The Low-Down on Road Pedals -- gimme yer thoughts

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So I've been riding my road bike for the past 1.5 years with trusty ol' Shimano 2-bolt mtn SPDs. They've worked fairly well, but I do find that even after getting wider, better-fitting shoes that I tend to get some outer foot soreness after 50 miles or so. I suspect that the relatively more flexible soles of mtn shoes (I have Louis Garneau's top-of-the-line heat-moldable mtn. shoe) are allowing the shoe to flex around the cleat and causing my pain (feels muscular...or like peroneal tendon issues).

So I'm starting to consider switching to true road shoes and pedals on my road bike...especially because I'm planning to take on the crazy challenge of biking across the state of MI (~150 miles) in 4 weeks.

Anyhow, I would get the road version of my mtn shoe (essentially the same, with better ventilation and a full carbon sole) and keep the mtn shoes for my cyclocross bike...which would also keep me from having to wear filthy shoes indoors on the trainer--bonus!.

But what pedals to get? DH has Looks and isn't in love with them. I don't need the float of Speedplays, plus they are notorious for having issues with our sand clogging up the mechanism in the cleats (we can't avoid random sandy spots in West MI, even riding on the roads). What are my other options? What has worked for you ladies? What pedal seems easiest to use as a compliment to 2-bolt SPDs on a 2nd bike?

Thanks in advance!

[nscrbug]

Just my opinion here...but I love my Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL's. I started out on 2-bolt SPD's on my first bike...rode 'em for a year until I couldn't take the foot pain anymore. Switched to a road pedal (Time RXS) on my 2nd bike and ended up selling that bike (along with the pedals on it). When I got my current bike, I bought the Ultegra pedals and haven't looked back. Plus a big bonus...no more foot pain, which makes my feet about the ONLY body part that doesn't hurt me when I ride.

Linda

[pll]

I have the Look Keo 2 Max, which I got following a recommendation of DarcyinOregon in this forum and a friend elsewhere. I like them a lot. I switched from SPDs this cycling season and I still have a little trouble clipping the left foot starting from a stop.

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I have the Look Keo 2 Max, which I got following a recommendation of DarcyinOregon in this forum and a friend elsewhere. I like them a lot. I switched from SPDs this cycling season and I still have a little trouble clipping the left foot starting from a stop.

DH has been riding for the better part of a decade and switched in the past year from BeBops to Looks...he STILL has a hard time clipping in, sometimes. Frequently I am already through an intersection when he's still struggling to get clipped. I think that's one of the reasons he's not in love with his Looks.

[DarcyInOregon]

I have the Look Keo 2 Max, which I got following a recommendation of DarcyinOregon in this forum and a friend elsewhere. I like them a lot. I switched from SPDs this cycling season and I still have a little trouble clipping the left foot starting from a stop.

Hey thanks! Glad I could be of help.

Regarding clipping in with the left foot (that is the foot I plant at a stop too), I will pedal across a busy intersection and clip in on the other side as it is easy to pedal on a Look pedal without being clipped in. The fastest way to clip in on the Look Keo Max is to just feel the pedal with the foot, flip the pedal, plant the foot on the pedal and the shoe clips in. This pedal is used by a lot of racers, like Contador, and they clip in real fast. Where time is wasted is when the cylist looks down to see where the pedal is positioned, when it should just be a simple movement of the left foot to flip the pedal, no looking at all. It is almost like one movement, the toe of the left foot flips the pedal, the foot continues the forward movement to plant itself on the flipped pedal and the cleat clicks in.

Regarding the 2-bolt Shimano, use the old cleats to clip in to the spin bikes at the gym.

I also have a theory on the Shimano 2-bolt pedals, how they affected me, and the worse was on the hot summer days the foot pain was more intense on the long rides. I gave it a lot of thought, and I think the sun reflected off the asphalt, bounced back up through the metal pedals, the metal heated up, in turn the metal of the cleats also heated up, and because the cleats were recessed the heat was too close to the foot. If I did the same ride on a cold rainy day, I didn't get the same kind of pain, just the discomfort on the balls of the feet; but on the hot days, ouch, it was painful.

The Looks have a large platform, which mitigates a lot of foot pain, not a lot of metal to catch the heat of the sun, and having road bike shoes with the cleats not recessed helps even more.

With respect to wear on the cleats, I do what most cyclists do and that is not walk around in the road shoes too much, always have the sandals or tennis shoes handy, and try not to walk the steep grades. My left cleat did wear out on me a few months ago after about a year of use.

[Catrin]

I love my Speedplay Frogs - I don't know if these mountain bike pedals would give you less trouble in the sand. I DO know that my feet and knees like these pedals far better than my SPD pedals...

[pll]

Hey thanks! Glad I could be of help.

Regarding clipping in with the left foot (that is the foot I plant at a stop too), I will pedal across a busy intersection and clip in on the other side as it is easy to pedal on a Look pedal without being clipped in. The fastest way to clip in on the Look Keo Max is to just feel the pedal with the foot, flip the pedal, plant the foot on the pedal and the shoe clips in. This pedal is used by a lot of racers, like Contador, and they clip in real fast. Where time is wasted is when the cylist looks down to see where the pedal is positioned, when it should just be a simple movement of the left foot to flip the pedal, no looking at all. It is almost like one movement, the toe of the left foot flips the pedal, the foot continues the forward movement to plant itself on the flipped pedal and the cleat clicks in.

Thanks again, Darcy! They are very nice pedals. I am getting better with the clipping and I do typically get clipped after an intersection, as soon as I have reasonable momentum.

Funny that you mention Contador using them... Look sold a yellow edition, signed by him, which I was able to score at a good discount after the clenbuterol test surfaced. Those are in my old bike, which I use on the trainer (and you can see in my avatar picture).

[TrekTheKaty]

This was a great thread. I've been riding with Spd's and mountain bike shoes. What's the difference, right? I've had intermittent "hot foot" on longer, harder rides and I was going to switch systems with my new bike, but confusion ensued. I put super feet insoles in for the last long ride, and they didn't help. Now I'm going to go shoe shooping

Darcy, the "intermittent" might be the heat. Interesting.

[Owlie]

Funnily enough, I've actually been thinking something similar--after I ride, my feet ache like I've walked the entire way! Maybe I need a stiffer-soled shoe, since my shoes aren't top-of-the-line by any stretch ($80 Spec shoes!) before I move on. I don't want to give up the ability to walk just yet!

Anyway, DBF has Look Keos, and he's madly in love with them. (But then, at this point I'm pretty sure DBF would marry his bike if he could persuade it to cook and wash up afterward.) DBF's mom has a Shimano road pedal--I think they're the ones that nscrbug has. She's pretty happy with them. I want to say she started with DBF's old SPDs, and knowing her, that probably means the transition was relatively easy.

[Owlie]

Hmm. I have an extra pair of shoes Owlie. What size are you? (Probably not 43, just asking).

Depends on the shoe.

[azfiddle]

I started with some fairly old Shimano (Look style) pedals.

I tried Time pedals on my new bike and I had a lot of trouble getting in to them. Once clipped in they were very comfortable and no problem getting out, but I just could not get the muscle memory right and finally went to Look Elle pedals. Instantly easy entry. Overall they are comfortable though not perfect.

[blue_angel]

I ride Crank Bros eggbeaters, and love them.

[Owlie]

They are Shimano mens. I usually have to wear womens. The heals on these aren't too loose, unlike others I've tried. You can have them for shipping. Was planning to do that anyway. Had to wait on getting the right cleat of my new shoes correct. Which I finally managed today. The Shimanos are a tad small for me. My new shoes are the equivalent of a 43.5.

Those are probably a tad big, unfortunately. I don't know how the sizing on Shimano is, but I take a 41 in Specialized and probably 42.5 in Sidi--and I know Sidi runs small.

[macski]

It's a shame that Speedplays are ruled out because of the sand - I love mine.

I also had Shimano SPD-SLs on another bike and, like your DH, would still be trying to clip in when others had ridden through an intersection. The problem is having to look at them to turn them over the right way - it just never became second nature to me. I changed that bike over to Speedplays too. They are great - don't even have to look at them. But I understand that egg beaters have this same quality.

Are you sure that Speedplays wouldn't work in your area?

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Another question re: cleats. How long do you find they last with moderate walking around? I'm sort of weighing Looks vs. Shimanos, at this point. Ultimately the potential cleat replacement cost would factor into a decision.