MTB or Road Shoes

[SteveSteveson]

AW10 said:

One minor point - not sure if I was using black (MTB) or silver (road) cleats at the time of that little incident. The silver cleats release easier (more angles) but having ridden on black cleats for years I prefer how they feel.

Ah, I see. They are not "road" and "MTB", they are single release and multi release, and the choice is purely preference. Some people prefer to be able to release in different directions, some prefer the greater security of just one direction. They will all fit in SPD pedals. I suspect there was some other issue there.

[sjg]

MTB-style SPDs everywhere here. Any tiny advantage in stiffness is outweighed by the ease of walking, even if it's just when getting the bike out or going into a cafe. There's increasing numbers of road-orientated SPD shoes too that don't have the aggressive tread of MTB ones.

If you race or haven't yet realised that "the rules" are tongue in cheek, then go ahead and get yourself some SPD-SLs.

[TwistingMyMelon]

I really rate stiffness (ooohhh eerr) was one of my biggest considerations on choosing a new road shoes, the shoes I commute in are flexy but comfy. Stiffer shoes give me an edge on steep climbs and sprinting hard out the saddle, until I snapped one and nearly fell off!

[Roger Irrelevant]

I've always used SPDs (i.e. not SLs), and an XC race shoe - in a lot of cases the soles are exactly the same as those used on the manufacturer's road shoes but with a bit of extra grippage stuck on. Any decrease in power transfer vs a full-on SPD-SL set up will therefore be tiny (if anything), but you can walk just fine if you need to and the cleats last pretty much forever. Always seemed the best way to me.

[gazza285]

Roger Irrelevant said:

The cleats last pretty much forever.

I change mine about twice a year roughly, it's always a surprise to find how little float there is with a new cleat fitted compared to a worn one.

[Roger Irrelevant]

gazza285 said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

The cleats last pretty much forever.

I change mine about twice a year roughly, it's always a surprise to find how little float there is with a new cleat fitted compared to a worn one.

Crikey - I must do a lot less clipping in and out than you then! But then I do most of my miles on quiet rural roads where I rarely do need to come to a full stop. I don't think I've ever actually changed a pair before the shoes themselves have been knackered.

[gazza285]

Roger Irrelevant said:

gazza285 said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

The cleats last pretty much forever.

I change mine about twice a year roughly, it's always a surprise to find how little float there is with a new cleat fitted compared to a worn one.

Crikey - I must do a lot less clipping in and out than you then! But then I do most of my miles on quiet rural roads where I rarely do need to come to a full stop. I don't think I've ever actually changed a pair before the shoes themselves have been knackered.

The joys of racing cyclocross perhaps.