I am coming from road cycling with SPD-SL system and recently got myself a nice Carbon Topstone. As I thought [Magped Gravel](https://www.magped.com/shop/magped-gravel/) would be a nice compromise of gravel clipless without being scared of not detaching on time on sketchier downhills I bought them along with very [nice Gaerne Lampo MTB shoes](https://gaerne.com/g-lampo-matt-black/), which unfortunately turned out to be too narrow to fit the Magped clip.
I’ve also bought [Fizik Terra Atlas](https://www.fizik.com/rw_en/terra-atlas.html), which fit worse in comparison to Gaerne Lampo – Terra Atlas seems softer and not so supportive of my arch underneath, plus using BOA dial gives more balanced results on Gaerne Lampo vs Terra Atlas, where singe BOA dial seems to compress my foot mostly in the upper area, leaving loose the midfoot.
Long story short, I really love Gaerne shoes both aestetically and how they fit, and I am now thinking of going with classic SPD MTB pedals instead of Magped Gravel?
How much trickier is to detach from SPD on a downhill vs Magped gravel?
Is my fear of not detaching on time reasonable on sketchy/muddy downhills and do Magped Gravels do really have an edge here over SPD? I have zero experience with either, only with road SPD-SL.
The other option is to return both shoes and buy [Gaerne Hurricane Carbon](https://gaerne.com/carbon-g-hurricane-wide-matt-black/), which is the shoe that seems to have the same fit as Lampo, but with carbon sole, with more space to fit Magped plate.
Is a carbon sole here (even though I’ve found it for basically the same price as Lampo shoes) an overkill for an inexperienced gravel rider such as myself? Is it going to be too stiff for an occasional hike and bike? (I am not focusing on bike packing, but there surely will be occasions where I need to walk a bit).
Thanks in advance 😇
by MacaroonPlane3826
11 Comments
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Just get SM-SH56 cleats if you’re that scared. They detach in multiple directions (rotating the foot, tilting, …).
Not tricky at all. Very easy to get out and highly recommended.
you can adjust the release tension to a laughably easy degree on SPDs
I’d just go with regular SPD pedals. You’d have to be dealing with some technical mtb type singletrack to be worried about unclipping so quickly on gravel.
Loosening tension allows you to pop out super quickly.
I tried both. I still ride the magped (sport) on my gravel bike because I also use the bike for commuting and I don’t need clicked shoes for that. But if I go a little sporty I enjoy the additional power of clicks. What I’m not happy about is the position of the plates. You don’t have a lot of variety.
But for a sports-only-gravelbike I would choose spd or crankbrothers
Good luck with the descision
You worry about downhills but IMHO uphills where you lose momentum/traction and have to put a foot down or dismount altogether are way sketchier running regular SPDs. Watch out for that.
This being said, SPDs are still your best option. Remember that a strong enough emergency pull upwards will unclip your foot no matter what.
If you’re coming from SPD-SL you will be fine.
The release on SPDs is notably easier.
Those are some pretty kicks
SPD take a bit to work in but I can literally clip out of them faster than a fly farts… I have them on ALL of my bikes. Road, gravel, MTB… never an issue pulling big watts on the road bike in county line sprints and unclipping for MTB is super simple.
Folks really need to stop being afraid of clipping out. In years of riding spd- I’ve had a grand total of 1 accident where i forgot to clip out.