What's the general view on this. Personally I would think SPD's as they are more like a normal shoe and would be easier to live with on a wee tour. I presume road shoes are a lot stiffer.?
Road shoes and pedals can solve hotspot problems if you're prone to that but most people are fine with mtb shoes/pedals which as you say are more practical.
If I was touring I'd definitely chose mtb shoes/pedals.
Deffo SPDs, as you can wear the shoes in the evenings. Walking to the pub in your road cleats would be a mighty PITA. You could take extra shoes in your luggage, but that seems like unneccesary weight to me.
I've used Shimano MT51s for touring, they work very well.
spds every time unless you suffer from hotspots as mentioned above.
CB Candys do me for touring and commuting. The small platform can help avoid hotspots.
Definitely SPDs for the convenience. Interesting folk are suggesting road shoes are better with hot spots. I've only ever had probs on long rides when I've been on a road bike.......
SPD's. I use them for road riding anyway but as above, having a pair of shoes you can wear when you're walking around is a massive help. it does of course mean you don't need to carry another pair round with you.
I use eggbeaters for commuting, even on the road bike. I can't get in and out of single sided road pedals fast enough at junctions...
SPDs on MTB and road bike for me. Simply not interested in 2 pairs of shoes, different cleats/pedals etc. Commonality for me.
Another vote for spd's. Road shoes/ pedals are great but not good for commuting if you have to walk across a marble floor in road cleats 🙂
MTB shoes, A530 pedals would be my choice.
I find I suffer from hot spots with SPD's, no matter how stiff the shoes. Just bought some new Shimano MO77's which are fine up to about 60 miles on road, uncomfy after that.
May sound perverse, but I'm thinking of going back to toe clips and straps for touring.
Hello,
Touring and commuting aren't the same.
For touring SPD is ok as long as you choose really rigid shoes (if not you'll be at risk to feel the cleat zone under your feet and this is a very unpleasant experience)
for commuting, SPD is a dream. MTB shoes are required (because alas no manufacturer provides more clasical looking shoes with SPD cleat.. except very difficult to find Brontrager Street, very poor quality exustar or very expansive, Quoc Pham, Dromarti or Vittoria).
I use shimano MT41, ugly but confortable and looking as a normal winter sporty shoe.
in town SPD is very secure (no more foot that slips on the pedal); if set at le weakest, it's easy to disengage the feet in a panic situation (not the case with road pedal), and pedal like Shimano 520 have two similar faces which mean that you don't have to search for the right side, both sides are the right side..
My two cents..
Luc
MTB shoes are required (because alas no manufacturer provides more clasical looking shoes with SPD cleat.. except very difficult to find Brontrager Street, very poor quality exustar or very expansive, Quoc Pham, Dromarti or Vittoria).
I'm using SPD on a pair of Pearl Izumi "i-beam" road shoes, which weren't massively expensive (about £30 or £40 in a sale I think). Not the most stable things to walk in though (but that's not the point of road shoes), so for touring recessed shoes would be better.
I didn't realise road shoes that fit SPD were that rare. I've never had "proper" road pedals - I used to ride with clips and straps, then went to SPD on everything because I was riding MTB and touring and didn't want two pairs of shoes. Now I ride flat pedals off-road (unicycles) and my road bike has become more "sporty" but I've just stuck with SPD (and Shimano A520 pedals). Seems to work for me.
EDIT: Just re-read that post and perhaps the poster was talking about "normal-looking shoes" rather than road shoes... may have got the wrong end of the stick.
Comes down to personal taste.
I commuted (32-miles a day) and toured (three/four day riding) on Candy Egg-Beaters and using a Diadora shoe without issue.
Back in the day, when I was 'road' riding / competing I used Look shoes and pedals but that was because I used my race bike to commute on and didn't mind walking like a duck.
I prefer using EBs.
At the end of the day try it and see. You can always buy a set of 'Road' pedals and shoes if you don't like using spds (or need to shave 15-seconds of your commuting time).
try shimano / specialized touring shoes..
http://road.cc/content/review/16381-shimano-rt81-shoes they do teo cheaper versions as well I use RT51
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/bg-sport-touring-shoe-ec025555
specialised also doe the versatile sonoma as well
designed for shimano single sided touring spd, but work with all spd/atac etc
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-pd-a600-spd-touring-pedals-prod21829/ there is a cheaper version as well
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-pd-a520-spd-touring-pedals-prod11394/
the outer part of the pedal interfaces with the sole on the shoes to provide more support
nice compromise between road and mtb
"if not you'll be at risk to feel the cleat zone under your feet and this is a very unpleasant experience"
Seriously?!