walkable road pedals? Shimano a520 vs a530?

[tylercheung]

I'm looking to get another set of shoes/pedals so as I can walk around at, say, the ice cre I mean healthy food shop on my road bike, instead of the ultegra thingies I have now.

On my commuter bike I have Shimano A530s which I think are clipless on one side and regular shoe pedal on the other side. For the A520s - are those different, in that they are clipless on both sides?

Not sure what people prefer in terms of "road like but walkable" pedal/shoe systems...

[Tobias]

You can find information in Shimano web page under pedals. Both are listed under "road" section and then "road touring pedal".

One appears single sided SPD only, and the other SPD on one side with small platform on other side.

[sjbraun]

I use A530s on my fixed gear commuter. The SPD side works just like any other Shimano mountain bike pedal and the platform works nicely for quick trips to the store.

[Peter P.]

The pedal is not that important; you could use a standard, double sided SPD pedal if you want.

I use the A520. I really can't say I notice the larger platform, which is larger than a mountain bike style double sided SPD, but the pedal always hangs in the proper position for easy entry. The A520 is a single sided pedal; there's really nothing useful for your feet on the non-cleated side.
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/pedals/road/product.image.+media+images+cycling+products+actio nsports+PD+PD-A520_600x450_v1_m56577569830637301_dot_jpg.bm.512. 384.gif

For a shoe I wear a Shimano shoe similar to the SH-MT41G:
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoes/mtb/product.image.+media+images+cycling+products+actio nsports+SH+SH-MT41G_600x450_v1_m56577569830635838_dot_jpg.bm.512 .384.gif

The shoe is not quite as hard and stiff as a competition shoe, but it's plenty efficient for cycling. You could walk all day with these shoes on and you'll practically forget about the recessed cleat. I use these shoes on BOTH my A520 pedals for road riding and on my typical SPDs for mountain biking, with no problems or complaints.

[boneman]

I used them for about 1 season on my daily rider, a road bike, here in Shanghai as I figured if I got too many flats, I'd have to walk back. Fairly easy to get in and out of and a decent platform for riding. Shoes were Sidi Mega Dominators and yes, you can walk in them. Switched back to road pedals and shoes as I wanted a stiffer sole. Otherwise, no complaints with the A520 and they're reasonably priced.


I'm looking to get another set of shoes/pedals so as I can walk around at, say, the ice cre I mean healthy food shop on my road bike, instead of the ultegra thingies I have now.

On my commuter bike I have Shimano A530s which I think are clipless on one side and regular shoe pedal on the other side. For the A520s - are those different, in that they are clipless on both sides?

Not sure what people prefer in terms of "road like but walkable" pedal/shoe systems...

[Kevan]

Shimano mtb shoes and honestly, they feel like I'm wearing bedroom slippers. Very comfortable, a bit flexy, but just perfect for walking/commuting:
http://www.stif.co.uk/images/products/medium/4195_400.jpg

[C5 Snowboarder]

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/pedals/road/product.image.+media+images+cycling+products+actio nsports+PD+PD-A520_600x450_v1_m56577569830637301_dot_jpg.bm.512. 384.gif[/img]

For a shoe I wear a Shimano shoe similar to the SH-MT41G:
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoes/mtb/product.image.+media+images+cycling+products+actio nsports+SH+SH-MT41G_600x450_v1_m56577569830635838_dot_jpg.bm.512 .384.gif

The shoe is not quite as hard and stiff as a competition shoe, but it's plenty efficient for cycling. You could walk all day with these shoes on and you'll practically forget about the recessed cleat. I use these shoes on BOTH my A520 pedals for road riding and on my typical SPDs for mountain biking, with no problems or complaints.

+1 on the shoe -- the one shown is one I wear -- great shoe.

[bmafg]

take a look at the Time RXS.
jim

[overthehil]

It's the shoe and its cleat that are walkable. The pedal you use with them makes no difference whatsoever as far as that goes. So in terms of the pedal itself, anything will work fine. Just choose whatever appeals to you more. However, most people who ride a lot on these end up greatly preferring the ones with two clipless sides that you can just stomp on any time.

That being said, if I were you, I would not assume that "walkable" means that it's a good walking shoe. Most are not at all. You can walk on them when you have to, and it will be a much more normal walk than in a road shoe, but it still won't be like walking in your every day Nikes or Adidas.

First of all, even the widest mountain/hybrid SPD pedal still only provides a pretty small platform for all the pressure you will put on it. The intent is to counter that disadvantage with a stiff sole. If it's stiff enough to prevent too much pressure on long rides, it's too stiff for normal walking.

Secondly, while the cleat is recessed, it's not so recessed that it disappears when you walk. You will be noticeably grinding it onto even the smallest irregularities on hard surfaces. It gets annoying and noisy very quickly, trust me.

I use this style of SPD, and have been for the past 10 years after switching from Campy quill pedals and toe clips. I like them overall, but I would say that "walkable" must be interpreted in its most literal sense. Walkable for sure, but not like normal walking. Being a road rider (sporty recreational, not racing), I used mine for years without actually getting off the bike much for any real walking, but I quickly found out some of the disadvantages the first time I had to walk home after running out of ability to deal with a multiple flat ride.

Walk into a coffee shop, sure. Walk around visiting tourist traps, not so good.

[dogdriver]

+1 all of the above. There is no all-in-one solution, but most mountain shoes are passable for short walks. Walk too much, and you'll damage the cleat, tho, as they hang down a little below the tread. How about a pair of flip-flops in your back pocket?

[NRRider]

If you want to use Look or other "regular" road pedals and avoid walking like a duck, see my post (#28) here: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=58783&page=2&pp=15
Not quite as comfortable as SPD-based mountain shoes, but I am using Look KEOs.

[MerckxMad]

I just put a set of Shimano A530's on my commuter/tourer. The platforms are substantial and have a nice oval shape that conforms to the bottom of a sneaker/hiking shoe well. The flip side SPD clip works well with my MTB shoes, but there is no platform surrounding the clip. I had tried Candies, but the platform was not big enough and clips can be felt through the soles of sneakers. I also tried Performance's Campus pedal, but didn't like getting hit on the back of the calf with the edge of the metal platforms. The A530's seem to be a good compromise.

[ChipRI]

I tried them on one of my bikes and liked them so much I've installed them on 2 more. The SPD side works like any other and the platform side is great with sneakers, sandals, etc.