The SPD system is a design that consists of a combination between clipless pedals and related cleats.
It is well known in the Shimano cycling brand.
And for Crank Brothers, they’re popular with their standard mounting cleat structure.
Every bike rider chooses suitable cycling items based on their needs and preferences, it may be in SPD, Shimano, Crank brothers, or any other cycling products brand.
In this post, we will be having SPD and Crank Brothers in our spotlight, and we will help you to know the difference between SPD vs Crank brothers.
We will be starting with the distinction between both cleats types.
Crank Brothers vs SPD | What you need to know:
Now that we saw in the introduction above, what Crank Brothers and SPD consist of. We want to know what is the difference between the two in this post: Crank Brothers vs SPD:
Let’s start to let you know that the SPD system is completely different from the one Crank Brothers has.
As for, Crank Brothers laying on their float degree in their shoe and pedals cleats, that is adjustable depending on your comfort in pedals and the way you fix the cleat.
And they are known for their 3-hole Cleat kit that can not go with the SPD.
The SPD system is designed with 2 points attached to the shoes, and that makes them use 2 bolts cleats in their SPD.
This is the main difference between Crank Brothers cleats and SPD ones.
Let’s now see the difference in cleats when it comes to the Shimano.
Crank Brothers Vs Shimano Cleats: Let’s Find Out
The Shimano shoe or pedal cleats are developed to help you with easy movement while riding the bike and using your pedals.
Thanks to their 3 float system degrees, they essentially give you the capacity to move your toes back and forth freely while you’re attached to your pedals.
It seems like the same thing goes for Crank Brothers, as they also use the float degree system.
The one big difference between the two is always their cleats that come with varied bolts.
For Shimano, commonly their cleats are designed with only 2 cleat bolts.
And for Crank Brothers, it is more than that, and they have 3 bolts in their cleats.
For more clarity about Crank Brothers vs Shimano Cleats, you can check out our post : ” CAN I USE SHIMANO CLEATS WITH CRANK BROTHERS PEDALS ? “
Now that we talked about the cleats of each one of them, let’s dig in more and know about their clipless pedals:
Shimano vs Crank Brothers Clipless Pedals:
Both brands, Shimano and Crank Brothers are very outstanding in their clipless pedals, even if Shimano was the very first one that created the SPD system ever.
Many bikers have different tastes or preferences in clipless pedals.
So let’s separate the two brands and see which one would you likely choose?
Shimano :
Shimano has a more flat design in its pedals, with only grey, silver, and black colors.
Their pedals are adaptable to the spring pressure, easy to click in and out, and their cleats last longer.
The only issue they have is, that the pedals can hold the dirt or snow inside and it’s not so convenient to get it out easily.
Crank Brothers:
Crank brothers have different shapes and layouts in their pedals, mostly known for their “eggbeater” design.
Their pedals are much lighter compared to the Shimano’s, easy to clip in and out, and it is so convenient and mud and snow friendly.
The only problem for them is in their cleats that don’t last that much longer.
With that being said, Shimano and Crank Brothers may have some similarities as they also have a lot of differences.
Shimano SPD pedals vs Crank Brothers:
It is well known that SPD pedals are providing much more power while biking.
And that is what Shimano has always been trying to offer their fans.
The Crank Brothers don’t use that type of system, they lay on their 3 holes cleat kit one.
So the differences between the two are pretty much the same that we have mentioned in the previous paragraph.
You can get back and read that any time you like.
Let’s find out about another SPD system for Shimano in the following title.
Shimano Saint SPD vs Crank Brothers: what is the difference?
Let’s first define Saint SPD:
The Shimano saint SPD is a group of biking components that the brand has developed, specifically for more professional athletes or bike riders.
These pieces are coming with a much more powerful performance, and you can use them freely on your downhills, with their solid and reliable clipping clicks.
The only thing that can be annoying in Saint SPD pedals is their heavyweight.
Unfortunately, the Crank brothers have different cleats than Shimano’s,
So they can not use the saint SPD.
You can check this video down below to give you more clarity about the two brands:
Now that we’ve seen Saint SPD, we still have to know about SPD-SL and The SPD itself.
So, What Is The Difference Between SPD And SPD-SL Cleats?
For the SPD it is popular with its 2 points connected to the shoes or pedals, Which makes it a 2 bolts cleat.
And for the SPD-SL, they have the 3 points attached to the shoe, making them a 3 bolts cleat system.
We are finishing our post with one common question:
What cleats do Crank Brothers use?
The Crank Brothers use a classic cleat mounting layout.
Final Thoughts:
In this post, we tried our best to offer you all you need to know about Crank Brothers and Shimano’s cleats, including their differences.
Hopefully, it is going to be beneficial for you while trying to get you a pair of shoes in one of the two brands.
Let us know what your thoughts are. and please feel free to give us your comment or your feedback about it.
