CX Pedal recommendations - SPD
 

I'm new to CX and am looking for a recommendation on inexpensive SPD pedals for my CX bike. I will be using this for occassional racing, and offroad & pavement riding. I want SPD so to ne compatioble with my other bike's "touring" style SPD pedals. So, should be quality pedals, yet affordable too! What do you SPD CX cyclists use?? Thanks

On my race bike I use Deore XT pedals. Picked 'em up on sale for around $85.

On my brevet and commuter bikes, I use Nashbar house brand SPD compatables that were about $35. They're plenty good enough for commuting/touring/randonneuring. I had a pair on an old off-road rig and took a rock hit to one of them on a pedal strike, and the front retention clip broke clean off of one side. So I wouldn't risk them on a race bike that might get dumped and/or banged around abusively.

If you will be racing I would not recommend SPD's. They tend to fill up with mud and the you cannot engage the pedal with the cleat. The higher end Shimano's are the exception to this. I personally use ATAC pedals and have never had an issue.

I disagree about Shimano pedals and mud. The 980s allegedly shed mud better than the older pedals, but even before they introduced the 980s, SPDs were the most popular pedal among pros.

I switched to SPDs after breaking one too many Crank Bros, and have never regretted it. I think the 520s work great.

I've got various Crank Brothers pedals on all my bikes. For CX racing, I think Egg Beaters are great. The 2011 models introduced better seals in the 2, 3 and 11 models, which I think are absolutely worth paying a little extra for.

I had SPD 520's. I found they gunked up too easily.

Switched to Eggbeaters and haven't looked back.

Thanks everyone - all very good input!!

OK not to belabor the point, but Niels Albert won Worlds this year on the 970's, not even the 980's which allegedly shed mud better. The 970's are shaped almost identically to 520's.

http://www.cxmagazine.com/niels-albe...world-champion

Bahhhhh, what does he know?

All good when your course is grass and sand. In my experience, mud....not so much.

I was buying replacement SPD cleats yesterday, the store stocked the standard heel-out release cleats but also another type of shimano multi-direction release SPD cleats. I have only ever used standard heel release cleats, anyone know if the multi-release cleates would work well for CX racing to make dismounting easier? I somewhat fear that the multi-release cleates are setup sloppy loose and would be too easy to pull out of the pedal. Are the multi-release just suitable for wanker beginning riders that cannot figure out how to click out and who never output more than 100W or are these cleats suitable for hard riding?

I'm going to "me three" on the egg-beaters. Love them too. Best mud shedders I have used, completely rebuildable and mega durable (2000+ miles on mine with zero problems) But err, yeah probably won't be compatible with the cleats you use with you other bikes so not sure you will even consider them. (Just shilling for my favorites) :)

I have the 520's and they work great and their tough. Only problem is that I dont ride cross so I cannot comment on the mud problem (during less than optimal conditions I ride my mtb that has platforms).

I have the Shimano 970s and had no problems in the muddy conditions we had last season. I actually had more problems with my shoes packing up with mud, than my pedals doing so. A buddy of mine used Candys and switched to Shimano after several problems slipping off in initial sprints and remounts.