Look or SPD pedals?

I like SPDs because you can get shoes in which the cleat is completely
recessed, so that you can walk naturally and with very good traction.
In fact right now I'm wearing a pair of SPD shoes at work, and they are
designed to look pretty much like normal running shoes.

The only downside I've heard of is that the smaller platform of an SPD
pedal may create an uncomfortable hot spot on the bottom of your foot.
I haven't experienced this, then again I haven't done much > 50 miles
on SPDs in a day.

I also have look pedals+road shoes which I like a lot, but I only own
them because they were my first pair and I got them dirt cheap used. I
think I'll go for an SPD road pedal when I (eventually) need to replace
these, just for the added convenience of walkability.

One nice thing about SPDs is there are a lot of decent knockoffs which
are very cheap. For example, you can get SPD pedals from Nashbar for
about $20, and from what I've heard they are quite good for on-road
use.

Dan Lenski

In article <[email hidden]>,

Tom Reingold said:

So maybe it's time to change pedals at the same time. Is there a reason
to choose one over the other?

Not much performance difference beteen Look and Shimano road pedals.
The main difference between those and Shimano MTB pedals is that you
MTB shoes have recessed cleat slots to make walking easier. Some MTB
shoes also have flexy soles so you can walk comfortably for long periods
of time, though at the expense of some on-the-bike comfort and performance.

Tom Reingold said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new
shoes. The shoes I have been using never were right for me. They make my
feet numb. After 30 miles, it becomes a bad problem.

So maybe it's time to change pedals at the same time. Is there a reason
to choose one over the other?

I see there now exist sandals with SPD cleats. That seems like an
attractive idea. I don't ride for speed. My aim is endurance. I am
planning to take the NYC century ride this year:

http://www.transalt.org/calendar/century/

I took it last year, and my feet hurt very badly.

Thanks for your help, folks.

I was an active participant in this newsgroup many years ago. In fact, I
was here before the big newsgroup reorganization. In 1985, it was called
net.bicycles.

Tom Reingold
Noo Joizy

Supposedly the Looks have a tendency to squeek, the Shimano SPD-SL
road pedals that I have, don't squeek at all.

Others have mentioned the recessed benefits of SPD.

I went from Pearl Izumi road shoes, that only came in whole sizes to
Sidi Genius 4s which come in half sizes, also in narrow and wide. The
Sidis are really comfortable, but not cheap.
Consider joining Team Performance and also look for one of their 20%
off online coupons. I got mine marked down from $229 to $170 -20% -
10%[towards future purchase] = appr $122

Life is Good!
Jeff

Quoted message said:

Supposedly the Looks have a tendency to squeek, the Shimano SPD-SL
road pedals that I have, don't squeek at all.

I concur, Look pedals are a misnomer. They should have been called
Listen.

I also switched to SPD-SL with good and quieter results. Cleats were
also designed to walk on, albeit not very far.

Chris

Tom Reingold said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new
shoes. The shoes I have been using never were right for me. They make my
feet numb. After 30 miles, it becomes a bad problem. (snip)

Quoted message said:

I see there now exist sandals with SPD cleats. That seems like an
attractive idea.

The straps on sandals look too much like toe straps to me, although I
rode in a weekly group ride where a regular or two used SPD sandals and
liked them.

Quick guess, your shoes are sized too narrow for you. Did you start
riding with leather shoes, bought tight so they would stretch to fit?
I've learned at long last that the toe area can be nice and loose,
while the top (ankle) strap is adjusted to stabilize the foot and keep
the toes from jamming forward. Getting over the old myth that cycling
shoes have to fit tight to "transmit power".

I usually run the two toe-area straps on my Sidis (Genius III, IV)
loose; the other day I snugged them up for some reason (??) and shortly
thereafter, guess what...? Comfort returned with a loosening. I've
ridden a few long days recently, including a Century, and some of my
rides are at (well past) the limits of my ability (old racers club),
never a rubbing (blister) problem at all, BTW.

I like the "clicker" Sidi top strap, as it makes it easy to do a quick,
controlled tightening as the shoe loosens up during a ride. But the
brand is not important compared to the fit. Shoes are ex$spsive in the
FLBS but worth it to get something you can enjoy riding in.

Quoted message said:

From my very limited sampling, there aren't any "perfect" shoes/cleat

systems/pedals. Just more reason to get the shoe that fits first. Happy
hunting. --TP

Chris Nelson said:

Quoted message said:

Supposedly the Looks have a tendency to squeek, the Shimano SPD-SL
road pedals that I have, don't squeek at all.

I concur, Look pedals are a misnomer. They should have been called
Listen.

I also switched to SPD-SL with good and quieter results. Cleats were
also designed to walk on, albeit not very far.

Chris

There are new look cleats with white areas impregnated with teflon or
similar designed to eliminate the squeaking. Otherwise the occasional
squirt of furniture polish onto the cleats keeps them nice & quiet.

Stan Cox

Tom Reingold said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new
shoes. The shoes I have been using never were right for me. They make my
feet numb. After 30 miles, it becomes a bad problem.

So maybe it's time to change pedals at the same time. Is there a reason
to choose one over the other?

I see there now exist sandals with SPD cleats. That seems like an
attractive idea. I don't ride for speed. My aim is endurance. I am
planning to take the NYC century ride this year:

http://www.transalt.org/calendar/century/

I took it last year, and my feet hurt very badly.

I don't find Look cleats very practical. I've used SPD for several years
both on & off road, including "ultra" rides of up to 400km. Shoes can be
a problem. It took me a while to find some that went the distance. I've
had best luck with Sidi -- I use the treaded MTB shoe for road & off
road since it's walkable. They're also one of the few makers that has my
size (52).

As for sandals, no one makes them big enough for me, but I bought a pair
of Exustar brand from Nashbar (currently on sale for $35) for my wife
last year and she absolutely loves them. She says they are very
comfortable, and they are much lighter than the Shimano or Lake sandals.
Time will tell if they are as durable, but for $30 (I had a coupon),
what's the risk?

FWIW, I've used the Nashbar SPD pedals on several bikes for years.
They're re-branded Wellgo. Some of them are compatible with Shimano SPD
pedals/cleats, some not. The ones that take the "98A" cleat seem to be
true clones.

Tom Reingold said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new
shoes. The shoes I have been using never were right for me. They make my
feet numb. After 30 miles, it becomes a bad problem.

So maybe it's time to change pedals at the same time. Is there a reason
to choose one over the other?

I see there now exist sandals with SPD cleats. That seems like an
attractive idea. I don't ride for speed. My aim is endurance. I am
planning to take the NYC century ride this year:

I now have 5500 miles on the Lake sandals. No problems at all. The
recessed footbed protects and secures your feet suprisingly well. The
plates in the soles seem to be getting a flexy now though. Hopefully,
get pass the 7500 mile mark on these sandals before summer is over.
$65.00 for 2 years and that many miles seems like a fair price to me.

Quoted message said:

http://www.transalt.org/calendar/century/

I took it last year, and my feet hurt very badly.

Thanks for your help, folks.

I was an active participant in this newsgroup many years ago. In fact, I
was here before the big newsgroup reorganization. In 1985, it was called
net.bicycles.

Tom Reingold
Noo Joizy

Tom Reingold said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new shoes.

I had used Look cleats since about 1992. This year I switched to SPDs,
and I'm glad I did. The main drawbacks to the Look cleats are
difficulty walking, short cleat life, having to carry "cleat covers,"
and the dreaded squeak.

I switched to Shimano PD-M520 SPD pedals and Shimano T092 shoes.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/sm-shimano-pd-m520-pedals--pi-2032850.html

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/penncyclebuy/05shshsh15.html

The M520 pedals are dual sided which allows easy entry. The shoes are
plenty stiff and look like normal road shoes, but have a recess for the
cleat. For me, this combination eliminates all the negative aspects of
the Looks, and I don't notice any performance difference.

Art Harris

I have been using SPD pedals on the road with excellent results. I
have a pair of the Shimano sandals and they work fine on the bike and
are quite comfortable and cool when walking. Shimano also makes a
shoe, model SH-TO92, that is a traditional looking road shoe with
recessed SPD cleat. I also have a pair of these and like them a lot
for longer/faster rides. All-in-all, the SPD system is quite flexible
and works well for me.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new
shoes. The shoes I have been using never were right for me. They make my
feet numb. After 30 miles, it becomes a bad problem.

So maybe it's time to change pedals at the same time. Is there a reason
to choose one over the other?

If you need to walk much in your cycling shoes, SPD is the way to go.
---------------
Alex

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The only downside I've heard of is that the smaller platform of an SPD
pedal may create an uncomfortable hot spot on the bottom of your foot.
I haven't experienced this, then again I haven't done much > 50 miles
on SPDs in a day.

I never understood why people think a small pedal would cause this problem.
If you have road cycling shoes, then the sole should be very stiff. So
the small difference in pedal size from Look to SPD should not feel different
with a reasonably stiff soled shoe.
---------------------
Alex

Jeff Starr said:

Supposedly the Looks have a tendency to squeek, the Shimano SPD-SL
road pedals that I have, don't squeek at all.

Others have mentioned the recessed benefits of SPD.

I went from Pearl Izumi road shoes, that only came in whole sizes to
Sidi Genius 4s which come in half sizes, also in narrow and wide. The
Sidis are really comfortable, but not cheap.
Consider joining Team Performance and also look for one of their 20%
off online coupons. I got mine marked down from $229 to $170 -20% -
10%[towards future purchase] = appr $122

Life is Good!
Jeff

Looks don't squeak for me.

I can't buy shoes online. I have to try them on first. My feet are
shaped very oddly, so most shoes hurt. And I have to try them for a long
time, too. The nice thing is that my local bike shop will let me ride on
a trainer for a half hour to try some shoes out, so I'll do that.
Besides, I prefer supporting local businesses whenever possible, even if
it costs a bit more. Not that I have totally sworn off mail-ordering.

Sounds like SPD's are the way to go.

Is there a distinction between SPD road pedals and SPD mountain pedals?
Or is there just one type?

One thing that would be nice and is not likely to come around soon is
pedals that go on and off the bike easily. I have a few bikes but I
don't want to spend money on pedals for all of them.

Thanks again.

--
Tom Reingold
Noo Joizy

Quoted message said:

Tom Reingold said:

I've been riding Look pedals for several years now. Time to get new
shoes. The shoes I have been using never were right for me. They make my
feet numb. After 30 miles, it becomes a bad problem. (snip)

Quoted message said:

I see there now exist sandals with SPD cleats. That seems like an
attractive idea.

The straps on sandals look too much like toe straps to me, although I
rode in a weekly group ride where a regular or two used SPD sandals and
liked them.

Quick guess, your shoes are sized too narrow for you. Did you start
riding with leather shoes, bought tight so they would stretch to fit?
I've learned at long last that the toe area can be nice and loose,
while the top (ankle) strap is adjusted to stabilize the foot and keep
the toes from jamming forward. Getting over the old myth that cycling
shoes have to fit tight to "transmit power".

I usually run the two toe-area straps on my Sidis (Genius III, IV)
loose; the other day I snugged them up for some reason (??) and shortly
thereafter, guess what...? Comfort returned with a loosening. I've
ridden a few long days recently, including a Century, and some of my
rides are at (well past) the limits of my ability (old racers club),
never a rubbing (blister) problem at all, BTW.

I like the "clicker" Sidi top strap, as it makes it easy to do a quick,
controlled tightening as the shoe loosens up during a ride. But the
brand is not important compared to the fit. Shoes are ex$spsive in the
FLBS but worth it to get something you can enjoy riding in.

Quoted message said:

From my very limited sampling, there aren't any "perfect" shoes/cleat

systems/pedals. Just more reason to get the shoe that fits first. Happy
hunting. --TP

You're right. They're too narrow. My feet are not extraordinarily wide
at the widest point (the ball), but they are wider at the toes than most
people's feet. I have trouble finding walking shoes that fit, too. One
big trouble is that I try shoes on in the store for a while, they feel
fine, I buy them, wear them a while, then realize they're too small.
Nowadays, I test them for 30 minutes before buying, to be cautious.

Tom

Alex Rodriguez said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The only downside I've heard of is that the smaller platform of an SPD
pedal may create an uncomfortable hot spot on the bottom of your foot.
I haven't experienced this, then again I haven't done much > 50 miles
on SPDs in a day.

I never understood why people think a small pedal would cause this problem.
If you have road cycling shoes, then the sole should be very stiff. So
the small difference in pedal size from Look to SPD should not feel different
with a reasonably stiff soled shoe.
---------------------
Alex

True, but there should be a limit to stiffness. Stiffness makes the
pedaling efficient, but the drawback is that it can cause numbness. I
bought these shoes in about 1987, and I understand that shoe makers have
backed off a bit on stiffness because of this.

Well, anyway, thanks guys for all your help. I just ordered those
inexpensive off-brand SPD pedals from Nashbar. I will probably buy shoes
from my local bike shop. Maybe I'll get those sandals. I don't know yet.

And maybe my daughter can use my old Look pedals, but I'm not sure that
makes sense. SPD's seem like a better bet if she wants to get cleats at all.

Tom

Tom Reingold said:

Alex Rodriguez said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The only downside I've heard of is that the smaller platform of an SPD
pedal may create an uncomfortable hot spot on the bottom of your foot.
I haven't experienced this, then again I haven't done much > 50 miles
on SPDs in a day.

I never understood why people think a small pedal would cause this problem.
If you have road cycling shoes, then the sole should be very stiff. So
the small difference in pedal size from Look to SPD should not feel different
with a reasonably stiff soled shoe.
---------------------
Alex

True, but there should be a limit to stiffness. Stiffness makes the
pedaling efficient, but the drawback is that it can cause numbness. I
bought these shoes in about 1987, and I understand that shoe makers have
backed off a bit on stiffness because of this.

I *have* noticed that when I ride w/the SPDs, it feels like I am
pressing on a smaller area than w/the Looks. But this is probably more
a function of the shoe than the pedal: my SPD shoes are casual-looking
shoes designed for comfortable walking, while my road shoes are super
stiff.

Quoted message said:

Well, anyway, thanks guys for all your help. I just ordered those
inexpensive off-brand SPD pedals from Nashbar. I will probably buy shoes
from my local bike shop. Maybe I'll get those sandals. I don't know yet.

And maybe my daughter can use my old Look pedals, but I'm not sure that
makes sense. SPD's seem like a better bet if she wants to get cleats at all.

Tom

I think SPDs are just great all around. I would recommend them for
anything other than racing use, and then only because I haven't tried
it yet :-)

Tom,

I recently stumbled across a "removable pedal," ostensibly for folding
bikes.

I can't find the link but some Googling should turn it up. It seemed to have
a small insert that went into the crank and acted as a receiver for a
counterpart on the pedal.

I wonder if the mechanism could be swapped into a SPD or other pedal...?

"Tom Reingold" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jeff Starr said:

Supposedly the Looks have a tendency to squeek, the Shimano SPD-SL
road pedals that I have, don't squeek at all. Others have mentioned the
recessed benefits of SPD.

I went from Pearl Izumi road shoes, that only came in whole sizes to
Sidi Genius 4s which come in half sizes, also in narrow and wide. The
Sidis are really comfortable, but not cheap.
Consider joining Team Performance and also look for one of their 20%
off online coupons. I got mine marked down from $229 to $170 -20% -
10%[towards future purchase] = appr $122

Life is Good!
Jeff

Looks don't squeak for me.

I can't buy shoes online. I have to try them on first. My feet are shaped
very oddly, so most shoes hurt. And I have to try them for a long time,
too. The nice thing is that my local bike shop will let me ride on a
trainer for a half hour to try some shoes out, so I'll do that. Besides, I
prefer supporting local businesses whenever possible, even if it costs a
bit more. Not that I have totally sworn off mail-ordering.

Sounds like SPD's are the way to go.

Is there a distinction between SPD road pedals and SPD mountain pedals? Or
is there just one type?

One thing that would be nice and is not likely to come around soon is
pedals that go on and off the bike easily. I have a few bikes but I don't
want to spend money on pedals for all of them.

Thanks again.

--
Tom Reingold
Noo Joizy

Stan Cox said:

There are new look cleats with white areas impregnated with teflon or
similar designed to eliminate the squeaking. Otherwise the occasional
squirt of furniture polish onto the cleats keeps them nice & quiet.

Interesting, at least they are trying to solve the problem. I heard
they came up with a new pedal also, but with a new incompatible cleat
that is supposed to be quieter.

I used to use Silicone and ArmorAll to shut those puppies up, worked
pretty good but needed to be reapplied which was no biggie unless I
forgot.

Chris

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is there a distinction between SPD road pedals and SPD mountain pedals?
Or is there just one type?

There are SPD(mountain), SPD-R(road) and SPD-SL(which stands for
"Similar to Look"😉

I think most people who responded are referring to SPD(mountain) or
just plain old SPD.

Chris