MTB or Road SPD shoes for 30 mile commute?

[NUEZ]

Hi,

I have recently started cycling to work 3 times per week on my Specialized Allez (30 mile road trip each time from Clapham Junction to Leatherhead in Surrey)

I am currently just wearing a pair of running shoes but would like to upgrade to SPD shoes.

I have heard people say that I should be looking at getting MTB rather than Road shoes, as road shoes are impossible to walk in. I am tending to opt for road shoes as IMHO they seem to be more suited to the task at hand. Furthermore, I only have to walk 200 metres from our undergorund carpark to my desk.

Any opinions welcomed. Thanks

[Rolls]

200 meters is quite a way - I'd be going with MTB shoes TBH.
Get some that are half decent, and they should ne neigh on as stiff as road shoes too!!

[walm]

I would say MTB too but simply because I have never really got on with clipping into the road pedals.
Perhaps I am just not familiar enough with road pedals but with MTBs I literally never even have to pause pedalling or take my eyes off the road.
With the road pedals I am forever looking down to check that they are rotated the right way.
I also find I can just wiggle my foot onto the MTBs while still applying say 50% pressure to pedalling and it will clip in, but with road ones I have to take my whole foot off and start again if I don't get it right first time.

[Mars]

I bought a pair of Specialized Sonomas this week. Like the Tahoes I had before they're not really either MTB or road shoes - more of a "trainer with a cleat". The cleat is recessed-enough that you can walk on them with the cleat only *just* clicking on the ground. They're quite sober in appearance too, so you don't draw attention to yourself either.

[NUEZ]

Thanks for the comments

It shows what an amateur I am that I didn't even realise there was a difference between MTB and Road SPD peddles ;-)

I think it would be best to head down the local bike shop and try walking round in a few different pairs.

Thanks Mars. I will take a look at Sonomas or Tahoes. The idea of a 'trainer with a cleat'' could be appealing as I imagine that they would be a lot warmer than a more minimal road shoe come winter (especially if it was like last winter)

[Rolls]

If you're going to commute in the winter, you WILL want either some overshoes, or some proper winter boots

[Mars]

Rolls said:

If you're going to commute in the winter, you WILL want either some overshoes, or some proper winter boots

Yes, the Sonomas are particularly "airy". There's a gauze sewn into the top to keep your feet cool.

The Tahoes I had did not have that gauze but the new 2010 models might. I didn't look too closely at them when buying the Sonomas but I did note they had changed the styling a bit.

Check out the Specialized concept store page here:

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk//detail/7...

Yes, looks as though they are made with the same gauze at the top.

[Mars]

These look more like the old Tahoe. Good price too.

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/Detail/79...

[fergus]

NUEZ said:

Thanks for the comments

It shows what an amateur I am that I didn't even realise there was a difference between MTB and Road SPD peddles ;-)

I think it would be best to head down the local bike shop and try walking round in a few different pairs.

Thanks Mars. I will take a look at Sonomas or Tahoes. The idea of a 'trainer with a cleat'' could be appealing as I imagine that they would be a lot warmer than a more minimal road shoe come winter (especially if it was like last winter)

The SPD SLs (road pedals) provide a lot more support for your foot. I'd try a pair before discounting them.

a 200m walk in shoes with SPD SL cleats isn't that far. Most non bargain basement cleats have rubberised ears on to stop you sliding all over the place when you walk. Just don't try walking on anything greater than 1:20 in the wet...

PS for overboots. You can get a few different types, from simple 'socks' that go over the shoes, to insulated neoprene overboots, to goretex shells, which are more for water protection. In the depths of winter, even 'trainer' style shoes will get cold.

[matty_doh]

I use MTB shoes and pedals for both on and off road. (Shimano M540's and Shimano FN23 Shoes)

I tried my dads road shoes for a few weeks (SPD SL's) and found them more awkward to engage and they were next to impossible to walk in. They were a little more supportive but not by much, and transferred power a little better (Though the difference between good MTB pedals on a tight setting and road pedals is negligible IMO).

The cleats also wear down very quickly when walking on them in my experience, and I think doing a 30 mile a day commute you'd be wearing them very quickly as I presume you'd be stopping quite a few times at lights etc. as well as the walk at the end.

As was said above, if you get Shimano shoes go 1 or sizes bigger as they tend to be a small fit.

[blackburn]

As Matty said - Shimano shoe sizing does seem a bit strange. Try (on) before you buy...

[mk1fan]

If you're after a 'stiff' shoe then look at an XC mtb shoe rather than a Trail shoe. It'll still have the recessed cleat that's easy to walk on than a Road shoe is. Ultimately it the stiffest shoe will be a road specific shoe.

You may want to look at mtb Touring shoes as well. I've got a pair of Diadora mtb touring shoes that are, imo, excellent commuting shoes.

Regardless of the type of shoe remember that you'll want to wear a thicker sock during the colder months - even with over shoes - so leave a little breathing space in the sizing.

[hman]

mtb spds.

[Parsnip]

I would say road - I commuted in mine every day for 5 years, probably about the same walk as you to my locker and only needed new cleats every couple of months. You get used to walking in them and they are far, far better on the bike. Clipping them in becomes second nature.

I assume you will be changing into shoes at work anyway - unless you want to look like a spacktard who wears MTB SPDs and is convinced they look normal - so why not go all out and get the shoes for the job on the bike.

[AyBee]

Road SPDs, far more supportive than mtb pedals IMO. Know a guy who has commuted from Bath to Bristol for a good few years on a road bike with mtb style pedals and has just gone to road SPDs and is a big fan. I'm assuming your 200m walk will be having locked up the bike? If you're doing that, leave a cheap set of flip flops locked into your lock overnight, lock bike up, swap to flip flops to do the walk and then vice versa on the way back to the bike after work. That's what I'd do anyway

[Raven Flyer]

I have standard SPD pedals on my MTB and my road bike. I have a pair of MT60 shoes for when I'm on the MTB and its really muddy, the rest of the time I use my M183 shoes.

Both shoes are stiff but the M183s are as stiff as any dedicated race shoe and are as light too. The shoes have carbon fibre plates in the sole so the whole base of the shoe feels like it is part of the pedal. There is zero sole flex.

The MT60s can hinge in one direction to assist walking and feel like a normal trainer to walk in. Both have tread that goes around the cleat, so walking in either shoe is easy and nothing like SPD SL or similar shoes.

[walm]

Parsnip said:

I would say road - I commuted in mine every day for 5 years, probably about the same walk as you to my locker and only needed new cleats every couple of months. You get used to walking in them and they are far, far better on the bike. Clipping them in becomes second nature.

That is re-god-damn-diculous!
Cleats are like £15 a pop!

I walk probably 200m every day on the commute plus plenty of lights etc... 4,000 miles in and I am not even close to replacing my MTB SPD cleats.

I do agree though that you should just get proper MTB SPD shoes not quasi-trainers.
You are looking at a LONG WAY on the bike so you want to make the cycling as efficient as possible so getting as close to road pedals as possible while NOT spending ££ on cleats might be the way forward.

[shalmaneser]

NUEZ said:

Thanks for the comments

It shows what an amateur I am that I didn't even realise there was a difference between MTB and Road SPD peddles ;-)

I think it would be best to head down the local bike shop and try walking round in a few different pairs.

Thanks Mars. I will take a look at Sonomas or Tahoes. The idea of a 'trainer with a cleat'' could be appealing as I imagine that they would be a lot warmer than a more minimal road shoe come winter (especially if it was like last winter)

Don't get Sonomas if you've got a road bike, it's just not cool! They're all bendy anyway which defeats the point of having SPDs in the first place.

Get some decent MTB shoes, Road shoes are nice but the cleats are a pain in the arse if you've got to walk anywhere.

Shimano M161's are nice.

[ratbane]

I use XT SPDs and Spesh Comps on my MTB. I use Shimano Road SPuds and Bontrager shoes on my road bike.

In general, I prefer the MTB SPDs.

Is there an issue with toes clearance for MTB SPDs on a road bike??

[shalmaneser]

ratbane said:

I use XT SPDs and Spesh Comps on my MTB. I use Shimano Road SPuds and Bontrager shoes on my road bike.

In general, I prefer the MTB SPDs.

Is there an issue with toes clearance for MTB SPDs on a road bike??

I use MTB SPDs on my road bike and it's fine. You do hit the front wheel with your toe but you need to have the wheel at a pretty extreme angle, and it's something you'd experience with road SPDs anyway.