shimano pedals PD-A515 and also Shimano multi-release cleat SM-SH55 - comments, opinions?



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Yuri Budilov

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Hello all

I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek 1000 road bike (2004 model).
One pedal type recommended by the bicycle shop was a Shimano PD-A515 (weight 338 grams, single-side
clip). I read some reviews on www.roadbikereview.com and it was not conclusive - some folks hated
them and some loved them....

So I am looking for any additional good/bad/ugly opinions on this pedal, assuming I have zero
experience with clip-less pedals and have only used the ordinary platform pedals so far.

I am not an experienced cyclist and I only ride for fun and fitness, i.e. weekends, not in
commuter traffic and often ride on special bike paths and bike lanes, shared with other riders,
roller skaters and cars.... I have a pair of Shimano intermediate riding shoes though fit for
this pedal....

Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a more
expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55 (also Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what the
benefits and disadvantages (apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a multi-
release cleat do?

thank you all in advance a beginner road rider from Melbourne, Australia
 
On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 13:33:24 +1100, "yuri budilov"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek 1000 road bike (2004 model).
>One pedal type recommended by the bicycle shop was a Shimano PD-A515 (weight 338 grams, single-side
>clip). I read some reviews on

For your first clipless pedals, you do NOT want single-sided. You may never want it, but your first
set will need to be very easy.

I once had some one-sided Wellgo R4 "road" pedals. I hated them. Tough to get in, couldn't find the
right position, lots of pressure required before they clicked. They were, at least, easy to get out
of. They were never right-side up when I wanted them, though; maybe single sided pedals with
counterweights would be okay, but then they're heavy -- might as well get the "mountain" pedals.

>I am not an experienced cyclist and I only ride for fun and fitness, i.e. weekends, not in commuter
>traffic and often ride on special bike paths and bike lanes, shared with other riders, roller
>skaters and cars.... I have a

You have the same needs as any other cyclist for pedals: Click in, stay in, click out. You may
also need to walk while off the bike; consider how your pedal/cleat and shoe choices affect your
ability to walk.

>pair of Shimano intermediate riding shoes though fit for this pedal....

Which model? Road or mountain?

>Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a more
>expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55 (also Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what the
>benefits and disadvantages (apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a multi-
>release cleat do?

I think it lets you release by twisting in either direction, rather than just out.

You really ought to consider a dual-sided SPD pedal, usually sold as mountain-bike pedals. I'm
partial to the $20 Nashbar Special SPDs, Shimano PD-M545s, and Crank Brothers Egg Beaters. These are
all very easy to enter and exit, and have never released me unexpectedly, even with the tension set
to it's lowest/loosest setting.

I attach the cleats to shoes with tread that results in the cleat being recessed so that I can walk.
Crank Brothers offers an Egg Beater cleat that has tread 'pontoons' to make it easy to walk if
you've got road shoes, but I haven't tried it.

I have one pair of "road" shoes that are awful if I walk on the road, into a store, or whatever.
They're OK off-road, where the cleat contacts an already uneven ground or soft grass.

The Egg Beaters are ultra-cool looking and a few grams lighter, but very expensive. They feel almost
exactly the same as my Nashbar and Shimano pedals.

Links:

Cheap $20 pedals that feel great:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=8863&storetype=-
&estoreid=

Similar pedals that can also be ridden with regular shoes:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=10018&storetype=-
&estoreid=

Almost the same thing, but made by Shimano:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=3026&storetype=-
&estoreid=

Crank Brothers Egg Beaters:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=9150&storetype=-
&estoreid=
--
Rick Onanian
 
thanks Rick

re your question:

I have Shimano SH-MO38 SPD® Multi-Purpose Sport Shoe

My understanding is that double-sided pedals are much heavier and therefore affect performance (as
well as more expensive). I thought that 338 grams (.75 of a pound?) is heavy enough without going
over 500 grams (over 1 pound) for a set of double sided MTB-type shoes.... No?

I have a road bike and ride for fitness (not competitive at all) so I need a set of pedals that will
not look out of place on a road bike. My shoes are basically bike neutral i.e. not specifically
designed for MTB or a road bike. But I do also have a Trek 4400 MTB which is why I bought general
purpose shoes....

So your only concern with single-sided pedal is that it is harder to clip-in, right? The get-out
process is just as easy on single side as on double sided pedals?

thanks again

"Rick Onanian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 13:33:24 +1100, "yuri budilov" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek 1000 road bike (2004 model).
> >One pedal type recommended by the bicycle shop
was a
> >Shimano PD-A515 (weight 338 grams, single-side clip). I read some reviews
on
>
> For your first clipless pedals, you do NOT want single-sided. You may never want it, but your
> first set will need to be very easy.
>
> I once had some one-sided Wellgo R4 "road" pedals. I hated them. Tough to get in, couldn't
> find the right position, lots of pressure required before they clicked. They were, at least,
> easy to get out of. They were never right-side up when I wanted them, though; maybe single
> sided pedals with counterweights would be okay, but then they're heavy -- might as well get
> the "mountain" pedals.
>
> >I am not an experienced cyclist and I only ride for fun and fitness, i.e. weekends, not in
> >commuter traffic and often ride on special bike paths
and
> >bike lanes, shared with other riders, roller skaters and cars.... I have
a
>
> You have the same needs as any other cyclist for pedals: Click in, stay in, click out. You may
> also need to walk while off the bike; consider how your pedal/cleat and shoe choices affect your
> ability to walk.
>
> >pair of Shimano intermediate riding shoes though fit for this pedal....
>
> Which model? Road or mountain?
>
> >Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a
> >more expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55 (also Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what
> >the benefits and
disadvantages
> >(apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a
multi-release
> >cleat do?
>
> I think it lets you release by twisting in either direction, rather than just out.
>
> You really ought to consider a dual-sided SPD pedal, usually sold as mountain-bike pedals. I'm
> partial to the $20 Nashbar Special SPDs, Shimano PD-M545s, and Crank Brothers Egg Beaters. These
> are all very easy to enter and exit, and have never released me unexpectedly, even with the
> tension set to it's lowest/loosest setting.
>
> I attach the cleats to shoes with tread that results in the cleat being recessed so that I can
> walk. Crank Brothers offers an Egg Beater cleat that has tread 'pontoons' to make it easy to walk
> if you've got road shoes, but I haven't tried it.
>
> I have one pair of "road" shoes that are awful if I walk on the road, into a store, or whatever.
> They're OK off-road, where the cleat contacts an already uneven ground or soft grass.
>
> The Egg Beaters are ultra-cool looking and a few grams lighter, but very expensive. They feel
> almost exactly the same as my Nashbar and Shimano pedals.
>
> Links:
>
> Cheap $20 pedals that feel great:
>
>
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=8863&storetype=-
&estoreid=
>
> Similar pedals that can also be ridden with regular shoes:
>
>
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=10018&storetype=-
&estoreid=
>
> Almost the same thing, but made by Shimano:
>
>
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=3026&storetype=-
&estoreid=
>
> Crank Brothers Egg Beaters:
>
>
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=9150&storetype=-
&estoreid=
> --
> Rick Onanian
 
Yuri:

#1: Don't get the A515s. They're nowhere near as easy to get into as the
M515 or M520, nor do they interface as well with most shoes. The weight difference isn't enough to
worry about; you're installing them on a 23-pound bike, and we install them on a zillion 18-pound
TREK 5200s.

The M515 & M520 will last forever, don't cost much, take standard cleats, and have easier entry &
release than the earlier (and now discontinued?)
A515. And no, it's not just because the A515 is single-sided that it's more difficult to get into.

#2: The SH55 cleat is *not* an upgrade. It is a different style of cleat
that allows you to release by angling your foot in the vertical plane, in addition to
horizontal. There are a few customers who swear by this cleat, but far more have found they can
release unexpectedly if one does not have the smoothest pedal stroke. We avoid selling them
whenever possible.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"yuri budilov" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hello all
>
> I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek 1000 road bike (2004 model).
> One pedal type recommended by the bicycle shop was
a
> Shimano PD-A515 (weight 338 grams, single-side clip). I read some reviews
on
> www.roadbikereview.com and it was not conclusive - some folks hated them
and
> some loved them....
>
> So I am looking for any additional good/bad/ugly opinions on this pedal, assuming I have zero
> experience with clip-less pedals and have only used
the
> ordinary platform pedals so far.
>
> I am not an experienced cyclist and I only ride for fun and fitness, i.e. weekends, not in
> commuter traffic and often ride on special bike paths and bike lanes, shared with other riders,
> roller skaters and cars.... I have a pair of Shimano intermediate riding shoes though fit for this
> pedal....
>
> Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a more
> expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55 (also Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what the
> benefits and
disadvantages
> (apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a
multi-release
> cleat do?
>
> thank you all in advance a beginner road rider from Melbourne, Australia
 
> For your first clipless pedals, you do NOT want single-sided. You may never want it, but your
> first set will need to be very easy.
>
> I once had some one-sided Wellgo R4 "road" pedals. I hated them. Tough to get in, couldn't
> find the right position, lots of pressure required before they clicked. They were, at least,
> easy to get out of. They were never right-side up when I wanted them, though; maybe single
> sided pedals with counterweights would be okay, but then they're heavy -- might as well get
> the "mountain" pedals.

I started with single-sided pedals and found them to be no problem. Perhaps it was the Wellgos which
were the problem. The Shimano 324s on my commuter/everyday bike have worked well for a couple of
years now. Some people don't like having to flip the pedal over to clip in but I do it automatically
now without thinking and I like have the ablity to ride comfortably in street shoes as well. Weight
would be the last thing I'd worry about when choosing pedals.

Robert Strickland
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Rick Onanian <[email protected]> wrote:
> For your first clipless pedals, you do NOT want single-sided. You may never want it, but your
> first set will need to be very easy.

My first, and so far only, clipless pedals were the (single-sided) Shimano M324. I had only been
riding a bike for a few weeks following a twenty-five year hiatus, and I had no problem adapting. I
rarely have to flip them over, and because they have a full-size platform the consequences of not
clipping in are relatively benign. The new bike when I collect it this week has double sided SPD
(WTB 250) so I'll be able to compare and contrast.

ian
 
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Yuri:
>
> #1: Don't get the A515s. They're nowhere near as easy to get into as the
> M515 or M520, nor do they interface as well with most shoes. The weight difference isn't enough to
> worry about; you're installing them on a 23-pound bike, and we install them on a zillion 18-pound
> TREK 5200s.
>
> The M515 & M520 will last forever, don't cost much, take standard cleats, and have easier entry &
> release than the earlier (and now discontinued?)
> A515. And no, it's not just because the A515 is single-sided that it's more difficult to get
> into.
>
> #2: The SH55 cleat is *not* an upgrade. It is a different style of cleat
> that allows you to release by angling your foot in the vertical plane, in addition to horizontal.
> There are a few customers who swear by this cleat, but far more have found they can release
> unexpectedly if one does not have the smoothest pedal stroke. We avoid selling them whenever
> possible.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike has a lot of experience with many customers in this area. I have some experience with me. So
I'm hardly going to disagree. But hey, you asked for data points.

I bought my A515s as my first clipless pedals about 10 months ago, and I am very happy with them. I
have no complaints about the clip-in, or the single-sided aspect, but that may have something to do
with years of practice with toeclips. I have never released unexpectedly, and I still have them on
the lightest-but-one release setting. I expected I'd want to switch to the multi-release cleats, but
the stock ones have worked out just fine for me.

Lesser considerations: they're lighter than most, but I agree that weight is not the be-all-and-end-
all. They're prettier than double-sideds, but not as pretty as some other pedals. The anodized
finish does take a beating.

Peter Storey
 
"yuri budilov" <[email protected]> wrote
>
> Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a more
> expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55 (also Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what the
> benefits and disadvantages (apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a multi-
> release cleat do?

To talk about cleat release "modes", I think it's useful to refer to the coordinate system that
airplane pilots use, that of "pitch", "roll" and "yaw". No cleat releases in "pitch", since that
corresponds to the axis of the pedal spindle. All (that I know of) cleats release in "yaw", rotating
the heel in/out. SPD "multi-release" cleats, besides releasing in yaw, release in "roll", a rotation
of the foot along an axis drawn from heel to toe.

If you are concerned about accidental releases (you like to sprint, pull up hard, etc.) single-
release cleats are probably best. On the other hand, if you worry more about getting out of your
cleats in a fall, multi-release cleats are a better match. I'd say the former are best for intense
road cycling, while the latter are best for casual road or off-road riding.

Once your reflexes are trained, either cleat works well, although switching will be a problem, so
pick one or the other and stay with it. (I'm a m-r man, myself).

As for the MTB vs. road shoe/pedal thing, opinions vary, but I think a reasonable position is that
"road" shoes/pedals are best for competitive road riding, while MTB (2-sided) pedals and light MTB
or "general purpose" shoes are best for non-competitive road riding.
 
"yuri budilov" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hello all
>
> I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek 1000 road bike (2004 model).
>
> Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a more
> expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55 (also Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what the
> benefits and disadvantages (apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a multi-
> release cleat do?
>
> thank you all in advance a beginner road rider from Melbourne, Australia

Hi, as Mike mentioned, don't worry about weight. At least not at this point in your riding. Later
when you become more experienced and know what you really want and need, then it might be time to
lighten the bike up. Also appearance should be secondary to function, although the pedals that I am
going to suggest, look very good on a road bike. I went with the Shimano SH-PDM324 which has the SPD
clip on one side and a regular platform on the other. See link:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=3025&storetype=-
&estoreid=

These are excellent for learning, because in stressful and/or dangerous situations, you can just
pedal, without needing to clip in. They come with the SM-SH55 cleat which allows multi-release
capibility. This means that you can release by turning your heel out, away from the bike, or in
towards the frame. My understanding is the the SH51 only allows release by turning your heel out.
They are adjustable, so you can start with a very light clip in and release, tighten them up later.

I bought a second bike and went with the Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL road pedal. I would not have wanted
to learn clipless on that pedal. As pointed out, the shoes you have and SPD style cleats/pedals,
will allow you to walk around normally. With my SPD-SL cleats and road shoes, I waddle like a duck.
I love them for riding, but they have limitations, that the SPDs don't. And with the PDM324 pedal,
you can ride with any shoe, which gives you some real flexibility.

Hopefully you are comfortable enough on your new bike, that you can put your attention towards the
pedals. I don't mean all your attention, you still have to be aware of your surroundings, including
traffic and people. Safety first! But you don't want to be trying to get used to your shifters, etc
and your clipless pedals.

And finally, once you get used to clipless, you,ll never want to ride without them. That's when you
put the 324s on the MTB and go for a more streamlined lightweight pedal, for the road bike.

The above information is based on my limited personal experiences and I am not, nor do I claim to be
an expert. I'm just an enthusiastic recreational rider. Life is Good! Jeff
 
On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 14:38:05 +1100, "yuri budilov"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have Shimano SH-MO38 SPD® Multi-Purpose Sport Shoe

I looked on the Shimano site. It has tread and appears to recess the cleat sufficiently to be able
to walk while off the bike.

>My understanding is that double-sided pedals are much heavier and therefore affect performance (as
>well as more expensive). I thought that 338 grams (.75 of a pound?) is heavy enough without going
>over 500 grams (over 1 pound) for a set of double sided MTB-type shoes.... No?

Compare the weight of the actual pedals. I've found MTB pedals are rarely any heavier than
road pedals.

The road pedals are supposed to be more aero, and offer bigger cleats for more foot support -- which
doesn't matter much with bicycling shoes which already have stiff soles.

The $20 Nashbar Special SPD 2-sided mtb pedals weigh 345 grams. If you want to spend more than $20,
you can get even lighter pedals.

My Crank Brothers Egg Beater S pedals are 268 grams.

"Road" pedals tend to have huge cleats which may weigh a lot, and I don't know if weight
specifications include cleats or not. They're mostly supposed to be aero and snobby.

>I have a road bike and ride for fitness (not competitive at all) so I need a

Riding a road bike for fitness generally means you're riding on roads with cars. You don't need to
be looking down at the pedals, fooling around with that, ignoring the road for 20 seconds while you
get in the pedals; this will be especially prevalent while you're new to clipless.

>set of pedals that will not look out of place on a road bike. My shoes are

That's a silly concern. However, if you're concerned about how they look, the Egg Beaters are
marketed as both road and mountain pedals, and do look really cool on road bikes.

Personally, I don't think that even your average MTB pedals look out of place on a road bike, but
I've never heard of anybody thinking that egg beaters look wrong on a road bike.

I've never tried them, but M2 Racer Orb pedals look really cool -- just a spindle sticking out of
the crank, with who knows what kind of weird cleat.

>So your only concern with single-sided pedal is that it is harder to clip-in, right? The get-out
>process is just as easy on single side as on double sided pedals?

The single-side pedals I had were just as easy to release as any other pedal I've tried. I hated
wobbling down the street into traffic trying to get in them, or just as bad, thinking I'm in and
slipping off them violently -- which would have resulted in major gonad-top tube contact if I didn't
have a compact frame.
--
Rick Onanian
 
On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 13:33:24 +1100, "yuri budilov"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek 1000 road bike (2004 model).
>One pedal type recommended by the bicycle shop was a Shimano PD-A515 (weight 338 grams, single-side
>clip). I read some reviews on www.roadbikereview.com and it was not conclusive - some folks hated
>them and some loved them....

Just buy the 515 pedal with 2 sides and use the SH51 cleats that come with them. Why bother with the
single sided version?
 
Ian G Batten wrote:
>My first, and so far only, clipless pedals were the (single-sided) Shimano M324. I had only been
>riding a bike for a few weeks following a twenty-five year hiatus, and I had no problem adapting. I
>rarely have

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 11:03:13 +0100, "Robert Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I started with single-sided pedals and found them to be no problem. Perhaps it was the Wellgos
>which were the problem. The Shimano 324s on my

The Wellgo R4 pedals were definitely terrible, even as one-sided pedals go.

I'll note that the 324s have that nice platform on the non-clip side, so it's no big deal to pedal
unclipped; and the other side has standard SPD, not a special "road" system like SPD-R. SPDs are
really easy.

>comfortably in street shoes as well. Weight would be the last thing I'd worry about when
>choosing pedals.

You've got that right! However, the options are so easy that you can go right down the worry list to
the last thing pretty easily. The 324s, at 528 grams, are the same weight as the 424s (524 grams),
which are almost the exact same pedal plus double-sided engagement for $10 cheaper.
--
Rick Onanian
 
Hello again

how does the PD-M540 compare to PD-M520? will it fit the SH-MO38 shoes well? worth spending extra $?

thanks in advance

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Yuri:
>
> #1: Don't get the A515s. They're nowhere near as easy to get into as the
> M515 or M520, nor do they interface as well with most shoes. The weight difference isn't enough to
> worry about; you're installing them on a
23-pound
> bike, and we install them on a zillion 18-pound TREK 5200s.
>
> The M515 & M520 will last forever, don't cost much, take standard cleats, and have easier entry &
> release than the earlier (and now discontinued?)
> A515. And no, it's not just because the A515 is single-sided that it's
more
> difficult to get into.
>
> #2: The SH55 cleat is *not* an upgrade. It is a different style of cleat
> that allows you to release by angling your foot in the vertical plane, in addition to horizontal.
> There are a few customers who swear by this
cleat,
> but far more have found they can release unexpectedly if one does not have the smoothest pedal
> stroke. We avoid selling them whenever possible.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
>
> "yuri budilov" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Hello all
> >
> > I am looking to buy my very first set of clip-less pedals for a Trek
1000
> > road bike (2004 model). One pedal type recommended by the bicycle shop
was
> a
> > Shimano PD-A515 (weight 338 grams, single-side clip). I read some
reviews
> on
> > www.roadbikereview.com and it was not conclusive - some folks hated them
> and
> > some loved them....
> >
> > So I am looking for any additional good/bad/ugly opinions on this pedal, assuming I have zero
> > experience with clip-less pedals and have only used
> the
> > ordinary platform pedals so far.
> >
> > I am not an experienced cyclist and I only ride for fun and fitness,
i.e.
> > weekends, not in commuter traffic and often ride on special bike paths
and
> > bike lanes, shared with other riders, roller skaters and cars.... I have
a
> > pair of Shimano intermediate riding shoes though fit for this pedal....
> >
> > Also, one recommendation on the web was to upgrade the cleats from a standard SM-SH51 up to a
> > more expensive multi-release cleat SM-SH55
(also
> > Shimano). I wonder if anyone can tell me what the benefits and
> disadvantages
> > (apart from price) of this type of cleat would be? What does a
> multi-release
> > cleat do?
> >
> > thank you all in advance a beginner road rider from Melbourne, Australia
> >
>
 
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