New bike, should I get new shoes?

[Shaun]

I've been using Specialized MTB Sport shoes with M520 double-sided SPDs for my commuter. Being double-sided the pedals are easy to clip in/out of, and being MTB the shoes give me plenty of grip for pootling about off the bike.

However, with the arrival of a new road bike, would I benefit from investing in some road shoes and pedals?

Would the bigger cleat size/platform give me any more power on the bike?

My main requirement would be that they should be easy to clip in/out of.

Any advice appreciated?

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[zimzum42]

I don't think you'll get any more power, but big plates like LOOK's system are more compy, you don't get that pain spot in your foot which you get from long rides with SPDs......

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Myself, I'd stick with what you've got. Far easier to walk about in,
also less fumbling to clip-in. (if it's not broke......)

 

[laurence]

i'd stick with what you have for the time being, at least. get used to the new bike and then see how you feel.

i've got Time mtb pedals on all my bikes, including road. means i can wear shoes with some grip and not have to change shoes for different bikes

L

 

[gkerr4]

get some new ones!!

thats what you wanted us to say wasn't it?

Get some proper road shoes - nice solid soled things that youcan't walk in - it's essential on a road bike don't ya know!
:-)

 

[Chris James]

I'd stick with your existing shoes and pedals. I don't know what people are on about when they talk of 'hot foot'. I have cycled all day on MTB type cleats and felt fine. Or at least it was my legs that were hurting and not my feet!

My shoes are only cheapo Shimano touring ones (forgotten the model) but they seem fairly stiff to me. Maybe full on MTB shoes are much more flexible?

I suppose you really want people who use road pedals on their road bikes and MTB pedals on their MTB / commuters to say what they think the difference is. But what you tend to get is people who either use one or the other and not both. I suspect that a lot of people using road pedals are just persuading themselves that they 'need' them because they are so hardcore!

Mind you, I grew up with toe clips and so I think any clipless system is good in comparison.

 

[Shaun]

I think it was the cleat/plate size that had me wondering whether there would be any benefit to changing system/shoes.

I find my MTB shoes really comfortable and have done all-day rides without any problems, so I'll probably stick with what I've got for now and see how it goes.

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[HLaB]

I've stuck with my Taho's just now and put A520's. I am begining to get a bit sick of having to rotate the pedals to clip in, so I'll probably borrow the M520's off my other bike and use them in the short term. However these don't have a cage so I'll get new pedals and shoes eventually.

 

[Steve Austin]

I use spesh mtb shoes and eggbeaters on my roadbike. its not what folk expect , but it works fine with no hotspots at all

 

[slow down]

I use spd's on my mountain bike, and look's on my road bikes. There is quite a big difference - the stiffer sole on my road shoes does flex a lot less, and with the bigger cleat it does mean a lot less pressure on your foot. It depends how much walking your likely to do when out on the road bike - if minimal (the odd cafe stop etc) then I'd get new shoes and pedals.

 

[Steve Austin]

Its a bit of a red herring to suggest that road shoes and mtb shoes are that different now. Some of them are essentially the same shoe, one with chunky grips, one without. The stiffness of the soles si the same. So there is no need for these allegedly stiffer soled road shoes, as MTB shoes are equally as stiff.

And far more practical