What type of pedal

Hi!
Thank you all for being so helpful on my previous questions! I will be getting a full carbon bike in a few weeks, I currently ride with shimano flip flip mtn bike pedals as I had them on my mountain bike already and put them on my aluminum road. They are super heavy though, I would like to stick with SPD's as i'm still pretty new to clipping in and out.

Is it ok to ride with mtn bike pedals on a road bike? I know shimano makes a double sided spd? I like the option of mtn bike shoes as sometimes where I live you need to walk a bit.

Someone gave me a set of speedplay pedals which i'm reluctant to put on my new bike (would have to get new shoes etc, and they look scary to get in and out of...)

So to nutshell:
1. Can I ride my new carbon with mtn bike pedals double sided a lighter pedal? and if yes, which pedal would anyone recommend?
2. Would it be better to use the speedplay and get say Sidi shoes?, how hard are speedplays to unclip? Still worried about losing my toenails, do Sidi's come with a wide toebox?

Thank you in advance!

I have a carbon Specialized Ruby and just bought a set of Shimano M530 double sided pedals. I wanted a set of double sided clipless pedals with a platform and the 530's fit the bill. For a lighter double sided SPD pedal without platforms, many people have had success with the Shimano M540 or M520 pedals.

Yes, you absolutely can put SPDs on a carbon road bike. :D I have the M540s (double-sided) on my aluminum road bike, and would put them on a hypothetical carbon bike, at least until I found pedals that I liked better. Speedplays are supposedly pretty easy to get in and out of, but I've never tried them. (You could put the Speedplays on your aluminum bike until you get the hang of them if you'd like to spare the carbon bike the tipping over. ;))

Sidi does make a mountain bike shoe. They do, however, run narrow, as do all their shoes (as far as I can tell, anyway).

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Originally Posted by Owlie

Yes, you absolutely can put SPDs on a carbon road bike. :D I have the M540s (double-sided) on my aluminum road bike, and would put them on a hypothetical carbon bike, at least until I found pedals that I liked better.

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Me too. I have M520s on mine though. :)

I use Shimano 520s on a number of bikes, including my carbon bike during the winter, when I wear my SPD-compatible cycling boots. It was cheaper to change pedals ~6 months of the year than it was to buy a second pair of boots :D

As others have mentioned, you can use SPDs on a road bike. If being able to walk around easily in your cycling shoes is important to you, then SPDS are a decent option, as are Speedplay Frogs. I, personally, use Look Keo pedals. I like them, but there is a learning curve with them (as with most clipless pedals). I use SIDIs road shoes, but they aren't a good fit for everyone. I'd encourage you to go to your local bike shops and try on as many shoes as you can, both road and mountain. There are a number of brands in addition to SIDI, e.g,. Bontrager, Lake, Shimano, Specialized (this is what my husband wears and he loves them), Pearl Izumi, and Northwave. SIDIs are not known for their wide toe box, but they do make a "mega" version that works for some with wider feet. I'd find my shoes first and then choose a pedal system.

If you have bad knees, that might influence your decision. Some people with bad knees prefer a pedal that offers "float," i.e., lateral play that allows your knee to track with more freedom. Others will insist that float is bad for bad knees and that you're better off without it. If you take that approach, then it's imperative to get your cleats set up properly on your shoes. In this regard, Keo is a decent option in that you can buy the pedals and then buy cleats that either offer none, a little or a lot of float. I'd note that SPDs have no float, while Speedplay has unlimited float.

Ditto everything Indysteel said. I have Look Keo pedals, and wear road bike shoes by Specialized, which has a wide toe box, and always super comfortable. I will add that I have cycling friends with foot problems due to diabetes, which makes their feet on the wide side, and they wear Diadora Aerospeed road shoes; they say that anyone with wide feet should try shoes by Diadora.

This is amazingly helpful information. I've still got cages on my bike and since it's going into the shop for adjustments on Friday, I thought it might be time to look into "real" pedals. I love the idea of still having a platform, but don't know where to go from there. So many options!