A different kind of pedals thread. MTB or Road?



Grant Orchard

New Member
Sep 8, 2004
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Ok, I have a hybrid bike and I'm looking to get some pedals. Obviously there is the choice between road or mtb pedals, so my question is this. What benefits or advantages do road pedals have over mtb pedals? If I had to guess I would say that they had better power transfer, but all it would be is a guess. If I get mtb pedals then I can get shoes that I can actually walk with, which is a benefit as I then wouldn't have to carry walking shoes every time I ride. But if the benefits of road pedals/shoes outweigh this then I'll quite happily buy a set of those instead.

Anyone able to help me out?

Thanks

Grant
 
You're going to get different opinions. In the end you'll have to decide for yourself. Those that favor road pedals will talk about "hot spots" from too little surface area. I've never experienced the "hot spot" problem and can't see why there would be a problem if the shoe sole is sufficiently stiff. I find it convenient to use double sided pedals, (which are available in someroad pedals as well) and have a recessed cleat for walking.
 
As the other poster said, you'll get a ton of varied or even biased opinions on this. I suppose it depends on the type of riding you're planning on doing most. I've used Shimano dual-sided SPD pedals and Shimano Black/Gray SPD shoes on my road bike. They've been fine. I've had no problems at all. However, just today, I noticed the "hot spot" problem mentioned. Granted, I road for 46 miles at an average speed of 16.5mph so that might have something to do with it. Most of the time when I ride around 30 miles at 15mph average, I've noticed no problems at all. They work fine and are easy to clip in and out of. The shoes are easy to walk in as well. Since I am going to be concentrating on road cycling exclusively and longer rides, I plan on getting road shoes and pedals. Hey, if you want to get a hell of a deal on some brand new SPD pedals and shoes (no scuffs and they even still smell new!) then send me a private message!
 
At the moment I ride to and from work - about 20km each way with one day a week of 40km each way.

What I really want to know is not "Which is better" but what are the strengths/weaknesses of each type of pedal/shoe. Then I can make up my own mind.

Thanks for the input so far.

Grant
 
Depends on the pedal. Some are easier to clip in and out of and some are harder. Some have tons of float which some people hate or love and some have none which some people hate or love. The biggest differences that road cyclists will point out is "power transfer" due to the larger cleat of the road pedals and the smaller cleat of the MTB pedals. It doesn't sound like you're racing anyone though. At only 20km each way, it's a relatively short distance too. I think MTB pedals would be better for you given the hybrid bike you have and the type of riding you plan on doing. You're not racing and/or riding extremely long distances so I think road pedals (especially single sided) would be a waste of money for you. Just my personal opinion. Someone correct me if they think I'm wrong.
 
I quess that I think that it would depend on the type of shoe that would work better for you. If you stop on your ride and go into stores I think that a mtn shoe would be good because they are easy to walk in and are maybe easier on the floor. A road shoe the cleat is not recessed so you walk funny. I think that as far as power goes they both deliever great power. I have both and do not have any problems with either. I think that mountain racers get plenty of power into mtb pedals that road cyclist get, if they did not you would see them using something else.
 
Grant, i guess the million dollar question is , "what sort of cycling are you looking at doing". I do both, road and mtb. and i couldn't do without either in pursuit of their desired application. However, as i commute and have to get on and off my bike frequently and walk through shopping centres and up driveways etc etc my sidi genius 4 mtbs with spd cleats are unbeatable for that purpose.

aside from that, both pedal systems are very comfortable to ride and easy to get in and out of. What i find is that on the road i feel i get better forward transfer and comfortability out of long distances on my road bike. On the mtb i find that bouncing around and climbing severe gradients moves my legs and feet about a fair bit and that the spd pedals are perfectly designed to provide a balance, and that is my point. Look at what you are going to do more of and find the better option to acheive that balance. or, find a pedal that provides the option for both. they do exist.
 
Grant Orchard said:
Ok, I have a hybrid bike and I'm looking to get some pedals. Obviously there is the choice between road or mtb pedals, so my question is this. What benefits or advantages do road pedals have over mtb pedals? If I had to guess I would say that they had better power transfer, but all it would be is a guess. If I get mtb pedals then I can get shoes that I can actually walk with, which is a benefit as I then wouldn't have to carry walking shoes every time I ride. But if the benefits of road pedals/shoes outweigh this then I'll quite happily buy a set of those instead.

Anyone able to help me out?

Thanks

Grant
With MTB shoes you can walk around quite a bit and still be comfortable, with Road shoes it's a different story. I have Shimano SPD pedals on my bike and have never had comfort issues.
 

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