I usually use road pedals on the gravel bike since most routes do not include much stopping. I use mtb pedals if I think there will be walking sections or if we are on vacation and I expect cafe stops (typical European route where there is always a cafe around the corner. I love Europe.).
I am wondering what the Redditverse uses, and why.
by mtpisgah
21 Comments
mtb’s w comfy shoes, now and for the rest of my life
Mtbs even on my road bike
Clips scare me.
SPD-SL is a no-go for me, I walk entirely too much.
SPD.. I’ve yet to find a shoe that gives me enough support. I mostly ride flats now.
It depends on the riding you do. If you ever need to dismount and walk, even for a brief period then use mountain bike pedals. You can walk in road shoes but the cleats generally don’t play nice with mud. There are some very stiff comfortable mtb shoes out there that are as stiff as road shoes, but of course take mtb cleats.
I use SPDs on everything except my touring/commuter bike.
Road pedals on the gravel bike and MTB pedals the MTB. Time pedals on both.
I used flats on my gravel bike and I’m not ashamed or afraid to admit it.
SPD for everything. I’m a cafe stop kid
MTB flats on all my bikes. One shoe to rule them all.
Combo pedals: SPD on one side and flat on the other. State sells them.
Road would ok unless you ever have to hike a bike, especially on slick surfaces.
Two-bolt SPDs on MTB, road, and gravel.
I recently started riding spd pedals on my gravel bike. I can’t say I have noticed much difference in comfort or performance yet. I do think they look slick though
I couldn’t decide so I got a hybrid pedal. I’ll see if I ever wish I was clipped in. Generally I ride flats on everything but this is my first gravel bike.
I just bought some XT SPD pedals with my new bike but they have more of a platform than my MTB SPD pedals. Love them. I think they are M8120 pedals.
MTB pedals are better for clipping in and walking off the bike. Road pedals have a wider contact patch that can help a little bit if you aren’t using really stiff soles, but it’s a pretty negligible advantage with most cycling shoes.
I find my mountain SPDs can wobble ever so slightly while clipped – the springs hold the cleat in the pedal, but they don’t really push it downward into the axle, so there’s a tiny bit of play. My road shoes don’t wiggle (except for designed float).
Overall, MTB style cleats are way better for real-world cycling. I use road pedals on my stationary zwift setup, and I’m not sure they offer any real advantage – it’s really awkward to walk upstairs to refill a bottle or grab a snack. I wouldn’t use them outdoors.
So I guess for me it’s road pedals indoors, MTB pedals on my road and gravel bike, and flats on my mountain bike. I don’t really notice that much difference.
I do not do much offroad or non pavement anymore but if I did, it would be SPD 2 sided pedals and SPD shoes. Road shoes on non road rides sucks donky kong….. It is fine until you have to put a foot down OR get going to clip in and have to flip your pedal while trying to balance in gravel or other stuff.
My Look pedals needed to be scraped out after standing in a moist sandy shoulder last year, as did my buddy’s Speedplays. No way would they be functional in the mud in your second picture.
I have flats with cleats on my hardtail, and hybrid SPD pedals on my gravel bike.
Gravel gets spd. Road is spdsl because I don’t ride my bike to walk. Cafe stops are what, 10 yards of walking? Oh noooo I can’t walk in these….