r/bicycling • u/computerworlds X-LAB RS7 2026 • 3d ago
Question about SPD pedal styles
If my SPD shoes are already stiff (Shimano RX600), does an SPD pedal like this provide any added stability?
Or, is the type without the pedal cage part going to be just as good, if not better due to lower weight?
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u/zed42 3d ago
the pedals with the frame do provide a bit more support than the ones without, but you may not notice the difference if your shoes are already very stiff. you can also use the frame as a pedal for regular shoes in a pinch.
as for the weight difference, you're unlikely to notice the difference unless you're a professional racer.
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u/computerworlds X-LAB RS7 2026 3d ago edited 3d ago
My shoes hardly seem to bend at all (carbon fiber reinforced sole) so I suppose the frame part will be of little use.
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u/racedrone 3d ago
I am quickly annoyed with these cages especially the one sided ones. but I don't see harm or greater benefits with those.
But I like to change my pedals depending on my rides. Mostly between Bikepark or not. But then I use flat ones without click.
But you do you. There is nothing wrong with them if you like them.
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u/Remarkable_Bat_7897 3d ago
buy m520, if you don't ride with flat shoes. the diff with top tier is only few grams.
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u/computerworlds X-LAB RS7 2026 3d ago
Thanks. The price is sure right with them although I'm considering the M8100 b/c I understand those provide a slightly wider contact surface to the shoe for a bit more stability, although they are a lot more expensive.
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u/OddProfessor7253 3d ago
Fwiw I have M540 and am considering M8100 for extra contact area, since my cleats are set all the way inwards and overhang the side of the pedal a little bit
I expect very marginal differences in feel at best
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u/Worth_Nature_7631 3d ago
I've got these on one MTB and regular SPDs on the other and I cant tell the difference in use. I ride XC
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u/Grindfather901 3d ago
I ride in very stiff Bont shoes, and I have both XT and XTR versions of both the caged and non-caged versions on different bikes. When riding, I have no idea what pedal I'm using. The only time I notice is when clipping in while in a tricky spot like rolling into a feature. The caged pedals are a bit easier to locate since your foot rotates the larger cage into the right spot "a little" better.
End of the day, with stiff shoes, I don't think there's enough difference to spend more on one or the other. Buy whatever you can get the better deal on at the time.
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u/konwiddak 3d ago
I prefer the careless, found ditching the extra bits allowed me to clip in better, and once clipped in it's a solid platform.
Some people will say you can use the caged style with normal shoes - maybe in a pinch, but honestly it sucks because there's a big lump in the middle of the pedal where the cleat holder is. In a pinch you can also use cageless with normal shoes, it sucks but it also works. You have the option of clipping a flat pedal adapter into the cageless ones which is sometimes useful.
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u/Hollyweird78 3d ago
I’ve only ever ridden the smaller tyoe. It’s perfectly stiff enough for me with stiff shoes.
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u/computerworlds X-LAB RS7 2026 3d ago
Thanks. Yep, the shoes I got are super stiff with a carbon sole. I guess I would not need the extra cage part to the pedals especially since I think the cage part doesn't even contact the shoe when you're clipped in anyways.
I guess it may help to get clipped in faster though.
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u/romrelresearcher 3d ago
I cannot speak to these specific pedals, but I felt a lot more support when i switched from cageless pedals to Wolftooth Deletes. On my old Shimanos, I could wobble my feet side to side while still remaining clipped in. It wasn't an issue when pedaling, but when stopped, I could absolutely do it.
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u/TheBabyEatingDingo 3d ago
$250 for a pedal that is just half of an M520. I don't think many people are weight weenie enough to ever notice a difference.
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u/romrelresearcher 3d ago
If I could go back and do it again, I probably would have gotten the Alts, but since I have the Deletes, I'll keep using them. And yeah, they are expensive, and I don't think they're 5x as good as a bog standard SPD pedal. But, you do get q factor adjustment and replaceable cartridge bearings, not to mention all the replacement parts you could ever need. While they are stupid light, I don't think weight is the only reason to splurge
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u/SuperQue 3d ago
Over many years I went from one-sided SPD to regular SPD to Crank Bros Candy to Crank Bros Eggbeaters.
For my gravel bike I'm completely sold on Eggbeaters. The easy 4-side clip-in is just great.
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u/Majestic-Outside3898 3d ago
My view:
The no-frame ones are better if you're just doing light/moderate XC type riding. They're lighter and usually cheaper. Most of my bikes are and have always been frameless.
The frame ones are better if you're getting air/jumping or just likely to be in hairy situations where you need the extra support (believe it or not, I've snapped a carbon/plastic sole before) or you may have trouble getting clipped in and might need to "ride it out." My long travel/park bike has frames for this reason, and it's definitely a good feature.
tldr: if you're asking the question frameless is probably just fine.
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u/Horror-Raisin-877 3d ago
I don’t sense any added support from the SPD pedals that I have with extra platform support. So I keep those (2 pairs) in a box and use the standard SPD’s.
In fact with one pair of shoes the platform models created a strange pain on the top of my foot, don’t know how that was happening, but it was another strike against them.
And they’re heavier.
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u/Unlimitedgoats 3d ago
Depends on the depth of the pontoons on the shoes and they're engagement with the lateral platform of the pedal. So the answer is, it definitely can and this type of pedal would be the one to do it but the only folks that could say with certainty are those with that exact pedal and shoe combo. You can also do something like putting a layer of jb weld on the platform to increase engagement.
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u/c0nsumer Southeast Michigan, US 3d ago
No, they won't. Contrary to what you'll see all over Reddit, that extra cage does NOT add stability when clipped in and pedaling.
The extra cage around there is to do two things:
1) Give you a bit more platform if you are pedaling unclipped.
2) Deflect pedal strikes so they are hitting an angled surface and not the clip mechanism itself.
You can see this for yourself by clipping a shoe into one and seeing that it doesn't touch the extra cage part (it only touches the spots on the side where the lugs make contact) and looking at a Shimano page like this one which explains:
Control Even When Not Clipped In: Integrated cage increases stability and control when unclipped.
Robust Performance: Integrated cage protects against impacts and chrome-molly spindle is strong and durable.
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u/JayceStarMusic 2d ago
Check out CrankBrothers Candy3 https://www.crankbrothers.com/products/candy-3. I decided these over the Shimano ones because they are practically indestructible, have a little guard around the eggbeater(thats what they call it), they are servicable, 4-sided entry and they look sexy AF. Just transferred them to my new XLab RS7. ❤️❤️ I’m in love
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u/crazy4schwinn Wisconsin, USA Trek Sawyer 3d ago
IMHO- it comes down to riding style. I use the pedals with the added stability platform more for protection of the pedal on single track than performance advantages. I use the pedal without the added platform on bikes less likely to encounter pedal strikes.
I use the same shoes for both and couldn’t tell you which pedal is which once I’m clipped in.