Why SPD pedals?

[dwatkins]

It seems to me that many bike tourist use SPD pedals?  What are the pros and cons for using the SPD vs regular road pedals.  Thanks.

[whittierider]

They're better for walking in.  I prefer and use Look-Delta-compatibles, and just put Kool Kovers rubber cleat covers on if I need to walk more than a few steps; but that wouldn't be as good if I wanted to stop and take a little hike or something like that.

[johnsondasw]

I've never used SPDs.  Years ago, a friend got me into Crank Brother eggbeaters, and I love them.  On a recent ride in a very muddy area, many of the riders pedals clogged up after getting off the bike for a snack break. this never happens with eggbeaters.  I think this is probably another of those many issues that comes down to personal preference.

[DaveB]

Are you asking about SPD as the specific Shimmano clip-less pedal design or "SPD" as a generic for clipless pedals by any of numerous manufacturers?

Shimano's own pedals are reasonably priced, available from nearly any LBS or internet/mailorder dealer, well made, durable, have good entry/exit adjusability, good retention and are easy to find replacement cleats for. 

[litespeed]

Why SPD pedals? I guess because they are, like Microsoft Windows, widely available, cheap and work just fine for most people. I've used MTB shoes with SPD's since I got serious about bicycling. I have Shimano shoes that I've had forever. They seem indestructible.

[staehpj1]

Yes, Litespeed good bike shoes seem to hold up really well.  My Sidis also seem to last forever.  That is nice compared to running shoes that seem to need to be replaced all the time.  It makes it much less painful for me, somewhat of a tightwad, to spring for more expensive shoes.

I find SPDs to be a good choice.  The fact that they are pretty universally available and work well is a plus.  It seems like if you are likely to want to ride someone else's bike or take a spinning class your cleats are more likely to work if they are SPD than if they were anything else.  Also if you need a replacement pedal or cleat when on tour they will be the easiest to find of the clip less choices.

[whittierider]

Why SPD pedals? I guess because they are, like Microsoft Windows, widely available, cheap and work just fine for most people.

OOoooooooooo-- bad analogy!  I got rid of 90% of my computer problems when I dumped Microsoft and went to Linux.  Now I go months at a time without restarting, it's not susceptible to viruses (even w/o AV software), I don't get all those annoying error messages, never have to defrag, don't need to spend time on computer maintenance anymore, and never have to re-install.  All the data files are compatible, but not .exe's.  There's no "big brother" trying to hit me in the wallet again every time I turn around, and most software is free, including the OS, even if you want to copy it to more computers.  It's virtually all free downloads, and runs on regular PCs.  Unlimited free support is available from programmers all over the world, 24/7.  Microsoft can't compete with that, except that people have a fear of the unknown so they stay with the devil they know, which is Microsoft.  Linux is the fasterst-growing major OS in the world today.

It seems like if you are likely to want to ride someone else's bike or take a spinning class your cleats are more likely to work if they are SPD than if they were anything else.

I wouldn't make than an issue, since Pedals are pretty quick to swap out.  Most of them can use the 6mm allen wrench you should have in your seat bag anyway, so you don't even need a pedal wrench.

Also if you need a replacement pedal or cleat when on tour they will be the easiest to find of the clip less choices.

That's because they're used so much on mountain bikes.  They're not used as much on road bikes, but I don't know which type is most common on road bikes.  There are too many.

[ToddBS]

Most people are going to use MTB pedals on their touring bike I have found.  I went with Crank Brothers Candy pedals myself because I prefer the Egg Beater design.  Probably should have just gone with the actual Egg Beaters, but I find the black body of the Candy pedal actually gives me something to aim my foot towards that I can see out of my peripheral vision.

That said, I have stopped using clipless on most of my bikes, including my touring bike.  I now use either a cage type pedal with Power Straps or a BMX style platform pedal (with the metal studs sticking up out).  I've found both to be just as good for any type of riding I do (I don't race) as clipless and both have the advantage of not requiring a special shoe setup.  I also find them to be safer in traffic as I have no fear of getting stuck in a pedal due to a faulty cleat (or due to my absent-mindedness).

[DaveB]

That's because they're used so much on mountain bikes.  They're not used as much on road bikes, but I don't know which type is most common on road bikes.  There are too many.

That's not correct.  SPD pedals aren't used by road racers or by very serious performance riders but they are widely used by fitness, organized ride, charity ride and touring riders.  Go to any large organized ride or supported tour and do a pedal census.  SPDs will be in the majority.

[mainebiker]

I agree wholeheartedly. On my touring bike, I have SPD on one side and platform on the other. I wear a MTB shoe and can walk around in that shoe to my heart`s content. I use my touring bike to run errands in town when not touring. On my three road bikes, I use LOOK pedals. Used LOOK ski bindings when I did ski patrol years ago and found them to be great. Their pedals are just as good. I won`t use anything else.

[paddleboy17]

It seems to me that many bike tourist use SPD pedals?  What are the pros and cons for using the SPD vs regular road pedals.  Thanks.

I have to ask, "What do you define as a regular road pedal?"

I started with a Look pedal on my first road bike.  The one that takes the triangular plastic cleat.  Very comfortable to ride in, but the pedals tend to be a little heavy, and you really can't walk around in them.

This is why the SPD type pedals dominated.  Shimano makes a road SPD pedal, and a mountain SPD pedal.  There are lots of sources for other pedals compatible with Shimano mountain SPD pedals.  Personally, I think the Shimano road SPD pedals are a pain because the cleat can only mount one one side,  and the cleat is incompatible with Shimano mountain pedals.  Even cheap mountain SPD pedals are pretty light compared to how things used to be.

Egg beaters are just a variation on the SPD theme.  Different enough to avoid an IP suit, but not as radically new as they might have you think.  They might clear mud better and they might be less durable.  Or so I hear.

Standardize on whatever pedal you like.  I use a Shimano SPD mountain pedals on my touring bike, and Wellgo (Ritchey) pedals on the other two bikes.  The Wellgo is compatible with Shimano mountain cleats.  I run the Shimano single release cleat on my road shoes (the ones I keep clean), and the multi release cleat on my mountain shoes (the ones I let get dirty).

[DaveB]

Personally, I think the Shimano road SPD pedals are a pain because the cleat can only mount one one side,  and the cleat is incompatible with Shimano mountain pedals.

Shimano's current road pedals, the SPD-SL series, are pretty much "Look-alikes".  They take a very similar 3-bolt cleat, are one sided and a pain to walk in.  The MTB-type SPD are the only ones to consider for touring applications where being able to walk is a requirement.

[mikedirectory2]

I have never tried SPDs.

[DaveB]

I have never tried SPDs.

And what are we to do with this information?

[bogiesan]

It seems to me that many bike tourist use SPD pedals?  What are the pros and cons for using the SPD vs regular road pedals.  Thanks.

There are no regular pedals of any kind, road or mountain. Not even platforms or traps are regular any more.
SPD is a commonly used term that describes a more or less universally compatible cleat/pedal interface that Shimano has licensed to many mfrs. SPD is said to stand for Shimano Pedal Device but that's oepn for conjecture and argument.

The single advantage to the SPD system over many others is sheer ubiquitousness. You can get SPD parts anywhere good bikes are sold. but that alone does dnot make them superior to any other pedal/cleat system. It just makes them appealing to the bike traveler.

Drop by shimano.com and see what all the fuss is about.

david boise ID