Using mtn bike shoes with this pedal: Shimano A520?
10-15-06, 03:35 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Austin
Posts: 2,104
Bikes: Too many to count
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Using mtn bike shoes with this pedal: Shimano A520?
I was looking at the Shimano A520 pedal the other day. I don't know if this is a road pedal or a mtn bike pedal. Many online places are advertising it as a "touring" pedal, whatever that means. On the Shimano website, they have the pedal listed on the page with all the other mtn bike pedals, but Shimano calls it a "sport" pedal, whatever that means. To make things even more confusing, on the product page under the Specifications list, Shimano calls it a "suitable design for a road bike".
What is this - a MTN bike pedal, a road pedal, a cross between the two? Does anybody know if you can use mtn bike shoes with this pedal? And what the hell is that platform going around the pedal mechanism for? Looks like that could get in the way of some mtn bike shoes. These pedals look cool, but I don't want to perform a hacking surgery on my mtn bike shoes to make it fit.
Link to Shimano A520 page
What is this - a MTN bike pedal, a road pedal, a cross between the two? Does anybody know if you can use mtn bike shoes with this pedal? And what the hell is that platform going around the pedal mechanism for? Looks like that could get in the way of some mtn bike shoes. These pedals look cool, but I don't want to perform a hacking surgery on my mtn bike shoes to make it fit.
Link to Shimano A520 page
10-15-06, 03:45 PM
#2
Still kicking.
It's their entry level spd pedal.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
10-16-06, 03:48 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Austin
Posts: 2,104
Bikes: Too many to count
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
That is so confusing. I don't know if it's a road pedal or a mtn bike pedal. And then, how do we know if this thing is compatible with all mtn bike shoes? Cool looking pedal, but weird design.
10-17-06, 08:09 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Regina, SK, CA
Posts: 945
Bikes: 2002 Rocky HT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's a road pedal that uses the regular SPD cleat, rather than the road SPD-R cleat. As such it is made for two hole mountain bike shoes rather than three hole road shoes. I have a set that I use on my cross bike during the summer for road riding. The plus of these is that you can use your same mtb shoes on the road. The platform does spead the load on your foot more on the road helping to reduce the "hot spot".
While you could use them on your MTB, it would be quite annoying trying to get clipped in on the right side.
PS - the stupid thing about these pedals is that while they only have 1/2 the mech of the M520 two sided mtb pedal and the same axel assembly the cost MUCH MORE! However, they are significantly lighter, and as said above, are nicer on the road.
While you could use them on your MTB, it would be quite annoying trying to get clipped in on the right side.
PS - the stupid thing about these pedals is that while they only have 1/2 the mech of the M520 two sided mtb pedal and the same axel assembly the cost MUCH MORE! However, they are significantly lighter, and as said above, are nicer on the road.
10-19-06, 06:58 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Austin
Posts: 2,104
Bikes: Too many to count
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by KrisA
It's a road pedal that uses the regular SPD cleat, rather than the road SPD-R cleat. As such it is made for two hole mountain bike shoes rather than three hole road shoes. I have a set that I use on my cross bike during the summer for road riding. The plus of these is that you can use your same mtb shoes on the road. The platform does spead the load on your foot more on the road helping to reduce the "hot spot".
While you could use them on your MTB, it would be quite annoying trying to get clipped in on the right side.
PS - the stupid thing about these pedals is that while they only have 1/2 the mech of the M520 two sided mtb pedal and the same axel assembly the cost MUCH MORE! However, they are significantly lighter, and as said above, are nicer on the road.
While you could use them on your MTB, it would be quite annoying trying to get clipped in on the right side.
PS - the stupid thing about these pedals is that while they only have 1/2 the mech of the M520 two sided mtb pedal and the same axel assembly the cost MUCH MORE! However, they are significantly lighter, and as said above, are nicer on the road.
Thanks for the info. That was quite helpful. I am also trying to put these pedals on my cross bike like you have. My only concern is that the recessed area on some mtn bike shoes might not be big enough to accomodate the larger platform of these pedals. Oh well, I may just get the pedals and try it to see anyway. Thanks.
