SPD Clipless Pedal recommendations
 

Hi.

I've had my road bike for about 4 weeks. I believe I'm getting accustomed to it.

Now, I am considering going clipless. I've been riding with Shimano SPD shoes (without cleats) for several months and intend to keep wearing them with the new pedals. I'd assume the pedals come with the appropriate cleats. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Do you have any recommendations for the pedals?

I want ones that have relatively large areas so I could pedal without the SPD shoes if necessary. I've considered double-sided pedals. I've been told they may be hard to get used to, but I'm not ruling them out yet.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Just for clarification, are you talking about:

a) SPD *mountain* pedals (two bolt holes in the shoe).

b) SPD-SL *road* pedals (three bolt holes in the shoe).

And to clarify further (assuming you mean SPD "mountain" pedals (which lots of people are using on road bikes), there seem to be 3 kinds (with inconsistent labeling):

- Dual sided (i.e., the kind you can clip into on either side) -- they make these with or without a surrounding platform

- Double sided (or Two sided) (i.e., the kind where you can clip in on one side, or ride it like a platform pedal on the other

- Single sided (i.e., the kind where you can clip in on one side and can't do much of anything with the other side) -- these tend to be the lightest in weight

Within each type, Shimano seems to offer 3 levels (let's call them Good, Better, and Best). The more you pay, the higher the quality of construction and the lighter the pedal.

If you go to the Shimano website, you can see all their offerings. Or if you pretty much know which type you want (and how much you want/are willing to pay), I'd be happy to suggest one. And other folks will suggest others! ;)

Thanks for asking. I meant the mountain-bike, two-bolt hole type pedals (i.e. "SPD," not "SPD-SL").

Thanks for the info! I am primarily looking at the dual-sided pedals that let you clip in on either side. You've mentioned that there are those with a surrounding platform. That's most probably what I'm looking for.

I will check out the Shimano website. In the meantime, I'd like to know what your recommendation is. :)

Try this ... :thumb:

Wellgo SPD Peddle | eBay

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMT...TgPtO/$_57.JPG

Okay, I bought the PD-M530's... they're the cheapest ones ($30-50, depending where you buy):
PD-M530 - PEDALS - CYCLING FOOTWEAR AND PEDALS - LIFESTYLE GEAR - SHIMANO

The next level up in this line are the PD-M785's... they're lighter, tougher, and cooler looking:
PD-M785 - PEDALS - CYCLING FOOTWEAR AND PEDALS - LIFESTYLE GEAR - SHIMANO

The top of the line are the PD-M985's... out of my price range, but if you have the bucks:
PD-M985 - PEDALS - CYCLING FOOTWEAR AND PEDALS - LIFESTYLE GEAR - SHIMANO

All of these come with the SH-51 cleats, which are single-direction (i.e., you need to twist your heel OUT to release).

Shimano also sells the Click'R line (which are dual sided and have built-in reflectors). These come with SH-56 cleats, which are multi-directional (i.e., twist your heel in or out, yank back, or even jerk up). The whole idea of the Click'R series is to be the MOST FORGIVING clip-in system. Some people find it TOO forgiving (meaning you release when you don't want to).
Here's the mid-line Click'R pedal in case you think it's "right for you":
PD-T420 - PEDALS - CYCLING FOOTWEAR AND PEDALS - LIFESTYLE GEAR - SHIMANO

Personally, I find the M530's easy to get in and out of (of course, I have the tension set at the LOWEST POSSIBLE SETTING, which I would suggest all new user try... remember to adjust ALL FOUR tension bolts... both sides of both pedals).

Oh, as FlatSix911 mentions, other manufactures make SDP pedals (not just Shimano). But I only really looked into Shimano -- that was confusing enough (and I trust the brand).

Also, you can put SH-56 cleats on the non-Click'R pedals (and, likewise, SH-51 cleats on the Click'Rs). But you will need to pay extra for them (and we've already established that I'm cheap).

Thanks [MENTION=367268]mcmoose[/MENTION]! It's funny, I've been wondering about the PD-M530 myself. They are dual-sided and seem have good-sized platforms. I just looked at the PD-M785 as well, but like you said they are on the pricey side (though they are 50 g lighter than the M530). I will check the LBS to see if they have any in stock.

While you're there, you might check out pedal wrenches. Some folk get by with using a crescent wrench or Allen key (on the back of the pedal), but I find it a very handle tool (and worth the $12-16 -- all you need is the basic Park Tool or Spin Doctor one).

Thanks! I already have a Park Tool pedal wrench as I replaced the pedals on my 7.5 FX a few months ago. The ones that came with the FX were very slippery, so I bought a pair of studded WellGo platform pedals.

Then you're all set, Dude... good luck!

Thanks... I need it. I'm just wondering where to practice clipping in/out on the first day. I don't want to hurt myself too much when falling... :)

For road use I like the Shimano A520. It is single sided and has some support. I've also used the A530 which is similar but the reverse side has a large platform for riding w/o cleats. The A530 is heavier/clunkier and I wouldn't recommend it over the A520 unless you often need to ride w/o cleats. The double sided SPD pedals work ok for the road but you don't need the two sides like you do for MTB. I prefer the support and appearance of the A520. Shimano pedals generally come with cleats. When you get your new pedals and cleats installed, take your bike into a narrow hall where you can touch both sides while on the bike and practice clipping in and out. Concentrate on repeatability and consistency. You want to use the same motion, from the same position, each time. I prefer left foot from the down or fully extended position. The proper motion to release is a positive rotation of the heel to the outside. No thrashing about or moving the entire foot!

I practiced with my new pedals and cleats while my bike was on my stand. Quite safe! Most people will fall at least a few times initially when riding. Typically it will happen when you are coming to a stop so your speed will be very slow and damage to all but the pride will be minimal. I think I fell two or three times at first but haven't at all since then.

I have used Shimano and Wellgo pedals with equal success.

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely practice stationary first. I'm already clumsy on or off the bike!

As for the single vs dual sided pedals, my concern (which may be unfounded) is that I may have trouble finding the right side to clip in when I go. I don't want to have to spin the pedal many times before I can finally clip in. Is it just practice, or are those pedals designed to show the right side up naturally?

Thanks for the reply! Using a stand sounds like a great idea. About the leg position, [MENTION=90165]shelbyfv[/MENTION] mentioned he preferred the down (fully extended) position. What is your preference? I'm pretty sure I will clip out my left foot since that's the foot I put down now when at a stop.

You will develop your own technique after riding for a bit. I clip out with my right most of the time at a stop. Easier to put my foot on a curb that way. I don't pay any attention to what my crank position is when I clip in or out. I don't think it matters. Just get on and ride and see what happens! I love having clipless. It is so much safer and easier in my opinion. No more bumps knocking your feet off the pedals, slipping, etc, and you can pull up and push down on the pedals. It really helps on hills.

I know a number of riders that use Crank Bros Eggbeaters on road bikes. Something to consider....

I used the A520's for a year or so on one bike and hated them.

For the first 500 miles, the bearing seals were so tight that they were never in a predictable position.
So I always had to look down at them and push them into position with my toe.:mad:

Then the seals loosened enough that gravity would put them into position...upside down.:mad:

Once snapped in, they were fine.
But they were annoying as hell when starting from a standing stop, especially in heavy traffic.

I currently have 4 bikes with 3 models of double-sided pedals: PD-M520, PD-M540, PD-M780.
I never need to look at the pedal; Just push down and snap in.
They all work the same, but the specs say the 780 has 6 degrees of float compared to 4 degrees for the others.

I have M530s on my hybrid. They work fine. The platforms actually fall away from the center of the pedal, so they may not be that comfortable in street shoes. For hot summer weather you may want to look into biking sandals that handle SPD cleats.

I have VP R61 pedals. Actually retired my Speedplays for these. $40 for replacement cleats got old. When you add in the spd cleat weight, the total weight between the two is about the same. I don't ride with regular shoes but I guess you could. Here's a new set on ebay for 20 bucks:

New VP Clipless Pedals for Road Bike VP R61 MSRP $49 95 | eBay

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjMxWDYwMA...TB7eJ/$_12.JPG

Now that I think about it, I could just buy new VP pedals instead of replacement spd cleats. Would only pay a couple of bucks more haha

Pedal orientation could be a concern if you have a lot of stop and start. I just went to the garage and checked three bikes that have the A520s. All pedals were hanging vertically in the proper position for clipping in but I don't know if this would be the case while actually riding. My guess is that it may take awhile for them to settle. I ride mostly on rural roads and only have to clip/unclip every 15-20 miles. I agree that if you ride short distances or have lots of stop/start, the double sided pedals may make more sense. I rode the MXXX type happily for years and only switched when I increased my mileage substantially.

I prefer the PDM324 for all around use, the platform side is wide and offers great traction with just about any shoe.

With bikes that always get ridden with clipless pedals I prefer double sided save for my road bike that has Look pedals but those are nicely weighted and supremely comfortable and also have adjustable float that can be modified as you ride.

I have Crank Brothers Candy pedals on my mountain bike... they are double sided and shed dirt and mud better than Shimano SPD pedals.