clipless pedal woes

[DMB]

Thanks again for all the great answers and suggestions. I spent some time reading many reviews on speedplay frogs and no one is saying anything negative. I like that they'll "save your knees" too - had no idea that going clipless would even affect the knees. One more question - do I have to get special shoes or will the shoes I have work? I have your basic Izumi cycling shoes with the 3 holes on the bottom. So, I just get the SF pedals, and the clips that go with SF's for the shoes right? Thanks again for your time. D.

[Eden]

Sorry to say that those pedals may not be compatible with your shoes.... at very least you will probably need a 3 hole to 2 hole adapter - if Speedplay makes one - Frogs owners?

An option for easy to use pedals that do have a 3 hole to 2 hole option are Crank Bros pedals. Their pedals and cleats are all pretty much interchangeable (so you can use the 3 hole cleats from Quattros with the other pedal styles), but their road pedals (Quattro) are just as easy to use as their mt bike pedals (Candy, Eggbeater, etc) in any case. I wear a pretty small shoe myself usually a 5 or 5.5 in street shoes and I've never had any trouble getting into or out of this brand.

[TrekTheKaty]

Don't give up on clipless. There is a learning curve, but now I have to think twice before riding my hybrid with normal pedals. I also find that I'm not positioning my feet correctly without the clipless pedals.

[emily_in_nc]

Lisa,

Your picture is fabulous! You sure look great on your lovely new bike! However, I do think you have some misapprehensions about clipless pedals and the shoes that go with them.

I'm a purely recreational cyclist these days, enjoying short trail/fire road rides on my mountain bike for fitness and fun, not speed or distance (been there, done that back in my roadie days), and I love, love, love my Speedplay Frogs! They are incredibly easy to clip into and out of, and the shoes I have are VERY, VERY comfy. Mountain bike shoes come in all types, from a Cannondale pair I have that look remarkably like your hiking boots, to sleek models that look like road shoes (I have a pair of those too), or the cool Keen Commuter sandals my riding buddy has and loves with her Eggbeater pedals. I got both of my pairs on sale, so they were not very pricey ($39 and $65) and have held up well. My shoes aren't so tight that I can't wear a variety of socks, from thin summer socks to thicker wool winter socks, and having the recessed cleats, walkability is not an issue as it is with road shoes/clips. Sure, I probably wouldn't want to walk in wet mud with cleats, but I don't really ride in it either!

The cleats definitely give me more power and speed on the hills, and they are so easy to clip into and out of that doing so at stops is just no big deal at all, no bigger than it would be to get into and out of Powergrips, I'd imagine.

I definitely believe in live and let live, so I respect your choice of Powergrips over clipless. It's definitely the more frugal choice. I just wanted to point out that some of your ideas about clipless pedals and cleated shoes are not necessarily accurate. I've heard a lot of complaints here about various pedal systems (and I've had my own issues in the past with Speedplay Zeros and Eggbeaters Candies), but I've yet to meet anyone who's tried them who doesn't like/love Speedplay Frogs.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa,

Your picture is fabulous! You sure look great on your lovely new bike! However, I do think you have some misapprehensions about clipless pedals and the shoes that go with them.

I'm a purely recreational cyclist these days, enjoying short trail/fire road rides on my mountain bike for fitness and fun, not speed or distance (been there, done that back in my roadie days), and I love, love, love my Speedplay Frogs! They are incredibly easy to clip into and out of, and the shoes I have are VERY, VERY comfy. Mountain bike shoes come in all types, from a Cannondale pair I have that look remarkably like your hiking boots, to sleek models that look like road shoes (I have a pair of those too), or the cool Keen Commuter sandals my riding buddy has and loves with her Eggbeater pedals. I got both of my pairs on sale, so they were not very pricey ($39 and $65) and have held up well. My shoes aren't so tight that I can't wear a variety of socks, from thin summer socks to thicker wool winter socks, and having the recessed cleats, walkability is not an issue as it is with road shoes/clips. Sure, I probably wouldn't want to walk in wet mud with cleats, but I don't really ride in it either!

The cleats definitely give me more power and speed on the hills, and they are so easy to clip into and out of that doing so at stops is just no big deal at all, no bigger than it would be to get into and out of Powergrips, I'd imagine.

I definitely believe in live and let live, so I respect your choice of Powergrips over clipless. It's definitely the more frugal choice. I just wanted to point out that some of your ideas about clipless pedals and cleated shoes are not necessarily accurate. I've heard a lot of complaints here about various pedal systems (and I've had my own issues in the past with Speedplay Zeros and Eggbeaters Candies), but I've yet to meet anyone who's tried them who doesn't like/love Speedplay Frogs.

Hey I hear what you are saying Emily. I know there are lots of combos of clipless pedals and shoes that people find to be comfy and easy to use. I have indeed heard that Frogs are much easier than many other types, and that mtn bike clipless shoes are comfier too.
For me, it's been a personal decision. I work at home and I'm often hopping on and off my bike at any given time of day to do errands, shop, perhaps spontaneously combining errands with a 20 mile road ride, meet someone for lunch on my bike, go to the PO, dentist, etc. I always ride directly from home, I don't drive to a destination in order to ride like many bikers have to do- so the idea of having to change my shoes or boots when I want to jump on my bike (and then possibly having to haul the change of shoes around on my bike too) is a real turn off for me- especially when it's dreadfully cold out. I see many of my friends spend an awful lot of time on their various clipless 'issues' and changing shoes constantly. More power to them!
For me all that seems needlessly fussy and just doesn't fit into my particular lifestyle. I am totally happy and comfortable wearing my favorite everyday shoes and boots on my bike. In fact, on most days literally half of what I wear for the day is already bike-ready...wool leggings, merino turtlenecks and Ibex Shaks....most times all I need to do is pull some padded shorts on right over my wool leggings and throw on a hi-vis vest to be instantly ready for a ride. I like it that way, I just don't feel I want to add changing into special biking shoes to the preparations of getting on my bike. I know you must understand.
Sometimes I feel I should never contribute to clipless discussions, since it always winds up with people assuring me I would embrace them joyfully if I'd only try them. (not meaning you here)
My name is Lisa and I rejoice in being clipless free!

[emily_in_nc]

Hey I hear what you are saying Emily. I know there are lots of combos of clipless pedals and shoes that people find to be comfy and easy to use. I have indeed heard that Frogs are much easier than many other types, and that mtn bike clipless shoes are comfier too.
For me, it's been a personal decision. I work at home and I'm often hopping on and off my bike at any given time of day to do errands, shop, perhaps spontaneously combining errands with a 20 mile road ride, meet someone for lunch on my bike, go to the PO, dentist, etc. I always ride directly from home, I don't drive to a destination in order to ride like many bikers have to do- so the idea of having to change my shoes or boots when I want to jump on my bike (and then possibly having to haul the change of shoes around on my bike too) is a real turn off for me- especially when it's dreadfully cold out. I see many of my friends spend an awful lot of time on their various clipless 'issues' and changing shoes constantly. More power to them!
For me all that seems needlessly fussy and just doesn't fit into my particular lifestyle. I am totally happy and comfortable wearing my favorite everyday shoes and boots on my bike. In fact, on most days literally half of what I wear for the day is already bike-ready...wool leggings, merino turtlenecks and Ibex Shaks....most times all I need to do is pull some padded shorts on right over my wool leggings and throw on a hi-vis vest to be instantly ready for a ride. I like it that way, I just don't feel I want to add changing into special biking shoes to the preparations of getting on my bike. I know you must understand.
Sometimes I feel I should never contribute to clipless discussions, since it always winds up with people assuring me I would embrace them joyfully if I'd only try them. (not meaning you here)
My name is Lisa and I rejoice in being clipless free!

Totally understood, Lisa! I am very envious of your lifestyle and wish I could bike so many places right from my home! I hope to live in such a place someday when I am retired and be able to be car-free or as close to that as possible. I agree that your shoes and Powergrips make total sense in your situation.

And I don't think you should stop contributing on clipless threads, since you offer an option that a new rider might not even be aware of. I think Powergrips could be a good interim step for someone who wants to go clipless but is fearful initially, just to give them the feeling of being attached (kinda!) to the pedal.

There are, as we always say here, different strokes for different folks, and none of them wrong.

[kfergos]

I second (third?) the Crank Bros. pedal option. They don't have a tension adjustment, but they're extremely easy to clip in/out of to start with, and as you ride, the loosen up a bit. I also agree that practicing while stationary is good; I spent quite a while just sitting on my bike, clipping in and out, before I tried going on the road.

I also have found that I feel safer and I enjoy riding more with the clipless pedals than with toe clips, for the following reasons:

1. Your clipless shoes don't usually have laces, so that eliminates the whole "did I tuck my laces in?" concern
2. My Crank Bros. eggbeaters are actually easier and more intuitive to get out of than regular toe clips. The motion -- twisting your heel out -- is one you're going to make anyway when putting your foot down, whereas pulling your foot backwards to remove it from the cage is an extra step.
2.a. They're also easier to get in to from a stop. Just press your foot down and in, rather than having to flip your pedal upright and get your toe in real quick.
3. You get better control and more power when clipped in. If hills play any part in your riding, seriously consider continuing to give clipless pedals a try. They give you that ability to pull up and make a full circle with the pedals that is lacking even with cages.
4. The stiff sole supports your foot better than, say, a flexible tennis shoe sole. This means you don't waste energy keeping your foot stiff, and it also means when you stand up on the pedal, it's supporting your whole foot securely.