Pedals, Clip on or Traditional
- Thread starter mcgr
- Start date
mcgr said:
simple version ?
( toe ) clipless pedals use a " cleat " screwed to the sole of your shoe this locks into the pedal and cannot be pulled out but will release by twisting sideways .
nobody that has made the change has ever gone back , even saen kelly the last pro to use toeclips now swears by them
disadvantage ? idiot falls - you stop and either forget or don´t have time to unclip . you look a fool but it don´t hurt that much.
types : road = look , mtb = spd ( shimano )
yes you need shoes but don´t buy something too rigid to start with .
mountain bike cleats - Shimano SPD - offer the advantage of having the cleat recessed into the sole of the shoe allowing you to walk almost normal. Road cleats (Time/Look/Shimano SPD-SL) have a different cleat with the cleat exposed forcing you to walk on your heels. When you buy your shoes & pedals you need to know that the cleat will fit your shoe. SPD cleats are a 2 bolt system whereas road cleats use a 3 bolt system. Also, pedals use a 9/16" thread so if your installing the pedal on an older bike you need to know even if you can (many older and some current low end/mart bikes use a 1/2" thread).
that said I'd never go back. It takes a bit getting used to (tho' much easier & safer than toestraps) and I had a couple embarassing 0mph falls but my pedaling's much more fluid - no more stomping left,right,left,right!!
that said I'd never go back. It takes a bit getting used to (tho' much easier & safer than toestraps) and I had a couple embarassing 0mph falls but my pedaling's much more fluid - no more stomping left,right,left,right!!
Yojimbo_ said:
SPD does have one down side " hot foot " , where all the force is going through a small part of your foot and it " heats up " -
SPD-R is not SPD and was not a success , avoid like the plague .
choice ? if you need to be able to walk go the mtb route for pedals and shoes but if you only need to walk a couple of steps then go the roadie route but you will have huge difficulties walking and there are possibilities of falling at the lights due to lack of grip on the underside of the shoe , don´t try climbing stairs fir example .
I use Shimano M520 mountain bike pedals on my road bike. I have Nike shoes. I like the advantage of being able to walk normally with the recessed cleats. uncliping isn't a problem. Shimano has cleats with a multi-directional release. Just set the tension lite until you get used to them. Then increase the tension to where you can't "accidentally" unclip. Don't buy the shoes online. You really need to try them on to get a good fit.
Except me! Some of us are just too klutzy to use clipless pedals! I'm old school anyway and learned to ride with Toe Clips, so I am very comfortable with them and know how to use them. Becomes second nature after awhile, like unclipping does, I guess, after you've had them, oh, thirty or forty years.el Inglés said:
I'd never seen before the SPD were mtb specific. I ride SPD M520 on my road bike and I'm looking to upgrade to Look Pedals to get the larger pedal area. If you're really looking to get into cycling, go with clipless. Speedplay Frogs or Light Action are a good place to start (and haven't been mentioned yet). All clipless have their advantages and disadvantages, but what you want is something that works well for you and that you can understand so you don't eat it at an intersection.
i rode a mountain bike recreationally in high school, nothing too serious. had heard about clipless pedals back then. recently decided i wanted to get a road bike, and went out and purchased. i had remembered all the talk, back in high school, about clipless pedals. the salesmen i spoke to in my quest for a bike all swear by them.
i was worried it'd be hard to catch on to it. i sat on the bike for the fitting, and struggled the first couple times to get in, but had no problem getting out. figured it would be tougher when i wasn't fixed into the stand.
well, i bought the specialized comp road shoe, for $130 minus a 10% discount at the shop and went with the keo classic, which i was told is a good beginners clipless. first ride on them, i got in and going fine. i'm in a city, so it was annoying stopping at lights, and you can't really plant your foot, as it drags on the pavement. but i'll get used to how to do it right.
only problem i've had so far is that i consciously clip my right foot out to stop, but when my fiance yelled for me cause she lost her balance and wanted me to stop for her to catch up, i clipped out the right, turned my head over my left shoulder, started tipping left, then when i kicked my heel to clip out the left, it pushed my momentum more, and i fell into a fence with posts. hurt a bit on the back, but i learned my lesson.
second ride out and i did fine with them. i'm 100% confident now. they were very easy to pick up, and make pedaling so much easier on climbs. all your power is transferred to the bike, and you feel it.
if you're using your bike to ride around town though and run errands or commute, no way you should have them, as the shoes are impossible to walk in. i'll be throwing a pair of sandals in my camelbak to bring along for rides where i might stop.
i was worried it'd be hard to catch on to it. i sat on the bike for the fitting, and struggled the first couple times to get in, but had no problem getting out. figured it would be tougher when i wasn't fixed into the stand.
well, i bought the specialized comp road shoe, for $130 minus a 10% discount at the shop and went with the keo classic, which i was told is a good beginners clipless. first ride on them, i got in and going fine. i'm in a city, so it was annoying stopping at lights, and you can't really plant your foot, as it drags on the pavement. but i'll get used to how to do it right.
only problem i've had so far is that i consciously clip my right foot out to stop, but when my fiance yelled for me cause she lost her balance and wanted me to stop for her to catch up, i clipped out the right, turned my head over my left shoulder, started tipping left, then when i kicked my heel to clip out the left, it pushed my momentum more, and i fell into a fence with posts. hurt a bit on the back, but i learned my lesson.
second ride out and i did fine with them. i'm 100% confident now. they were very easy to pick up, and make pedaling so much easier on climbs. all your power is transferred to the bike, and you feel it.
if you're using your bike to ride around town though and run errands or commute, no way you should have them, as the shoes are impossible to walk in. i'll be throwing a pair of sandals in my camelbak to bring along for rides where i might stop.
that's what I thought, too. Anyways, KEO Classics are good Look Style beginner pedals. What kind of riding are you going to be doing.Oruboris said:
Oruboris said:
not all mtb shoes can be used with these and a road shoe has the cleat stuck out in the breeze just like a look so you still can´t walk and being steel it rips up the floor as well - as spd cleats need to be oiled to work well DO NOT walk on the carpets , ever .
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