All Terrain SPD Shoe recommendations?

[Ootini]

Hey all,

I'm quite new to cycling and have recently bought a Ridley XBow CX bike. I've been cycling in just a pair of trainers using the flats that came with the bike, but fancy making the leap to clipless shoes etc. I'd like to know everyones thoughts on whether to go for a full on MTB shoe, or a "touring shoe"?

I tend to ride on a 50/50 split of muddy tracks and paved roads. As such, I'm thinking the MTB shoes would be hopeless on the paved surface, but on the muddy tracks touring shoes wouldn't provide any grip. Is there a happy medium?

Thanks

 

[Old Plodder]

MTB shoes. They have a cleated sole for mucky ground grip & are just as good for touring or commuting. Good all round shoes.
You might like to look at 'egg beater' pedals rather than the normal SPD type.

 

[Ootini]

MTB shoes. They have a cleated sole for mucky ground grip & are just as good for touring or commuting. Good all round shoes.
You might like to look at 'egg beater' pedals rather than the normal SPD type.

Thanks, what are "egg beater" pedals, and why would I choose them over normal SPDs?

 

[Kies]

Egg beaters are light and will allow clipping in from either side. Some people complain about hot spots over long distances.
Then there are dual purpose pedals such as Shimano M324 which are basically egg beaters with a cage. One side can be used with normal shoes, the other side with cleats.
Another option is the M530 which has the cage, and allows cleats or trainers from both sides.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Get a look mtb pedal, they are egg beaters in style but you can buy a lightweight plastic pub pedal to screws on the outside which protects the pedal from rock strikes. You can use these pedals on both sides. If you look carefully you can see the screws clamping the plastic together

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Egg beaters are light and will allow clipping in from either side. Some people complain about hot spots over long distances.
Then there are dual purpose pedals such as Shimano M324 which are basically egg beaters with a cage. One side can be used with normal shoes, the other side with cleats.
Another option is the M530 which has the cage, and allows cleats or trainers from both sides.

Nice tip. I just checked the M530 on CRC, and liked what I saw, so ordered a pair .

 

[Cubist]

I liked my eggbeaters, easy to clip into and very light. They have a decent amount of float too, so good for dodgy knees. However, they are notorious for reliability, not too bad if you keep the axles greased and replace the bearings when they get rough. However, I once suffere a nightmare at Kirroughtree where they kept hitting rocks and springing open. My personal recommendation would be the M530 As above, or their slightly dearer but lighter and nicer XT M 785 stablemates. They aren't good with just trainers though.

As for shoes, look at Specialized Taho for a trainer type shoe, Spesh BG Sport or Comp for a racier disco slipper type, or 5:10 Hellcats, or Shimano m45's for a skate style SPD shoe.

DHB and Northwave are also good budget alternatives.

 

[BAtoo]

Just got some DHB shoes and they seem fine..

 

[donnyjnk]

I use a pair of specialised mtb comp and shimano m520 spds and I swear by them. jus wind the mechanism off as much as you can and you can get out of the clip really easy. when you get more confident tighten up the clasp. it will improve your pedalling