Hello!
I’ve just gotten into a bit of CX after road riding for years, I used to do a bit of mtb a while ago and back then I had Shimano spd.
I’ve had issues over the years with road pedals that don’t offer a big enough platform, I used speedplay zero for years as I liked the dual sided but found with my wide feet and long legs the dreaded rock always started. When I switched to Shimano it was a revelation as the large contact area felt great. Especially as I use fixed cleats with no float.
But I put the Shimano spds (bottom of the range ones m520?) on the cx and I can’t deal with the tiny contact patch at the rocking float.
Are the XT ones any better? They apparently have a larger patch, or is there a better alternative ideally with minimal float.
Shimano do one with a platform, think they are basically a 520 or 540 with a platform around them.
However, I'd imagine these would get clogged with mud quite quickly.
I've used XT and 540's and can't say I ever noticed a difference in contact area.
Crank Bros Candys. A small platform, good at mud shedding. You can tune the support with a little add-on kit.
Is CX riding more muddier than MTB?
I used to use Shimano SPDs with platforms (the old school ones used by the DHs can't remember the model number) years ago on the MTB and rode through many very muddy days and had no problems clicking in and out.
Otherwise Crankbro pedals have an open mechanism design and they do ones with a platform too. Is the reliability any better? Back in the day they required regular rebuilding and where not that durable.
Is CX riding more muddier than MTB?
Courses are often designed to include a fair bit of foot work.
Crankbro pedals have an open mechanism design and they do ones with a platform too. Is the reliability any better? Back in the day they required regular rebuilding and where not that durable.
Vastly improved.
Depends if its CX or riding a CX bike, constnat on-off the bike in cx means mud shedding is cruical which isnt compatibel with a platofrm.
What shoes are you using? with carbon soled shoes I never notice the differnece between my cx bike with cheapo spds and my mtb with the xt trail pedals.
The M530 is the 520 with a bit of a platform around it. It doesn't add a lot of extra shoe support but it makes locating and clipping in easier. In my experience they are as reliable as the 520s (i.e very!)
Time ATAC of any sort.
Great mud clearance and bombproof (or used to be).
I found basic spds fine because CX is on soft mud so a good press of the pedal squashed out the mud fine. The only exception was in the snow where they froze up and I rode a race with one foot never engaged. A platform might help then.
Thanks guys, I want to avoid eggbeaters as the platform looks small and they have too much float?
I hated the rocking time float on their road pedals, are the Atacs the same?
I have basic shimanos so may stick with them as the trail ones are apparently rubbish in the mud, but may treat myself to some XT ones
I raced CX for a number of years. I tried with SPD for the first season, but on very muddy courses they were hopeless - clogged too easily. When you're racing you don't want to be left on the start because you couldn't clip-in or having to clear your pedals after every obstacle or dismount. 2 bar pedals like Time, Look or Crank Bros every time.
