Pedal Advice - Roadie goes MTB

[j_mii]

I road bike and use SPD pedals. I've done so for years and I would be really annoyed to have to use platform-sytle pedals. My husband and I are going mountain biking on vacation. They rental place advises platform style pedals since I have basically never done mountain biking before. I asked if they had the style pedal that has one side platform and the other side clip. No, they sell that style but they don't rent it. What are your thoughts? SPD or platform?

[RickF]

If you are used to using the SPD (not the SPD-SL) pedals, I would stick with SPD on the mountain bike.

SPD: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17524&subcategory_ID=10045
SPD-SL: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=18304&subcategory_ID=10046

If you were not used to riding with clipless pedals, then I might agree that platform pedals would be better for your first MTN rides, but If you have been using SPD pedals, I do not see why the change to mountain bike riding would be a problem continuing with the SPD pedals.

Now if you were using Speedplay pedals on your road bike, it would be a different issue. SPD pedals are sold primarily as mountain bike pedals, but work well as road bike pedals. Speedplay are good road bike pedals, but not good mountain bike pedals. They are very intolerant to dirt. I am not sure how well SPD-SL or Look pedals work on mountain bikes, but I do know that the cleats will wear out more quickly than the SPD cleats will.

[j_mii]

Thanks! I do have SPD cleats and I am definitely leaning that way. I'll let you know how it goes.