Pedal Question

Hidden1229 said:

I'm looking into getting some pedals for my cannondale road bike. I am just a beginner so I'm a little confused about all the information I'm getting on the different pedals. I was looking at crankbrother's egg beaters, time and look pedals. I like the look design, but I've been told the A3.1s are very noisy. Also, people say that they are hard to get in and out of. I would like to stay around the $100 range. Any suggestions?

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Egg beaters are my least favorite as a road pedal, since they have no "platform" at all. Not familar with the current Time pedals, but I've used Looks and Speedplays for many years. Would go with the A3.1 pedals without hesitation.

Looks have good clip/unclip, and should be very durable without costing a fortune. Plus, cleats are easy to mount and replacement cleats can be found at most LBS. I've also heard of squeaking Look pedals, but never experienced them.

Speedplay Zero's. period. They have adjustable float which means that you can adjust how much your foot moves in or away from the bike before stopping, and it is VERY easy to adjust. You can get the chro-mo spindles for about $150 or the stainless for $190. They're a great investment. As long as you lube them regularly (every 3 months) they will last...and last...and last. The pedal is small, but the cleat on the shoe is large, so you still have great shoe-pedal contact.

Agreed. The Speedplays are amazing, save up just a bit longer and grab those instead. Fantastic pedal.


~BG

I apologize if I'm insulting your intelligence, but I'm not sure as to the extent of your knowledge with clipless. When you buy pedals, they will come with the cleats. Then when you buy shoes, you screw the cleats into the shoes. I don't believe that all shoes/cleat combinations are compatible, so check that out.

I currently use ultegra pedals, and I got them at the LBS for $120. You can always get the $105's for cheaper, and I believe the ultegra pedals tend to go for around $80 on ebay. I like them because they have a good-sized platform and they're easy to get in and out of.

dhk said:

Egg beaters are my least favorite as a road pedal, since they have no "platform" at all. Not familar with the current Time pedals, but I've used Looks and Speedplays for many years. Would go with the A3.1 pedals without hesitation.

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Agreed about the egg beaters. They're a cool design, but in my experience small cleats on road shoes lead to hot spots. I wouldn't worry about noise from the Look pedals. They recently started making bi-material cleats that have Teflon inserts at the contact points. Mine haven't squeaked once.

theresa51 said:

I'm still a beginner, and clipless pedals scare me! I got a pair of Shimano SPD's for $60 for spinning class, and they worked great there. But those bikes are Stationary!! I'm afraid I can't get my foot loose, handle my bike, watch traffic, and stop all at the same time, Any helpful suggestions for someone with phobias about not getting my foot to the ground? I want to be able to get more power out of my legs...thanks, Theresa

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Learn to balance the bike, at least for a few seconds. Then if you have to stop, you can balance for a bit and take a bit more time to get the shoes off the pedals. They really don't take long to get used to though, you just have to remember how they work

theresa51 said:

I'm still a beginner, and clipless pedals scare me! I got a pair of Shimano SPD's for $60 for spinning class, and they worked great there. But those bikes are Stationary!! I'm afraid I can't get my foot loose, handle my bike, watch traffic, and stop all at the same time, Any helpful suggestions for someone with phobias about not getting my foot to the ground? I want to be able to get more power out of my legs...thanks, Theresa

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If you're using SPD's, get a set of multi-release cleats. They aren't the best for hard sprinting or climbing, but they're almost impossible to get stuck in. Before you even think about setting out on your first ride, spend some time leaned up against something practicing getting in and out. You'll also want to adjust the tension on the pedals to as low as it will go. As you learn, you can gradually increase it.

Hidden1229 said:

I'm looking into getting some pedals for my cannondale road bike. I am just a beginner so I'm a little confused about all the information I'm getting on the different pedals. I was looking at crankbrother's egg beaters, time and look pedals. I like the look design, but I've been told the A3.1s are very noisy. Also, people say that they are hard to get in and out of. I would like to stay around the $100 range. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

I've got the Shimano Ultegras and have been happy with them. I adjusted the cleats a couple of times to get the best feel. They have plenty of float so my feet and knees don't feel as though they are locked in a vise.

I had to adjust the tension on the release a couple of times. First they were too tight, then too loose, then just right. (yes, I have done the horizontal track stand, always in front of an audience)

The motion to release your shoes from the pedals is natural and in the event of an impending crash, you'll instinctively get your feet out in a hurry.