Speedplay bolt pattern
 

Why doesn't speedplay sell cleats with 3 bolt pattern built in?

I'm asking out of annoyance at concluding that basically nobody sells a stock speedplay shoe in a size 49.

How many years left on whatever patent might apply to the X pedals?

Found an answer to 2nd question anyway. X pedal patent expired in 2009. Cleat patent I think a couple years later.

From a design perspective, three bolts on a rectangular cleat don't make much sense. Speedplays necessitate a rectangular cleat. If you want 3 bolts, there are plenty of other good pedals that use them. I like Time Xpressos.

But those rectangular cleats are attached to most shoes with 3 bolts anyway. Albeit with an extra adaptor

Yeah, it's a PITA.

Whenever you buy speedplays, the cleat that comes with them has an adapter so they will always work with any 3 hole road shoe.

Northwave makes 49s with a really nice speedplay adapter. The cleat sits really low profile like it would on a 4 bolt shoe.

I realize that.. I've been using Speedplay Xs for the last 12 years on a pair of Sidi's with an adapter. It just came time that I realized that I wanted a new pair of shoes, and was struck that all these years later, there wasn't any more to choose from (more than 0 that is) that offered a Speedplay sole in my size. Quite disappointing.

No big deal really though. Got a pair of Giro Empire shoes, even with the adapter and all, realized these things weigh a lot less than my Sidi 3 with same cleats from a dozen years ago.

Their adapter looks interesting, but went thru their Road shoe page; seems to indicate that everything only comes in sizes 39-48?
ie. here: Road Scarpe Ciclismo | Northwave.com

Sidi (and other shoe manufacturers) have started releasing 4-bolt Speedplay cleat compatible shoes recently.

Huh. It does appear that way.

I have the Extreme Tech SBS shoes in a 49. Mine are a couple of years old now though, but if you can find some, they work great with that speedplay adapter.