Road pedals versus MTB spuds for road bike

Lifelong mountain biker. Always ridden SPDs with my beautiful SIDI shoes. Three months ago bought my first proper road bike, but use SPD pedals so I can still ride in my SIDIs. Somehow doesn’t feel right on a road bike, not enough of a solid connection between shoe and pedal I think.

Any advice welcome on whether it’s worth changing to proper road pedals and cleats, what are the advantages, and which system (Look, SDP-SL…)

Thanks for the help.

MTB spds worked fine but proper road ones work better.

I use SPD on my road bike, they’re fine.

I found I was getting hotspots on longer rides due to the smaller contact area on a SPD cleat. (I was using the shimano road pedal that accepts a SPD cleat)

I swapped for some cheap Keo pedals and they’ve been fine ever since. The downside is you’ll need the shoes as well.

Might be some very marginal weight and efficency savings from using road specific pedals, but no particular advantage otherwise. If you have good stiff soled shoes, the pedal system won’t make a lot of difference, and if you think about it, people race MTBs using SPDs without any performance disadvantages.
I use Shimano road pedals on my road racing bike, but SPDs on my commuting/touring/winter training bike for off-the-bike convenience.
If you are happy with SPDs, I would just stick with them.

I use XTR pedals on my Road Bikes….

I think for proper road riidng the look style of road system is better..

however for commuting I use these inc matching touring shoes (the sole touches the pedal cage for a bit more support

Stick with SPD’s, that’s my advice. I even used them on my track bike.
if they give you issues on long rides try some shoes with stiffer soles.

Plus SPD shoes have the advantage (and thanks to whoever on here came up with this one), of not making you look like you’re walking over a glass floor with a full nappy like road shoes do.

I have also just started road riding, how much will I get flamed for using V8’s? Never rode/ride spd’s on the mountain bikes.

Always use SPDs on my road bikes.
I have 6 bikes, 2 of them road, 2 pairs of pedals and 4 pairs of shoes.
I don’t want to have to be thinking about which pedals and which shoes go with which bikes, especially if the shoes in question are wet and in the airing cupboard.
I’ll stick with full-interchangability (is that a word?)

Might be some very marginal weight and efficency savings from using road specific pedals, but no particular advantage otherwise. If you have good stiff soled shoes, the pedal system won’t make a lot of difference, and if you think about it, people race MTBs using SPDs without any performance disadvantages.

They’re more comfy, that’s enough of an advantage for me, even if there’s no actual performance gain. Doesn’t matter how stiff your shoes are either, S-Works MTB shoes and XTR pedals still feel horrible compared to road pedals.

Ran MTB shoes (sidi) on shimano MTB pedals on my roadbike with the view of “one shoe two bikes” but the reality is there is far more vibration through the pedals on a roadbike than an MTB. Try riding cobbles in Belgium and tell me that there isn’t any difference. Wider cleat is much more comfortable on road pedals on the road bike.

Always used MTB shoes (with studs in to upset the roadies) and XT pedals. Never had any problems even on 100 mile days. I like using MTB kit on my road bike…peaked helmet, baggies, Camelbak etc – all good! 😆

I have a set of Ritchey MTB-style road pedals I need to sell. They are tiny and very lightweight, though single-sided.

I used to use road SPDs and MTB SPDs with different shoes and cleats on the appropriate bikes. Then one day I questioned why. I sold the road pedals and shoes and put some XT SPDs on the road bike. Not had any comfort problems on any ride, including the Etape, and my various shoes (touring, race and winter) can be used on any of my bikes. And I don’t walk like a duck and fall down the steps of the cafe. Win, win.

Damn I so hate agreeing with njee. Road peadl are meant for road riding, sitting and spinning for the better part of several hours. SPD’s aren’t.

I’ve been using SPDs for 15 years on mtbs and road bikes but found that proper road pedals and shoes are much more comfortable for long road rides. The difference is huge, the road pedals and shoes allow your foot to relax instead of sort of folding around the small SPD.

I’d sooner put road pedals on my MTB than MTB pedals on my road bike.

They’re far better irrespective of distance and I’ve yet to fall over at the cafe or walk like a duck carrying 3 pints back from the bar. You might want to check you’ve got them on the right feet 😉

Just a shame they’re not really very practical off road.

I use PD A600 plus Spesh Carbon Experts

I use Crank Bros Candy pedals on my road bike with Giro MTB shoes.
Never had a problem with them with respect to comfort. I’d get road shoes and pedals if I could justify the expense and if the difference was pronounced. You feel a lot more connected to the bike with road pedals, and you feel like more of your effort is going into turning the wheels but you also feel a bit more restricted in movement, especially relative to the eggbeater pedals.

I’d agree with all of that. I tour with Candys and use them in winter when my MW80s are necessary – so I know I can do long days in them without any pain. However, on the “fast bike, in the other seasons I always feel more “connected” with a proper road pedal.

I had Candy’s at first, they were spares I had lying around in the garage when I couldn’t afford new pedals and shoes on top of everything else.

I used them for about 4 months.

Probably ok for touring and definitely ok for commuting, but for the riding I do (club runs, 50-60 miles 18mph average) I’d never go back.

The Shimano touring SPD pedals are pretty good, although I don’t ride huge distances.

They’re more comfy, that’s enough of an advantage for me, even if there’s no actual performance gain.

Possibly, but never had any foot discomfort using S-Works MTB shoes and SPDs road riding even on monster rides such as La Marmotte.

DO the road pedals with lots of float (look, I think) still feel more connected or is it just the ones that hold your foot in a single position ?

I don’t like road pedals or more to the point the cleats. Almost got run over when my foot slipped waiting to turn into a side road and since then lost confidence. When riding they feel more planted though so no all bad

+1 spuds on the roadie. No problems with big rides (200 miles enough?)

[A600s with carbon Spesh BG shoes]

As usual, fantastic response from all. Clearly absolutely no agreement. I am hoping to save money by having one pedal system for both bikes, and will probably stick to that thought for the near future. I will get new pedals though since the ones I have the moment are v. minimal, need something with bit of platform. When I graduate to doing regular tons might get dedicated road pedals and shoes just for those days and swap back for normal commuting. Thanks chaps and chapesses. MiM.

As usual, fantastic response from all. Clearly absolutely no agreement. I am hoping to save money by having one pedal system for both bikes, and will probably stick to that thought for the near future.

Best compromise if you want one set of shoes and two sets of pedals is:

spd mtb on mtb and
spd touring on your road bike

Another in the “SPDs are fine, but proper road pedals are simply better” camp.

It’s very difficult to define without coming across all bullshitty, but road pedals (SPD-SL here) do just feel far more solid and connected to the bike than spuds do.

I’d sooner put road pedals on my MTB than MTB pedals on my road bike

+1.

I toured for a month with spds but would have quite happily gone with my road pedals but was advised mtb shoes/pedals would be better. Next time I’ll stick with road pedals.

And having bought my first pair of carbon soled road shoes earlier this year, I now own 2 pairs and will never be able to ride anything else 😕