Frogs? SPD's??

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

OK here's a question or two-
If mtn bike shoes and pedals are so much more convenient to use and walk in, then why doesn't everyone use them for their road bikes? Why do road bikes need "different" ones than mtn bikes anyway, and why would the road bike specific ones be better for road bikes?

[Eden]

If you are not riding competitively there's probably little reason to "need" road shoes. The soles tend to be stiffer and the pedal platforms larger for better power transfer, they tend to fit tighter too. I never had any until I started racing. Some people prefer larger pedals/cleats than you can use with mt bike or touring shoes, because they get hot spots from little cleats. Some people just prefer pedal systems that will only fit on a road shoe.

[twiggjlm]

OK here's a question or two-
If mtn bike shoes and pedals are so much more convenient to use and walk in, then why doesn't everyone use them for their road bikes? Why do road bikes need "different" ones than mtn bikes anyway, and why would the road bike specific ones be better for road bikes?

I had the exact same question! I have frogs on my road bike, and I use mtn bike shoes! They are soooo much easier to walk in. My LBS said it didn't really matter if I wore the mtn bike shoes on my road bike so that's what I do. They are super comfy too! I may look strange to some rodies, but who cares! I like them.

PS Runningmommy, I am putting frogs on my mtn bike next week! I have SPD but I like the frogs so much I am switching, and they are a ton easier to clip in and out.

[Kalidurga]

Thanks for posting this, Running Mommy. In the process of shopping for a new bike, I've also been considering trying different pedals than the spd's I'm used to. But I definitely want shoes that I can walk around in and didn't know what sorts of cleats worked on mtb shoes besides spd's.

So Frogs are fantastic, huh? Do the cleats crunch when you walk around?

And, for the Eggbeaters users, can you wear those with mtb shoes and walk around in them?

[twiggjlm]

Thanks for posting this, Running Mommy. In the process of shopping for a new bike, I've also been considering trying different pedals than the spd's I'm used to. But I definitely want shoes that I can walk around in and didn't know what sorts of cleats worked on mtb shoes besides spd's.

So Frogs are fantastic, huh? Do the cleats crunch when you walk around?

And, for the Eggbeaters users, can you wear those with mtb shoes and walk around in them?

My cleats still "crunch" when I walk, but not as much as the SPD's did. And the frogs are self cleaning.

[teigyr]

Kalidurga -

I have frogs but haven't put them on my bike yet. From how it looks, if you have the cleats on mtn bike shoes, you can walk in them. Plus the people I've ridden with who use them walk quite nicely. The cleats stick out a bit a'la SPDs but since they're recessed on the shoe, you can walk. If that makes sense

[emily_in_nc]

I love Frogs! Wish I could afford to put them on all my bikes, but buying a sailboat has kinda put the ole kibosh on the bike expenses for awhile. My cleats are actually recessed enough that they don't crunch when I walk in them! I have Speedplay X-2s on my roadie, and they're great when riding, but the cleats can slip on the road and are definitely a pain to walk in. I'll have Frogs on that bike one day....

As far as I'm concerned, there is no reason that you have to ride road pedals/shoes with road bikes. Yeah, some road shoes are a little stiffer than mountain shoes, but so long as you get good mountain shoes with a stiff sole, you should be fine. Unfortunately the particular Pearl Izumi shoes I have are no longer available, otherwise I'd pick up a second pair as they are SUPER comfy and fit my feet perfectly, the cleats recess great, as mentioned, they're pretty, they have stiff soles, and they're way cheaper than Sidis. Sigh.....

Emily

[Triskeliongirl]

I use frogs and am a roadie. The reasons I was told racers use road shoes, are to have a stiffer sole, and to not have the weight from the that allows the cleat to be recessed. But, if one buys a stiff mountain racing shoe, one can overcome the stiffness issue, and if one buys a light mountain pedal like a frog or egg beater, the shoe plus cleat plus pedal weights are comparable. The power transfer thing is crap, and only spds give hot foot, the surace area of contact between a frog and XP are comparable. Get the frogs. I started on spds and got both hot foot and had knee problems. I love my frogs, and nothig is easier to get in/out of (and I commute so I get it). I pair them with sidi dominator shoes. The may clack when all is new, but that goes away fast.

[wavedancer]

I have SPDs on both my road and mountain bike. I have the A520s on my road bike which give a bigger platform, but are single sided. I have the M920s on my mountain bike. I like the unmistakable sound and feel of clipping in and have no problem clipping out on the loosest setting. They have a little bit of float and I have not had any knee issues.

I tried the Frogs and they were very easy to clip out, but I often found I was not getting clipped in or would unclip when I wasn't wanting to. Very frustrating on off-road uphills!

I like the idea of Eggbeaters for off-road mud-clearing, but like Emily, I could not get my second foot clipped in.

I like wearing MTB shoes for road also for the walk-ability of them. Just found some Sidi Dom Ruby Slippers at a deep discount to go with my new Ruby Expert