I just grabbed some new pedals and shoes, Xpedo CXR and Mavic Crossmax Elite!
I’ve been wanting to do the SPD conversion on my Favero Assioma powermeter pedals, but balked at spending $290 for the well-touted XpedoM-Force 8 pedals with the ultimately useless Ti spindles. I mean, the SRAM Force crank spider PM is only $300, so if I’m spending that kind of money, I’d obviously just get that and not fuss with pedals. When I discovered the less expensive and just 30g heavier CXR models worked as well and cost only $90, that was a no-brainer.
I’d been wanting some SPD shoes to match my club kit either way, so I tried out these Crossmax Elite in orange. The seem comfy; the insole is particularly plush, and the tongue wraps from one side of the footbed to the other side with a soft, neoprene-like material, so that gives some extra plushness around the foot, too. However, they’re also not the stiffest soles; I’ve been using old Bont A3s with the fiberglass tub, and those things are brutally stiff. The Mavic I can flex a bit just with my hands; sure, I’m a ripped pec-deck (
), but that’s a fairly non-stiff sole. It’s not crazy bendy, so I’m sure they’ll be fine. I do like the dial strap adjuster, because unlike Boa which needs the knob pulled out to loosen, this one just turns counter clockwise a click and the line is free. It’s easier.
Oh, and don’t worry, I have absolutely no intention of ever wearing these hideous, peach colored Supacaz socks with the shoes!
Favero Assioma SPD conversion using Xpedo CXR
Assioma SPD conversion using Xpedo CXR
Mavic Crossmax Elite MTB shoe in orange