Pedal confusion

[Melalvai]

I'm a commuter, and I actually have ONE (and only one!) toe cage, on my right pedal. That is because I'm a right-footed stopper. In town I stop & start frequently and having the right toe cage lets me pull my pedal up into start position quickly.

Having a left cage was just annoying because I was always fumbling to get my foot back into it. It was easier to just omit the left cage.

I like the toe cage over SPD because I can wear whatever shoe I was going to wear to work.

That said, I have never actually tried SPD. If I ever do get a road bike, I think I would like to have SPD and the shoes. I wouldn't use that for commuting. I wouldn't use it for mountain biking either--if I ever were to get a mountain bike.

My ideal bike fleet consists of my commuter, a winter commuter, a road bike, a mountain bike, a folding bike, and a bent.

My actual 'fleet' consists of my commuter, which I also use for recreational rides.

[Catrin]

I tried SPD pedals on my LHT and my custom Gunnar, my knees hate them. I wound up with Speedplay Frogs (a mtb pedal) that I use for road riding - love them! I do mountain bike but currently use a good pair of BMX pedals for that bike.

That being said, you don't HAVE to clip in. Nothing wrong with a good pair of BMX pedals, and while they will scar your legs, you do learn how to stop without pedal slap. I prefer BMX over other platform pedals because my feet stay on the pedals much better on them - I won't use toe cages.

Do you have a bike store with a fitter you trust? They might let you check out different pedals on their trainer to see what you think...

[hulagirl]

That being said, you don't HAVE to clip in.

Meet my solution:

Speedplay Drillium

I run these on my non-racing bike (currently a sexy new Surly Cross-Check). I use Blue Bird for city errands, heading off to lunch/breakfast or the beach, grocery shopping, and training. Because of the wide use I didn't want to lock into 1 specific shoe. So I use the Drillium's because they GRIP everything. The little spikes are actually threaded screw end that hold almost any shoe really well. They are wide and supportive and not at all heavy.

I can safely do an out of saddle sprint in flip-flops, tennis shoes, or sandals without fear of sliding off the pedals. Wet or dry. Highly recommend them.

[Koronin]

I've got Forte Campus Pedals on my road bike. Platform on one side, clipless on the other side. I just can't fully get comfortable clipping in with my right foot, so I stick with these for the road bike and my mountain bike has platform pedals on it.
Here's a link to the Fortes I have:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...1586500_400937

[Catrin]

Meet my solution:

Speedplay Drillium

I run these on my non-racing bike (currently a sexy new Surly Cross-Check). I use Blue Bird for city errands, heading off to lunch/breakfast or the beach, grocery shopping, and training. Because of the wide use I didn't want to lock into 1 specific shoe. So I use the Drillium's because they GRIP everything. The little spikes are actually threaded screw end that hold almost any shoe really well. They are wide and supportive and not at all heavy.

I can safely do an out of saddle sprint in flip-flops, tennis shoes, or sandals without fear of sliding off the pedals. Wet or dry. Highly recommend them.

Very nice! If I didn't already have/love my Sunringle Zuzu pedals on my mountain bike I would consider these. If I eventually do get a dedicated commuter bike I will keep these pedals in mind.

[rivergal]

Was in the same situation as you a few years ago, returning to road bikes after many years. First had toe cages, which were quickly out of the running. I have knee issues, so did lots of research into which clipless pedals were good for that. Ended up going with Power Grips, which were a great compromise for me. Have them on my road and mountain bike, and also got them for my sister's bike when she took up road biking again.

You might want to give them a try.

[soprano]

Note that if you stick with SPDs, all of your pedals can be used with the same shoes.

Also, with pedals, I think that unless you have a reason to change systems (like foot or knee pain) it's good to stick with what is familiar, so that clicking out in an emergency is easy and automatic. (This is the good ol' "If it ain't broke, don't fix it").

[Owlie]

Meet my solution:

Speedplay Drillium

I run these on my non-racing bike (currently a sexy new Surly Cross-Check). I use Blue Bird for city errands, heading off to lunch/breakfast or the beach, grocery shopping, and training. Because of the wide use I didn't want to lock into 1 specific shoe. So I use the Drillium's because they GRIP everything. The little spikes are actually threaded screw end that hold almost any shoe really well. They are wide and supportive and not at all heavy.

I can safely do an out of saddle sprint in flip-flops, tennis shoes, or sandals without fear of sliding off the pedals. Wet or dry. Highly recommend them.

Ooh, I like those. If I buy a commuter/errand bike, I might look into them...

[murielalex]

What I don't understand is why Look-style pedals are recommended or why the Speedplays are chosen over SPDs, etc.

[Owlie]

What I don't understand is why Look-style pedals are recommended or why the Speedplays are chosen over SPDs, etc.

A lot of what pedal you like is determined by things that vary from person to person, especially knee and foot issues. "Float" in clipless terms means that your foot can move around (within the pedal, not your shoe) while still remaining clipped in. Different amounts of float are good for different people, so I might like SPDs, but the next person thinks they're hard on their knees and so prefers Speedplays (which generally have more float). Another consideration is just ease of clipping in and out. Once I got it down, I found SPDs to be easy to use. Other people have different experiences. Speedplay Light Action are supposed to be easy to get in and out of...some people find them too easy!

Another reason why "roadies" don't like SPDs (generally) is because of the small contact area--long periods pedaling means that that small area is going to put pressure on your foot and it's probably going to hurt. That's why Look-type pedals are preferred--it distributes that pressure over a wider area.

[murielalex]

Ah...now I understand! That makes sense. Thanks!