Clipless pedals for my entry level bike?

[kylelipp]

Hey I'm new here and I would appreciate it if anyone could point me in the right direction. I am only in college, on a tight budget and I am buying a Forge CTS 1000

http://www.target.com/Forge-1000-Road-Racing-Bike/dp/B000LWFG9C

After riding in many long rides before, I know my legs tend to buckle up and I feel I need to go clipless.

Can I just buy any old pedals to replace? And what about shoes? Can they be any old pair?

 

[dabac]

In theory, there are two different pedal threads. But one is so dominant as not to make it matter. Your bike will have the size compatible with clipless(spd-style) pedals.

Spuds won't really prevent your legs from buckling I'm afraid. The biggest advantage to them is that they keep your feet firmly in place and you can lift one foot slightly on the upstroke to get more use out of the foot pushing down. Makes it easier to pedal faster, which, believe it or not, can be better for the knees.

Don't really know what you mean by "any old pedals/shoes". If you're buying the bike new it appears to come with a perfectly serviceable pair of flatties already, so not much point in replacing them with another random pick. But yes, you can get almost any pair of spd-style pedals and they'll fit.

When new, spuds come with the proper cleats included. If you buy used, they might not. And not all cleats are created equal, they have to fit the pedals. If you buy used, make sure you figure out where to get replacements. Cleats wear out, so it can certainly be an issue worth preparing for.

Proper bicycle shoes comes in two different flavors, drilled for road cleats or MTB cleats. For most users/type of usage the MTB cleat/shoe is preferable, as it allows you to walk fairly normally.

And while it is possible to put a spd-cleat under the sole of pretty much any shoe of a sturdy enough model, it's quite fiddly.
I'd get a Wellgo set and be done with it. Good enough and quite inexpensive.

Oh, and I don't know if I'd be brave enough to buy a bike from a source so obviously clueless as to claim that - Bicycle Chain Material: Aluminum...

Originally Posted by kylelipp .

Hey I'm new here and I would appreciate it if anyone could point me in the right direction. I am only in college, on a tight budget and I am buying a Forge CTS 1000

http://www.target.com/Forge-1000-Road-Racing-Bike/dp/B000LWFG9C

After riding in many long rides before, I know my legs tend to buckle up and I feel I need to go clipless.

Can I just buy any old pedals to replace? And what about shoes? Can they be any old pair?

 

[Simonn]

[SIZE=10.0pt] Welcome to you on this forum... Hopefully you will get good results.....[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.0pt]Now you can use this forum to share your problems and experience...[/SIZE]

 

[sd1986]

Try the Crank Brothers Egg Beaters - I run them on my Pinarello

 

[Simonn]

Any comment..

 

[ryan_tran03]

You really can't go wrong with any type of pedals; to each, their own. For me, I really liked the simplicity of SPD-SL. I've got a pair of the ultegra pedals for cheap, but the other Shimano pedals that are cheaper are exactly the same thing, just a bit heavier. These don't really require much maintenence, if at all any.

It also depends on whether you're riding to commute or other things, but I don't really think that makes too much of a difference. Generally, they're not too bad to walk on if you're walking.

Shoes! Depends completely on what you're doing. Competitive, blah blah... I feel that carbon soles, or very rigid ones are important as to avoid hot spots while riding. You can find a lot of shoes cheaper if you look around and the most important part is that it fits perfectly. It's better to be a bit snug and loosen the shoe than too loose and unable to tighten it.

To be honest, you really can't go wrong with anything this day in age. The shoes seem to be really great and pedals don't really vary dramatically. Just pick what you want or try someone's recommendation!

(Mavic Zxellium's w/ Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL)... but I got my stuff extremely cheap. lol lucky me.