SPDs on a road bike

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Jdsk
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Jdsk »

speedsixdave wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 10:24pmOnce 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.
Yes. But the same logic works for keeping going after shoe failure.

Jonathan
iandusud
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by iandusud »

Jdsk wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 10:26pm
speedsixdave wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 10:24pmOnce 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.
Yes. But the same logic works for keeping going after shoe failure.

Jonathan
This is good point. I have ridden with others who have had all sorts of problems with worn on damaged cleats on their "road" shoes meaning they could no longer clip in properly. Not something I have ever experienced with SPDs.
De Sisti
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by De Sisti »

I used to have these single-sided Time Atac pedals on one of my bikes. I can't remember when, or why I removed them.
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Mick F
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Mick F »

iandusud wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 6:25am ........ 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 ................ What a faff for a two minute ride to the post box and back :)
Why grab a bike for a two minute journey?

Walk!

It would take me more than two minutes to get a bike out, and more than two minutes to put it back.
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Paul Smith SRCC
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

De Sisti wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 8:16am I used to have these single-sided Time Atac pedals on one of my bikes. I can't remember when, or why I removed them.
Image
I also use a single sided pedal, the Shimano PD-A520 on my Van Nicholas Chinook. At the time I was still doing the odd race and wanted lightweight with better ground clearance for cornering compared to the double sided MTB styles. At least that's what I told myself, in reality I bought them as that suited the visual of that bike better; I may have had the 'time keeper' saying "321 away you go" then aim for a chequered flag at the end but what happened in-between could hardly be called racing :lol:

For general cycling on this bike I could use SPD shoes with recessed cleats and for racing some road specific shoes; cheaper models although designed for 'Look' and 'SPD SL' cleats often have the SPD runner, although note the cleat is not recessed. In reality now I don't race anymore I still use those pedals on that bike; again I confess now so it's even more down to the visual, I don't like them very much, double sided are so much easier to clip into!
Shimano PD-A520 pedals.jpg
RoadSPDVMTB.jpg
SPD soles.jpg
In comparison my Van Nicholas Yukon is my day ride holiday bike, I use the more traditional double sided on that bike as well as on my fixie. On what I call my pub bike I use the Shimano M324 that I mentioned up thread so that I can pop to Sainsburys with my flip flops on or whatever footwear I am wearing at the time if the mood so takes me. Some trivia about that bike I have worked in the cycle trade for a long time, it is right of passage that staff make a pub bike out of recycled-upcycled parts, that broken frame was repaired by none other than my colleague, neighbour and friend; the legendary frame builder Cliff Shrubb ; (click for another link to Cliff)
Last edited by Paul Smith SRCC on 21 Apr 2021, 9:46am, edited 9 times in total.
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iandusud
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by iandusud »

Mick F wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 8:57am
iandusud wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 6:25am ........ 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 ................ What a faff for a two minute ride to the post box and back :)
Why grab a bike for a two minute journey?

Walk!

It would take me more than two minutes to get a bike out, and more than two minutes to put it back.
A two minute journey on the bike isn't a two minute walk :) The journey to the post box is two minutes, the local shop is five minutes which would take 15 on foot so a round journey time of 30 mins on foot as opposed to 10, plus I can comfortably carry a lot of shopping on the bike. :)
markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

iandusud wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 9:14am
Mick F wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 8:57am
iandusud wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 6:25am ........ 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 ................ What a faff for a two minute ride to the post box and back :)
Why grab a bike for a two minute journey?

Walk!

It would take me more than two minutes to get a bike out, and more than two minutes to put it back.
A two minute journey on the bike isn't a two minute walk :) The journey to the post box is two minutes, the local shop is five minutes which would take 15 on foot so a round journey time of 30 mins on foot as opposed to 10, plus I can comfortably carry a lot of shopping on the bike. :)
Yes, very sensible using the bike.
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Mick F
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Mick F »

Sorry for being obtuse. Typical of me perhaps.

If I go into the village, it's a about a mile there and back. I prefer to walk, because I can chat to people and socialise en route.
No reason to get a bike out for a mile walk.

If it was double that distance, no doubt I would consider cycling. If I was doing it daily, I'd fit my "normal" pedals, only fitting my Speedplay Frogs if going on a "proper" bike ride. Better still, have a local-use bike instead.
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:34amIf it was double that distance, no doubt I would consider cycling. If I was doing it daily, I'd fit my "normal" pedals, only fitting my Speedplay Frogs if going on a "proper" bike ride. Better still, have a local-use bike instead.
As above others choose to solve that not by swapping pedals every time, not by buying an additional bike for each type of journey, but by rotating each pedal a maximum of 180° as they set off on the next trip.

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Jdsk »

iandusud wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 6:13am
Jdsk wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 10:26pm
speedsixdave wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 10:24pmOnce 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.
Yes. But the same logic works for keeping going after shoe failure.
This is good point. I have ridden with others who have had all sorts of problems with worn on damaged cleats on their "road" shoes meaning they could no longer clip in properly. Not something I have ever experienced with SPDs.
For touring this fits my requirement to reduce mass and volume wherever possible, and to minimise single points of failure.

That means that I have single-sided pedals, one pair of cleated shoes (Shimano MT34 at the moment) and one pair of uncleated sandals.

Jonathan
MartinC
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by MartinC »

I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned the MKS EZY system. You can change pedals in an instant without wearing the threads.
Jdsk
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks, hadn't heard of them.

From SJS Cycles:
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/search/?term=mks%20ezy

Jonathan
Stradageek
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Stradageek »

Jdsk wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:39am As above others choose to solve that not by swapping pedals every time, not by buying an additional bike for each type of journey, but by rotating each pedal a maximum of 180° as they set off on the next trip.
Spoilsport, are you suggesting I own fewer bikes :wink:
Jdsk
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Jdsk »

Stradageek wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 12:54pm
Jdsk wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:39am As above others choose to solve that not by swapping pedals every time, not by buying an additional bike for each type of journey, but by rotating each pedal a maximum of 180° as they set off on the next trip.
Spoilsport, are you suggesting I own fewer bikes :wink:
: - )

Jonathan
markjohnobrien
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Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

Jdsk wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:39am
Mick F wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:34amIf it was double that distance, no doubt I would consider cycling. If I was doing it daily, I'd fit my "normal" pedals, only fitting my Speedplay Frogs if going on a "proper" bike ride. Better still, have a local-use bike instead.
As above others choose to solve that not by swapping pedals every time, not by buying an additional bike for each type of journey, but by rotating each pedal a maximum of 180° as they set off on the next trip.

Jonathan
Surely not, sounds eminently too sensible. Rotating a pedal rather than buying an additional bike?
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
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