Look pedals okay for commuting? Safer to stick to SPDs? Can't decide!

[freeflow]

Yup. Done many 100 mile sportives using a pair of M520 spd. If you shop around you can get MTB shoes that look road shoeish. I have size 11 feet so would tend to feel the cleat more if there were a problem but there isn't. Maybe if I was putting 400+ watts through the shoes it would be more of an issue.

[allezhopper]

I started out using SPD on the road bike, after many years using them on MTB. Even with stiffer shoes, Shimano M087, I wasn't fully comfortable and found that there was some slack that was very noticeable. I commute with Shimano R540 pedals and use cleat covers when walking across the car park.

But if I know that I'll be walking a lot (such as riding to the Olympic road race and locking up the bike) I do swap back to SPD.

[Nick100]

I have SPDs on my commuting bike and road pedals on my road bike walking in road shoes is not fun and it wears out the cleat quickly also if you have carbon soles you can damage them. But the advantage is that road shoes are lighter (£ for £) and stiffer.