Those funny wee pedals (SPDs)

[dkahn400]

Peter B wrote:

> I've been using double side Shimano spds for over 12 years quite
> happily, notwithstanding mud clogging on the older versions. I
> bought a pair of single sided A515's for a road bike, mistake!
> They're a real ball-ache to flip and engage, far more so than the
> Looks I've used, just what you don't want when trying to make smart
> progress from a road junction for instance.
>

They're a piece of cake. See my reply to Stpeh.

--
Dave...

 

[trembler50]

Like a previous poster, I must endorse the M424.

These are great.

They can be used with ordinary shoes.
They are good SPD's and..

You can uncleat for tricky situationa and they still function as oridnary pedals.

Plus..

They're not too heavy.

and finally and most importantly..

They look good too.

 

[Call me Bob]

On 24 Jan 2005 06:20:03 -0800, "dkahn400" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>> Single sided mean you have to fiddle around finding which side of the
>> pedal you have and doing that annoying flip, whether using your SPDs
>> or not.

>It's actually trivially easy if you have the technique, and you do not
>have to coast. Firstly, if your cleated foot finds the flat side of the
>pedal it is not an emergency. You can cycle quite happily like this for
>as long as you need to - you're just not clipped in. When you're ready
>to change sides you don't have to flip or fiddle at all. Simply take
>your foot off the pedal at the bottom of the stroke and put it back on
>at the top. Do not bother looking down or trying to feel for the clip.
>The pedal will be the right way round. Click in and ride away.

They *are* a pain in the **** though if you are cycling in regular
shoes or boots though, and your "off, and back on again" technique
won't work then.

The weighting of the pedals means that the cage side hangs under the
pedal, so you need to faff about trying to flip them right side up
when not wearing cycling shoes.

--

Call me "Bob"

"More oneness, less categories,
Open hearts, no strategies"

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

 

[Brian]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've just placed an order with chainreaction cycles for the Shimano M520
spds.

Should be interesting cycling once I get these fitted!

I'm hoping that the shoes that I have (Specialized Taho '05) will be OK
with these pedals. Only way to know is to try them.

Regards

--
Brian

 

[dkahn400]

Call me Bob wrote:

> They *are* a pain in the **** though if you are cycling in regular
> shoes or boots though, and your "off, and back on again" technique
> won't work then.
>
> The weighting of the pedals means that the cage side hangs under the
> pedal, so you need to faff about trying to flip them right side up
> when not wearing cycling shoes.

I don't find them difficult in ordinary shoes either. The same
technique works fine for me.

--
Dave...

 

[Ambrose Nankivell]

In news:[email protected],
dkahn400 <[email protected]> typed:
> Call me Bob wrote:
>
>> They *are* a pain in the **** though if you are cycling in regular
>> shoes or boots though, and your "off, and back on again" technique
>> won't work then.
>>
>> The weighting of the pedals means that the cage side hangs under the
>> pedal, so you need to faff about trying to flip them right side up
>> when not wearing cycling shoes.
>
> I don't find them difficult in ordinary shoes either. The same
> technique works fine for me.

I imagine it depends how stiff the bearings in your pedal spindle are.

A

 

[dkahn400]

Ambrose Nankivell wrote:
> In news:[email protected],
> dkahn400 <[email protected]> typed:
> > Call me Bob wrote:
> >
> >> They *are* a pain in the **** though if you are cycling in regular
> >> shoes or boots though, and your "off, and back on again" technique
> >> won't work then.
> >>
> >> The weighting of the pedals means that the cage side hangs under
the
> >> pedal, so you need to faff about trying to flip them right side up
> >> when not wearing cycling shoes.
> >
> > I don't find them difficult in ordinary shoes either. The same
> > technique works fine for me.
>
> I imagine it depends how stiff the bearings in your pedal spindle
are.

Possibly, but my pedals spin freely. They are also reasonably well
balanced and don't show a bias for hanging either side down. Are we
talking the same model? Shimano M324.

--
Dave...

 

[Dave Kahn]

I wrote:

> Possibly, but my pedals spin freely. They are also reasonably well
> balanced and don't show a bias for hanging either side down. Are we
> talking the same model? Shimano M324.

OK, humble pie time. I had an extra close look at the pedals on the way
home tonight and tried a few experiments. Only having done about 8,000
miles on them I'm obviously not that familiar with them. Certainly only
about 20 miles of that have been with non-cycling shoes.

Contrary to what I said earlier the pedals /do/ have a bias. Left to
their own devices they hang not quite vertically so that the clippy side
is facing to the rear of the bike and the flat side to the front. The
reason the foot off / foot on method works well with cleats is not
because the pedals are stiff but because centrifugal force causes the
heavier part of the pedal to move to the outside of the pedalling circle.

The same method sometimes works when trying to get the flat side, but
does not work reliably because this time centrifugal force is working
against you. Bob the Builder is almost right, but the cage side is not
really hanging under the pedal, but to the front. To engage it reliably
I've discovered two methods.

1. Stop pedalling for a moment so the pedal finds its rest position,
then put your foot toe-down in front of the pedal and flip it back. You
don't have to look down or fiddle with it, it falls into place every time.

2. Use the foot on / foot off method, but instead of a normal pedal
stroke back-pedal half a revolution with the engaged foot. Centrifugal
force will now work in your favour and the pedal will come up with the
flat side uppermost.

--
Dave...

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells