MTB v ROAD PEDALS

[veb]

I currently use mtb pedals and cleats, i suffer some knee pain due to ligamnent damage to both knees years ago.Can someone tell me if changingto road pedals would give me more freedom and possibly help my knee pain. I like my current set up and know my knee pain isn't going to disappear but i would change to roads if i thought it might help a little, don't really know much about pedals and float, so any advice appreciated.

 

[gaz]

only if your knee pain is related to pressure on the foot. Because the cleat and pedal is bigger, your weight is spread over about 4x the area.

 

[veb]

thanks gaz, that might help some if the foot is in a firmer position in the pedal, so that'll be another ton and a half minimum spent in the lbs this week!

 

[youngoldbloke]

As a first step (!) could try SPD pedals like the Shimano A520, A530, or M424, which have more support than the 'classic' SPDs?

 

[rich p]

FWIW, I have mtb pedals on my town bike so I can walk around in touring shoes and road ones (Look) on my thrash bike and the mtb ones are much more forgiving on the joints IMO.

 

[veb]

this is exactly the info i wanted, which type do people think are more "forgiving" on the joints specifically the knees, thanks rich.

 

[scook94]

this is exactly the info i wanted, which type do people think are more "forgiving" on the joints specifically the knees, thanks rich.

Take a look at Time ATAC, I use them and they appear to be much better in that department than the M520 SPDs I had before.

 

[Norm]

I don't have cleats, so I can't offer much, but have they been set up correctly for you?

If the alignment is out, could they be holding your foot, and thus your knee, at the wrong angle. It's free to check with one of the online guides.

 

[mickle]

The rigidity of the sole has bugler all to do with knee pain. What we should be discussing is 'float'.
Because we are not machines few of us have joints which run straight throughout the pedal stroke. As we pedal our heels have a tendency to move in and out. Without 'float' our heels cannot move and this restriction of our natural movement manifests as side pressure on the knee joint.

Early Shi**no SPD pedals had no float and it wasn't long before customer feedback encouraged them to introduce a few degrees of float. However this was merely an improvement rather than a solution. The trouble with Shi**no float is that it is spring loaded rather than free so doesn't eliminate side pressure on the knee, it only reduces it.

Time A-Tac pedals and Crank Bros Egg-Beaters have free float which exerts no side load on the knee.

 

[rich p]

The float question is the one! I have definitely got more float in the mtb Shimano M520's than in the red cleat Looks.

 

[gaz]

The rigidity of the sole has bugler all to do with knee pain. What we should be discussing is 'float'.
Because we are not machines few of us have joints which run straight throughout the pedal stroke. As we pedal our heels have a tendency to move in and out. Without 'float' our heels cannot move and this restriction of our natural movement manifests as side pressure on the knee joint.

Early Shi**no SPD pedals had no float and it wasn't long before customer feedback encouraged them to introduce a few degrees of float. However this was merely an improvement rather than a solution. The trouble with Shi**no float is that it is spring loaded rather than free so doesn't eliminate side pressure on the knee, it only reduces it.

Time A-Tac pedals and Crank Bros Egg-Beaters have free float which exerts no side load on the knee.

I don't think anyone commented on the stifness of shoes

 

[Banjo]

Only ever used Shimano SPDs .Doesnt having sideways float make it harder to unclip?

 

[Rob3rt]

I got Look Keo Classics on my bike with supplied 4.5 degree float cleats, im a total noob to cleats and getting out is extremelly easy, not got the hang of clipping in so well yet, which is a problem at lights when trying to pull away and foot just skids over pedal instead of clipping in, and you do a false start, sure the cars behind love it, lol

 

[moolarb]

I use the same pedals on my MTB bike and road bike - Crank Bros Candy. I like the fact that they've got plenty of float, they're easy to clip in and out of (4 sided) and you can wear shoes that you can actually walk in (useful for commuting or offroad/steep hills).

 

[mickle]

I don't think anyone commented on the stifness of shoes

You did;

only if your knee pain is related to pressure on the foot. Because the cleat and pedal is bigger, your weight is spread over about 4x the area.