Deontologist

I have toe cage pedals currently.

1) Will any pedal on the market fit into my crank arm?
2) I have campy parts ... will a shimano spd-sl pedal fit?

3) I commute on the same bike. Any way to get pedals that double as clipless and platforms? Or should I just swap pedals when I'm riding with the group?

flatlander_48

Yes

Yes

Sort of...
There are pedals that are flat on one side and clipless on the other. I have never tried them, but they are out there. There are also some plastic platforms that latch into the pedal instead of the cleat.

Nermal

I recall the usual pedals are 9/16". The ones for kids' bikes are 1/2". Otherwise, all the same.

chaadster

There are also clipless pedals which have a large, surrounding platform which makes them comfy for street shoe riding. See "downhill" and "freeride" MTB pedals for this type.

Jeff Wills

Regarding "Campy parts": the thread is the same, but the shape is slightly different. I've put Shimano pedals on Campagnolo cranks and they work fine, but they require wrenching from beginning to end.


The pedals are Shimano PD-M324: Universal Cycles -- Shimano PD-M324 Pedals
My wife has them on her do-everything bike. She likes 'em.

Deontologist

Thanks. Which Shimano SPD-SL pedal do you guys recommend? Are there ones which auto-level - i.e. I don't have to spin it around with my toe to clip in? I always hated having to spin my pedal cages after I dismounted a foot.

Also while I'm at it what's the difference between SPD-SL and SPD?


Finally what's this in the picture? I see a pedal ... and something else ... what's that something else?

https://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.co...qwy-700-80.jpg

Jeff Wills

SPD-SL is roadie-oriented. SPD is more all-purpose oriented. I prefer SPD type pedals and shoes since you can walk around in SPD-style shoes.

Deontologist

Are they compatible with each other?

Jeff Wills

No. Cleats and shoes are totally different.

caloso

How long is your commute? I have spd-sl (Ultegra) pedals on my road bike. My commute is only 4 miles so when I feel to lazy to change shoes, I just treat them like platforms. Works fine with rubber soled shoes. But I would not recommend it with leather soles.

flatlander_48

I don't understand what you are saying...

flatlander_48

The part to the right is the Cleat. It attaches to the bottom of the shoe. The Cleat is what latches into the Pedal. However, for purposes of the photo, the Cleat is facing up. On your shoe it would be facing the ground.

For Pedals like the one shown, when you are not clipped in, they rotate ~90deg by their own weight. They are not like toe clips that flip over ~180deg.

caloso

Me neither. I have Ultegra pedals on a Record crankset. The only wrenching necessary is a 15mm open wrench and a reminder that the left pedal is reverse threaded.

LGHT

get some spd-sl pedals and pick up a pair of "cleat covers". If I need to walk I just bend over put them on my cleats and walk as normal.

JohnDThompson 

I think he's referring to the thread angle, e.g.:


Source: Sutherland's 4th Edition

flatlander_48

OK, but the better way to do that would be to run a tap through the crank. In effect, doing it the other way, the pedal threads become your tap and that's not good. Unfortunately it does require left hand and right hand taps...

Jeff Wills

John D Thompson is spot on. IMO, you shouldn't run a tap through the cranks. They threads are "tight", but usable. If you run a tap through your cranks, Campy pedals will fit a teeny bit loose. I'd worry about the pedal working itself loose over time.

flatlander_48

Yes, but you wind you putting a fair amount of torque into the pedal axle. It may deform the pedal threads slightly. You would not want to do this with pedals that have only an internal socket and no external wrench flats.

Jeff Wills

Pedal threads are steel. The crank is aluminum. I think the crank threads would deform.

I agree that the pedals would require some extra torque to get them seated on the cranks, but in my experience it's not that much more.

SkyDog75

For the most part, yes, just about any new pedal will fit so long as you buy a 9/16" pedal and not a 1/2" pedal for kids' bikes.

Yes. I'm using Shimano 105 SPD-SL pedals on a Campagnolo Veloce crankset. No problems at all. The thread profile might be just a little bit different as mentioned above, but the difference is so slight that it's inconsequential.

I have Shimano PD-A530 pedals on one bike and Shimano PD-M324 pedals on another. Both of these are SPD on one side and platform on the other. If I spent much time using SPD shoes on these bikes, I suppose I'd like them more. But most of the time I'm riding these bikes, I'm not wearing bike shoes and I get just a little bit annoyed having to spin the pedal to find the platform side by feel.

When clipping in, I much prefer the SPD-SL road pedals on my road bike. They always hang with the back of the pedal down, which makes it easy to clip into.

flatlander_48

Yes, but it isn't hardened. I'll bet you'll see a shiny ring on the pedal threads...

Retro Grouch 

I just bought a pre-owned pair of those at a swap meet for my beater bike. I've had a pair on my beater for a long time, maybe even a decade, but they eventually got used up. I really, really, really like them on that bike because I like the platforms for quick trips to the Quick Trip, but I prefer to be clipped in for rides of over 3 miles or so.

Jeff Wills

Wait wait wait. You're saying a pedal spindle isn't hardened steel?

flatlander_48

Yes, I don't think they are hardened.

fietsbob

There are many ways to heat treat steels offering different characteristics and ranges of how much.