Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - What pedal type are you using on brevets?

Just as the title says.

Look Keo Classics.

18 year old pair of M545 SPD pedals and Forte CM200 shoes. Considering upgrade to Shimano road SPD shoes next season.

I'm not clear on the poll choices. What does SPD count as, and how would you consider counting these:

http://media.rei.com/media/x/1385430.jpg

Flat BMX pedals I got for free in the back of the shop...shimano with sealed bearing and nice little metal pegs.

I use toeclip pedals, the touring types with broad plaforms in front and the rail onlyh in the back. Sometimes with cleats and sometimes not. Where does this old-school approach fit?

time rsx carbons on the club racer or time atac on the fg.

would consider grip kings or similar... but haven't gone down that road yet.

Look KEOs.

2 hole SPD is a mountain cleat, though I think Shimano is starting to market them with a road orientation now since their SPD-R never really caught on as well as other roadie cleats.

I'm a tiny bit surprised at the results though, but not completely. I'm not a big cleat fan myself. I don't care how stiff the shoe, after about only 10 miles I start to get hot spots on a cleated pedal. I'm using BMX pedals right now for just about all riding of any type. I may try out the Grip King/Spider pedals as I like the full-foot platform approach.

Time ATAC

Depends on the distance for me. 200 and 300K I use sandals with spd cleats, 300K and over I switch to a wider Look style pedal and cleat system. I just find the Looks more comfortable over a longer distance.

2 hole SPD is a mountain cleat, though I think Shimano is starting to market them with a road orientation now since their SPD-R never really caught on as well as other roadie cleats.


While originally devised as an MTB answer to road-type cleats, SPD is no longer a MTB specific solution. The recessed cleat design has lent itself to all sorts of "casual" cycling footwear including sandals. Plenty of hiking shoe looking touring shoes use them. Just about any mid-stiffness "walkable" cycling shoe, really.

I like SPD because they're easy to clip into, and the shoes are easy to walk in when I'm off the bike at a control. No concerns about cleat-covers, scratched floors, slipping about, etc.

Time ATAC: easy in, easy out, solid connection, good float, simple, bulletproof-reliable, absolutely zero maintenance (in 10 years of use). What more could you want?

SP
Bend, OR

...and the shoes are easy to walk in when I'm off the bike at a control. No concerns about cleat-covers, scratched floors, slipping about, etc.

I buy cleats/shoes to ride in, not walk in... :p (just teasing Clifton) I use Dura Ace pedals and cleats. Can't use SPD because they cause hot spots on long rides. I don't find the DA cleats an inconvienence at controls. Maybe I'm just used to them. If I need to walk far (like in a store) I just take them off. It's nice to give the feet a break out of the shoes once in a while anyway...

I buy cleats/shoes to ride in, not walk in... :p (just teasing Clifton) I use Dura Ace pedals and cleats. Can't use SPD because they cause hot spots on long rides. I don't find the DA cleats an inconvienence at controls. Maybe I'm just used to them. If I need to walk far (like in a store) I just take them off. It's nice to give the feet a break out of the shoes once in a while anyway...

for road shoes i like the time rsx style pedals. eas(ier) to walk in than looks.
and i went through some thoughts on this when i geared up the new rig - while i enjoy riding in my specialized mtb shoes on time atacs (even centuries) - i figure on a brevet i am optimizing for riding, not walking.

and i do get out of the shoes at controls in nice weather. nice to let the feet breathe. :thumb:

and the time cleats with their dual rubber compound were walkable on this stretch:

http://littlecirclesvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/DSCN2811-400x300.jpg

Time Impact. (RXS on the tandem.) I like the interface for long rides. I take 'em off if I'm walking more than a few yards at a control.

Just as the title says.

As others have noted, your categories are not mutually exclusive.

I use Crank Bros Quattro pedals which are road pedals. I wear Specialized MTB shoes with recessed cleats, for convenience when walking. Sometimes I wear Specialized road shoes, but they are exactly the same as the MTB shoes, except that being smooth-soled (instead of having cleats for hike-a-bike), they are somewhat lighter.

Other=Flip/flop pedals--platforms on one side, SPD clips on the other, with MTB shoes, of course.

speedplays - same pedal on both my bikes, don't see the need to change for the type of riding, though I admit SPD's are easier to walk in, but when I do Brevets I don't do much walking.

speedplays - same pedal on both my bikes, don't see the need to change for the type of riding, though I admit SPD's are easier to walk in, but when I do Brevets I don't do much walking.

I've been looking at the Speedplay Frogs. They seem a very nice compromise. They are easy to get in/out of, they are recessed for easier walking, and appear to have a much broader cleat than most MTB-style systems. As others noted here, the SPD and its flavors seem more apt to hotspot than road type cleats. Are you using the Frogs?

This thread has given me some cause to rethink things. I'm not a Rando yet; my goal is to ride at least a 200k in 2010. I think that is plenty doable. I'm coming at this from a cyclotourist standpoint though - where most folks seem to come from a roadie/road racing background. In my world, SPD type cleats are the standard, mostly I think for their walkability and the fact that there are plenty of SPD shoes that look nothing like bike shoes (sandals, even).

I need to change my line of thought on this though. Riding a brevet, I'm not going to be doing as much walking. Maybe the road cleats are really the better option here. Sorry, just thinking publicly here...

Speedplay X

I wanted to click on two -- cleated, road specific and cleated, recessed mountain -- I vary the pedal and the shoe depending on the terrain that I expect to hit -- specifically if I expect to have to do any walking.

Are you using the Frogs?
Using Speedplay Zero's - though I'd definately look at the Frog's if I wanted to do more walking around. I'm considering putting some on my MTB. I favour Speedplays (Zero's or Frogs) as they have loads of float.

Time ATAC

Looks like i'm the only one that uses just platform pedals,the mks touring pedals.

Looks like i'm the only one that uses just platform pedals,the mks touring pedals.


No ....you're not ;). I like wearing whatever the heck shoes and socks I want to...even boots in the winter without stupid metallic-contraptions to narrow my choices.

I have SPD's and egg beaters in a box somewhere.

Time ATAC

Just switched from Crank Brothers Quattro's (they stopped making them :() to Speedplay Zeros. Did over 100 miles last weekend and so far the Speedplay are very nice: no pressure hotspots, easy to get in and out of, and adjustable float - which is something the Crank Bros don't have and is much appreciated (I always felt the Crank Bros had too much float).