Am sure this has been asked but SPD or SPD SL ?

[fossyant]

General use you can't go wrong with XT SPD's. Just that bit nicer than the M520 and bomb proof. I have the standard SPD and the trail SPD (bigger platform).

 

[fossyant]

These are really good. Don't ever pay the RRP of £90. Can be had for much less

 

[Drago]

My mind is pretty made up, but the fact that SL is supposedly for road and SPD is for MTB still bugs me!

As it happens, SPD was first sold as a touring pedal and shimano's website still uses the word touring on the description of may of them. Last time i checked, touring bikes were generally road biased machines.

For general use, SPD. Indeed, even for club competition there is no actual advantage to SL. I keep switching my road bikes to SL, then invariably swap back again to be able to walk properly and keep my shoes universal across all my bikes. But really, it's nothing more than a preference thing.

 

[vickster]

These are really good. Don't ever pay the RRP of £90. Can be had for much less

View attachment 535128

Indeed I flogged some on here recently for £25

 

[GetFatty]

Or you could go towards the terminally tarty option of Speedplay pedals and cleats, only 137 quid for the pedals ( cheap ones) 280 quid for titanium and 60 quid every time you wear the cleats out. I use them on my road bike you can play with "float" to your hearts content, I like them a lot you are very definetely in or out of them and i can clip in even faster than spd for those sprint of the lights days.. I use spd on my CX and MTB I find them a bit "vague" . I used SPD-L a long time ago useless for commuting for me I was always kicking them upside down normal riding they were fine. Speedplay just step down and off you go and not much chance of puling out of them. Big warning though, if you get grit behind the cleat spring you will have a bugger of a job to get out of them. Happened to me twice, had to find a soft hedge to stop in. Oh and you either have ot find 4 bolt options shoes which are rare or use a 3 bolt to 4 bolt adaptor which is what most people do.

Isn't there something about you can't unclip with the cranks vertical or some such? I have thought about speedplay but it would be a considerable investment

 

[Slioch]

You can't do that with 520's are you thinking of 530's with the platform on the other side'

View attachment 535116

Doh!
Good spot that person. I meant 530's.

 

[Profpointy]

For me, even if I'm specifically "going for a bike ride" as opposed to cycling to a destination, I still want to stop and wander around, pub, tea-shop, pretty village or whatever, so the mtb style cleats and shoes work for me. I've now got a nice pair of Dromatti italian cycle shoes (overpriced to be honest, albeit quite nice) but ai still have them in the mtb two bolt cleat version, and I can walk around quite happily in them - all day in the office on one forgetful day.

Now if you are racing or spending the whole day cycling and nothing else, you may go for the other sort, which supposedly are marginally better

For what it's worth I went for thr Crank Brothers version, but they are pricey and I'm not sure they're that robust albeit nice to use

 

[Zanelad]

I've been using SPD cleats for several years. This week I bought a pair of Boardman Carbon road shoes, for no real reason other than I like the look of them and they got a great write up in the current issue of Cycling Plus. I'm a sucker for those little wheels you turn to tighten the shoe. Of course I then had to buy suitable SPD-SL pedals. Just fitted them to the bike and had a couple of goes at clipping in while sat on it. It doesnt seem as easy as with the smaller cleats, but hopefully it'll get easier with practice. The shoes seem easier to walk in than with the SPD cleats. If the SPD shoes have recessed cleats they're OK, if not then I find them a bit tricky. I've tried the Shimano stabiliser thingies, but they don't seem very durable. I'll try the new shoe/pedal combo on Sunday. If you hear a loud crash, it'll be me not unclipping in time. I hope not as I don't seem to bounce as well as I used to. If Mrs Z finds out what I'm sqaundering "her" money on you'll find me in ward 3 at SMH, visiting hours 2-4pm.

 

[raleighnut]

Doh!
Good spot that person. I meant 530's.

S' OK I've got 3 sets of the 520's so I know what they're like,

 

[HLaB]

Never used clipless and have a feeling that SPD would be the best option for me - aside from the obvious differences, is one 'better' than the other in terms of road bikes and general use. I do prefer the look of the SL pedal and how it hangs, but like the idea of being able to walk away from the bike for photo ops when out or to pop into somewhere for food/drink, hence the SPD.

My mind is pretty made up, but the fact that SL is supposedly for road and SPD is for MTB still bugs me!

General rides, probably up to 50 miles on road.

Ive not read it but the Road.cc headline article is https://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/spd-sl-v-spd-how-choose-best-clipless-pedals-232671

There's a good sticky thread in the Beginner section https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/clipless-pedals-faq.74358/

There's probably 1000's of more via the search box.

 

[Twilkes]

Why are SL cleats so disposable, is it an inherent and essential part of the design or is it just so the manufacturer can make some more money?

 

[Mark pallister]

Use both
spd sl for road and spd for trail
I have no problems walking in the sl but I’m not a cafe type of person so really never go far