pedals/clips/clipless 101?

[hipmama]

Hey there!
I'm new here~ second season cyclist - well, born again- took a break for a few years while my daughter was wee and I was working my butt off, and we got back into biking together last year.
We have a tandem mountain bike that we ride together but I'm enforcing more time for myself to ride solo and am loving it.
Which leads me to pedals and clips. I am picking up my "new to me" road bike at the end of the week I'll be moving into the clipless pedal system.
I really don't know anything about them, like, it's coming with pedals, will any bike shoes fit into them or do you have to get pedals with shoes that work with them?
I know they can be tightened and loosened to make for easier in and out- suggestions on how to do so?
Are there types that are easier for in and out than others? I know I have to learn and just get the feel for them and likely fall a few times but I'd like to set myself up for success by at least starting off with a good set up.
Also, my daughter is now asking for clips on her pedals on our tandem. She'll be 10 this summer. Any suggestions on a set up for kids?
Thanks!

[tctrek]

Welcome to TE, Hipmama! Are you saying your bike is coming with clipless pedals already? If that's the case, you will need to find out what kind of pedals they are and purchase cycling shoes and cleats for the bottom of your shoes that match the pedals.

For example, if there are SPD pedals on your bike, you'll need SPD cleats on your shoes. I'm no expert, but I started riding my road bike with mountain bike shoes and SPD pedals/cleats.

Whatever you do, the pedals on the bike and the cleats on the shoes have to match.

[hipmama]

Yup, it has clipless pedals now- I just forgot to find out what kind they were! I'll be picking it up at the end of the week so I'll know soon. I figured there had to be a match but there's so many shoes out there and so many gadgets!

[OakLeaf]

Some cleats attach to the shoes with three bolts (Look is the most common), some only have two (Shimano SPD is the most common). Some shoes will accept either type, some shoes have only two holes or only three. So yes, if you're contemplating a pair of shoes that only accepts one type, you need to know what kind of pedals you have before you buy your shoes.

[hipmama]

Thanks ladies!
Alright, any suggestions on clips or clipless for kids? Just for on the tandem- not on her own bike.

[pinkbikes]

Thanks ladies!
Alright, any suggestions on clips or clipless for kids? Just for on the tandem- not on her own bike.

Hi hipmama

I also tandem with my daughter who turned 11 last week. It really is the most wonderful investment in your relationship with your daughter isn't it?

I can't count the great conversations we've had, although she has the vexing habit of asking "life, the universe and everything" kind of questions when we are slugging up some huge hill and I have to remind her that if she has the brainpower to think up that sort of question she is obviously not pedalling hard enough!

I have clipless pedals for me on the tandem (SPD ones because we are often touring and I want to be able to walk comfortably when we get to where we're going, and mountain bike shoes are good for that). At first I had flats on the back for her, but found that sometimes if I wasn't careful to be smooth I could fling her feet off the pedals!

She would dearly like some clipless pedals and shoes (especially since she is hoping to grow into my roadie soon) but frankly while her feet are still growing at a mile a minute it is hard to justify the expense. As a compromise I have put the original pedals back onto the stoker position on the tandem. They are normal roadie pedals with toeclips/straps. She seems pretty happy with that for now. And it certainly helps her to spin and use more of the stroke when she is pedalling, which gets us up the hills better!

Happy riding, both on the tandem and your "new to you" roadie. I can assure you that you will feel like you have wings on your roadie after lugging even the most helpful daughter on the back of a tandem!

[tandemrider48]

Good Morning All...

I am a newbie to TE as well.......

Looking for advice on what others do, when their feet become sore and numb, especially on long rides.

My husband and I ride a tandem, will be riding in the MS 150 from Houston to Austin this coming weekend.

I have changed shoes, have watched my form, but, still have some distances my feet will become painfully numb.

Any suggestions?

Gina in Houston

[pinkbikes]

Hi tandemrider48

I have two pairs of road shoes and three pairs of mtb shoes (yes - so help me I do identify with Imelda Marcos - but mtb shoes get dirty and I need at least one pair I can keep clean to wear to work/touring...).

The road shoes (Shimano and an old pair of Adidas Eddy Merckx) rarely give me any trouble, and if I do get a little numbness on a long ride, a quick wriggle of the toes seems to sort that out.

The mtb shoes I regularly wear to mtb (Shimano skate shoe sort of style and Wellgo racing style) are also great. I suspect that the fact that you are so mobile when you ride mtb means that there is less repetitive movement and more natural "wriggle" happening in the toes anyway, so there is less likelihood of numbness.

But the latest pair I bought to keep clean and wear to work for commuting between appointments (and the odd bit of touring on the tandem when I want to look presentable) are Exustar and a funny narrow fitting. They feel ok when I put them on but there is a pressure point under the outside of my right ball that starts to tingle and get numb - sometimes before I even get on the bike! I am starting to wonder if I crank them up too tight because they are lace-ups?

So maybe it is about the shoes? Also I have worn shoes that were not so rigid and found that the small platform of the SPDs did create a high pressure spot because the load was not spread so well. An inner sole helped a bit.

Try wearing the shoes a little looser (your feet will swell while you're out) and wriggle those toes a bit (especially if you've been grinding away in the same position for a long time). If that doesn't fix it then you may need to look at different shoes?

[Michi1244]

Hi everyone,

I just started riding. I bought the cleats and pedals, but i am having a horrible time with the clips. would it be dumb to just go back to regular pedals?

[alpinerabbit]

Well, it depends.

If you intend to do serious distance, it would be dumb as you get better power, can last longer, and prevent muscular imbalance...

But if you need some more time to get comfortable with the bike per se, go back, but not for too long...