Which clipless pedals and shoes for road and off road riding?

I got a Gary Fisher Kaitai yesterday and will be riding it both on road and off road. Which clipless pedals and shoes would you guys recommend?

 

For both on-road and off-road, many have sworn by the Shimano SPD-style, the cleats only use two bolts to fasten to the shoes so you can theoretically use the same shoes for both road and off-road, Shimano also makes shoes that will take either SPD or Delta (3-bolt) cleats so you can use the same pedal with different shoes depending on where you're riding since both pairs of shoes will take the same type of cleats.

This of course all boils down to personal preference, so your best bet is to see if you can try out a few different types and decide which you like better.

 

I suppose I was sort of hoping there would be a pedal & shoe setup that would work well for both.

 

That's kinda what I was getting at in my post, I've read about people who ride on the road with MTB shoes, that's perfectly OK if you're comfortable doing it. Some even prefer using MTB shoes even on the road because the cleats are recessed into the sole so they're easier to walk around in. I myself am personally not a big fan of having to walk on my heels just to grab a bite to eat or a drink of iced tea...

My bottom line - you can use one pedal/shoe/cleat setup for both road and off-road, it just might take a little customization though.

 

i had a gary fisher marlin that i had shimano spd's on and used them on the trek 1000 roadie. only need a wrench to take them off and on for transferring the pedals. the threads are the same on the mountain and the roadies for pedals, only takes a few seconds.

 

If you're an average recreational rider, then there is zero practical downside to using MTB-style SPD shoes and pedals for road riding.
As already mentioned, the ability to walk reasonably normally in your riding shoes can be a considerable advantage for anything you need to do off the bike.

If you're a hard-core racer, then the added weight and air drag of the treaded sole(which you don't need on the bike) will of course annoy you immensely and maybe even cost you a measurable amount of time/effort over the course of a race.

If your riding buddies think they are hard-core racers they might taunt you for not having the "proper" gear.

For people who really mash their pedals there is a theory that the wider contact area of the road-style cleats will make for a more efficient power transfer, and save them some foot discomfort.
I can sort of understand what they're getting at, as there are combined sneakers/hiking shoes that also take a SPD clip. Their soles can be flexible enough for this to be noticeable.
But since I switched to MTB shoes that aren't masquerading as anything else I haven't noticed that any more.
As soon as you're out of the lowest price range the difference between a road shoe and a MTB shoe is often nothing more that the sole anyhow.
What I look for in a shoe apart from fit is clasps instead of laces or velcro. Velcro tend to wear out while there's still plenty of life in the rest of the shoe, and lacing can stretch when you least want it.

 

I use the same shoes and pedal model for both road and mountain biking. The mountain bike shoes are practical and comfortable. I also wear baggies road biking.

 

I wear MTB shoes and SPD clone pedals. I like to walk when needed, and this simplifies things too.

 

What do you guys think of these two products before I go ahead and place the order? Also, I wear a 10 or 10.5 in normal shoes. Do I want a 44 or 45 bike shoe?

Pedals: Nashbar SoHo Commuter/Touring Road Bike Pedal - Normal Shipping Groung

Shoes: Nashbar Sport II Mountain Shoe - Normal Shipping Groung

 

The pedals look great for commuting, assuming you want the option of riding with street shoes and sneakers as well as the bicycling shoes.

The shoes are probably fine, but it's always best to either buy shoes in person. Like most shoes, there's subtle but significant differences in how they're built and sized, so personal fit and size can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

I'm not saying anything bad about those Nashbar shoes (I buy a lot of Nashbar stuff and have always been very happy). But, they're pretty much entry-level shoes. NOT THAT THERE"S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. I have no doubt they'll work great and you'll be happy with them. But my point is, there is nothing there you can't find in the lower priced shoes that might be sold at your local shops. If you have bike shop with a decent selection of shoes locally, I'd advise you to just go in and try on some you can afford, and buy locally, even if it costs a few dollars more. These shoes will probably last you a long time, so don't be afraid to spend a few bucks to get one you know will be comfortable and whose features you like.

I have a very poor selection locally so I buy on line and either go with a brand and size i know will work, or I'm prepared to possibly have to send some back to get the right size. I was looking for some fairly expensive, high end shoes, and found a couple of models on deep discount/closeout type of bargains (~50% off). I'd never used these brands, so I bought 4 pair by mail - 2 different sizes of two different brands. The differences were that in one brand the 42 was perfect and the 43 was too long and wide. The other brand, the 42 was just a bit too short and narrow, and the 43 was long enough, but still seemed a tad too narrow. Even with extra shipping for the three pair I rejected, the result was a good 20% less than similar quality locally, and the options I really wanted weren't available locally anyway.

That's almost what you need to be prepared to do if you order online. You might luck out and get a good enough fit first time, but might not. If you're looking for something special that just can't be found locally, and/or absolutely know the brand and size to get, by all means look online.

By the way, I used mountain bike shoes and pedals for about 15 years on my road bike before I switched to "real" road shoes and pedals a year or two ago. Why did I switch? Just because at my age (late 50s) I just decided to try them since I never had, and I could afford to. Are they actually better? Quite a bit lighter all-in-all, and "feel" a little sportier while riding, but I do not believe for a minute that they are functionally better. Certainly not more comfortable on the bike and don't make me go faster. I never had any problems with the MTB shoes/pedals....ever. The road shoes/cleats are bad for walking in, for sure. That, to me is a very good reason to recommend MTB shoes/pedals for any rider, even serious-ish roadie.

 

FWIW. I'm of the belief that CYCLING SHOES should be looser than snugger ... so, between the two, get the size 45.

Now, I'm not sure I would buy THOSE shoes, regardless ... THREE STRAPS are better than TWO.

You can also do better on the pedals ... if you want a one-sided SPD pedal w/ a FLAT reverse side, then I think you should look at a "commuter" pedal where the "plain" side looks like a traditional/vintage road pedal. NASHBAR & PERFORMANCE should have one ... SHIMANO has one ... WELLGO probably has one (since they probably make the NASHBAR & PERFORMANCE pedals)

 

IMO, if you're not a hardcore cyclist/racer (I'm not), the advantage of SPD clips (walking in particular) FAR outweigh any advantage road-style pedals may give you. I have 3 bikes (1 MTB/2 road), two pairs of shoes (Shimano/Specialized) and three sets of pedals (all Shimano)...all SPD compatible and they all work really well together. I just pick what I feel like riding/wearing and it's all good!

 

I got old Ultegra spd pedals in my RB and Shimano spd for the MB. I wear Spiuk MB shoes and the work perfectly with any of those pedals. There are very comfortable and stiff enough, have some fiberglass sole. Before I owned some Diadora shoes and work in the same set up, Spiuks are way more stiff than the old Diadoras and feel very good.

 

Another vote for the SPDs. There are a number of affordable, good quality shoes and pedals in this range.

On my first road bike, I was nervous about doing clipless, so I compromized and picked up a set of Shimano 424s--SPD pedals with a rubber surround so they can ride like a traditional platform pedal. They're actually MTB pedals, but work well for me. I wound up putting them on my 7.3FX because I liked them so much.

 

Eggbeaters will work with road or off-road shoes. Light, simple, and easy to use. I love 'em.