Jseivert

If I stand up on the pedals and put all my weight on one side, I can twist (float) my shoe easily with a metal on metal feel. This tells me the only contact between my foot and the pedal is the cleat itself, none of the sole of my shoe is contacting the pedal. Is it supposed to be that way? I've seen the marketing line that stiffer soles transfer more power to the pedal, but if they're not touching....well??? There doesn't seem to be anything to adjust to have the soles contact the pedals. But then again, I think of those lollipop looking pedals and there's no way the shoe can touch. So I'm a little confused.

I have Bontrager MTB shoes with Shimano PD-M530 pedals.

Thanks for any info!!
Jeff

Moe Zhoost

Stiff soles will reduce flex and transfer power more effectively through the cleat. It is not essential that your shoe sole contact the pedal, but it may do for some pedal and shoe designs. The M530 pedals are advertised as providing better shoe/pedal contact but I would guess that it's only a marginal "improvement" over something like the M520s.

As long as you feel comfortable with the shoe/pedal retention, just ride on.

rumrunn6

this was an issue I was thinking about. I read about wide platforms that were supposed to play a role but I never observed or saw contact between the shoes & pedals aside from at the cleats. I think maybe, sometimes, there is some contact, but it's only incidental depending on foot position? I think it would be great if the sole of the shoe made more contact with the platform of the pedal. but that might be hard to engineer?









think I'm getting the most contact & fewest hot spots w/ my current shoes & pedals (no shims required)

john m flores 

The cleat is the interface between the pedal and the shoe and is where the power is transferred. A stiff sole transfers all of your energy into the cleat. A flexible sole wastes energy in the flexing. It's like watts leaking out.

Wildwood 

I don't know about watts, but my Look (+ compatibles) pedals with cycling shoes have met my needs for 30+ years. It is about the widest cleat on the market, i think.

bpcyclist

Yeah, second that. If you are not liiking the current interface, it is possible you might like the Look one. It is different. I personally prefer it.

02Giant 

If you are riding clipped in, you don't need the platform of the pedal, maybe to assist in getting the pedal in proper orientation to clip in. The platform is for the ride where you are wearing a flat sole (non cycling) shoe.

Jseivert

Appreciate the info and especially the pics. This was more of a curiosity question.

Jeff

woodcraft

Mtn bike cleats/pedals have to be able to work when filled with mud-

limited contact is part of the design.

63rickert

It was ten years ago I switched from modern pedals (all pedals shown above) to traditional quill pedals. This was after over twenty years exclusively on modern pedals. Larger contact patch immediately improved bike control. There was no deficit in bike control or handling that I had ever noted. The degree of difference was enormous. Like everyone else I had gone with the flow in the 80s and adopted Look pedals. Then Shimano for ATB. Time and Campagnolo. Used them all. Real pedals with real shoes work better. Blue pedal above is plain bad design. The photos show the problem well but a quick look would be enough to tell the huge platform is doing nothing. For MTB would likely still use a modern clipless (were I young enough to ride MTB). And would be very, very choosy.

Showing a plethora of badly designed products proves nothing. Yes, stiff soles work better on a bike. If for whatever reason a clip-in cleated pedal is still desired, get one with a great big cleat.

How you interface with your bike is how you interface with your bike. OP discovered something real, and something that mattered to him. No one else rides that bike. Do what works for you. Believe yourself.

rumrunn6

hehe glad you wrote that 2nd part. yes, when I got the blue pedals I thought my shoe would be landing on the pedal in addition to the cleat. disappointed they did not. but on some occasions they kinda do. regardless they do provide other benefits. for example I can ride the uncleated side with or without cilcking in my MTB shoes. taking off from a light I don't care if I click in right away cus my recessed MTB cleat & MTB shoes ride either side just fine even uncleated