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I am soon going to buy a pair of pedals (and new shoes of course) for my road bike (mostly used for commuting, and short-ish rides (40-50 miles/80Km).

Most important to me is being able to walk in my cycling shoes BUT ALSO, be able to cycle my bike without needing to wear my cycling shoes. (Ideally, both are equally as important...ideally.)

I am currently torn between a pair of SPD OR a pair of SPD-SL pedals, and then the required shoes.

Ideally I am looking for a pair of SPD-SL pedals, so I can ride my bike sometimes without my bike shoes without killing myself. Something like the Shimano PD-R540 SPD. [1]

They have a resonably large platform for the foot, which helps when wearing "normal" shoes.

Then I am also looking for a pair of SPD off-road shoes, something like the Shimano M076 MTB SPD Shoes.[2]

The reason I say these is they have some grip, and the cleat is slightly recessed, not the make/model.

So to my question. It can be asked in either of two ways:

Does an SPD/SPD-SL pedal exist?

OR

Does an SPD/SPD-SL shoe exist?

All advice welcome.

[1] http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/pedals/road/product.-code-PD-R540-L.-type-.pd_road.html

[2] http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31536

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  • I vaguely recall that at one time, 15-20 years ago, there were a few double-sided pedals that had SPD on one side and SL on the other. I doubt that they sold very well, though.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Jul 11, 2013 at 22:38
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    I cheat - I keep an old worn out pair of cleats (look keo) and if I need to ride the road bike with normal shoes, just clip in the cleats, Downside is the platform is quite small, and the loose pedal rotates when stopped at the lights. They're not difficult to get out cos I have fairly low tension, but on a more aggressive setting might be hard to remove. But its a free solution !
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented May 13, 2017 at 1:00

8 Answers 8

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Maybe a better option than an SPD-SL pedal would be something like the PD-M324 from Shimano.

It's a dual sided pedal, one side flat, with no cleat required, and one side SPD. They don't make an SPD-SL version of it, though.

An SPD-SL pedal, because of the depth of the cleat retention area of the pedal doesn't really offer good, safe traction in trainers. of course it can be ridden that way, but it's not your safest way to go, even on gentle rides.

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    I have these pedals on my commuter and really dig them with standard spd or regular sneakers.
    – Benzo
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 1:59
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Does an SPD/SPD-SL pedal exist?

No, the cleat and retention is mutually exclusive. SPD is a two screw setup, while SPD-SL is a three screw setup...

Does an SPD/SPD-SL shoe exist?

Yes - these exist. The Shimano SH-R087G, for example.

You'll find these lean towards road rather than offroad -- a more rigid sole, and small rubber spots to minimize the sound and harshness of walking in them. But the cleat is not recessed, so you can't walk normally. Offroad/casual shoes are SPD only, comfortable to walk in because the sole is more flexible and the cleat is recessed...

It's pricey, but the Speedplay Zero system might be worth considering. Totally different cleat from the other systems mentioned (uses the old Time, four screw setup), there are Speedplay specific shoes so the cleat is more shallow than SPD-SL.

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Here what you do. Contact Bodybike who makes bikes for spinning. Their pedals have SPD on one side and Look Delta on the other.Just run Look Delta cleats on your road shoes and Shimano SPD on your "everyday" shoes and you're set.

https://body-bike.com/catalog/accessories/pedals

enter image description here

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Short answer, no. SPD and SPD-SL are two completely different systems.

Based on what you are asking to get out of the pedal and shoe combination however, going with the shoe you specified (or similar) and an SPD pedal like the following should cover your needs nicely.

http://www.rei.com/product/764688/shimano-a530-spd-sport-road-pedals

Happy riding!

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  • Also, make sure you purchase shoes that are either specifically for commuting or for "mountain biking". These will have tread and a recessed cleat to make walking easier. Road-specific shoes (SPD-SL in your case) are not make for walking in for any distance and are prone to causing slips. The pedals linked in this post will fit your needs well.
    – Tha Riddla
    Commented May 31, 2012 at 20:26
  • I faced a similar challenge, and agree with Ken's recommendation, but wanted to add that I'm pretty sure my next pair of pedals are going to be speed play. In 3600 miles over the past 12 months, I just don't need the MTB style shoes that I have, and think that the more 'cushy' sole leads to foot pain that I could avoid with more stiff road shoes. If you truly need to walk in your bike shoes, go SPD, but if not, the Speedplay have "platformers" that can clip on easily and give you a "real" pedal for when you need to run down to the quick mart in street shoes.
    – Dan Catlin
    Commented May 31, 2012 at 22:50
  • I have these pedals and I like them a lot. It's nice to be able to hop on my bike and ride it to the store without putting on the cycling shoes. Also, they are great for commuting, where you often have to clip in and out. Sometimes I just ride with 1 foot clipped and the other one on a platform if there's lots of traffic and I'm stopping frequently.
    – Kibbee
    Commented Jun 2, 2012 at 0:26
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Yes, my Specialized Elite road shoes are both SPD and SPD-SL compatible as you can see in this picture...

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2011/12/11/2/specialized_elite_road_sole_600.jpg

I'm sure there are others out there too!

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  • There are lots of shoes which will use both cleats, but none which allow the PURPOSE of both cleats. As you can see from your shoes, whether you install SPD or SPD-SL cleats, you still have no protective walking surface on the shoe, which is the question he really wants the answer to. The title is misleading.
    – zenbike
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 5:06
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there are spd pedals with a shoe platform on the flip side of the cleat. with mtb spd shoes you can walk easily or if you want to ride with sandals or whatever shoe you have on atm, riding is just like it was when you were a kid.

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Check out some of shimano's 'lower end' 2016 road shoes. Most now are SPD and SPD-SL compatible. RP2, RP3 & RP5 shoes.

http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/articles/2016-shimano-shoe-models/_jcr_content/bodycontent/titletextteaser_5/image/file.res/1443281313322.jpg

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Get yourself any clipless pedals you want (double sided) and buy a set of Fly Pedals II-

enter image description here

Plus a spare set of cleats for them. You can keep the Fly Pedals in your pocket, snap them on any time you want then, them take them off & put the away. Plus you still have double sided pedals when you wear your bike shoes.

FlyPedals website

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