MTB pedals versus Road pedals
 

Since my transition from Trek 7500 hybrid to Specialized Tarmac, I kept my old Shimano MTB pedals and Specialized Body Geometry MTB shoes. I have the same pedals on the Tarmac. Is there that big a difference in Road pedals/shoes versus MTB that I should blow the coin on making this change?

I don't think there's a huge difference. They both hold your foot on the pedal, right?

I've been using my mountain shoes and cheap mtn pedals on my commuter for years. Mtn shoes are much easier to walk around in than road shoes, which is my primary reason for using them on my commuter.

If you're going to be solely road riding on it, I'd probably get a cheap pair of road shoes & pedals though. The weight difference between the shoes is substantial.

My mountain shoes weigh more than my road shoes. My MTB pedals had more play than my road pedals. My MTB pedals were heavier than my road pedals. My experience... I am sure there are some very light MTB pedal/shoes out there. My reason for switching are stated above.

Good mid-priced mtb shoes aren't much heavier than similiar road shoes. The comfort depends on your feet and how the shoes fit. The shoes are a bigger difference than the pedals. I use mtb shoes on the road, as do others I know who are faster than me, including double century riders. Now there is the Fred factor...

I'm thinking of getting some basic road shoes for better ventilation and so that I don't have to sweat out my MTB shoes (which I'm sometimes wearing all day long).

Get road shoes and pedals. I am not going into any more detail as I refuse to enter into a pissing contest on the subject.

See recent thread in this forum below:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=354978

I don't think it matters much. Purely a matter of personal preference. I have a "show bike" and a "beater bike". Originally, I kept my SPS-MTB pedals on the beater bike, but loved my SpeedPlays so much that I purchased another set and reserve the mtn shoes for spin class. Since my ons mtn shoes have become so ratty, I recently replaced them with spanking-new spin shoes to haul to spin class.

Depends on where you ride. MTB pedals have a rather small contact patch in comparison to road pedals, so they tend to develop a hot on the soul of your foot over long distances, especially if you have a lot of hills to climb. However, mtb pedals are two sided, and the shoes are more comfortable for walking, so they are better to run errands in, and do short trips. If you only are going to get one, I'd get the mtb pedal/shoe.

The shimano mtb pedals feel alot like road pedals imo. If you had egg beaters for some reason (which i hate) i would suggest changing them, but I don't think road pedals would feel too different from what you have. I once put my road pedals (also shimano) on my mountain bike in a pinch though, so you know i'm not too picky!

Depends on which eggbeaters, too -- that is, if you count the Crank Bros. cleat-n'-spring as the defining feature. They've got a range of pedals that include road-type pedals that'll work with three-hole shoes and fat downhill pedals. The cleat for the Mallet "downhill" pedals will work on their Quattro road pedals, too.

/end shill mode ;)

I love the eggbeaters I just got but they do have an enormous amount of float. You could reduce this with the road cleat, but then you need road shoes, at which point you lose the main advantage of mountain shoes (walkability). If I were getting amountain pedal that was only going to be used on the road I'd go Shimano. Cheap, and you can ratchet the tension pretty far down.

Heh -- I actually like the float I get, even with the Mallets. It lets me wiggle my ankles a bit as I get tired.

Eh, different opinions about the same feature... ;)

I guess it depends on the riding. Forreally fast riding/racing, or powering up hills, they wouldn't be ideal. I think the float is okay, but it's a little too much for me because it takes a little too long to release, in my opinion, because you have to twist your foot so far over.

I did just start running them on my cross bike though. They're simple, don't clog with mud, and have easy four sided entry. The latter two features aren't very important for road riding, of course.

Anyways that's why I reccomended the Shimano stuff, because you can get a ton of float, or very little. Adjustability is great.

i had mountain pedals on my road bike at first, and i had ridden mountain pedals before that. i was sort of hesitant at first, like it seems you are, but once i got them, i wouldn't go back. there is not the flex you have in mountain shoes, so they are far more comfortable ON the bike, and i like the very brisk feel of clipping/ unclipping compared to mtb pedals. However, you cant' walk in road shoes, so if you plan on ever wearing them off the bike... dont do it.