SPDs on a road bike

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Godzy89
Posts: 75
Joined: 10 Apr 2021, 3:00pm

SPDs on a road bike

Post by Godzy89 »

Evening all
Would fitting a pair of MTB Shimano SPDs onto my road bike cause any problems?
I have some spare from my MTB days which are in excellent working order
I have never used road clip in pedals and was able to clip in and out quite easily using the SPDs

Thanks for any help
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by thirdcrank »

Been there, done it. I can't see any technical problem at all - it's perhaps a question of image.
Godzy89
Posts: 75
Joined: 10 Apr 2021, 3:00pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Godzy89 »

Thanks for the quick reply
It what i was hoping to read 👍
Saved me buying new pedals and shoes
Syd
Posts: 1230
Joined: 23 Sep 2018, 2:27pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Syd »

Mrs Syd has SPD on her commuting road bike and I have the Time equivalent on mine.

It all comes down to what an individual is comfortable with and where and how they want to use it.

If you are comfortable in what you are using then it’s not wrong for you.
VinceLedge
Posts: 566
Joined: 12 Dec 2020, 9:51am

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by VinceLedge »

No problem, I use SPD on road all the time.
User avatar
Ride-sleep-repeat
Posts: 382
Joined: 24 Nov 2020, 11:58am

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Ride-sleep-repeat »

If you're not bothered about the fashion police then you'll have no issues whatsoever 8)
SPD's are a lot more practical especially when off the bike.
User avatar
Redvee
Posts: 2465
Joined: 8 Mar 2010, 8:58pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Redvee »

Been on SPDs since 1991 cause I had a MTB at the time and then had a roadbike at the same time and went with SPDs on the road bike as it was cheaper than new pedals and shoes for a second bike.
iandusud
Posts: 1577
Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 1:35pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by iandusud »

I have SPD's on all my road bikes. The Moulton and the tandem have double sided Shimano and my summer and winter "club bikes" have respectively Shimano A600 and A520 pedals. Couldn't be happier.
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by eileithyia »

I used to ride to work on road bike with spds, better than flapping around on hospital floors / stairs in regular clip in cycling shoes.

Having a broken tibia and swollen foot as a result, when I can return to cycling I can see I may probably have to get some spd sandals and fit spds to my roadbike so I can accommodate the swelling.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Richard of York
Posts: 69
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 6:41pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Richard of York »

Use SPD all the time, so much better to walk in. Also use double sided SPD pedals for convenience, pedal is always right way up to clip in. As people have already said, it's about what works for you, not just doing the "right" thing.
cyclop
Posts: 964
Joined: 3 Oct 2013, 7:49am
Location: Dumfriesshire

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by cyclop »

Yep,spd,s on 5 bikes ,2 pairs of shoes,same cleats so no possible chance of a mix up if I,m driving out for a ride.Walk in them and my single sided ones enable me to wear walking shoes for a ride-walk-ride home outing.Cheap.Last ages.
Godzy89
Posts: 75
Joined: 10 Apr 2021, 3:00pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Godzy89 »

Excellent
Thank you to everyone
Will stick with them and save the money
Thanks for the replies 👍
User avatar
Audax67
Posts: 6001
Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 9:02am
Location: Alsace, France
Contact:

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Audax67 »

Dead right. I can remember walking round a village in Provence with a bunch of chums who were in racing cleats, and me in SPDs. Watching them trying to "walk" down a cobbled street with a 30° slope was bloody funny.

♫ Walk like a man duck...
Have we got time for another cuppa?
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by Mick F »

For many many years, I had Campag Pro Fit pedals.
Excellent pedals and I still have them.

Moulton came through the post with no pedals, so fitted normal platform ones, and later Speedplay Frogs. Great pedals and the cleats can be walked with unlike road cleats.

I was so impressed with them, I bought another pair for Mercian. It made sense to have the same pedal system on both bikes too.

The major benefit of SPD type pedals, is that the stack height is less than road pedals. This means that you can lower your saddle the same amount as the difference in stack height.

This meant that I had to lower the saddle on Mercian, with the major benefit that I don't have to stand on tippy-toes at junctions. The difference was a full threequarters of an inch ......... and it made a big difference.
Stack Height.jpeg
Mick F. Cornwall
markjohnobrien
Posts: 1037
Joined: 4 Oct 2007, 8:15pm

Re: SPDs on a road bike

Post by markjohnobrien »

Godzy89 wrote: 16 Apr 2021, 10:12pm Evening all
Would fitting a pair of MTB Shimano SPDs onto my road bike cause any problems?
I have some spare from my MTB days which are in excellent working order
I have never used road clip in pedals and was able to clip in and out quite easily using the SPDs

Thanks for any help
Why would it cause any problems? It’s a great idea as I use MTB spd pedals on some, but not all, of my bikes. I particularly like A530 pedals with spd on one side and normal shoe use on the other with a wide platform.
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.
Post Reply