# Mountain Pedals on Road Bike



## Mufasa (Dec 12, 2011)

I went to the bike shop to buy my first set of clipless tonight after explaining my needs and riding style to the sales dude, he talked me into putting some Crank Brothers Candy mountain pedals on my road bike. 

I told him I wanted something easy to get in and out of; something that has a reasonable amount of play; and something I could walk around in since Wifey and I often ride for a destination and not just for riding sake. 

He convinced me that this is a pretty popular thing to do and that I wouldn't lose and real performance with this set up. I believe him and feel as if I made the right choice. I just wanted to get RBR's feeling on putting mountain pedals on a road bike. Thanks for any input!


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## Jett (Mar 21, 2004)

Mufasa said:


> I went to the bike shop to buy my first set of clipless tonight after explaining my needs and riding style to the sales dude, he talked me into putting some Crank Brothers Candy mountain pedals on my road bike.
> 
> I told him I wanted something easy to get in and out of; something that has a reasonable amount of play; and something I could walk around in since Wifey and I often ride for a destination and not just for riding sake.
> 
> He convinced me that this is a pretty popular thing to do and that I wouldn't lose and real performance with this set up. I believe him and feel as if I made the right choice. I just wanted to get RBR's feeling on putting mountain pedals on a road bike. Thanks for any input!


Nothing wrong with mtn pedals on road bikes. I have set Crank Brothers Egg Beaters one of my road bike just for when need walkability.


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## tbsurf (Apr 15, 2010)

+ 1
No problem using mtn (spd) pedals on a road bike. Not sure what difference there is in performance; maybe about 15% less efficient than road style pedals.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

the candys do have a platform, though the contact is either the front wing or rear wing, not both.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

I use eggbeaters on my road bike and candy pedals on my CX/commute/tourer bike. It makes for easy transitions. I just use one pair of Sidi shoes between the two.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

tbsurf said:


> + 1
> No problem using mtn (spd) pedals on a road bike. Not sure what difference there is in performance; maybe about 15% less efficient than road style pedals.


Where did you come up with that number?


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## jheeno (Jun 28, 2011)

i tried 105 pedals but had been using mountain bike SPDs (m540)
I went back to the MTB cleats and pedals on the road bike because I prefered double sided pedals...
nothing wrong at all and and I find it easier to unclip and clip in when stopping while on SPDs in comparison to 105s


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## DEK (Feb 12, 2005)

I use Eggbeaters on my road bike and love them. The 4-sided entry makes them so freakin easy to clip in. I never have to look down to figure out if the pedal is the right side up because every side is the right side.


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## Alex_C (Aug 21, 2006)

*MTB pedals*

I use Speedplay Frogs on all my bikes, including road and tandem.

Sometimes folks look at them funny, but that's it. And when you're on the bike its hard to tell the difference. I'd question that 15% loss.

Sure makes walking around easier and if you have several bikes you can run one pedal system...


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## Danger Mouse (Apr 8, 2010)

+1 for mountain bike pedals on my road bike. I do have an easier time walking around at break points.


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

If you want to be able to walk in your shoes then you can't beat MTB pedals. Shimano's road pedals are supposed to be very "walkable" but I can speak from experience and say it's still annoying to do anything more than walk into and out of a coffee shop.

I don't do a lot of stopping and/or walking before, during, or after my rides so I'm fine with road pedals. If I were touring I'd probably consider candies (I have eggbeaters on my CX bike and they are nice but lack a large platform).


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I don't believe there's any intrinsic performance loss with MTB pedals vs. road pedals.

You do have to pay a little more attention to the shoe with a mountain system, though. A lot of racing-oriented MTB shoes are just that brand's road shoe with a lugged sole glued on. It adds a tiny bit of weight and generates a tiny bit of turbulence. No big deal, IMHO. You can worry about it when your sponsors are giving you shoes and pressuring you to put them on a podium.

However, there are also some pretty crappy mountain bike shoes out there. Stuff targeted at commuters and cycle tourists. They really mean casual cyclists, though. There's just no positive way to advertise that. Anyway, if you got shoes in this category, you have them now and in reality the difference between these shoes and higher-performance ones isn't likely to make itself felt until your rides get longer or you start cranking out more watts. In which case I still say you're fine if you get some racing shoes.

For the sake of disclosure, my nicer road bike has a road system. I have a flaky knee that it's nice to. I wish I could standardize all my bikes on a MTB system, though.


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

No problem with mtb pedals on road bike. My LBS talked me into them, and I'm glad I went that route. 

Good luck!


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## Pedro S (Mar 28, 2011)

I run the same SPD pedals on my MTB and road bike. Double sided pedal, walkable shoes, and same pair of shoes works on all my bikes. What's not to like?


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## velocanman (Jul 15, 2011)

I think the LBS dude listened to your needs and intended riding style and made a perfect recommendation! The Candy have float, easy entry/release but with good retention, a small platform for pedaling until you clip in, and a walkable cleat.

I ride Candy's on my cross bike, including medium-long (50-60 mile) dirt and paved road rides in the offseason. I have a friend that won a 200-mile race with Candy's on his Cervelo P4. If it's good enough for him its good enough for most of us. If you are locked in there will not be any efficiency loss from the pedal system.

You didn't mention what kind of shoes your are using, other than walkable. If you push the distance for longer rides over 2 hours, you might notice some foot fatigue if the shoes are highly flexible. For riding to the coffee shop or movies or whatever I'm sure your shoes are fine.


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## craigh-krph (Aug 14, 2011)

I run SPD pedals on my Orbea Onix because I frequently have to walk a bit on my routes. Love them and have no desire to change to another system.


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## Mufasa (Dec 12, 2011)

Thanks for all of the responses! I'm glad everyone feels as if I got into the proper setup.

I purchased a set of Shimano shoes but I don't know the model off the top of my head.

Any additional input is appreciated!


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## Unknown Arch (Aug 17, 2011)

Mufasa said:


> Thanks for all of the responses! I'm glad everyone feels as if I got into the proper setup.
> 
> I purchased a set of Shimano shoes but I don't know the model off the top of my head.
> 
> Any additional input is appreciated!


As has already been said, your shop hooked you up with exactly what they thought you needed based on what you said. Personally, I'd say this is a sign of a solid LBS worth patronizing in the future. Enjoy the bike!


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## craigh-krph (Aug 14, 2011)

If you do experience hot-spots with the smaller cleats (I did initially), I highly recommend a carbon fiber soled shoe. I have a pair of the Specialized Expert MTB shoes and love them!!!!


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## partyofone (Feb 8, 2012)

I wear Scott MTB shoes with Shimano M 520 pedals. Works for me.


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## teflondog (Aug 23, 2011)

I tried both road pedals and mtb pedals. For rides with a lot of stop-and-go, I prefer SPD. I find them easier to clip in and out of without looking down. I had a few close calls and I had no problem unclipping in time while using the multi-directional cleats. 

On longer uninterrupted rides, I use SPD-SL because they feel more comfortable to me after 30+ miles. I always have to look down while clipping into them, which is why I don't use them for stop-and-go traffic. I also find them a little more difficult to get out of in panic situations, even with the tension turned down all the way (I use the yellow cleats but perhaps the red cleats would improve the ease of release).

For what it's worth, I've fallen over 3 times while using SPD-SL while I haven't fallen once with SPD.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

teflondog said:


> I use SPD-SL...
> ...I use the yellow cleats but perhaps the red cleats would improve the ease of release.


Just a FYI, the only tension adjustment is at the rear of Shimano SPD-SL pedals. The difference between the red and yellow cleats is that reds are fixed, yellows allow for some (6-7 degrees) of float. No difference in tension levels using either cleat.


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## hazilim (Jan 17, 2012)

*New Wellgo MTB pedals*

I just installed a pair of Wellgo M138 MTB pedals. They were a bit "tight" to spin on their shafts, so I decided to disassemble & lube them. These are labeled "sealed bearings" on the package. When taken apart I found a sealed bearing on the outboard end of each pedal. But the inboard end is just a plastic bushing that rides on the steel shaft. I lubed the pedals with a light grease & reassembled them - they spin more freely now.
Question: Should quality pedals have a real bearing on both inboard & outboard ends? I'm not concerned whether the bearings are sealed or "loose ball", but is a bushing an acceptable thing to find on a decent pedal?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Debatable. The old Speedplay X/3s had bushings; I believe the model that has replaced them is supposed to have a bearing. IIRC, some Time ATACs have, or had bushings.

It's up to you to decide what's acceptable to you. I probably wouldn't have disassembled the pedals in the first place.  But if it effects anything, it's just going to be wear life. MKS is pretty well-regarded as a more permanent choice if you don't want to do clipless.

It seems like a strange pedal to buy. Are yours the quick release ones? (What is that even for?)


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

hazilim said:


> I just installed a pair of Wellgo M138 MTB pedals. *They were a bit "tight" to spin on their shafts*, so I decided to disassemble & lube them. These are labeled "sealed bearings" on the package. When taken apart I found a sealed bearing on the outboard end of each pedal. But the inboard end is just *a plastic bushing that rides on the steel shaft.* I lubed the pedals with a light grease & reassembled them - they spin more freely now.
> Question: Should quality pedals have a real bearing on both inboard & outboard ends? I'm not concerned whether the bearings are sealed or "loose ball", but is a bushing an acceptable thing to find on a decent pedal?


That 'drag' that you experienced is common with some bike components, and is due to both product design and manufacturing tolerances. Current generation Shimano cranksets/ BB's (as one example) are known to have this 'drag', until they essentially break in, which can take hundreds of miles. Same applies to their RD upper (guide) pulleys. And no, this added resistance doesn't affect performance. 

There are a variety of bushing designs and applications, but as they relate to bike components, a bearing assembly is generally higher in cost and regarded as higher quality and more durable. If I searched on the right model, at your price point the use of bushings with bearings is fairly common. That's not to say your pedals won't last for thousands of miles, and as you describe it, I'd venture to guess that the plastic (or maybe nylon) sleeve will be the first to go (and should be replaceable), but time will tell.


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## modemthug (Feb 15, 2012)

The candy is good my friend!! I've road it on my fixed street set-up and still currently ride it on my road bike. Some people say or tell me to switch over to road because they experience "hot spots". I however have not experienced this at all. I've done a few century races and had no problem. 

NOW since I have 0 experience behind road pedals. I don't know what the difference is. IMO they work well and I don't see why I would have to change untill I save money up to get some fancy road shoes.


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## bezog (Feb 20, 2012)

Quick question: I know that Keen makes clipless mountain bike shoes, but does anyone know if Chacos makes a pair?


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## Trower (Apr 28, 2009)

I use Crank Bros on all my bikes!


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## vizslagal (Jun 23, 2009)

I used my mtb pedals then got some speedplay and love them


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## reidcc (Mar 12, 2005)

When I got my Trek 1220- I just used sneakers with its Toe Clips and rat Traps. It was just small recreation for me, but I always had foot numbness. I had that bike from 1998 to 2005.

Then I got my Lemond Sarthe- and I figured get the double even though I lived on a steep 3mile climb. I decdied right then to get REAL pedals- but didn't know much about them- and still don't. I wanted the ability to walk if I needed to without hearing the clack-clack, and at least be somwhat comfy. Having the Double made me think I'd be walking on hills.

I got the Shimano M-520's, but don't remember what the shoes were- I do know they are fairly stiff. I just pulled the pedals off my Lemond to put on my new Supersix, but I will get a new pair of Shimano 540's for the C'Dale.

I have no problem with SPD's on a Road Bike.

Chris


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

If the pedal/shoe combo works for you, then use it. It's that simple.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

I'm thinking about getting a steel cyclecross bike, and putting on some MTB pedals, for my commute, which takes me through very rough roads.


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## ArcticCat500 (Feb 22, 2012)

Im so glad I came across this, I have PD M785's on MTB and was worried I was going to have go through the whole new shoe new pedal thing, Im not nearly as avid a rider as most are, and bought my Secteur as an exercise road bike when Im not off roading, Im looking into the M530's as nice budget pedal for my roadie. Thanks for this info.


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## PedalFasterJonathan (Feb 26, 2012)

I suppose one advantage of having MTB pedals on your road bike is that you only need one pair of shoes for both.


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## Alpha-Q (Feb 26, 2012)

nice to know that lots of people here wear mtb pedals. I dont need to learn how to use a new clipless pedal. and dont have to buy a new shoe.


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## Mufasa (Dec 12, 2011)

Thanks again to everyone for the replies. We've had a couple of pretty cold weeks so I still have yet to try them out but I'm hoping today is the day I can go out for a bit. Thanks to all of these replies, I'm confident that I'll be happy with them. Any other advice is certainly welcome!


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## Mufasa (Dec 12, 2011)

I just got back from my first 10 mile ride with my Crank Bros. and I gotta say clipless helps A LOT. I actually find it harder to get into them than to get out. Clipping in is pretty easy and getting out is even easier. I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of unclipping.


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## maxfrm (Jan 15, 2012)

It sounds like you found a nice bike shop and a rep that listened to your needs.


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## Mufasa (Dec 12, 2011)

I did. However, for better or worse, despite several smaller local bike shops around, the best prices and selection, and arguably the best service, was found at my local Performance. The LBS staff that I purchased our bikes from are really nice too but their selection is limited and the prices limitless!

Regardless, the two folks I've dealt with at Performance are very nice, knowledgeable, and helpful.

YMMV.


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## ArcticCat500 (Feb 22, 2012)

Not to hijack this, but tell me if I should start another thread.....Im going to put mtb pedals on my road bike to keep my budget down (same shoes) after the recommendations from this thread., I was considering something like Shimano's PD M530 because it mimics the PD-785 on my bike now, but Im curious if the smaller pedal like the PD-M520 would be better? Most of the road pedals are a larger pedal.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I have Speedplays on my road bike. Smaller than either.

If your shoe is pretty stiff, you should be fine with either. If your shoes are a little flexy, bigger might be better, or it might not help.


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## Joe_Bloe (Feb 8, 2012)

If you run MTB SPDs, I recommend the Wellgo RC-715 or MG-8 pedals. They're cheap, and quite light (~250g/pair).


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## jman0000 (Feb 28, 2012)

Pedro S said:


> I run the same SPD pedals on my MTB and road bike. Double sided pedal, walkable shoes, and same pair of shoes works on all my bikes. What's not to like?


Agreed...


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## Mufasa (Dec 12, 2011)

ArcticCat500 said:


> Not to hijack this, but tell me if I should start another thread.....Im going to put mtb pedals on my road bike to keep my budget down (same shoes) after the recommendations from this thread., I was considering something like Shimano's PD M530 because it mimics the PD-785 on my bike now, but Im curious if the smaller pedal like the PD-M520 would be better? Most of the road pedals are a larger pedal.


I was looking at the 520's before my sales guy talked me into the Cranks. They seem like good pedals. Although now, I can officially say check out Crank Brother Candy.


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## craigh-krph (Aug 14, 2011)

ArcticCat500 said:


> Not to hijack this, but tell me if I should start another thread.....Im going to put mtb pedals on my road bike to keep my budget down (same shoes) after the recommendations from this thread., I was considering something like Shimano's PD M530 because it mimics the PD-785 on my bike now, but Im curious if the smaller pedal like the PD-M520 would be better? Most of the road pedals are a larger pedal.


The pd-a520 will actually give you more contact with the sole than the any of the others. It is more of a "road" pedal but with the SPD cleat. I tried several different ones and much prefer it.


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## ArcticCat500 (Feb 22, 2012)

Mufasa, I did look at the Crank Bros' at my LBS, and he actually preferred the Shimano's along with several other riders in the shop that day, Im not a weight weenie but I did notice the CB's are lighter. I forgot to ask if the the CB's are compatible with my shoe, but more then likely I'll go with the Shim's, simply because Im pleased with my 785's.

craigh-krph, Thanks, Im leaning towards the 520's, I was considering the 780's, they're the same pedal as my 785 without the bigger platform. thye're a few bux more, just not sure a rook like me would even be able to tell the difference. 
Thanks for replies guys.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

ArcticCat500 said:


> Mufasa, I did look at the Crank Bros' at my LBS, and he actually preferred the Shimano's along with several other riders in the shop that day, Im not a weight weenie but I did notice the CB's are lighter. I forgot to ask if the the CB's are compatible with my shoe, but more then likely I'll go with the Shim's, simply because Im pleased with my 785's.
> 
> craigh-krph, Thanks, Im leaning towards the 520's, I was considering the 780's, they're the same pedal as my 785 without the bigger platform. thye're a few bux more, just not sure a rook like me would even be able to tell the difference.
> Thanks for replies guys.


That 520 is a good pedal. I use them for any long rides with alot of walking involved. Ragbrai comes to mind.


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## velocanman (Jul 15, 2011)

ArcticCat500 said:


> I forgot to ask if the the CB's are compatible with my shoe,...


CrankBrothers use the same 2-bolt cleat pattern as Shimano SPD.


Sent from my HTC Incredible using TapaTalk.


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## CF Sierra (Mar 3, 2012)

just got my shimano 540s delivered and they will go on the roubaix.


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## 8toes (Feb 28, 2010)

I have used MTB (SPD) pedals in every road bike I've owned for the last 8 years and never had an issue....from the pedals or from other riders.


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## Tucson_2011 (Nov 10, 2011)

*Shimano PD-A520*



ArcticCat500 said:


> Mufasa, I did look at the Crank Bros' at my LBS, and he actually preferred the Shimano's along with several other riders in the shop that day, Im not a weight weenie but I did notice the CB's are lighter. I forgot to ask if the the CB's are compatible with my shoe, but more then likely I'll go with the Shim's, simply because Im pleased with my 785's.
> 
> craigh-krph, Thanks, Im leaning towards the 520's, I was considering the 780's, they're the same pedal as my 785 without the bigger platform. thye're a few bux more, just not sure a rook like me would even be able to tell the difference.
> Thanks for replies guys.


I have all of those Shimano pedals you mentioned, plus the PD-A520 which is comparable to the PD-M520 , and a few older ones like the Shimano 747 and the 737's! Shimano bearings and mechs seem to last forever. Take a look at the PD-A520, shop around until you find it for about $50 or so. I use them with 4 different shoes/boots, but mostly with the Keen cycle shoe and they all fit effortlessly with the right SPD. And they look like a road bike pedal.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

Eggbeaters are really light weight... Plus they'll hold your feet well enough for heavy sprinting. I run eggs on my mountain bike. If I ever build up a cross bike it'll have eggs.


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## EHietpas (Feb 9, 2012)

SPD pedals are the best, IMO, on road bikes. There is a lot more slop, if you want to call it that, in MTB pedals which in the long run will save your knees especially as a Newbie. To me, they are easier to get out of to. I run the Nashbar Brand SPD pedals.










I've used these pedals since 1998 without any issue. I used them a lot of my mountain bike riding single trail.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

EHietpas said:


> SPD pedals are the best, IMO, on road bikes. * There is a lot more slop, if you want to call it that, in MTB pedals which in the long run will save your knees especially as a Newbie. * To me, they are easier to get out of to. I run the Nashbar Brand SPD pedals.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The road versus MTB pedal system debate aside, the bold statement is arguable. More (float) doesn't necessarily mean 'better' and may cause posterior knee pain in some individuals (see below). 

Many hold the belief that the only reason for any float is to allow some latitude in cleat set up and (generally speaking) float of ~7 degrees proves adequate.

CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS -
Once there, scroll down to Knee Pain/ Pain Location/ Posterior.

IMO/E some key points to preventing knee injuries are listed at the bottom of that page under *Prevention*.


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## flatlander_48 (Nov 16, 2005)

The BeBop pedals that I currently use can be run on either mountain bikes or road bikes. They are open enough that the crud falls through and light enough for road use. I ride them with Shimano MO87 shoes. I used to run Crank Brothers Quattro pedals. REALLY liked them, but Crank Brothers discontinued them so I had to discontinue Crank Brothers.

The BeBops, like the Crank Brothers pedals, have no adjustments. You just RIDE Them...


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## lucie (Mar 16, 2012)

I love mtb pedals..... around town just way easier to use.... unless im going on a long ride i would always go with the flat pedals.


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## alien4fish (Mar 3, 2012)

ArcticCat500 said:


> Not to hijack this, but tell me if I should start another thread.....Im going to put mtb pedals on my road bike to keep my budget down (same shoes) after the recommendations from this thread., I was considering something like Shimano's PD M530 because it mimics the PD-785 on my bike now, but Im curious if the smaller pedal like the PD-M520 would be better? Most of the road pedals are a larger pedal.


I have the one on the right on my Fuji roubaix, i like the look of the one on the left do they both use same cleat configuration?


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## Ibashii (Oct 23, 2002)

PJ352 said:


> The road versus MTB pedal system debate aside, the bold statement is arguable. More (float) doesn't necessarily mean 'better' and may cause posterior knee pain in some individuals (see below).
> 
> Many hold the belief that the only reason for any float is to allow some latitude in cleat set up and (generally speaking) float of ~7 degrees proves adequate.
> 
> ...


This is all true...I just want to add that it's good to pay attention to the type of float as well: centering vs un-centering float plays a role in all of this. I switched from SPDs to Speedplays awhile back because a very sharp fitter noticed something in my pedal stroke that suggested free-floating pedals, and it really helped me work through some knee trouble. Another rider might experience the opposite, of course...


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## avmech (Jun 2, 2011)

Have Ultegra pedals on the Trek 5200. Recently got some M540s for the hybrid, and all I can say is that my other road bike is getting the M540 pedals on it. May consider them for the Trek at some point when either my shoes or the pedals wear out.


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## chasty9 (Aug 25, 2011)

Mountain bike pedals work fine easy to walk in


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

chasty9 said:


> Mountain bike pedals work fine easy to walk in


pretty sure this has been covered in this thread many times alreay


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

chasty9 said:


> Mountain bike pedals work fine easy to walk in


I dont think any pedal would be easy to walk in.

Please explain.


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## chasty9 (Aug 25, 2011)

tihsepa said:


> I dont think any pedal would be easy to walk in.
> 
> Please explain.



What I meant was the shoes for Mountain bike pedals are eay to walk in compared to shoes for road bike pedals


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

tihsepa said:


> I dont think any pedal would be easy to walk in.
> 
> Please explain.


Most mountain biking shoes have treads on them. Since the cleats tend to be smaller than road cleats, they sit nicely in between the treads.

A lot of the lower end MTB shoes have fairly flexible soles, also making it easier to walk in.

Cyclocross people tend to use mountain bike pedals & shoes as they tend to need to dismount... and they need a shoe that can grip the mucky stuff (and a pedal that clears it).

MTB's, sometimes need to walk up terrain that can be too stuff for them...


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