FROM FLAT to SPD PEDALS
When your gravel rides become more than just a ride.
Maybe you started gravel with flat pedals and your everyday sneakers. And honestly, it makes perfect sense. You can stop whenever you want. You can walk easily. You don't have to think about cleats, pedals or clipping in.
But then your rides get longer. You start riding more often. You climb harder. You ride further. You spend more time on the bike. And at some point, you start wondering:
Would a real cycling shoe actually make a difference? The answer is: it can.
WHAT CHANGES WHEN YOU GO SPD?
An SPD pedal creates a mechanical connection between your shoe and the pedal. Instead of simply resting your foot on the pedal, your cleat and outsole engage with it and keeps your foot in a consistent position while you ride.
For gravel, this is particularly interesting because SPD combines cycling performance with walkability. The two-bolt cleat sits recessed into the outsole, allowing the tread of the shoe to make contact with the ground when you walk.
So you get a more connected cycling experience without turning your shoes into something you can barely walk in.
WHY A GRAVEL CYCLING SHOE?
Because gravel isn't road cycling. A gravel ride can take you from asphalt to dirt, from smooth roads to loose climbs, from your bike to a coffee stop, a technical section or a hike-a-bike climb.
A good gravel shoe needs to do several things at once:
PEDAL EFFICIENTLY
A cycling-specific sole provides a more stable platform for pedalling. The material and shape of the sole help your pedal stroke increasing efficieny and power transfer
KEEP YOUR FOOT SECURE
A proper cycling shoe holds your foot in place instead of relying on the friction between a sneaker and a flat pedal.
LET YOU WALK
The recessed SPD cleat allows the outsole to provide traction when you're off the bike.
HANDLE THE GRAVEL
The outsole and upper are designed for dirt, dust, rocks and the occasional moment when you have to put your feet on the ground.
You don't have to choose between riding and walking. That's what makes the SPD gravel system so interesting.
WHY DOES UDOG ONLY MAKE SPD GRAVEL SHOES?
Because we don't think gravel needs a road shoe with a different label. Gravel is its own discipline. It needs a shoe that can deliver cycling performance when you're on the bike and confidence when you're off it. That's why our gravel collection is built around the two-bolt SPD system.
Today, UDOG makes two gravel shoes:
Our original gravel shoe. A lace-up gravel shoe designed around our approach to comfort, fit and control.
Forza combines the Distanza platform with our Twist Tech dial, giving you a faster, more adjustable closure while maintaining the character of a true gravel shoe.
Both use a two-bolt SPD-compatible cleat system, keeping the cleat recessed into the outsole and the shoe practical when the ride takes you off the bike.