I’m mostly an mtb’er – but in the past I did a bit of road riding (nothing over 50 miles and just recreational).

I’m in need of bike fitness for mtb and with a young baby my time out on the bike is limited. So I’ve dug out the road bike and am commuting on it to get some more miles in the legs. Currently doing 13.5km each way but planning to gradually extend the route to work taking in some hills and longer distance.

I’m on road spds and Shimano sh-r106 road shoes which are only 3 bolt spd cleat compatible I think. The spds are driving me up the wall trying to get clicked in when pulling out from side roads and away from lights – sometimes it’s a fumble and in – other times I just seem to slide off they pedal and bash my shin.

I’ve never been great with this kind of spd so am thinking about putting Shimano mtb spds on the bike as I’ve always got on with those fine. However, my road shoes aren’t compatible and my old mtb shoes are minging and now feel a bit small.

So I either need to man up and just get on with it (and maybe get new cleats to see if t helps as the old ones are a bit worn), buy new cheap shoes that are compatible with 2 bolt cleats or try the Shimano adapters to convert 3 bolt to 2 bolt.

Has anyone tried the adapters – it doesn’t sound like a great solution from reviews on wiggle

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-sh-sm85-cleat-adapter-plate?utm_source=guides.wiggle.co.uk&utm_medium=wiggle-content&utm_campaign=cycle&utm_content=cycling-pedals-and-cleats-buying-guide&utm_term=Product

Any suggestions to either make my existing pedal / shoe combo better or suggestions for cheap ish spd shoes that will be as stiff as possible on the road bike but work with mtb pedals?

Just to say I’ve tried time road pedals and didn’t get on any better with those and managed to snap the front piece of them. I’m not a heavy rider (maybe 12.5 stone) but I am a bit of an oaf.

I find thinking about it makes it worse. Which easier said than done.

However spds are absolutely fine on the road.

I find that if I don’t look down at the pedal when trying to clip in then it just happens. If I look then it all goes pear shaped.

The action is a bit like the reverse of the “scraping muck off the bottom of your shoe” that gets used to describe pulling round at the bottom of the pedal stroke. The pedal should hang “toe up” so you bring your shoe from the back and as it moves forward it kicks the pedal into position, if you scrape your shoe forward along the pedal it should just click in.

Sorry if that sounds like gobbledygook but it’s awkward to explain.

MTB SPDs are fine on a road bike if you do want to change BTW.

It takes a while to “get it”. 9 times out of 10 when setting off I don’t need to even think about it; there’s a way to catch the pedal body with my toe and sort of “roll” over the top and push the back of the cleat in. It’s taken me a long time to reach the current comfort level.

mtb spds do make more sense when clipping in/out more often and needing to do it quickly. Had never seen those adapters before, without the smaller mtb cleats being recessed into the sole they could be difficult to aim onto the pedal

SPDs can be had for £20, plus whatever shoes CRC have discounted at the moment

The adaptors linked above are not great. My wife uses them so she can use her road shoes for spinning, the way the cleat sits means they feel quite high up and walking is VERY difficult in them.

I’d suggest you just persist, you get used to them given some time. You also get into the habit of not clipping out if you can avoid it, so maybe work on your trackstand as well!

Think of this as a great opportunity to learn how to track stand.

I just use flat pedals. Problem solved. Doesn’t matter if they are 0.001% less efficient if it’s just short rides for fitness.

I find MTB shoes and pedals fine on road, the only problem is the morning after a particularly minging MTB ride having damp muddy shoes and dropping dirt all over the office after the commute.

Optional second pair of cheap shoes and SPDs are the answer – I can track stand, probably only put my foot down on the way in about once a week (some side roads are a bit tricky to do whilst checking for traffic in particular), but I still think the convenience of double sided is well worth it. Plus you don’t have to walk like Pingu.

M520s are very cheap and last for a long, long time if you can put up with your minging MTB shoes…

So I either need to man up and just get on with it

It’s what everyone else does.

I’ve found that worn cleats make it a lot harder though.

My road pedals are called Look.

For a reason.

I’d stick with it. You get better at it. MTB SPD’s are no replacement for road riding: they start to creak after a couple of weeks and don’t feel anywhere near as secure (I use both, by the way).

+ specialize bg mtb-spd touring shoe (2006) works for me

I’ve always found pedals like the above to be the worst of both worlds, all the negatives of an MTB pedal (small, unstable cleats, lack of stability) combined with the main negative of road pedals (single sided). If your going to go MTB at least go dual sided, 520’s or 530’s for a bigger platform to aim at.

I got hot foot using the double sided pedals. never had any issue with stability with them never slipped out and cured the hot foot. And you can still walk like a normal person to the bar.

Thanks for the comments so far. Just to add I already have a pair of off-road spds so there’s no cost to try them from a pedal perspective.

Think I’ll rule the shoe adapters out – just sounds too much of a compromise.

So either buy new cleats for the road pedals and persevere – but I remember even commuting every day I didn’t get much better with them and always worries me pulling out of junctions

Learn to trackstand properly (although I honk it always looks silly)

Buy some really discounted spd shoes that don’t look too daft for a racer.

Buy some really discounted spd shoes that don’t look too daft for a racer

wouldn’t worry too much the benefit of being able to walk easily should far out way any concerns

Learn to trackstand properly (although I honk it always looks silly)

Not as silly as failing to get clipped in in the middle of a busy junction

Touring shoes and m520’s for me on my commute…just makes life easier!

HoratioHufnagel – Member

I just use flat pedals. Problem solved. Doesn’t matter if they are 0.001% less efficient if it’s just short rides for fitness.

Unless you’re looking to win races, it REALLY doesn’t matter

I just use mtb shoes and pedals. A stiff sole on the mtb shoe helps, carbon on my Lakes and never had any hotspot issues or the like. Recent review of some top end specialized mtb shoes on road.cc came to the same conclusion. And if it’s good enough for Emily Batty it’s good enough for me! You also don’t have to walk like a constipated penguin when you get to wherever you’re going which is a bonus.

Unless you’re looking to win races, it REALLY doesn’t matter

Does the commuter grand prix count as a race????

Does the commuter grand prix count as a race????

Damn right it does, especially if you’re on a MTB and they’re on a Roadie 🙂

Unless you’re looking to win races, it REALLY doesn’t matter

What matters is comfort and the level of efficiency you want. I don’t race road but I’d hate to ride road in flats. It would feel awful to me.

What matters is comfort and the level of efficiency you want. I don’t race road but I’d hate to ride road in flats. It would feel awful to me.

Why ? It just feels like pedalling a bike, exactly the same as it has for the last 100 years. Effieciency, i’m still yet to be shown a decent link that proves they’re better

I have to admit I tried flats on the racer before and it just didn’t feel right. Plus cycle shoes tend to be more water resistant than trainers and easier to fit overshoes over. I actually ride flats on both mtbs but don’t feel the need on the racer.

Plus commuting is a race! Most of my current commute is on a cycle track away from the roads and the amount of times you overtake someone then they put in loads of effort to catch you up and draft you is just silly. Most days.

Speedplay, dual sided.

Why ? It just feels like pedalling a bike, exactly the same as it has for the last 100 years.

Maybe to you, the way you pedal, but not to me and how I pedal. Flats would be much more convenient, but I hate riding in them.

Having similar trouble to OP, with shimano road pedals, are Look / Time road pedals any easier to clip in to?? Speedplay seem very pricey….

I’ve found that worn cleats make it a lot harder though.

+1. But for the OP, I would say mtb SPDs would be the best option.

If you like spds, just use mtb pedals and shoes. Personally I like both. My road/cross bike has spds and I wear my Specialized BG shoes. All of my road bikes have Look KEO. I think shoes make a bigger difference, personally.

Oh and I can clip into my Look KEOs riding fixed 8) . No second chances, it really hones the technique.

wouldn’t worry too much the benefit of being able to walk easily should far out way any concerns

If you’re walking a lot on a road ride, you’re doing it wrong

I gave up with mine and went to Speedplay, miles better coming from MTB

Does the commuter grand prix count as a race????

yep and wearing mtb shoes / spd’s is a good stealth move 8)

Understand walking might be a concern to the commuters, but I’ve honestly never had any issues with any of the road cleats I’ve tried.

I don’t know what people are wearing!

If you’re walking a lot on a road ride, you’re doing it wrong

Riding my bike into the office, trackstanding in the lift and out to my desk, whilst possible and I think quite cool, is rather frowned upon by non-cyclig colleagues.

Agree on the walking front – inliterally walk out to the garage on a morning, then from my bike in the underground car park at work to the showers. Maybe 50 metres. So less of a concern on that.

I’m thinking mtb spds is the way forward – just my mtb shoes have had it / are now too tight.

So bargain spds shoes required – probably the more cross country orientated ones so they aren’t too bendy.

Want them to be sub £30 so maybe a 2nd hand eBay again hat have been lightly used or just keep scanning the shop websites for something suitable.

Only thing is then to decide whether to keep the road pedals / shoes in case I do a triathlon or something, or whether just to sell up.

What size? I have some spares unused in 44.

Riding my bike into the office, trackstanding in the lift and out to my desk, whilst possible and I think quite cool, is rather frowned upon by non-cyclig colleagues.

I used to just take my shoes off to walk to the locker room. Or clatter through like I was wearing clogs. Now the new locker room is 20m from where I park my bike so it’s fine.

Molgrips – I’m in a size 44 Shimano road shoe at the moment. What are your spare shoes / how much would you want for them?