Clipless pedals for newbie
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After riding my mountain bike on the roads for the past 2 years, I got tired and I finally decided to get myself a road bike (Trek Pilot 1.0).
I had a question about clipless pedals. I already know about the benefits of clipless pedals, but I was wondering if I should go with clipless pedals right away or should I wait until I'm used with riding a road bike? Up to now I've rode nothing but platform pedals.
I know my question may sound silly, but I'm very green at this. My LBS has been helpful up to now, but I am interested in getting more neutral opinions.
Thanks!
After riding my mountain bike on the roads for the past 2 years, I got tired and I finally decided to get myself a road bike (Trek Pilot 1.0).
I had a question about clipless pedals. I already know about the benefits of clipless pedals, but I was wondering if I should go with clipless pedals right away or should I wait until I'm used with riding a road bike? Up to now I've rode nothing but platform pedals.
I know my question may sound silly, but I'm very green at this. My LBS has been helpful up to now, but I am interested in getting more neutral opinions.
Thanks!I rode my road bike with platform pedals for the first few months and it worked out fine, but I do recommend clipless pedals if you're serious about it. It makes your cycling more efficient, especially up hills, but you don't necessarily need them if you're just up for riding chillfully. It's your call, but if you have the dough to spend I'd say go for it sooner rather than later.
Does your mountain bike have clipless pedals ?
I went with the clipless right away. But then I was cheap and didn't want to have to buy two sets of pedals.
Hi
Depending on how good your'e bike handling skills are, I would recommend spending some time getting used to your road bike before spending money of clipless pedals and shoes. Later on you can decided whether you want to get SPD style pedals (smaller recessed cleat, easier to walk on) or Look style pedals(slight more efficient due to larger contact platform) (there are many designs in the market place).
One recommendation is to get clipless pedals which allow you adjust the tension of the retention mechanism, that way initially you can set a low tension so that you can disengage them easily until you get more proficient. The other thing is get help from your LBS on setting up you cleat position correctly as the wrong cleat adjustment can sometimes lead to injury.
I started with the basket clip pedals and they worked good for about 6 months. I then knew I was serious about cycling so I bought clipless. I would recommend starting on basket clip pedals because it will help you learn w/o having to clip in and out all the time.
If you get adjustable clipless pedals I think you should be fine to start with them - they are not that difficult to get used to, just have the tension pretty loose.
I started on the old toe-clip type only because clipless weren't around when I started riding.
I have used Look and then changed to Shimano and then back to Look - not for any particular reason in quality- just a change in bike - but both are easy to use.
Welcome to the world of roadies - you'll never give up now.
I rode toe clips and straps for 40 years. Three years ago I got a new bike with clipless pedals already on it. I went for it, got used to it fast, enjoy it so much, I'll never go back. Oh, I rode platform pedals for 10 years before I had toe clips and straps. Clipless is such a big improvement in the cycling experience. It's like seat belts; once you get used to using them you don't feel right if you aren't.
I say go for it also.
Decide on what you want to do. If you are running around town you might want to put MTB pedals on your roadbike, there are easier to clip out of, and are adjustable. Plus they have pedal that you can use without being clipped in, greating for getting started at traffic lights, or riding to the local shop in your joggers.
I heard they were difficult and was scared to get my first pair, especially after seeing some people fall off. However I have never fallen off, you just have to remember to unclip as you are slowing down, it is not the drastic panic stop that I thought it would be.
Okay I did almost fall off once, I had unclicked on my first ride, however I rested my foot on the pedal and it clicked back in...imagine my surprise as I found myself falling when I tried to put my foot down....lucky I unclipped (again) in time!
I say go for it also.
Decide on what you want to do. If you are running around town you might want to put MTB pedals on your roadbike, there are easier to clip out of, and are adjustable. Plus they have pedal that you can use without being clipped in, greating for getting started at traffic lights, or riding to the local shop in your joggers.
I heard they were difficult and was scared to get my first pair, especially after seeing some people fall off. However I have never fallen off, you just have to remember to unclip as you are slowing down, it is not the drastic panic stop that I thought it would be.
Okay I did almost fall off once, I had unclicked on my first ride, however I rested my foot on the pedal and it clicked back in...imagine my surprise as I found myself falling when I tried to put my foot down....lucky I unclipped (again) in time!Sold a pair of Look carbon pro's to a friend a long time ago and forgot to tell him that because they were pro spec, that the release tension was very high. Imagine the laugh we had when he told us on his first ride that he fell onto the bonnet of a car when he wasn't able to release at a set of lights.
The trick is to get the technique right(especially for look style pedals), I find clipping out is easier if my pedal and crank is at the 9 o'clock position, as you seem to have more leverage for the ankle twist.
I have been using Look Pedals for years.
The worst thing about them, is that the cleats can wear down quickly & have to be replaced; they are about $AUS25.00 for a pair.
It's just annoying to have to keep buying and replacing them.
But the feel you get, especially if you have the right shoes, is fantastic.
When buying shoes, DO NOT worry about price.
Don't look at the price tag at all.
Get a pair which fit just perfect and I promise you the price will be forgotten, because the comfort and feel will continue long after the credit card has been paid.
i've been riding with spd's and found them great, reliable and hasle free with regard to maintennce. also I've never fallen over (almost a few times, but never actually fallen over). Therefore I would recommend going clipless, and why not straight away. But If you've got reservations and want to test your new bike, why don't you take your platform pedals off your old mtb and put them on your new road bike for a few days?
yrs, F.G.
It takes only a couple of days to get used to clipless pedals, so definitely just jump in there and get some. Once you've started riding with them, you'll wonder why you even asked the question in the first place! And, hey, if you don't like them, you can always go back to platforms. There's another similar thread here (http://www.cyclingforums.com/t336762.html).
framism
The reason I asked you about clipless on your mountain bike, as to see if you already had shoes already.
I rode with spd mountain bike pedals on my road bike for 3 years before switching to look road pedals. Any clipless pedal/shoe combination is going to be a vast improvement over toe clips. I personally found the road pedals a little better than the mountain bike pedals and didn't find them any harder to get into, thats my personal experience. Basically the difference between the systems is the size of the cleat. A larger cleat spread the load over the foot. The spd cleats last about 3 years and the look cleats last about a year. If the cost of the cleats is really an issue, you can get them cheaper on ebay. The shoes last 4 years of constant use (mine are 3.5 years and still going good), so don't be overly worried about the price of them, make sure that you get ones that fit well.
These are a good option, I just wish i had bought better shoes. :o
The reason I asked you about clipless on your mountain bike, as to see if you already had shoes already.
Sorry for the belated response but no, I don't have the cycling shoes yet.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your opinions. Sounds like I should bite the bullet and go clipless right away.
The folks at my LBS told me that they're the way to go. They only cautionned that I should start by spending a few hours practicing with the pedals by sitting on the bike while leaning against a wall, then have a few practice spins in an empty parking lot.
Thanks for all your advice and have a safe ride!
I had trouble with my first clipless pedals, I had gone with Look, and look makes your foot 'snap' out of the pedal which was hard for me. Upon looking further I went with Speedplay X5 pedals. You snap into them, but you dont have to 'snap' out, you just turn your foot and there is a channel and boom your foot slips out. I would have went down again, if not for these clipless pedals, when you kinda are going down your foot goes down anyway, and boom, it slips right out, you dont have to really force it to 'snap' out, hope this helps.
Who has an opinion regarding the comparison between Look Keo, Time RXS and Shimano SPD-SL? (I've worn out my spd-sl pedals and am considering a replacement.) Views welcomed.
Who has an opinion regarding the comparison between Look Keo, Time RXS and Shimano SPD-SL? (I've worn out my spd-sl pedals and am considering a replacement.) Views welcomed.What kind of riding do you do?
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