Comments on: SPD Bicycle Cleats: Wearout Thereof http://softsolder.com/2012/08/09/spd-bicycle-cleats-wearout-thereof/ Ed Nisley's Blog: shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, and curiosities Fri, 24 May 2013 15:14:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Ed http://softsolder.com/2012/08/09/spd-bicycle-cleats-wearout-thereof/#comment-12389 Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:43:33 +0000 http://softsolder.com/?p=10946#comment-12389

switching back to toe clips?

The problem with toe clips on a recumbent bike is that when your foot falls off the pedal, your heel hits the ground, your foot stops instantly, and (rumor has it) that’s a remarkably painful way to run over your own leg. So we both favor cleats, although I’ve installed asymmetric pedals with SPD latches on one side and platforms on the other: we can ride without clicking in while, for example, hobbyhorsing through crowds on the Walkway.

That said, our Larval Engineer has been riding with somewhat modified clips forever and hasn’t broken anything yet…

]]> By: hexley ball http://softsolder.com/2012/08/09/spd-bicycle-cleats-wearout-thereof/#comment-12387 Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:09:09 +0000 http://softsolder.com/?p=10946#comment-12387 If walking is part of the program — maybe on those runs to the grocery store, for example? — then what would Mary say to switching back to toe clips? That’s how I roll on my mountain bike. I wear stiff biking shoes (designed for SPD cleats), but leave off the cleats and use old school pedals with toe clips. The toe clips give that critical ability to pull up on the pedal, plus a reasonable amount of foot stability and security. The stiff shoes save my feet and don’t waste a lot of energy compressing a padded insole. And walking is absolutely no problem since there are no cleats to scrape along.

The road bike is a different story. It’s set up with LOOK Keo pedals, of which I am a big fan. Lightweight, secure, and strong — hard to beat. But I have to admit that walking around in these cleats isn’t something you want to do much :-)

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