Using clipless pedals on your bicycle, such as those made by Speedplay, gives you better pedaling efficiency on your bike because the pedals allow you to engage your hamstring muscles more fully. Such pedals are used along with cycling shoes and cleats. Be careful, however, because not all shoes are compatible with all pedals.
Slot Pattern
You need shoes with an SPD-type two-slot pattern for the Speedplay pedals. The two-slot pattern has a cleat style that is recessed into the shoe. The cleat clips your shoe to the pedal. This pattern is most commonly found on mountain bikes, casual bikes and touring bikes. SPD stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics, one of the first cycling companies to develop this clipless pedal system. The other most popular pattern, called the Look style after the company that initiated its use, has a three-hole pattern on the cleat that clips to the shoe and is more often found on road bikes. This type is not recessed into the shoe, so is not as easy to walk in.
Road Bike Shoes
If you are riding a road bike, most shoes with the SPD-type two-slot pattern will work with your Speedplay Frog Series pedals. Exceptions include Cannondale shoes made in 1997 or earlier as well as Scott 360, Magic and 4X4 made in 2006 or before. All years of Airwalk Sprocket, Urban, Cannondale, Amasa and Nike Inyo also are incompatible because of issues with the shoes' toe boxes or insufficient clearance with the crank arm in larger sizes, according to Speedplay's 2011 Shoe Compatibility Guide.
Mountain Bike Shoes
If you are riding a mountain bike, several brands of shoes will work with your Speedplay pedals. These include Bontrager, Bont, CHAIN, Carmac, Diadora, Exustar, Kuips, Keen, Mavic, Northwave, Nalini, Pearl Izumi, Scott, Shimano, Serfas, SixSixOne, Time, Specialized and Xpedo, according to Speedplay's 2011 Shoe Compatibility Guide.
Mountain Bike Shoe Considerations
Some mountain bike shoe brands are generally compatible with Speedplay pedals but do have exceptions. These are Lake, Louis Garneau, Sidi and Vittoria. With Vittoria shoes, for example, you might need to trim the lugs to allow your cleat to properly seat against the shoe's sole. The same goes for the Louis Garneau Carbon T Flex shoe, according to Speedplay's 2011 Shoe Compatibility Guide.
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