Clipless Pedals? Recommendations Appreciated!

[Catikin12]

So... I know there are a ton of threads on here regrading clipess riding (because I've read a TON), but I wanted to just get everyone's opinion about types.
What are your favorite pedals and why?
Also, is there a certain kind of pedal that's easier for a beginner and why/why not? Thanks!!!

[Chicken Little]

I have always used Crank Bros. I know a bunch of people don't like em', but they always work for me. Road or trail, doesn't matter. But I've also passed a bunch of riders, uphill, in my Birks and flat pedals on a 28 lb. 80's Schwinn. Draw your own conclusions.

[emily_in_nc]

Speedplay Frogs or Crank Brothers Candies. Although with the later, I had to cut away a bit of the tread on my one pair of mtb shoes that had a lot of tread. I used to use Speedplay X-series pedals and road shoes, but after getting used to the walkability of "mountain" shoes, I'll likely never go back. I wear Keen Commuter sandals on my Bike Friday (which is a road bike) with Candy SL pedals. They come in cool colors too, if that matters. Frogs don't come in colors but are superbly easy to get into and out of.

[roguedog]

I've got SPDs (Shimano 520 or 540).

Positives
I like that they're double sided so I don't have to find the clip in side.
I like that the shoes allow me to walk around pretty comfortably. When I commuted, sometimes I'd forgot I had 'em on until hours later!
They're cheaper than full on road pedals.
I like their durability. Their built to take the abuse of mtn bike riding! Note: I've not had road pedals so this is just my perception.


Negatives
A bit heavier
You don't have as much surface area and thus might find it less comfortable thought I've never had a problem.
Less surface area also means not as efficient in power transfer likely.

[jyyanks]

I'm a beginner and just started riding clipless last month. Like you, I read tons of thread about Shimano's, Speedplays, Candies, Look Keos and even Time pedals. I ended up going with Shimano SPD's, specifically -- Shimano M 530's.

These are the ones I got

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-DEORE-M530-Clipless-Pedals/dp/B0052XXW32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348533678&sr=8-1&keywords=shimano+m530

I like them because they are dual sides so I don't have to look down and try to find which side to clip on. They also have a small platform so if I don't click right away, I don't have trouble pedaling. They are very easy to get in and out of and I like that my mountain bike shoes are easy to walk in. I would totally recommend them for beginners. The Shimano 520's and 540's are also recommended but the reason I went with the 530's is because of the little platform.

[sookiesue]

I love my Speedplay Frogs! I was very wary about going clipless and I find these incredibly easy to use. Best of luck to you in your search!
S

[gocard]

Hi Catikin, I too have recently gotten into road biking. I purchased the Shimano A530 because I liked its option of having one side as a platform (to wear regular shoes) and other side as clipless if/when I decide to move into that arena. Right now I am using the platform part and it suits my beginner's needs very well. One downside is that because they are different on each side, there is the tendency for the platform side to face down after you take your foot off so it takes a bit of nudging while riding to get back on the platform side.

My friend, another beginner, has the same pedals but he already purchased clipless shoes so he is using the other side of the pedals. He says he still has a learning curve with using clipless but he likes the A530 as well.

Note that the A530 is different from the M530, which is clipless on both sides but has the overall platform design. I believe both accommodate mountain bike shoes which are easier to walk around in vs. road shoes, but maybe someone else with more experience can chime in there.

[Owlie]

I have Shimano SPD M540s. They're a nice pedal for the money. I find them easy to get in and out of, and I like the fact that you can walk in the shoes. I've had them for 2+ years, and while I like them (besides the hot spots, but that might be changed by a stiffer shoe), it's becoming clear that my knees don't. So I'm switching to road pedals (more float, distance between where my foot goes and the crank arm is shorter.) I still haven't decided between Look Pluses, Speedplays, or SPD-SLs.

If I didn't have the knee issues, I'd keep my current pedals.

Gocard--as far as I know, they're both SPDs, so they'll quite happily work with mountain bike shoes or road shoes that are drilled to take a two-bolt cleat (there are some out there).

[tzvia]

I use Speedplay X1s on the road bike, CB Candy pedals on the commuters and XTR SPD pedals on the MTBs. I like them all, but for different reasons.

For my all day rides, wearing stiff carbon soled shoes, the Speedplay X pedals with the wonderful float really save my knees. My legs/knees can float in the position they want to be in without resistance and it is easy to snap out of them. At the end of the day my knees feel great.

For the commuter, I use commuting shoes and appreciate the walk-ability of the Crankbrothers cleats and the pedal platform that I can use without clipping in, like when coasting to a light. The distance I commute is short and the float is OK and keeps the knees happy.

For MTB riding, nothing beats the durability of Shimano SPD pedals. I've bashed them into rocks, gotten them muddy and super dirty, and they keep working. My oldest pair is probably 12~13 years old and going strong. They are a bit heavy for commuting and lack the platform the Crank Bros Candy pedals have, and lack the float and light weight of the Speedplay, but they are my first choice for mountainbiking.

If I wanted walk-ability on the road bike and the extreme float was not paramount, I would use SPD pedals, as the Shimano pedals are bomb proof durable and worth the weight penalty over the CB pedals.

For the beginner, there are many here who would say Speedplay Frogs. While I have not tried them, (one day), they look easy to get in and out of, have lots of float, and a walk-able cleat. They actually sound like a good choice for road bike use with a shoe you can walk in.

[Catrin]

I've been using Speedplay Frogs on the road for several years now and love them much better than the SPD pedals I tried first. Just like the SPD pedals, my Frogs are double-sided, much easier to get in and out of (at least for me), and I like the walkability of riding road with mtb pedals.

[Crankin]

Speedplay X pedals and Shimano road shoes on my carbon bike
Speedplay Frogs and Shimano mountain shoes on my titanium, more relaxed geometry road bike. I need pedal float.
I can't stand the "locked in" feeling of spds... although I started with them, used them for a year on my first road bike. I also had them on my mountain bike and my Jamis Coda flat bar road bike. In fact, I had the AA530s on my Jamis, as I thought I would ride without bike shoes occasionally. I spent most of the time trying to flip the pedals back over into the right position, as GoCard said. My knees hurt if I use spds, and I don't have "knee problems."

[indysteel]

I'd add this into the discussion: Some of my pedal choices have been driven by the shoes, first and foremost. I have a narrow heel and I've found it extremely difficult to find shoes that work for me. I briefly considered using clipless pedals on my mountain bike, but could not find a mtb shoe that fit in my foot. I stopped short of trying SIDI mtb shoes because they were just too spendy for my purposes. So, I stuck with platform BMX pedals for the mtb. For road, the only shoe that seems to work is SIDI. Again, they're spendy but for the amount I ride on the road, I could justify it. Plus, I benefit from a stiffer shoe on road rides, as I have experiences some numbness and hot foot issues.

So, you might want to figure out what shoes will work for you feet and go from there, as not all pedal systems work with every shoe.

FWIW, I use Look Keos on my road bike. There's a bit of a learning curve with them, but I do like them. The cost is palatable depending on which model you choose and I've been happy with their durability.

[Amira]

I don't know if they are easier or not for beginners, but I have Shimano SPD-SL pedals, which I switched to last year to have a wider base platform to be clipped into because I was getting hot spots/numbness on the bottom of my feet. Changing pedals helped some with that problem, but it also required changing shoes (and I went through 2 pairs before I finally broke down and spent the money on the Sidi's I should have bought to begin with, but didn't because they were $$$). My only knock on them compared to my old pedals is that they only have one side that you clip into (unlike my old pedals, which you could clip into on either side) and the side that you clip into always turns over when not clipped in, so that you have to always be turning the pedal over to clip into it. I don't think that's a big deal and you get used to it, but it was a definite difference to start out with.

[Owlie]

I use Speedplay X1s on the road bike, CB Candy pedals on the commuters and XTR SPD pedals on the MTBs. I like them all, but for different reasons.

For my all day rides, wearing stiff carbon soled shoes, the Speedplay X pedals with the wonderful float really save my knees. My legs/knees can float in the position they want to be in without resistance and it is easy to snap out of them. At the end of the day my knees feel great.

For the commuter, I use commuting shoes and appreciate the walk-ability of the Crankbrothers cleats and the pedal platform that I can use without clipping in, like when coasting to a light. The distance I commute is short and the float is OK and keeps the knees happy.

For MTB riding, nothing beats the durability of Shimano SPD pedals. I've bashed them into rocks, gotten them muddy and super dirty, and they keep working. My oldest pair is probably 12~13 years old and going strong. They are a bit heavy for commuting and lack the platform the Crank Bros Candy pedals have, and lack the float and light weight of the Speedplay, but they are my first choice for mountainbiking.

If I wanted walk-ability on the road bike and the extreme float was not paramount, I would use SPD pedals, as the Shimano pedals are bomb proof durable and worth the weight penalty over the CB pedals.

For the beginner, there are many here who would say Speedplay Frogs. While I have not tried them, (one day), they look easy to get in and out of, have lots of float, and a walk-able cleat. They actually sound like a good choice for road bike use with a shoe you can walk in.

I really like my SPDs, save the knee thing (though it might be caused by something else), and I'll have to ask my fitter if he thinks they might be okay on a mountain bike. I'd hate to have to buy yet another set of pedals! If not, I think Frogs for the MTB, once I get comfortable enough with the idea of being clipped in on a mountain bike.

[tealtreak]

I've got SPDs (Shimano 520 or 540).

Positives
I like that they're double sided so I don't have to find the clip in side.
I like that the shoes allow me to walk around pretty comfortably. When I commuted, sometimes I'd forgot I had 'em on until hours later!
They're cheaper than full on road pedals.
I like their durability. Their built to take the abuse of mtn bike riding! Note: I've not had road pedals so this is just my perception.


Negatives
A bit heavier
You don't have as much surface area and thus might find it less comfortable thought I've never had a problem.
Less surface area also means not as efficient in power transfer likely.


second vote for spds,....I got them because my local Luna clinic recommended them for starting- love them, don't anticipate changing.

[TigerMom]

I've got SPDs (Shimano 520 or 540).

Positives
I like that they're double sided so I don't have to find the clip in side.
I like that the shoes allow me to walk around pretty comfortably. When I commuted, sometimes I'd forgot I had 'em on until hours later!
They're cheaper than full on road pedals.
I like their durability. Their built to take the abuse of mtn bike riding! Note: I've not had road pedals so this is just my perception.


Negatives
A bit heavier
You don't have as much surface area and thus might find it less comfortable thought I've never had a problem.
Less surface area also means not as efficient in power transfer likely.

I am a big believer in MTB or Touring shoes because I don't feel like slapping cleat covers on/off road shoes every time I walk into a bathroom.

I also have the Shimano M530's because I was a big chicken and worried that I might never go fully clipless. Plus, the big dual sided platforms give me tons of time to clip in while pedaling. I am glad that I started out with these.

But, now that I have been going clipless, I am starting to wish for the speedplay frogs from my road bike because a lot of TE members like them for their float and ease of clipping in/out and they are much lighter than my huge
Shimano M530s.
___________________________________________________________________
2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle
2010 Santa Cruz Juliana with R kit and Crampon pedals
2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle (sold)

[Catikin12]

Thank you SO much to everyone's replies!
Basically, it kind of sounds like there's a lot that has to do with just personal preference.
So I think that I'll probably just try using the ones that my bike came with for now and then revisit this thread for the recommendations if I find that the pedals don't "agree" with me ;)
But I think if I do decide to get different pedals, the dual sided ones sound pretty nice!
FYI: I have the Shimano SPD-SL pedals on there now.
Thank you again- this forum is absolutely wonderful!!!