Shimano Dura Ace SPD-SL Pedals

For the last few rides I've been lucky enough to try Shimano's new top-of-the-line, PD-7900 carbon composite road pedal.


Most riders first clipless pedal tends to be a mountain bike type, often because they already have a mountain bike, or because walking is an option with a mountain biking shoe. Road pedals usually work with a shoe where the cleat protrudes from the bottom, making walking difficult, if not, on occasions, hazardous.

However, because a road shoe has to make no concession to walking, it can be made a lot stiffer and the cleat, which attaches the shoe to the pedal, can be a lot larger, spreading the weight of the rider and the force pressing down across a larger platform. This keeps the foot free of pressure points, a frequent source of problems, such as pins and needles and hot foot.

So, how good is a pedal which costs more than a quality hybrid bicycle?

Well, of course, needless to say, it is pretty good. The pedal is very light, and the quality of the bearings is extraordinary. The pedal is balanced to hang vertically to enable easy engagement with the shoe, and it does this straight from the box. My old Ultegras took a bit of wearing in before they could do that.

Clicking in is extremely simple and very positive and never required a second thought, other than to contemplate, "That was easy ..."

For me the major selling point of the pedal is its broad platform which supports the shoe extremely well. Before I tried the pedal I wondered if it would be noticeable - I wear very stiff shoes anyway - and was surprised to find it is. If you require a solid support for your foot, and many cycling foot comfort conditions do, this pedal must surely be the ultimate.

And it looks pretty cool too ...

Still on Warm Feet ...

I recently read an article in some old codgers' bike forum which mentioned in passing a plausible contributor to cold feet; cleats, and in particular the mountain bike SPD type cleat which is all metal and thus a good conductor of heat, unfortunately, away from your already thermally challenged tootsies.

Road cleats tend to be made of better insulated plastic material, but more especially don't have a built-in heat-sink, technically known as the nut, placed just under the ball of your foot just soaking away that precious warmth, through the cleat bolts to the outside. You can see the nut in the component diagram to the right. It's that plate of metal, placed inside the shoe, that the cleats bolt into.

So, as well as sealing up all those purposeful air ducts in your shoe for the winter, you might want to consider a thin layer of insulating material over the cleat nut in your shoe. Just don't pack your shoe out too much ...

Pedals and Shoes

Noobies to cycling often comment on the fact that higher end bicycles, particularly road bikes, are usually offered without pedals. I mean, those bikes are a lot of money so why don't you get any pedals?

The thing is that most people who are purchasing bikes at this level will already have a favourite pedal/shoe system which they prefer and people new to serious cycling will be advised of their options.

But what's wrong with a pair of sneakers? You can use straps and cages if you want to be a bit more serious, can't you?

Well yes ... and every cyclist knows of some guy who regularly rides Centuries on his dad's old Schwinn with  pair of Hush Puppies. But modern, clipless pedal/shoe systems are an aid to security, efficiency and safety for most riders.

The most common preconception is that your feet are clamped onto the bike and it's hard to release them. Most pedal systems are adjustable so that it is easy to get your feet out with a little practise. In fact, it's rather easier than getting out of the old cage and strap systems.

But these systems will improve contact between you and the bike, enabling better control and greater pedalling efficiency and comfort.

There are basically two families of cycling pedal/shoe systems; mountain bike and road.

Mountain bike systems usually have a cleat which is up inside the shoes sole, which also has a deep tread for coping with mud an giving a degree of grip. The pedals are double-sided and designed to clear mud and debris to prevent them clogging up.

Road pedals usually have a much larger cleat which protrudes from the bottom of the shoe and a single-sided pedal which spreads the load on the foot more widely.

Mountain bike pedals are frequently used by road riders because they have one significant advantage; it's possible to walk reasonably normally in the shoes. Road shoes make you walk a bit like a duck because of the large cleat which sticks out from the sole. So why use road pedals at all? Well the larger size means the sole of the shoe can be much stiffer so spreads the load on your foot better and the shoe flexes less.

More expensive road shoes tend to have more rigid soles made of carbon fibre or other advanced composites. Mountain bike shoes, by their nature, tend to be more flexible.

Why is a more rigid sole more efficient on a road ride? Imagine spending a couple of hours flexing a bike shoe with your hands ... maybe 80-100 times a minute. That's how much energy which will be absorbed by your shoes instead of being transmitted direct to the pedals.

So the advantage of using a MTB pedal/shoe combination; it's easier to walk, and you can also use the shoes on your mountain bike.

Road pedal/shoes; pressure is spread over a wider area and soles tend to be much stiffer, making the combination more efficient, but walking is not really an option, other than into the coffee stop ...