For the usage I suggested, i.e. grabbing a bike to ride to the post box or local shop without having to change footwear, it would take longer to change the pedals than to do the journey. Assuming you mean it's five minute job to swap from one pair of pedals to the other then it is in fact a ten minute job as you'll need to swap them back again assuming SPDs are you default pedals. What a faff for a two minute ride to the post box and back :)

Re another point you make saying that it's harder to clip with single sided pedals, the adaptors actually make the pedals face cleat side up so not an issue at all. It is in fact a little fiddly using the flat side for that reason but not a problem, particularly for occasional use. I appreciate that this is not the case for most one sided pedals. However this is I believe why the plastic adaptors are an excellent solution for occasional use.

Some might think this next point contentious but I would also add that I do not think it is a good idea to regularly change pedals unless you are confident about how tight a pedal should be. The steel threaded spindle of a pedal in an alloy crank will damage the crank thread if overtightened. Not enough to do serious damage unless you go mad but repeating the process will eventually take its toll. On the other hand an under-tightened pedal will move in the crank and potentially ruin the crank in short order. Having worked for many years in the cycle trade I have regularly seen both types of damage, the latter one being very common on bikes that people bought mail order and fitted the pedals using the 6mm allen key supplied (not for this purpose) rather than a pedal spanner.

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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Jdsk »

iandusud wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 6:25amSome might think this next point contentious but I would also add that I do not think it is a good idea to regularly change pedals unless you are confident about how tight a pedal should be. The steel threaded spindle of a pedal in an alloy crank will damage the crank thread if overtightened. Not enough to do serious damage unless you go mad but repeating the process will eventually take its toll. On the other hand an under-tightened pedal will move in the crank and potentially ruin the crank in short order. Having worked for many years in the cycle trade I have regularly seen both types of damage, the latter one being very common on bikes that people bought mail order and fitted the pedals using the 6mm allen key supplied (not for this purpose) rather than a pedal spanner.
I think that's a useful point in helping people to make their own choices about this.

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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by iandriver »

Due to having to shoulder and occasionally run with the bike, even the top pro cyclocross racers use SPD style cleats. Doesn't seem to cause them any problems.
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Mick F
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Mick F »

Jdsk wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 9:03am I think that's a useful point in helping people to make their own choices about this.
Useful points are always useful of course.

We have opinions about stuff, and my opinion is to not have pedals that do two things, but have two pedals that do one thing each.
Simple IMHO.

Own choices is what this is all about. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
drossall
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by drossall »

For what it's worth, I've just reversed things this evening, and done my club's evening TT on SPDs (because that's what the bike I chose had fitted). I came last, but I came last on Looks last week, so I'm not blaming the pedals. And I didn't even think about pedals on the way around - didn't really notice the difference. It's all fine margins, except when you're trying to walk on a slippery surface in Looks :lol:
markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

drossall wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 8:57pm For what it's worth, I've just reversed things this evening, and done my club's evening TT on SPDs (because that's what the bike I chose had fitted). I came last, but I came last on Looks last week, so I'm not blaming the pedals. And I didn't even think about pedals on the way around - didn't really notice the difference. It's all fine margins, except when you're trying to walk on a slippery surface in Looks :lol:
Yes, trying to walk on a slippery surface in Looks is like Bambi on ice.
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speedsixdave
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by speedsixdave »

If I'm definitely riding 70m+ in a day and nothing else, I prefer Time Xpresso 'racing' pedals with their big platforms and good float, and some Sidi road shoes with stiff carbon soles. But it only takes one planned stop at something interesting to make SPD-type shoes and pedals a better option (Time ATACs).

On tour I prefer the Time SPD-type pedals with one flat side, although they don't make these anymore. Firstly I can ride to the pub or shops in the evening or a day off in my ultralight shoes or sandals quite happily. Secondly I find my knees and feet sometimes like a break on a long tour, and being able to ride unclipped on the flat side for a few flat miles can provide relief.

Once on a long tour I split my big toe open on a campsite, and wearing my normally-wonderful SPD shoes was excruciating for a couple of days but no option as I had only double-sided SPD pedals. Single-and-flat-sided pedals would have allowed me to ride in sandals until I could take the bandage off. But that's quite an unusual occurrence.
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