What do you prefer & what do you use? Short ride to work, leisure rides on road, trips to local shops.
spd's for commute and leisurely rides where nothing too technical, flats for the more technical rides due to numerous experiences of wishing I wasn't physically attached to bike so I could get off it quicker as the ground approaching fast.
opposite. spds for proper rides, flats for casual etc, so that i can use normal shoes without looking like a plumb. did use spd for a longer commute for a bit, but if its only short i'd not bother personally.
How about both?
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Commuter would be SPD as indeed would any bike I own
use the road bike for commute and trips to shops
use Cranks Bros Candies
wearing bike shoes all the time can be a bit of a pain though
Tried those single sides SPD's but not keen on them. Too much like road pedals.... trying to flip them to clip in whilst negotiating traffic lights at a major junction is a bit dodgy...and the non-SPD side is just an after-thought with no significant grip usually leading to an embarassing toptube / groin interface.
Flats for me because my leg's ****ed. I could road ride with SPDs but I feel like using the same pedals on both bikes helps my riding, smooth circles and fast spinning is easier to practice on tarmac I reckon.
I an a long term Shimano fan but I recently converted to CB Candies for in-town work. I find them quick and easy to clip in and out of at lights etc.
For the commute and more than half of my "normal" riding, Crank Bros clipless (eggbeaters on the commuter, candy/smarty on the mtbs). For the rest of the time and occasional towpath riding with the Mrs (where I need to go into a pub/restaurant so need proper footwear) I use flats.
SPDs all the time. Apart from when I've nackered my ankle due to.... erm.... not being able to get unclipped in time. D'oh!
If it's a pure hack bike for going to the shops, the pub, or running errands during your lunch break, a set of flats is the way to go.
Has nobody read the OP properly?
[i]Short ride to work, leisure rides on road, trips to local shops. [/i]
So he's got to change into SPD shoes every time he wants to go to the shops? Get real! 🙂
I used to use the combo SPD/flat pedals and they are very good, but I found myself riding in normal clothes and shoes most of the time, then my new commuter bike came with some decent Wellgo flats (DX copies) and I've left them on. They're spot on, I think. Commuting is a 15 mile round trip, I pull a trailer to the supermarket and I've done a couple of longer rides (35-40 miles) no problems at all. And when I get there, I don't hobble round like a penguin or have to get changed!
I'm coming round to the fact that unless you want to go fast and/or a long distance, cycling shoes and all the right clothing is pretty much a waste of time.
I used to be a fully committed SPD-phobe, Started using then on the Road bike for commuting (M520s) became Enough of a fan of their pedalling efficiency/robustness and started using them on my XC/Trail bike (M424) which gets used for short local loops and a bit of arsing about, I Still use flats on the BMX and the DH bike for what I would call proper technical/scary stuff, but I’ve used the Devil pedals in anger a coupe of times for some, Jumps drops and pacey DH type riding, they do work, it’s a matter of confidence and practise…
Changing Shoes is quicker and easier than pissing about with a pedal spanner in the dark, alternatively get a platform SPD (M424, 545, 647) for a pootle to the shops you can use some trainers/skate shoes, for anything more serious; pop on the disco slippers…
My commuter/shop/pub bike is fixed wheel so I use clips'n'straps. Good for both trainers and formal leather soled shoes.
SPDs for any distance: MTBing and Commute over 2 miles
Flats for popping down to the shops, and ripping up the Gnar
So he's got to change into SPD shoes every time he wants to go to the shops?
You mean you can get shoes [u]without[/u] SPD cleats in....? 😯
What else do you wear round the office?
spd for all bikes for trips to shops etc i have some casual trainer looking spd shoes - fine for walking around in.
PeterPoddy - I'm quite happy trundling around the local shops in my SPD shoes and I find I have to "change into" shoes every time I leave the house anyway so it just requires me to pick the right ones off the shoe rack.
For the OP - Flats.
for popping down to the shops, you could of course just ride SPD pedals, with flat shoes.
bit slippy, dont go doing anything stupid, fine for cruising though, as would SPDs with cages be.
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ide get these.
bit porky, but other than that, Clips for longer commutes, Normal shoes for popping doon t' shops.
and no problems of having single sided cleat/flat
i've got one sided spds on my townbike - wouldn't have it any other way. commute with spds on, shops and pub with trainers. easy.
I'm coming round to the fact that unless you want to go fast and/or a long distance, cycling shoes and all the right clothing is pretty much a waste of time.
Generally my view. I do plenty of "sport" (i.e. exercise driven) cycling, but also use bikes for just riding round.
My "new" (it's 30+ years old) fixed will likely end up with straps, just so I can ride it wherever without clomping around in my riding shoes (though my MTB shoes don't seem to bad under jeans).
Black and red MTB shoes under dark Bootcut Jeans is an AWESOME look 😀
if it wasnt wearing down the soles, and then the cleats, an breaking the carbon, and very uncomfortable to walk int i would wear mine all the time
These are your solution. SPD one side - flat on the other
I've gone the A530 route too and it works fine for me. If you spaz up clipping in at a roudabout then you have the flat there to get you around until you get a chance to clip in again. Also useful for village shop trips in normal shoes.
SPD's prety much everywhere on toe roads/in town.
Flats if needs be, so off road, the BMX.
I'd put flats on a pootling arround/pub bike, and have a pair waiting, but don't have one so they'r un-used
Spds. Some shoes look fine to wander round the shops in. At work I wear safety shoes most of the time anyway so no need to have a change.
Don't use spds off road but do on the road.
flats, no need to walk round town sounding like a tap dancer
DX flats. light, strong, relatively cheap.
Fixed gear for work commute and general getting about has Shimano DX spds - spd shoes on the commute, flat shoes for shorter getting about. The DXs took a bit of getting used to, but we're there now.
Road bike has proper road pedals, everything else has Gusset SlimJims, DMR V8s or the Wellgo copies.