Clipless Shoe Types

[Micki Rider]

Hi, Everyone,

My first pair of Shimano MBS shoes cause my feet to go numb, and a friend suggested I try some Sidis. I've ordered a pair (from TE, my favorite store) although now I wonder after spending that much $ on shoes if I'll be forever relegated to SPD pedals, when I eventually want to try Speedplay pedals. Are the Sidis compatable with both SPD and Speedplay, or did I order the wrong shoes?

Thanks for your help. I've learned so much from this forum already!

[Rakekay]

Why do you have SPD pedals but eventually want to try Speedplay?

I know nothing about clipless shoes and pedals. I just bought my first pair of both this week and just got what my spinning instructor told me I needed for the spinning bikes. Once the weather warms up, I'll put the pedals on my road bike, so I'm afraid I can't answer your question, was just curious about the difference between the two types of pedals.

[SadieKate]

Which Sidi model did you buy? They come with soles for either mountain biking (with lugs) or for road biking (lugless).

[Micki Rider]

Hi,

Yes, they are two different brands of pedals and I believe the SPD (in this case, Shimano) type requires two holes on the bottom and the Speedplay requires three holes. I was warned that not all shoes are compatable with all pedals. Thanks!

[Micki Rider]

They're the Sidi Dominator 5.

ALthough I only ride on the road, I got shoes with tread because I have to walk an eighth of a mile to the approach of my street. (It's too steep and narrow for me to ride ... in the shape I'm in.)

[maillotpois]

I think you could still use the Speedplay Frogs, which are speedplay's MTB pedal system. Not completely sure, though.

[emily_in_nc]

You bought mountain bike shoes -- which are perfectly fine to wear on the road and with a road bike, by the way. Much more walkable. As a result, you can use mountain pedal systems, which include SPD, Speedplay Frogs (not X series or Zeros, those are road pedals and will not work with your shoes), Eggbeaters, and others. But you cannot use road pedals. If you really want road shoes/pedals, you will need to exchange for a flat soled pair of Sidis (which will not work with SPDs).

Having used both, I'd stick with the mountain shoes if I were you. I love Speedplay Frogs, by the way -- just switched to them from Eggbeaters. I have also got road shoes with Speedplay X-2s, but I am a convert to mtb shoes and like the Frogs and walkable shoes better!

HTH,

Emily

[Trekhawk]

You can use Crank Brothers road pedals with mountain bike shoes but you will need to trim a little off the bottom to clip in. Not sure but this might be the case with a few of the road pedals, you might be able to use them with mountain bike shoes with a little trimming at the bottom of the shoe (again not sure about any but Crank Brothers).

Hope this helps

[aicabsolut]

If you really want road shoes/pedals, you will need to exchange for a flat soled pair of Sidis (which will not work with SPDs).

Some road shoes have both a 3-hole option and a 2-hole spd option. Depends on the shoe. Some are only 3-hole (for other speedplays, looks, etc). So you could find a road shoe that lets you start out with your spds.

[aicabsolut]

Example: These accept both systems, but are not a walkable shoe: