Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
This week’s technical question is from “Herbert” who is having difficulty with his Shimano road clipless pedals. Read his ask and my answer and add any tips you’d like to offer. There are many issues you can run into with clipless pedals so your advice will help Herb and others with problems.
Herbert wrote
“I am in my late seventies and I’m having problems clicking into my Shimano road pedals. My buddies suggest that I should switch my pedals to Shimano mountain SPD pedals with dual-sided entry. Do you think that the switch will solve my problem? Do you have any other ideas? Thanks for your help.”
I replied
Since you wrote that you’re having trouble getting into your road pedals – pedals plural, I’m going to assume that you’re having problems getting both feet into them. If that’s the case then I suspect it has nothing to do with something being wrong with the pedals and cleats. Because that usually affects one pedal/cleat first.
And if that’s the case and it’s getting difficult to get into both road pedals, then yes I agree with your buddies and concur that the dual-sided entry of Shimano’s SPD pedals makes them usually easier for people to get in to.
SIDENOTE: In case you’re dealing with it, a couple of issues that would affect one side only include a worn out cleat (the foot you put down most often usually wears more quickly), a loose cleat or something simpler like dirt stuck in the cleat or pedal.
Road Versus “Mountain”
As you can see in the photos (and you know from experience), Shimano road pedals have one side that grips the shoe only. The other side of the pedal is smooth. This means that you have to feel the pedal with your foot or look down to see it to make sure you’re stepping down on the correct side of the pedal to click your foot in.
If you try to click into the wrong side of the pedal it’s possible for your foot to slip right off the pedal, which is dangerous, especially if you’re trying to get on your bike or starting out from a stoplight, etc.
Shimano dual-sided “mountain bike” pedals don’t have the limitations and risks of their single-sided ones (I put the quotes around mountain bike because since they first came out lots of roadies have switched to and love dual-sided pedals).
The reason the dual-sided design is so popular is because it’s much easier to find and click into the pedals having both sides to step on. With a little practice most riders find they don’t need to look down to do it. And it’s unlikely you’ll slip off the pedals.
You didn’t mention this as a problem Herbert, but the other advantage of Shimano dual-sided pedals is that they use a cleat that’s recessed in the shoes. So there’s no cleat protruding from the shoes making it difficult to walk as there is with road shoes. Being able to enter more easily and having the same walkability as street shoes makes dual-sided pedals the best choice for most cyclists.
Note that you do have to purchase a dedicated pair of cycling shoes that accept the recessed cleats. The cleats are included with the pedals not with the shoes.
Try It Out
To find out before spending the money on new pedals and new shoes, my advice is to ask one of your buddies to let you try their pedals and shoes. The shoes don’t have to be a perfect fit.
BUT DO NOT RIDE THEIR BIKE. Just stand over it with the bike on a nice soft grass lawn. Straddle the bike and hold onto the bars.
In that position, test one pedal. If you’re right-handed, start with your right foot. If you think you’re going to fall over or lose your balance, which does happen – have someone hold the front of the bike so you can’t fall over.
In that position you should try clicking into the pedal and getting out of the pedal. Try looking down at the pedal at first. Then try clicking in and out while not looking at it. Try both sides of the pedal. Testing it like this will give you a feel for if it’s easier than what you have now.
Check the Release Tension
If you get the pedals and shoes, you should know that Shimano SPD dual-sided pedals have adjustment screws on them to set the effort it takes to get out of the pedals. I recommend setting these at the loosest setting for starting out. There’s a little minus sign on the adjustment screw. Turn the screw counterclockwise all the way.
It’s easier to show this than to explain it. If you have time you could watch my video about clipless pedals and how they work and how to ensure they’re easy to get into and out of. That video is here:
I hope this helps and you find dual-sided SPD pedals make it easy again to get into your pedals.
Share Your Tips for Herbert
Opinions vary a lot on clipless pedal brands, models and use. I focused solely on Herbert’s choice between Shimano dual- and single-sided entry pedals. If you have other easier-entry clipless pedal recommendations and tips please share them in a comment. Thanks.
Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. A pro mechanic & cycling writer for more than 40 years, he’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Tune in to Jim’s popular YouTube channel for wheel building & bike repair how-to’s. Jim’s also known for his cycling streak that ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.
I would suggest looking at Crank Brothers pedals. I personally like the egg beaters. I’ve used them on my mountain bike for years. They are four sided entry and very easy to get in and out of. They also have platform type pedals if you like a wider base.
Yep! Ditto! etc.etc.
Same here. Crank Brothers on road and mountain bike.
Crank Brothers here as well!
I am 68 years old and I use the Shimano 8120 pedals. They have two sides and similar to road pedals in looks and feel. The only issue is that MTB shoes are heavier.
I love Crank Brothers. They have the simple egg beater model and the bigger platform clip in double sided candy and mallet models. And speed play double sided are great too for road bikes but not gravel or MTB IMO.
Use flat pedals. I’ve been using flat pedals on my road bike for a few years with zero downsides. The longest ride I’ve done in that time is on the 70 mile range. With traditional bike shoes my feet would have developed but spots will before I finished that ride. With my flat pedals I can wear comfortable shoes – my feet are happier, my knees are happier and I can walk around when I get off the bike.
Fall risk of greatly decreased too which gets more important each passing year.
I agree, flat pedals and normal comfy shoes. Cleats for racing perhaps, but at 75 I’m not at all interested in trying to get a 5V-second advantage over my cycling buddies heading to the coffee shop.
I have had TOO many slip ups with flat pedals. Foot sliding off, banging my crotch, plus they are just a pain at stops to mess with getting the pedal in a good “start” position. My Crank Bros. pedals are easy in/ easy out but my foot STAYS ON the pedal over bumps, in the rain, etc. I think “road” (RACING) pedals and cleats are silly if not racing, but walkable shoes and cleats are great.
Clearly you didn’t use a good flat pedal. If I had to reposition my pedal at a stop I can spin my flat pedal 360°.
Speedplay road pedals!!!! Double sided entry and you don’t have to look down to clip in.
I concur. Speedplay might be the best two sided pedals on the market. The non-centering float is particularly nice on the knees. But they are in a different price category.
“Not looking” to clip in in a rider skill, not a characteristic of specific pedal types. Some Speedplay riders in my local bike club look to clip in, and some don’t. While ‘no-look’ clip in is easier on 2 or 4-sided pedals (like SPD or Crank Brothers), like many riders I typically don’t look to clip in to my Look Keos or SPD-SL’s.
BTW- Not all current Speedplay pedals are 2-sided entry.
I ride spd on all my bikes because I have a hip replacement and would rather unclip my pedal than my new hip!!!
spd are great
you can WALK IN TH SHOES
and not fall on your ***
clip in and out is easy
double sided SPD is the way!
I use spds on all my bikes until recently I switched one gravel bike to flat pedals for cold riding in winter and my all-purpose/city bike permanently to flats.
I love spds and my road, gravel and mtn bikes all have them and this means one set of shoes for all types of bikes/riding.
There is a roadie myth that spds don’t provide foot support but I ride up to 100 mile rides and have never found it a problem.
I used road pedals until spds were invented and bc I need to walk in bike shoes sometimes, switched to spds (bc road pedal cleats are designed for racing, not walking) and never regretted it one bit.
I like the flat pedals and the only downside to flat pedals is the tiny screws that provide traction for your shoe to stay in place are also great at gouging my shins.
I prefer spds to other boutique brands bc can get replacements anywhere, anytime. I have nothing against the other brands like speedplay etc.
There is release tension, AND there is alignment. Alignment is tricky and trial/error. If alignment is off a bit, in/out is difficult. I’d say, given their size, MTB cleats are worse. However, once I get alignment right, road or MTB, I set release tension lowest, I have never pulled out on a climb or sprint, yet can release almost br thought.
A big problem is “floating”. Too many simply rely on float when mounting and are therefore sloppy as to alignment. HINT: if release is quick and easy one direction but not the other, alignment is off!
I use SPDs on all my bikes: road, MTB, and even a former recumbent. I tried road shoes but between the hassle of clipping in as well as walking, I found it wasn’t worth it. I’m not sure if the smaller surface contact area leads to problems like hot feet, which I’ve experienced, but I still prefer them.
I use dual sided- spd on 1 side, flat on the other. Maximum flexibility- can get up to speed without clipping in and can I clip 1 foot and still ride when in traffic
Yes! While I find Shimano dual-sided pedals awkward at times, these pedals do offer advantages as Lisa points out. Great choice for an all-roads bike.
Being clipped in is HIGHLY overrated. Go to flat pedals now. I had Achilles issues on long rando rides (400 & 600 kms). I switched to flat pedals and it went away because I could move my foot forward more and take the stress off my tendon. Bonus: no more knee pain from fixed revolutions for thousands of repetitions. Double bonus: you don’t have to have all sorts of cycling shoes. Tennis shoes for short rides, stiffer bottoms for longer rides, light hikers for trail and sandals on hot days. I switched 20 years ago and am never going back. There is no downside but nobody is willing to try it because they are stuck in their belief that they pull up on the pedal. While it’s possible to put upward force on a pedal when clipped in, nobody does for any more than a couple of strokes. The rest of the time you when you think you are pulling up you are just lifting the weight of that leg, which does not require being clipped in.
I have one road bike with Speedplay Frogs, they work great.
But then I have a road bike with sport road pedals ( in between a road and a mtb pedal) Shimano A530, but those are on my touring bike, on that bike, I wanted not only the wider pedal platform but also a choice between clipping in or not.
Depending on one’s feet, a narrow platform pedal like the Speedplay Frogs, or the Crank Brothers Eggbeaters, your feet could start to give you pain on long rides.
Pick the pedals that work for YOU. Forget the “road vs MTB” marketing. In over 30,000 (documented) miles I’ve tried all the major pedals (except Time), and continue to use different ones depending on the planned ride. SPD’s are GREAT all-around pedals, especially on rides where you may do some walking. I’ve done many centuries on ’em and they work fine. And the SPD metal cleats last a LONG time. (FWIW-Most riders don’t know that SPD is basically a 2-sided version of an older Shimano road pedal (PD7400 series) that was being used by pro road riders back then.) Crank Brothers (CB) offer even easier clip-in being 4-sided and offer cleats for both MTB (2-hole) and road (3-hole) bike shoes. Look Keo and SPD-SL (Shimano “road”) do offer a SLIGHTLY better pedaling platform than SPD or CB, but at the cost of only single-sided clip-in. Nothing inherently wrong with flat pedals either, although most studies suggest clip-in (so-called “clip-less”) pedals offer a small advantage in pedaling efficiency. I’ve never been a fan of Speedplay (spring mechanism on the shoe which can get clogged or damaged with walking, higher maintenance, and expensive), but some riders love ’em,
Bottom line- Herbert…..Try some SPD’s. Some of your buddies may even have an old set they may let you borrow.
I have used SPD pedals on my road, mountain and recumbent bikes. But at 70 years old with some neuropathy, I can’t get my feet clipped in as quickly as I used to. I have gone to Shimano sport pedals with a flat pedal on one side and a SPD on the other. With this pedal, If I don’t clip in immediately, especially on an uphill grade, I can use the flat side to build up some speed and then clip in later when I am moving at a better speed and the bike is more stable.
Works for me.
https://www.rei.com/product/145394/shimano-eh500-spd-sport-road-pedals?sku=1453940001&store=29&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_1453940001%7C92700076024535583%7CNB%7C71700000074092917&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7aqkBhDPARIsAKGa0oJL__49smltF_6k1ZewOzA_yf7YpjfK248Xav8cSn_yogCan18vR6kaAm_sEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I’m 67. I’ve used Look, Speed Play, Egg Beaters, SPD and platform pedals. Now I use an SPD pedal PD-ME700 by Shimano. It’s the easiest (for me) pedal to get in and out of. I set the tension for the lightest setting. I think the advantages are that the cleat is small, the pedal is double sided and has a partial platform which is easier on the feet. The pedals list for $65. And, as others have mentioned, you can walk around like a normal person. I also use the mountain bike platform pedals on my other bike. Those are cheap, sturdy, you don’t have to strap into bike shoes and they have spikes that stick out which grab onto your sneaker, almost like a clipless. Be careful not to bang the platform pedal against your shin or else you can shred some skin off. I know about that.
I’ve used Time ATAC pedals (the old Alium style, predecessor to the current XC models) on three different road bikes for many years and love them. They are consistently easy to get in and out of and do not need any adjustments or maintenance (other than occasional cleat replacement). The design’s angular and lateral float is nice to my knees. I use them with Sidi Dominator shoes. Time pedals got harder to find and more expensive over the years but the company was recently bought by SRAM and now the pedals are becoming more available and at cheaper prices.
Crankbrothers Eggbeaters- 4 sided entry, easy to clip into, relatively inexpensive depending on the model (I usually use the cromoly), no adjusting necessary and easy to service. I used eggbeaters on my road bike for many years since I took up road riding after
years of MTB riding and racing. I finally switched to Look road pedals because on long rides (over 100 miles/160K) hot
spots can develop on the foot because of the small eggbeater platform. But for 2-3 hour rides they are fine.
Well Herbert as you can see there are a lot of choices and if you were not sure before I’m sure you’re probably less certain now. Ha Ha
Herbert does not really explain the nature of the problem he is having, which makes diagnosis tricky. But I would start with thoroughly checking his existing pedals and cleats. Replace cleats if worn, clean and lube the pedals. Then check the release spring tension and adjust to the minumum.
I use SPD-SL on my road bikes and SPD on others, and it’s no more difficult to clip in to the road pedals. So, without knowing more about his problem, it’s not obvious to me that buying new pedals and shoes is going to fix it.
SPDs work fine for all my road riding. The shoe mounted clips last a very long time and the two sided entry makes it easy to clip in without looking down. Platform width shouldn’t be an issue if your shoes have stiff enough soles.
One disadvantage is slightly more weight than many road pedals.
There are one sided SPD pedals that are very light – but with those, like road pedals, you’ll need to glance down when clipping in
I use SPD’s on all my bikes. Most are one of the single-sided Shimano iterations that are weighted to hang for easy entry. I’ve had a number of die-hard roadies mistake them for road pedals over the years. My gravel shous give me plenty of support in the sole for efficiency power transfer while allowing me to walk like a human being at rest stops. Most of the riders that I ride with use spd’s.
I love the two-sided SPD pedals. Being able to walk in them is great – I am primarily a bike tourist, certainly not a racer, so walking is important. But I also love the recessed cleats because it makes stopping on a slick or rainy surface much safer: When I did have road bike shoes & cleats that were not recessed, the foot I put down tended to slip. Not what I needed when trying to come to a stop!
Thanks for all the great suggestions and advice for Herbert everyone.
Jim
A year ago my shoe cleat stuck in the pedal I fell, my foot twisted and broke. Since than I switched to flat shoes and flat pedals on my other road bike (vintage Colnago titanium) and my e-MTB. They are comfortable and practical. I’m not going back to cleats.
Mountain bike shoes & Crank Bros Candy pedals. You can walk into the coffee shop. Mtn. shoes fit a little looser than road shoes, more comfortable for long days. Touring shoes with “Power Grips” are good but I found that the straps put pressure on top of my feet, so went with Candys for touring also. You can pedal Candys w/o clipping in for a bit.
p.s. I am 80 yrs old, still clipping in.
I want to thank everyone for their excellent suggestions!