SPD-SL Pedals and Straps
 

I've been out of action for a few weeks after a pile up at the track, so I thought I'd use the down time to suss out a way of modifying Shimano SPD-SL pedals to use straps for extra security during standing starts / sprints etc.

The modification is pretty straightforward to do and doesn't involve altering the pedals themselves in any way so its reversible. It is for SPD-SL pedals - mods for other types eg SPD-Rs have been documented elsewhere.

Photos of how to do this are posted here: http://www.badbean.com/cyclingstuff/spd_straps.htm

mickster

http://www.badbean.com/images/spd_sl_mod/IMGP5252.jpg

Nicely done. However, also note that you can drill a couple holes in the lower back side of the black rear spring-loaded clamp and use a couple zip ties to fasten a strap (or a double, for that matter) just in front of the holes on the underside of the pedal. Works like a charm and it's easy, with no hardware to come loose. The load isn't on the zip ties, so they don't break or do anything obnoxious. One can also mount the

I still prefer using SPD-R's, but getting shoes that accommodate them can be a pain. You do it using a toe clip loop, but simply run the adjustment bolt through the drilled out hole where the toe clip rivet used to be. No need to enlarge the hole or anything. If you prefer to have the strap farther forward (as I do) rather than looping behind the pedal and over your foot, I just get some 3/8" x 1/16" stainless strip from a hardware store and make a slightly shorter version of the toe clip end. (You can't just spin the toe strap end around because it tends to catch the back side of the axle housing and doesn't let you clip in properly).

This is a very nice design you have here.

11.4 : In my understanding the strap on an SPD-R was to basicly to perminantly pull the clasp shut so you didnt have to do it as tight. At least thats how I ran mine. But Ive also seen people use the MKS double straps thru SPD R's so more toe is covered too.

Cafe,

Not sure if I said differently. However the strap does two things on SPD-R's. First, it makes sure your cleat doesn't leave the pedal even if you twist far enough to release. Second, it takes up any slack in your shoe upper -- otherwise any room you have in your shoe becomes room for the foot to lift up away from the sole of the shoe. The strap doesn't have to be locked down hard as on PD-7400's to accomplish both these goals.

I don't think there's a lot of point in using double straps with SPD-R's unless one strap happens to be uncomfortable for you. The single strap will be sufficient to hold your cleat into the pedal long enough for it to re-engage. If Theo Bos could get away with a single strap (or Anna Meares, or Ryan Bayley for quite a while, or Ben Kersten) then I figure I can too. I actually have both single and double straps in my bag. For 500m time trials, I'll pull out the doubles. For olympic sprints and the like, I'll use singles. For massed start races, I may dispense with them altogether. It only takes 30 seconds to change.

I definatly agree with you on busting out of shoes. With max tension there was no way I could straight pull out of my 7710 SPD-Rs but I did manage to open 2 straps in an Olympic sprint once..... whoooops.

yeah, I've never busted out of shoes but the straps definitely eliminate the stretching / flexing of the shoe upper.
With the SLs there's also the concern with breaking a cleat or even the plastic cleat retainer on the pedal - the straps insure against this happening. I realise this ain't a problem with the metal cleats/pedals used in SPD-Rs.

mickster

One of the fastest racers Ive ever seen said to me once. "you could be the slowest person in the world, but if straps make you feel more secure youll already be faster"

This is Tomity's set up on his pedals.

S/F,
CEYA!

Are there are any setups like this with double straps or is that just overkill? Does anyone sell them this way? Are clipless pedals "good enough" for all but national level sprinters?

Sure. Once you have one strap immobilized by any of the methods above, you can just run the second one under the pedal and around to the buckle, going over the toe clip if you have one or just over your foot if you don't. You can cross the two straps somewhere along the way so the front strap ends up going to the rear buckle and vice versa; sometimes this makes them work a bit better. Depending on how a rider's foot fits the pedal, if there's a toe clip I'll sometimes zip-tie the second strap to the top of the toe clip. Or I'll have them cross over on top of the foot and zip-tie that connection as well. Basically as long as it's an integrated double strap, the second strap tends to stay next to the first one.

If you really want to be obsessive, you can attach two toe clip loops under the same bolt, one pointing forwards and one backwards (or one pointing backwards a little bit and the other doing the same but far enough back to clear the first one). You can also use a piece of stainless strip from a hardware or hobby shop and make a double-ended fastener that holds both toe straps. We used to use perforated plumbers' strapping to do this as well. Kashimax also supplies a square of leather for each toe strap that has two pairs of slots in it; you thread both straps through it and it keeps them aligned. It's not hard to make one of these yourself to suit whatever straps you have.

I think anyone who makes the leap to SPD-R's from 7400's winds up using their double straps. I know personaly i'd feel guilty cutting my doubles into singles haha. It all boils down to comfort. I like how the double strap isolates more shoe flex and feels like my foot is in a vise.

Allthough What I thought was alot of people using doubles with SPD-R's is actualy people with 7400's without the cages. Ive been doing this for about a month and I must say It works well. Better shoe position and I can run a shoe that fits properly!
Too bad PD-64 cleats are getting harder to come by.

Anyone have any experience with the MKS EXA pedals? A couple of the faster guys at Canadian Nats were on them and I've seen Blatchford's bike with them.

J

you have a pic of yours?

People are using PD-7400's without clips because clips other than size L are virtually unobtainable, and the clips tend to be a little cockeyed from where some people like to have the toes of their shoes. Plus, you don't really need them -- they help you do an on-the-fly flip-up-your-pedal-and-engage maneuver, but on the track that isn't really necessary. The front-of-the-pedal winged bracket that clips the front of the PD-64 cleat really is easier to get into without clips in the way (or at least that's my own feeling).

PD-7400's are mandated by a couple teams (France, for example) and optional for others. The advantage of an SPD-R is still that you don't have to strap your foot down hard just to keep it in the pedal because the SPD-R engagement mechanism does that for you.

By the way, if you haven't tried the new Yoshida or MKS slotted cleats, you should check them out. The MKS are beefier but have a bump in the front to align them on MKS pedals, but the bump tends to sit on top of the winged bracket at the front of 7400's. If you remove the bracket, they work very nicely and are deep. The Yoshida's are not quite as deep and I've seen a couple break after heavy use, but they do come in colors and fit just about any pedal. Both cleats fit Look drillings. If you think PD-64 cleats are hard to find, try SPD-R drilled shoes.

The Exa pedals seem to have lost out to SPD-R's, which don't require that you flip a lever to engage or disengage. The cleats are nice (very similar to the MKS cleats mentioned above but definitely not interchangeable) and Look-pattern, but the pedal is just a bit heavy with all the mechanism and there are simply equivalent solutions available. If you like them, however, they are solid and reliable, and you don't have to find SPD-R drilled shoes. They aren't NJS, by the way, which is part of why you don't see them used on the keirin circuit.

Keywins with the "track adapter" are the best I've found. You are locked on and no amount of twisting or pulling can get you off that pedal. I use the Speedplay track version for mass starts and I used to use double straps on normal pedals for sprints and standing starts but the Keywins are the way to go now. No tight straps, and a bit more aero. Keywins are no longer just for the Australians. World Class Cycles has them.

Unfortunatly my bike's not here to get a photo for ya. Just find a photo of the pedal and imagin it with no cage.