tunavic

A friend rides and likes Shimano SPD mountain pedals and cleats on her road bike.

The problem is her pedals have the clip on only one side (the other side of the pedal is flat for riding with any type of shoe).

She would like the pedals that she can clip into on either side. Which of the Shimano pedals would you recommend?

TrojanHorse

Speedplay.

adrien

Well, um, any. SPD is tough and only creates issues if you get hot spots, or care about a few grams of weight.

I personally prefer a larger platform.

MattFoley

The Shimano M520 is a great pedal that won't break the bank. I gave up on the SPD/platform pedals a while ago and now all my pedals are either one-sided road pedals or double-sided SPDs.

sstorkel

Your friend should buy the Shimano PD-M520 pedals. Yes, those are the entry-level SPD pedal. Yes, they are fabulously durable. Yes, they are ridiculously cheap. You can pay more money for a lighter SPD pedal, but you won't notice any difference during riding. At least I don't notice any difference between my PD-M520 and my XTR-level PD-M980s...

tunavic

Thank you. The advice is appreciated.

corrado33

I personally prefer the step up from the M520.

The M530 for $10 more.

Shimano M530 SPD Bike Pedals - REI.com

tunavic

If the platform area helps increase shoe to pedal contact area as claimed, this might be the better option.

DMC707 

I use an older set of XTR grade pedals (prior to 2007, they didnt say "XTR" on the side to let you know what they were ) -- They have excellent stainless spindles , - bearing quality is impressive , and they have been going strong for me since 2006, -- i have brought them forward on 2 bikes now ---

I also use a pair of XT pedals on my road bike with similarly good results, but do not have as many miles on these so cant testify on long term durability, - but i suspect the results will be similar

Both XTR and XT pedals can be had in a "trail" configuration with a little aluminum platform around them -- saw some great prices on them at JensonUSA

--- i have an old pair of DX platform SPD's on my downhill bike and a set of cheaper platform spd's (they are 2 sided but have a resin/plastic body around them ) on my BMX bike --- these have cheaper carbon steel spindles, but still operate as they should

LGHT

Having clips on both sides are convenient, but I really hated my spd pedals. Just didn't seem like enough support, I got hot spots, and never really liked them. I gave up convenience for comfort and just learned how use SPD-SL's.

dr_lha

I've ridden both extensively and find there to be no difference in reality. Hence I'd recommend saving $10 and getting the M520.

DrIsotope

I'll throw out a vote for the pedals I'm using, iSSi Trails. They're sold as an "XC" pedal (Similar to the Shimano 530,) and I like them quite a bit more than the Shimano 520/540 style (which I used before.) Very secure clip-in (they feel more snug than the Shimanos but will still float,) more support for the foot with the bigger cage (easier to take off from intersections, as you can pedal even when not fully clipped in,) a refined tension adjustment (you don't have to count clicks, it has a little scale on it,) and the nice bonuses of multiple spindle lengths and a bunch of colors (if you're into that.) If the bigger cage isn't your thing, the Pedal iSSi II is the Shimano 520/540 form factor, with all of the spindle lengths and color choices.

MileHighMark

The iSSi line of pedals is quite good. Entry/exit is smooth and consistent, and being able to choose spindle length is good for those that need it.

tunavic

I found some pretty good prices on the Shimano pedals

Shimano M520L Mountain Pedals

Shimano PD-M530 Trail Mountain Pedals

sstorkel

In order to enjoy SPD pedals, you need a shoe with a relatively stiff sole. My inexpensive Shimano MT-31 shoes are only good for 40-50 miles before I start feeling the cleat through the sole. My Specialized Comp MTB shoes, on the other hand, are good for 70-80 miles/day for a week straight.

mcmoose

That is a good price for the M530s, Tunavic... I think you'd be quite happy with them!

LGHT

SPD pedals simply don't work for some regardless of the shoe. I tried them with a pair of Fizik's with a very stiff carbon sole and they still simply didn't provide the level of comfort, support, and ease of use as SPD-SL's.

tunavic

The M530 has been ordered. Thank you all for your input.