shoe & pedal advice

[annabelle]

I am brand new to cycling - I just bought my bike a week and a half ago, so I am still a complete newbie, but I can already tell that I am an addict, because I LOVE it.

But since I am so new, I didn't go for the fancy pedals right away (and not coincidentally, I have not fallen yet!). But I am already eyeing them, so I was hoping that the knowledgable ladies here might have some advice for me.

How do I pick what kind of clips to get? And I have a lovely pair of Sidi road shoes now, with SPD clips on them (they are my spin shoes), but a) I am not crazy about SPD so far and b) I am concerned about having road shoes and then having to walk on them at all.

But if SPD are good, and road shoes are generally considered the way to go, then I can always keep what I have (and that can be the ONE thing about this new hobby that won't cost me a bunch of money!). Or I can get a pair of shoes with some walk-ability to them, in which case, we end up back at the earlier question - how does one decide what kind of pedals to get?

[KnottedYet]

I have mtb shoes (Specialized Taho) and Speedplay Frogs which I use on my road bikes. No moving parts and nothing to adjust. Very easy to get in and out of, and I can walk on the cleats just fine. http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.frog Frog cleats should fit on SPD shoes, too.

Since you already have experience with shoes and clipless systems through spinning, what about taking your shoes and bike down to your LBS and asking them to let you try a few different systems on a trainer?

[Offthegrid]

I use Look pedals because I have had problems with plantar fasciitis in the past, and I have read that for some the SPD pedals are too small to keep the foot stable. BUT others love the SPD pedals and say they are easiest to get in and out of. I find the Looks easy to use.

I also just got Sidi shoes (had Shimano and Specialized before, and they didn't fit well). The Sidis are awesome. You won't have any problem walking short distances in them, say, to a park bench or something while you're on your ride. If there was a reason you would be walking some distance, then you probably would want to go with mountain bike shoes.

[Trekhawk]

I use Crank Brothers Quattros and love them. Double sided entry, nice size platform so you can pedal without being clipped in if you need to.

See them here www.crankbrothers.com

I wear Sidi road shoes and find them super comfy.

Good luck with the shoe and pedal shopping.

[Kalidurga]

I have SPD's and love them, but I haven't tried anything else to be able to really compare. I probably won't try anything else, though, because I want to be able to put on one pair of shoes in the morning and not have to worry about walking around in them before and after pedaling.

What don't you like about the SPD's you use? If you find it difficult to clip in/out, it's possible you just need to adjust the tension on the pedals. Or, if you find them uncomfortable, maybe you need to adjust the cleat placement on your shoes. Depending on what your SPD issues are, it might just take one little adjustment to change how you feel about them.

[Mimosa]

Like you mentioned, road shoes are not made for walking for more then 10 metres. So you first have to think what you want to do with your bike. Do you want to get of the bike often to go for a short walk then road shoes are not the way to go. Then SPD or the crankbrother system TrekHawk mentions is the way to go with mtb styled shoes.

However if you want to ride long(er) distances and only get of the bike once in a while to get a cuppa coffee (and use the toilet ofcourse) then your feet are better of with roadshoes (hard soles) and the Look, Time RXS/RXE or Shimano SPD-SL system.

Personally I find the road-pedals/shoes more comfortable then the mtb shoes/pedals.

[SouthernBelle]

I have 2 pair of shoes, one recessed and one not. My lakes are recessed and work fine on my SPDs.

BTW, when I first got my spd pedals, the were a little stiff to clip in and out of, but loosened up a little, or I got better with them. Continue to work with them before you change your mind.

[Trekhawk]

Like you mentioned, road shoes are not made for walking for more then 10 metres. So you first have to think what you want to do with your bike. Do you want to get of the bike often to go for a short walk then road shoes are not the way to go. Then SPD or the crankbrother system TrekHawk mentions is the way to go with mtb styled shoes.

However if you want to ride long(er) distances and only get of the bike once in a while to get a cuppa coffee (and use the toilet ofcourse) then your feet are better of with roadshoes (hard soles) and the Look, Time RXS/RXE or Shimano SPD-SL system.

Personally I find the road-pedals/shoes more comfortable then the mtb shoes/pedals.

Hey my Crank Brothers Quattros are road pedals and I wear them with road shoes. Crank Brothers make both MTB and Road pedals.