Sportdog

OK. I admit it. I知 ignorant about this topic.
So, I知 trying to find the easiest pedal/cleat combination to get in and out of. Right now I have Shimano SPD.

Thoughts???

JohnDThompson 

That's like asking "what is the best flavor of ice cream?"

Everybody is different. Some people will never be comfortable with anything but a simple flat pedal and street shoes. Others may feel they need a clipless pedal and double straps as well.

Try various things. Only you can decide what's best for you.

Sportdog

I guess I was assuming that some have tried the various combinations and have found that they prefer one over the others. As I said, I知 ignorant on the subject and was just trying to shorten the learning curve.

10 Wheels

Cranks Bros with Mountain Shoes.

Camilo

If you're looking for "walkable", "two bolt" cleats you can use with treaded shoes like mountain bike shoes, look for Speedplay Frog if you can find them. In my experience (via my wife who had a lot of problems clipping in SPD - type pedals), the Frog MTB pedals are pretty easy to get in and out of. I don't know if you can find them, but in the past I found a couple pair and some extra cleats on EBay. I'd offer you a pair to try, but I just sold out of my Frog stuff last summer because my wife greatly prefers using flat pedals.

If you find some used Frogs to try, you'll certainly be able to re-sell them if they don't work out.

I personally don't like Crank Brothers pedals, but have only used them once on a borrowed bike. Most people like them a lot.

As for regular SPD - type pedals, I recommend buying a less expensive brand than Shimano or Crank Brothers. I've had very good luck with Wellgo and Exustar for a fraction of the price. Most are totally compatible with genuine Shimano SPD pedals and cleats, but you just need to make sure of that if it makes any difference. In my experience over the past 25 years or so using Shimano and the other brands, they provide great performance and are as durable and long lasting as I'll ever need. And again, an inexpensive way to try out pedals and cleats.

A lot of the above can be said for "three bolt" cleats / pedals commonly known as road bike pedals.

jpescatore

Personally, I find the SPD-DL 3 hole cleats easier to get into than the SPD type. I've never tried anything else. That answers your original question, but walking off the bike with bike shoes in is much better with SPD and the shoe cleats are metal and last way longer than the plastic SPD-SL cleats - SL for me has a higher cost of ownership. But, I also like the more solid feel of how the SL cleats lock in.

I started with SPD cleats on my first road bike, a touring bike. When I added a road bike, I tried SL cleats on that bike and liked them better. On rides on the touring bike (either actual tours or biking with my wife) I tend to do more walking and the old SPD shoes are great for that - on a tour, don't need to carry extra shoes or sandals/flipflops. On road rides, I tend to do very little walking off the bike - the SL cleats/shoes rule. Does mean I had to buy a second pair of shoes but for me it has been worth it.

AnthonyG

What specific issue are you having with your current SPD shoes/pedals and have your tried adjusting the release tension on the pedals?

John_V 

The only reason for having a clipless system is foot retention. If the shoe/cleat/pedal combination you currently have works, why do you want to change it?

Wildwood

The original Look Delta system. Been working for me for over 3 decades and a couple of dozen bikes.
Cleats = ~$7 from China, Used clipless pedals (Look + compatible) are also very affordable.

It's so simple, it should be affordable.

edit: rubber cleat covers when off the bike during a ride.

thehammerdog

spd's are great. get good comfy shoes...whats the issue?

pdlamb

This really is like asking "What flavor ice cream is the best?" Though many of us have tried more than one pedal system, not everyone can agree on the best "flavor."

The vanilla ice cream of MTB (=walkable) pedals has to be Shimano SPD.

Depending on the day, my favorite ice cream flavor is huckleberry, moose tracks, or butter pecan. Despite my inconsistency with ice cream, I've preferred Speedplay Frog pedals for many years.

However, since it's not clear Speedplay/Wahoo will continue to make or support Frogs, I'd look at Time Atac if you need more free float that SPD provides.

CAT7RDR

With what you are already riding as indicated by your bike list, SPD looks fine. If you later invest in a more modern road bike, you might consider an Ultegra SPD-SL system. I like the basic SPD system with my older Peloton. I might upgrade to a platform SPD system in the future just to have a broader and hopefully more comfortable pedal/foot interface. I have a tendency to develop hotspots but think I have solved it with better insoles and a half-size larger shoe.

^^^^I didn't know true roadies ate ice cream. I thought it was all about the cafe?

Kapusta

I would say Speedlplay Frogs, but for now they seemed to have stopped making them.

Sportdog

First foot no problem. Second foot they keep spinning so it痴 hard to grab the right spot. These are my current pedals.....

Sportdog

Maybe I just need to work on it as the answers seem to say they are good pedals. I was looking at buying another set of the same pedals for my other bike. Are their any other pedals that the same cleats on my existing shoes will fit those pedals??? Or are all different pedals unique to a certain cleat???

Leisesturm

In your o.p. you said you had SPD but those are not SPD pedals. They are Shimano, of course, but those look like their racing pedals, more like the Look, or Time system (racing) on other platforms. For the 'most' part there are only two cleat systems that matter: two bolt (MTB) and three bolt (Road). MTB shoes will have two bolt rails and Shimano, Crank Bros. and Speedplay (and others) will make cleats to fit but Shimano cleats will not lock into Crank Bros. pedals and neither will lock into Speedplay pedals. I know nothing about three bolt shoes/cleats and the pedals that work with them. MTB cleats are usually recessed into the sole of the shoe so you can walk around without looking ... odd. A fair amount of performance but non-competitive riders use MTB/SPD for that main reason. FWIW.

caloso

Those are SPD-SL pedals. Yeah, it’s confusing but they’re totally different than the SPD pedals used by MTB, CX, and tourers. In my opinion there’s no better pedal than the Ultegra pedals you have, but they’re not for everyone.

AnthonyG

OK, as others have noted. These are SPD-SL pedals, and they aren't compatible with SPD pedals. Yes its confusing.

Are you saying that your having clipping in problems?
(EDITED) It can take practice and you can still miss them sometimes first go. They should be weighted so that the tip is always pointing up so that the front of your shoe cleat can grab the front of the pedal. If the bearing is stiff and the pedal doesn't just hang all through the pedal stroke then this makes it harder. If this is the case and lubrication doesn't work then maybe you could look at new pedals.
Ultegra SPD-SL pedals are good quality .

AnthonyG

^ Having said that. SPD pedals don't hang down and I clip them in no trouble. If they are a little stiff and turning with the crank then what you do is glance down and see where they are and time your clip in to when the front of the pedal is pointing up.

jadocs

He's having problems clipping in his second foot.

OP do a search on youtube on how to clip into clipless pedals.