Which pedals?

[beancounterbeth]

I have been lurking on here for a while. My husband and I started riding last March as a way to have a hobby together. We both loved it instantly and since then he has really picked up the pace. A couple of months ago, upon his insisting, I put clipless pedals on my bike. A co-worker gave me speedplay zeros that he didn't care for. He said that they give him hot spots. Well after several rides and several falls I have decided that I hate the stupid things. For whateve reason my right foot sticks and I have trouble getting it unclipped.

I know the theory of unclip with one foot, the same foot, every time but there have been a couple of times where that just wasn't possible and over I went. One time I was coming up to a stop and right before the intersection the path took a sharp right. Well, that caused the bike to go right no matter what I did and there was no getting that foot out, even though I tried in advance of the stop.

So, I'm on the hunt for different pedals and I'm hoping for some advice. My co-worker who is an amazing cyclist suggested Shimano SPD 105's. My husband uses Looks and wants to get me those. I'm just so confused at this point.

I just want pedals that I know, know, know that I can get out of at any point in time without having to yank my foot 3-4 times to make it happen.

So frustrated.

[TsPoet]

I'm afraid you are going to get lots of different answers!
I switched from SPD to eggbeaters a few years ago. I love the eggbeaters, they have a lot of float (let your foot wander a bit) and are easy to get in/out of. They (Crankbrothers) also have several different pedals, some with platforms some without. I have both plain 'ole eggbeaters and Candies - I preferr the eggbeaters, they are easier to get out of.
I also personally prefer MTB style over road, they are usually easier to get in/out of and the shoes are more comfortable.
Regardless of what you get, spend an evening watching some stupid TV show and either leaning against the wall or in a trainer sitting on your bike and mindlessly clipping in...out...in....out - it takes time but after awhile you don't even think about it any more.
http://www.goclipless.com/2006/01/crank_brothers_.html

[Flybye]

Do your pedals have a tension adjustment on them (kind of like how you would adjust the tension on a ski binding)?
The tension might be too tight for you to unclip with ease.

I have shimano spd cleats
Shimano SH-11 SPD-SL Cleat
http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='2995-04'


and shimano spd pedals
http://bike-discount.de/bilder/small/1261/pdr_540_spd-sl_pedal_schwarz.jpg

I unclip easily and effortlessly. I have issues with my right foot due to an urelated-to-cycling tendon injury. I have never had a hotspot with this cleat and pedal combination because the pressure to the foot is spread out over a larger surface area.

I got this set up at my lbs and just provided the links so that you could have a picture of what this pedal/cleat combination looks like. Another reason that I selected this pedal is that I wanted to be able to run a quick errand here and there without putting on my shoes that clip in to the pedals. I can wear any old shoe with these pedals for short trips without clipping in. I love them.

Good luck in your quest!

[rij73]

Just want to chime in that SPD is very different from SPD-SL! Shimano 105's and the Shimano's that Flybye mentions are SPD-SL. That is a road-style pedal and cleat that takes road shoes. SPD pedals are mountain-bike style and are very different. Many shoes can take one type or the other but not both. So, if you'd like to keep your shoes, be careful about that.

[slmdunc]

I use CrankBrothers eggbeaters on both my bikes (road and mountain) and I love them. Easy in and out.

My SO has recently purchased Speedplay Frogs, based on some recommendations here on TE, because she was having knee pain issues, and needed maximum float. She said they are so easy to clip out of, that she's a little worried about accidentally becoming unclipped! However, she thinks she will like them, once she becomes used to them. We have yet to go on a significant ride to say for sure, so the jury is out.

Good luck on your hunt.

[Kristi]

I use LOOK Classic. I'm new to riding and very new to clipless. These are adjustable so we have them set pretty loose so I can get out easily. I've only fell once and that was my own fault. I'm still nervous about riding in traffick with my pedals, but I'm sure my confidence will come.

I'd say anything that you can adjust so you feel comfortable will work. That was what sold me on these.

[sgtiger]

My vote is for the Frogs. I like the float which lets me change my foot position a bit while riding and I find them easy to unclip form. Before the Frogs, I had Time pedals (earlier version of these (http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/11563-240_TIMAB9-43-Brands-208-Time-Pedals/Time-ATAC-Alium-Pedals.htm)) for a number of years. They're pretty good but not my favorite. And when I first went clipless I tried the low-end Shimano with the cleat on one side and flat on the other. I like the concept of that but I didn't like the fact that my foot was fixed in place. When they were new they were kinda hard to unclip from, but with some adjustments and the corners rounding off some (after a few weeks of use); they got easier to unclip. I've heard good things about Eggbeaters and the other pedals that Crank Bros make.

[Grog]

I'm not sure what this "theory of always unclipping the same foot" is, but I don't recommend it.

You should be able to unclip both feet. There are many situations, in real-life traffic, where you may need to unclip your "not-so-sweet" leg.

Practice both...

Good luck with the pedals. I've found that mountain SPDs (recessed cleats) are the easiest to unclilp of, when at their light-tension setting.

[slmdunc]

I'm not sure what this "theory of always unclipping the same foot" is, but I don't recommend it.

You should be able to unclip both feet. There are many situations, in real-life traffic, where you may need to unclip your "not-so-sweet" leg.

Practice both...


I concur.

I've never heard of unclipping one foot only as a theory of practice - I've only heard of it as a bad habit of people new to clipless pedal systems.

When I started using clipless, I had to consciously remind myself to practice unclipping my left foot, because I naturally was inclined to unclip the right. Well, naturally, I fell over on the left on a few occasions! I then moved on to unclipping BOTH feet every time I came to a stop sign, out of a fear or falling... and finally, I learned to gauge the situation, and unclip the correct side accordingly.

The good news? I rarely have to think about it anymore! Whew!:o

Don't worry! You'll figure it out! ;)

[Tuckervill]

I unclip on both sides depending on the situation. But what I also do is, as I'm stopping, get off the saddle, move my weight towards the bars, and put the unclipped foot on the ground beside the front wheel and about a 12-18 inches away from it. This gives me a nice 3-point stance and makes it almost impossible to fall over to the clipped-in side. It also gives my body a little more clearance on the standover because the bike is leaning 15 degrees or so.

If you put your foot down too close to the bike, you are more likely to fall over, so lean the bike and put that foot as far out as is comfortable.

Karen

[oxysback]

Add one more vote for Crank Brothers Eggbeaters. No moving parts...easy in/out...and a lot of float. Don't be decieved by their size. The mountain pedals are very sturdy!

[Tuckervill]

Oh, and my vote is for Speedplay Frogs. Very loose and it doesn't make any loud clicking noise when you clip in. I love them.

I use mine with shoes designed for spinning. They have laces, and only ONE Velcro strap. Other cyclists think they're funny looking. I don't care.

Karen

[emily_in_nc]

Speedplay X-2s (road pedals). Pros - easy clip-in and clip-out, free float Cons - slippery; sometimes my foot slips on the pedal when I am trying to clip in quickly, like starting from a stoplight at an intersection.

Speedplay Zeros (road pedals). Pros - Great feeling when clipped in, can set for exactly the amount of float you need. Cons - For me, very hard to clip into. Finally sold them as I just couldn't clip into them quickly and reliably enough.

Eggbeaters Candies (mountain pedals). Pros - Very easy to clip out of, right amount of float for me (not too much, not too little). Cons - Had a hard time clipping in my second foot on a rooty single-track trail.

Speedplay Frogs (road pedals). Pros - Very easy to clip into and out of. Lots of float. Cons - Possible to clip out accidentally if you get sloppy with your pedaling. But that's forcing me to clean up my pedaling style. These are my VERY FAVORITE pedals! I still have the X-2s on my road bike but plan to change to Frogs on that as well one of these days. I have Frogs on my mountain bike and wouldn't go back to Eggbeaters.

Emily

[Jo-n-NY]

Frogs for me also.

I like that there is no tension to unclip. Just turn the foot and lift. I also do not have to think about it anymore.

Emily, when you say road do you mean mtn shoes on the road bike? I didn't think frogs could go on road shoes.

Thanks
~JoAnn

[KnottedYet]

Love my Frogs, too!

[kaybee]

I ride with Speedplay X2s and DH has another Speedplay model (can't remember which). If you're having trouble clipping in and out, you might try lubing your cleats. Those little springs tend to get sticky when they need to be lubed or cleaned.

KB

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, when you say road do you mean mtn shoes on the road bike? I didn't think frogs could go on road shoes.

Yes, you are correct. I currently have two pairs of shoes - road and mountain. I use my road shoes with Speedplay X-2 pedals on my road bike and my mountain shoes with Frog pedals on my mtb. When I get a second set of Frogs, I will use my mountain shoes on both bikes. I prefer my mountain shoes anyway -- they are easier to walk in. And they're newer and prettier. :D

Emily

[BikeDutchess]

Another big Froggie fan here! Love the lack of spring tension and the float. Clipping in or out is never a problem.

Frogs can be used with road shoes. Here is a link to the Frog Instructions (http://www.speedplay.com/pubs/Frog_Instructions_10_06_06w.pdf), scroll down to the last page and you'll find the compatibility guide. Frogs are compatible with all road shoes with SPD-style 2-slot installation configurations.

That said, I use mountain shoes with my road bike too. I'm not a racer, and I like being able to walk somewhat normally when I get off the bike at rest stops and such.

[beancounterbeth]

Thank you to everyone for all your input.

I guess I should have added a couple more details. 1. I have used white lightening and the right foot still sticks. 2. I have Specialized road shoes that are brand new and I don't want to spend more money on shoes.

There are enough women on here who suggest the eggbeaters to make me really interested. Can I use them with road shoes? Also, is there a specific crankbrothers eggbeaters pedal that is highly recomended? Can I adjust the tension on the cleat/pedal to make it easy to clip in and out of?

[VeloVT]

I have Ultegra (SPD-SL) pedals on my road bike and eggbeaters (just the plain ole' eggbeaters, not one of the platform varieties) on my cx/commuter bike.

I like both. I definitely prefer a road-style (SPD-SL, Look, etc) pedal for road biking -- I feel like I get better power transfer and they're just so solid.

But, the eggbeaters are super easy to clip in/out of, and they shed slop like nobody's business. Only issue I've had is that sometimes I feel like my cleat is loose, but when I go and check it, it's not -- gotta figure out what's going on there because it's distracting.

I'm not sure if eggbeater cleats are compatible with road shoes -- if I had to guess I'd say not with most (more traditional road cleats have three screws spaced in a triangle with a wide base -- the eggbeater cleats are more like spd mountain cleats, two screws set close together). I'm sure someone else will give a definitive answer though. I'd worry about the slipperiness of eggbeater cleats on road shoes if they are compatible. Everyone hates the "duck waddle" you're forced to do with road shoes and cleats, but the big road cleats do give you a little traction when otherwise slick road soles would have none. (I use road shoes for my road pedals and mountain shoes for my eggbeaters).

[VeloVT]

One other thing -- I'm not sure I'd want to characterize clipping out on the same side each time as a "bad habit", ESPECIALLY for people new to clipless. I think when you're first starting to use clipless pedals, unless you're super coordinated (which some people are!), it takes a while to get establish the muscle memory/neural pathway/whatever to automatically clip out when you need to stop, and to lean to the correct side. Having a pattern that your conscious brain can hang on to -- "slow down, clip out left, lean left, stop" -- can really make this process faster and easier.

I've been riding with clipless pedals for about a year and a half, and I don't think about my pedals anymore. I DO clip out on the same side 90% of the time, not because of some rigid adherence to habit, but because I get a faster start with my dominant leg clipped in. However, I've demonstrated to myself a few times recently that when I NEED to clip out on the other side (such as when I'm going 2mph in deep sand and start to lose it), I have no trouble doing it, and I don't have to think about it, and I don't risk leaning to the wrong side --it's just as automatic as my "sweet" side.

[Trekhawk]

I'm not sure if eggbeater cleats are compatible with road shoes -- if I had to guess I'd say not with most (more traditional road cleats have three screws spaced in a triangle with a wide base -- the eggbeater cleats are more like spd mountain cleats, two screws set close together). I'm sure someone else will give a definitive answer though. I'd worry about the slipperiness of eggbeater cleats on road shoes if they are compatible. Everyone hates the "duck waddle" you're forced to do with road shoes and cleats, but the big road cleats do give you a little traction when otherwise slick road soles would have none. (I use road shoes for my road pedals and mountain shoes for my eggbeaters).

Hmm Im thinking they probably are compatible. I have egg beaters on my mountain bike and Quattros on my road bike (both pedals are made by Crank Brothers) and the cleats are pretty much the same. I can clip my mountain bike shoes into my Quattro road pedals but Crank Brothers recommends shaving a little off your mountain bike shoe to make connection between the shoe and pedal a little easier. The Quattros are basically an egg beater with a platform around them. I love my Crank Brothers pedals.:)

[Jo-n-NY]

Another big Froggie fan here! Love the lack of spring tension and the float. Clipping in or out is never a problem.

Frogs can be used with road shoes. Here is a link to the Frog Instructions (http://www.speedplay.com/pubs/Frog_Instructions_10_06_06w.pdf), scroll down to the last page and you'll find the compatibility guide. Frogs are compatible with all road shoes with SPD-style 2-slot installation configurations.

That said, I use mountain shoes with my road bike too. I'm not a racer, and I like being able to walk somewhat normally when I get off the bike at rest stops and such.

Thanks, that was interesting. It is really just a thought as sometimes I would rather have a road shoe as I think they might be lighter than the mtn shoe and wonder if that makes a difference on long rides. However, like Emily said, I also like the advantage of walking wherever I want for the rest stops and where ever. Well, I guess I know there is an option. Maybe another would be to get lighter mtn shoes.

Thanks much ladies!!!
~ JoAnn

[VeloVT]

Hmm Im thinking they probably are compatible. I have egg beaters on my mountain bike and Quattros on my road bike (both pedals are made by Crank Brothers) and the cleats are pretty much the same. I can clip my mountain bike shoes into my Quattro road pedals but Crank Brothers recommends shaving a little off your mountain bike shoe to make connection between the shoe and pedal a little easier. The Quattros are basically an egg beater with a platform around them. I love my Crank Brothers pedals.:)

Huh. Interesting. It makes sense that the cleats for all of the Crank Bros pedas would be the same I guess. Do you use road shoes with your quattros... and if so, is the combination really slippery :) ? I'm curious about this now.

[jrod1969]

I love, love, love my Look Keo pedals. I'm still relatively new to cycling and have had my share of falls getting used to the clipless pedals, but these are, by far, the best pedals I've tried. They are pricey, but (in my opinion) worth it. Good luck!

[Trekhawk]

Huh. Interesting. It makes sense that the cleats for all of the Crank Bros pedas would be the same I guess. Do you use road shoes with your quattros... and if so, is the combination really slippery :) ? I'm curious about this now.

Yep I use road shoes with my Quattros and don't find them slippery. If you check out the link below you will see that they have a platform piece that surrounds the cleats and I think this helps.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=13057

[aicabsolut]

The favorites among my cycling buddies and I are Look Keo and Shimano Ultegra spd-sl.

[TsPoet]

Only issue I've had is that sometimes I feel like my cleat is loose, but when I go and check it, it's not -- gotta figure out what's going on there because it's distracting.



Some describe the feeling of riding on eggbeaters as similar to riding on ice. I get that, too. It's the float. You can get used to it, it's a good thing, really it is ;)
Also make sure your cleats are whichever way makes for less float, that might help the feeling of riding on ice.
I notice the feeling when I've been riding my trike a lot. My trike has powergrips which, oddly, have less float. So, when I go back to my road bike with the eggbeaters, that cleat is loose feeling takes awhile to go away.

[KnottedYet]

I clipped out with my right foot first for 25 years with toe-clips.

It seemed perfectly natural to clip out with my right foot with my cleated pedal system. (aka clipless)

I can clip out with my left foot first when the need arises.

When I ride on my platform pedals, the right foot nearly always hits the ground first.

Do whatever works for you.

[sundial]

Me too!

[kdskaggs]

Hi, Beth!

I live in Sand Springs, we're neighbors!

Have you ridden the new trail to Skiatook yet? I haven't but would like to. I'm wondering if there is anywhere off the trail to eat breakfast at. My husband and I ride on Sunday mornings to breakfast at Utica Square.

As far as pedals go, I have tried Looks and Time and prefer Shimano. I had knee surgery four years ago and need a pedal that is easy to get out of. My Shimanos are adjustable so I keep them on the easiest setting. I did a few "Arties" too when I first got my pedals, most of us do. You'll get the hang of it no matter which pedal you end up with.

Kenda

[ilima]

I just switched from Speedplay X2s to Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL (PD-6620).

While I loved the float of the Speedplays, and they were absolutely effortless to clip out of and into (friends with one-sided pedals sometimes fumble at traffic lights to clip back in; not me in the X2s), I found myself developing 'hot spots' on longer rides (45+ miles or so). Folks claim that the Speedplay pedal has a large platform because of the way the cleat clips in with the pedal, but I could definitely tell I was on lollipops and my feet really weren't supported.

After getting really, really painful hotspots during a Half IM, I decided the Speedplays had to go. Folks at the LPS recommended the Look Keo CroMo (which you can find on sale online), but I wanted the widest platform so I got the Shimano SPD-SLs. So far I really like the supportive and wide platform. Not nearly as much float as the Speedplays, but still a bit with the stock cleats. I'm still getting the hang of clipping in since the pedals are one-sided. Sometimes I have to look down to ensure I'm clipping in right. And despite having the tension set to the lowest setting (I think), it takes some effort to clip out.

There is a 105 version of the newest SPD-SLs for 2008, the PD-5610. Good bargain, IMO. Weighs slightly more than the Ultegras but cost considerably less.

[beancounterbeth]

Hi Kenda! No, I haven't ridden on the trail to Skiatook yet. Actually, I haven't ridden much in the past couple months because I became so afraid of my Speedplay pedals. I went to the LBS (I would name which one I use but I don't know if that is against the rules) and bought Look classics yesterday. So far I have only used them on the trainer but I really think that I'll like them more than the Speedplays. It came down to the Shimano SPD's and the Looks and in the end the Looks won due to the weight and since my husband uses Looks I figured he would approve of the choice. Oh, and the LBS guys suggested the Looks.

My husbands keeps trying to talk me into the Wednesday night ride but since I've only been riding since March I don't think I'm up to it just yet. Plus I need to get the feel of my new pedals and overcome my fear of clipless.

Thank you everyone who gave me input on which pedals you prefer. It really helped in making my decision.

Beth

[kdskaggs]

Hi, Beth,

If I can get someone in my family to go with me, I might try the Skiatook trail today. I'll let you know how it is if we go. We usually ride the Katy trail on Sunday and Riverpark on Wed. I get tired of the Riverpark traffic. :(

My LBS wants me to try the Looks too. I'm looking at new bikes and may switch over to Looks with the new bike. I tried them a few years ago and hated them but I was told they changed the pedals and they are much easier to use now.

Which bike shop do you use in Tulsa? I use primarily T-Town but am going to the Trek store to take a peak at their bikes too.

Let me know how you like yours.

Kenda

[beancounterbeth]

Too funny! I use T-Town as well. The guys there are soooo nice and helpfull. Plus after purchasing my bike there I get 10% off anything I buy. That really helps out. I have found the people at the Trek store to be unfriendly and it just feels a little too much like shopping at a big department store while every time I go into T-Town they remember my name and are so incredibly helpfull.

I would love to hear how you like the Skiatook trail. I am always looking for a new place to ride. I love the trail down the Creek turnpike because it is usually somewhat shaded and there are less people on it. The traffic on the riverside trail is what keeps my husband and I from going that way. Plus last night I noticed they have a bunch of it torn up. There have been too many times that I had a close call due to someone with headphones on or just not paying attention while riding the riverside trail. Other than that my husband and I have gotten into riding out south of Glenpool on some of the more rural roads.

Hope you have a good ride today!

Beth

[kdskaggs]

Well, we ended up riding the Katy Trail from River City Park in Sand Springs to Utica Square for lunch. The weather looked a little too ominous to ride to Skiatook. As it was, we were poured on but it was still fun. I'll take rain over extreme heat any day! :) We rode 25 miles. My daughter ran a 5K yesterday and was beat. I'm no stud and am trying to get my mileage up. My 18-year old son did the MS150 a couple of weeks ago. I sure would like to do it but am nowhere close. I'd like to do a metric century within the next 6 months or so. How far do you guys ride? My kids and husband race mountain bikes so they don't want to do distance riding with me. :(

I always use Jake at T-Town. He sold me my mountain bike too a few years ago. I'm not having much luck with road bikes though and will likely have to have a frame custom built. Jake has been very patient with me but I don't think he's going to find anything that fits me right.

Kenda

[beancounterbeth]

The most I've ridden at one time is 32 miles down the Creek Turnpike. My husband and I usually ride 20-30 miles each ride depending on time and daylight. In general I would like to get a couple 30 mile rides in each week and then if time permits a little longer ride, say 45, on the weekend. But like I said, I haven't gone that far yet.

I'll have to check into that trail in Skiatook. I'm always looking for another trail since right now the Creek is the only "trail" I really like.

[letsride89]

well gosh girls, im your neighbor too!! have you been riding lately (hopefully not TOO recently bc of the horrible ice!!) whats this new skiatook trail?? i haven't heard of it? does it just connect to the katy??

[letsride89]

by the way, i used to have shimanos and i just went to BEAUTIFUL look keos. (baby blue ;) )

anyway, i loved my shimanos, wen i first started riding, DH made them SO easy to clip out of. I almost had to do nothing bc it was so easy. Well, i got my keos and i was so used to the motion of clipping out of the shimanos, that the keos were easy after a few rides. i had to just keep practicing on my trainer until i got the exact amount of "yank" to get my shoe out. do you have a trainer you can practice on? it helps for sure :)

[GuitarRiderGrrl]

Hey you guys,
I haven't posted for a while, but we are getting dangerously toward spring (ha ha) up here in the wilds of the Northwest - although we had snow in the east of Seattle area last night - I did manage to get out for a ride yesterday - awesome. Chilly Hilly is almost upon us!

But I digress..... I was up at REI yesterday, and after some deliberation, have decided to go clipless with Crank Brothers Candies, after always (years and years) of riding with toe clips. So, I'm very used to pulling my foot backwards and out. Any suggestions on getting used to turning out rather than pulling backwards to disengage? Can I assume that it will be just getting used to turning out, rather than pulling my foot back? Any suggestions?

Thanks a bunch!
Cyn :D

[cylegoddess]

I have shimanos that came with subzero and road shoes, but I think they have mountain bike cleats on them( they are the little double ones, not Look tyoe).
I have mine on lightest tension, as I have Chronic fatigue and its hard to get my nerves to respond in time.
I spent hours on trainer, watching the TOUR while practicing and also, out side leaning on a tree( for fresh air!) to do mine.
I also unclip right side first but still, after a year, forget that you cant unclip to the inside of bike.
I havent fallen in about two months, thankfully, ever since I loosened them up as far as they could go.
But getting new pedals sounds good!