SPD Pedal Choice

[coyote]

Hi,
I've currently got the Shimano XTR PD-M970:
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-XTR-PD-M970-MTB-Pedal/dp/B000R9AA68

I can not seem to get the cleat on my shoes adjusted right. My feet are always going numb. Then I though maybe the pedal does not allow me to distribute the wieght thru-out my foot. So, I took my shoes to my spin class. The pedals have a larger platform on the spin bikes. I did not have any of the numbness that I do from my bike. So, I'm thinking of ordering Shimano A520 Sport/Touring Pedal and I was wonder what others thought about it:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=14392&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Show%20All%20Products

Would the Forte Campus Pedal be better?

The shoes are spd/mtb shoes, I can't afford road shoes at this point, so the road pedals are out. By the same token, I really can't afford the Speedplays and this point either and I'm not sure that they really offer a large enough platform.

Thanks,
Mary

[latelatebloomer]

Mary, I don't know if this will help, but I use SPD cleats because I can use my shoes for my road bike and spin classes and, with a clutzy streak, it's better for me to keep the same system and have shoes that unclip very easily. Anyway, I was riding with my trainer and mentioned that my feet were always going numb after a few miles. He asked me, ever patiently, if I was closing my shoes too tightly :rolleyes: - that, especially in warm weather, the feet warm up and swell. I don't know why I felt I had to keep my shoes so snug, but I started giving myself more wiggle room, and the numbness went away immediately. It's worth giving it a shot, anyway. Good luck!

[cinnamon_toast]

No advice - just another unhappy SPD mountain pedal customer. They came stock on my Trek 2100 and like many others, I am plagued with hot spots about 30 minutes into my rides. I'll probably switch out to Look next season.

[Zen]

You don't need road shoes. Most people wear mountain shoes because they're easier to walk in when you're off the bike and you don't risk having your foot slip out from under you if you have to unclip quickly.

I had the Forte Campus Pedal for a short while, it was just too slow to flip the pedal and clip in. I use Speedplay Frogs now and love 'em.

[SouthernBelle]

I have been using the a520s since June. there is a bit of a break-in period as when new they don't drop down in the back so that you can just rake your foot across to clip in. but they do loosen up. They also do provide more foot support. I would suggest going with the multi-release cleat rather than the one that comes with.

[short cut sally]

Mary, I recently switched from SPD's to the Look pedal for exactly the same reason. I tried different insoles for my mtb. shoes, helped initially then foot started to go numb right where the clip came in contact with pedal. Went to the Look pedal not too long ago. Really didn't solve the issue, ended up putting new insoles and some shim that came with the insole into my new road shoes. Once I put the shims in I've had a lot longer of a ride before, if any, numbness sets in. THe shims came with my specialized liner. I put the shims in my mtb. shoes also but haven't been out in them yet to see if it will make a difference or not. Give that a try first. Maybe that is all you might need and also to loosen the straps to the shoes, that also helps for me too.

[Trekhawk]

You don't need road shoes. Most people wear mountain shoes because they're easier to walk in when you're off the bike and you don't risk having your foot slip out from under you if you have to unclip quickly.

I had the Forte Campus Pedal for a short while, it was just too slow to flip the pedal and clip in. I use Speedplay Frogs now and love 'em.

I think choice of which shoe you wear is very personal. I dont think most people wear mountain shoes on a road bike I would say its half and half. I have both mountain and road shoes but prefer to use mountain on my mountain bike and road on my road bike. As far as walking goes on road shoes well I dont walk a lot in mine so I dont find that a problem and I have never had my foot slip out from under me.

LLB is right try to keep your straps a little looser and see if that helps.:)

[sundial]

I use Speedplay Frogs and mtb shoes and I'm really happy with it. When my foot starts going numb, I do a check to see how I'm pedaling. When I focus on the upstroke, the numbness in the foot usually goes away.

[coyote]

I thought about the shoe too tight thing and the pulling up on the pedals. I also have changed the way I pedal. I've tried with and without shoe inserts. I thought about shims. Do you just buy them and try them out? Or do you go to some sort of cleat expert?

[wavedancer]

I have been using the A520s on my road bike and have not had any problems with them. Being one-sided, I sometimes have to flip them over when I'm clipping in on my second foot, but they have a nice platform for quick starts without being clipped in. I haven't had any numbness or hot spot issues with them.

[RolliePollie]

I have Crankbrothers Quattros and Sidi Zeta road shoes. It's a good combo for me, but there are so many choices out there that it's hard to know where to begin. The Quattro pedal platform is double sided, and although I have had some numb toe/hot spot issues, I blame it on my old shoes and not on the pedals and cleats. My road shoes are not slippery and they're ok for walking around. They have rubber heel pads and the Quattro cleats have a plastic thingie that recesses the cleat and give you a surface for walking (as well as providing a larger area for your shoe to interface with the pedal). I am also on a budget, but I found the Quattros on clearance from Sierra Trading Post and last year's Sidis on mega-clearance from Nashbar. Definitely try loosening up the straps on your shoes. I wear mine a lot looser than I did at first and it has helped a lot with foot comfort issues. Especially on longer rides where your feet might tend to swell a bit!

[amy]

I'm a complete newbie, but I have to say I love my Forte Campus Pedals.

[batsheva]

i love my a520's - no numb foot issue until i velcroed up my shoes wayyyyy too tight on one ride last week and i got numb foot - have you tried not velcro-ing in quite so tight into your road shoes? it is easy to get them over tight with the velcro tension straps...

bat

[coyote]

Thanks everyone for your input I'm going to order the a520's and see how that goes.

I did find the shimms (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?a=b&minisite=10029&sid=EquipD4WShoes&language=US). They are, duh -ofcourse, on the Specialized site.

I did check into the shoe on too tight thing. I even tried riding with my shoes so loose I could feel them slip and it did not change a thing. Thats one of the reasons I wore them in spin class. I wanted to rule out the shoes and the placement of the cleats. I was able to ride in class for an hour without numbness. I also checked my seat...it is perfectly level. So, thats why I'm thinking pedals.

Thanks,
Mary

[uforgot]

After reading this thread, I asked my lbs about the A520s. They seem like they are just what I was looking for. I wanted a lighter pedal that I could use not clipped in also, but the old shimanos were heavy and cumbersome. He said he had been thinking of carrying them and I could be the guinea pig. They're in, but it snowed a bunch here yesterday so I couldn't go get them.

Coyote - I know it's been awhile, but I want to hear your reviews and I will post mine as well. I have had the hotfoot problem, and took care of a lot of it with metatarsal buttons. Hopefully these will be the answer to that and not wanting to clip in all the time. At just a little over 300g, they aren't too cumbersome either.

[LilBolt]

I'm using A530s on my commuting bike. I like having the flat platform on one side when I'm in stop & go traffic...sometimes, there really is no point in clipping in when I'm just going to be stopping again a few yards down the road. Also, I have visions of using my commuter this summer as a single speed 'coffee ride' bike. ;)

As for the shims, it would probably be worth having someone who is experienced with them work with you to figure out what will work. I did a lot of personal trial & error w/ shims & insoles and just seemed to make matters worse with foot, ankle & knee discomfort. Finally, I went to someone who knew what the heck he was doing and ended up with a small stack of LeMond shims. The most embarrassing or enlightening part (all a matter of perspective) was that he ended up shimming the opposite foot that I was messing with. It boiled down to even though overall my left leg is longer than the right, the left lower leg is significantly shorter than the right...with a longer left femur. Still have a hard time wrapping my head around it. Go figure! Anyhow...I've been riding with the same shim arrangement for two years now and haven't thought about making a single adjustment...it just works.