Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
Do you really care about their opinion? As the others said, if it isn't broken...
Would you go to SPD SL after 5 trouble free years with SPD?
- Thread starter 123456789
- Start date
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Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
It doesn't matter what you do, there'll always be a snootie roadie type who thinks he knows better. That they're crap riders and all the bling in the World won't change that just won't ever sink in.
In any case, in my experience a lot or quite hard-core roadies can be found on SPDs, and if that works for them then good luck to them.
In any case, in my experience a lot or quite hard-core roadies can be found on SPDs, and if that works for them then good luck to them.
123456789
Veteran
- Location
- Quite near Saarfend innit
As I said in my post I haven't really come across that type of rider yet maybe it's an essex thing but they will get very short shrift from me if I do come across one
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
I'm also an m520 user. Prefer them over the ultegra SPD-SL purely because able to walk properly. I didn't think j would, but I feel better power transfer with the SL (unsure if my imagination but even if it were true, my riding is all in town so I need to walk).
Actaully I recently bought flat pedals bit not fitted yet. I think I'll swap my m520 commuter with the flats.
Actaully I recently bought flat pedals bit not fitted yet. I think I'll swap my m520 commuter with the flats.
winjim
Smash the cistern
SPDs are fine and dandy for the commuter / general workhorse, but for the nice bike - these days the titanium superbike - only proper road pedals will do. They just feel so much better. And I much prefer my Campagnolo Pro-Fits to my old Look Keos, look at them, they're beautiful!
No experience of SPD-SLs though.
That being said, it's just my personal preference, you should use whatever works for you. I don't think anyone's really that snooty about pedals. If anyone is snooty about your gear, I would just turn around and ride in the opposite direction, they're not the sort of people I would care to ride with.
But I do love my Pro-Fits perhaps a bit more than I ought to
.
No experience of SPD-SLs though.
That being said, it's just my personal preference, you should use whatever works for you. I don't think anyone's really that snooty about pedals. If anyone is snooty about your gear, I would just turn around and ride in the opposite direction, they're not the sort of people I would care to ride with.
But I do love my Pro-Fits perhaps a bit more than I ought to
.
Funkweasel
Active Member
- Location
- Ripon/Harrogate/Northallerton
How stiff are your soles? I moved to 3 bolt cleats because I also got hotspots, but then it was with MTB shoes with a pretty flexible rubber sole. I don't get any hotspots now but then I have a stiff plastic sole in my new shoes... I wonder if I'd get the same if I had a stiffer sole with SPD shoes?
Mine were fairly stiff MTB shoes as well. Not as stiff as my road shoes, but not far off. I suspect that a super stiff MTB shoe may also work, but they seem to be very pricey.
dr snuggles
Guru
- Location
- winlaton
On my carbon bike I'm just about to ditch my SPD-SL's and go back to SPD's. I've tried them for the last two years and never really got on with them. I don't feel any I get any benefit from them at all and SPD's are so much easier. I hate having to think about clipping in and I'm sick of worrying about stopping on hills.
Funkweasel
Active Member
- Location
- Ripon/Harrogate/Northallerton
Funny you should post this. I had to go back to SPDs on Saturday because I couldn't get my SL pedals off my bike to put them on a test ride bike. I hated it. It was kinda nice having double sided pedals, but I noticed a lot worse power transfer, and I just didn't feel as connected to the bike.
Walking around in more "normal" shoes is a massive bonus, though.
As for stopping on hills... see Rule #5
(Must admit it's a worry of mine, too).
I've used SPD M520s with Specialized Sport MTB shoes for many years and never had any issues with them. I've used them on many long distance Audax events. In fact they are ideal for the café stops.
N+1 a year ago was a carbon bike so I invested in some Ultegra SPD-SL pedals and carbon soled road shoes for this. I really like these also as I seem better connected to the bike and get the feeling of better power transfer.
However I'm planning to take the carbon bike to the Lake District in summer and I'm hoping to do Hardnott and Wrynose passes. I can unclip from the SPDs unbelievably easily, the SPD-SLs are at the other end of the scale - even when set as loose as they go. I do not want to find myself coming to a standstill, desperately trying to unclip from the SPD-SLs so may fit the SPDs for the trip instead.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Maybe the single sided A520s instead.
They certainly look better than the M520s I have as an alternative to the Ultegra SPD-SL and would suit the road bike better I'm sure for the trip to the Lakes. Are they as easy to clip in/out as the M520s?
I'm happy to use the M520s though just for the Lakes trip but the A520s would certainly be ideal replacements if any of sets of M520s I have ever fail.
I'd stick with what you have, and if you want to spend the money on something that could make a proper difference to your riding, have a bike fit if you've never had one. You'll get far more benefit from that than changing pedals that aren't currently a problem, especially if you think you've had some issues with your knees.
