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chokofingrz.
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January 29, 2014 at 2:20 pm #20597
parksey
Ok, so in a blatant show of my complete lack of road cycling knowledge, I’m after advice please on the subject of road bike pedals and shoes.
Having had my road bike for a couple of months now, I feel sufficiently confident on it to be thinking about upgrading from the toe clips that came with it.
However, I literally have no idea where to start…
I’m broadly aware that there are different types of pedal system out there, but quite how they differ (or put another way, which one is better), I don’t know.
What are people’s thoughts on this?
I don’t spend hours on the bike or ride competitively, so I’m not looking for the lightest, stiffest, high-end stuff, just some serviceable kit to help me do some reasonable weekend mileage.
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Just to update on this topic,
Just to update on this topic, if anyone is interested, I went in the end for a set of Shimano R550 SPD-SL pedals and a pair of Shimano R088 shoes. B-)Having visited another L(ish)BS to look at few options, these came away as my preference on a combination of factors, not least the surprising ease of walking in them.
I’d expected it to be a nightmare but it really was anything but, even on the polished floor of the shop, so I’ve got no concerns about mooching around the mid-ride cafe in them (I will of course update you as soon as I fall on my arse in them!).
I have to admit to having then ordered them from Chain Reaction at a little over £91, absolute bargain in my view. The LBS where I actually got my bike from were after more than £150…
Only managed a quick 15 mile ride in them so far, with no mishaps yet, albeit I am unclipping well in advance of any need to stop. They’re set to the lowest tension so they’re easy to get in and out of, although I seem to find it easier to twist my heel in rather than out to release them.
So far, so good.
oddbydefault wrote:Ergo –
oddbydefault wrote:Ergo – SPDs are a good place to start, as you an always relegate them to the winter hack if you ever feel the need to ‘upgrade’.That was pretty much my exact thinking. Start off on a fairly basic setup and then if the need ever arises, or I buy a better bike, I can perhaps then switch the SPDs out to a more dedicated road pedal and shoe.
The more I read about the Shimano RT82, the more they seem the way forward (not least the review on here). Comfort and walkability is what I’m after, not something super-stiff and light.
oddbydefault
Also, plenty of people swap
Also, plenty of people swap between the systems, preferring the ability to walk safely and shed any dirt in the winter months.Ergo – SPDs are a good place to start, as you an always relegate them to the winter hack if you ever feel the need to ‘upgrade’.
parksey wrote:Dave Atkinson
parksey wrote:[quote=Dave Atkinson]my most comfortable ever shoes are a pair of cheap shimano SPD ones a bit like the current RT32s. I’ve done very long rides on them (up to 24 hours) with absolutely no problems at all. and you can walk in them. and they’re only fifty quid. and they’ve lasted about ten years.Shimano RT81s are a bit more, but they’re also excellent
http://road.cc/content/review/16381-shimano-rt81-shoes%5B/quote%5D
I had been looking at these too (well, the RT82 version), as they seem to tick a lot of the boxes around the £100 mark. I guess given your glowing review of the predecessor, that’s what your money would be on?
I have a reasonably local shop that stocks both the Bontager and Shimano shoes, so it looks to be a case of heading up there to try them both for size. They’ve also got the A520 pedals for the same £25 price as Wiggle, or the A600s for what appears to be a bargain at £49.
Further input is of course appreciated though! ;)
Another shout for the RT82s. Review if you haven’t seen it already:
http://road.cc/content/review/90820-shimano-rt82-spd-shoeI ride in them, my boyfriend rides in them. They’re the most comfortable shoes I own (even off the bike), keep off the rain a bit, dry quick, and I think they look alright! Especially if you’re not using them solely for clean summer rides. Never had any flex/hotspot issues when hammering the commute or riding all day. means I can swap between all my bikes and can actually walk around. I mainly use Shimano A520s and they give a nice little ‘platform’ much like road pedals.
Keos are nice but you won’t believe how fast the cleats wear out if you do any walking whatsoever. Same with all delta style road cleats really.
Jack Osbourne snr
edster99 wrote:I’ve ridden
edster99 wrote:I’ve ridden clipless for the last 20 years – look, spd, eggbeaters and spd-sl. I ride eggbeaters on my MTB and they are the easiest to get in and out of. I currently use SPD-SLs on my road bikes and I like the really positive engagement, but they are more tricky to get into, sometimes. I do wind them up to maximum spring pressure, which in combination with Sidi Ergo shoes gives a fantastic platform. I use SPDs at the gym and they are somewhere in the middle, (not that it matters how hard it is to get in on a spin bike). Having said that, I prefer the float that you get on SPD-SLs to those on normal SPDs.If i was just starting out, I’d go with eggbeaters and some mid range shoes.
The Candys are based on the eggbeater chassis, but give more stability due to the platform.
Don’t restrict your thinking
Don’t restrict your thinking to just Shimano spd. I wasn’t a fan when I tried them.Other small platform mtb pedals to consider are Crank Bros Candy, Look Quartz and Time ATAC. All of these allow the lugs on an mtb shoe to take some of the strain off the cleat area and minimise the possibility of “hotspots”. You’ll see a lot of Crank Bros Candy and Time Atacs at Audax events (and virtually no “road” pedals) simply because they are very comfortable over long distances. They also all look a bit less “mountain” than others on the market and come in a range of specs and prices.
Any of these three will work equally well with cheap or expensive shoes, from flexible £50 Diadoras to “I can’t believe I just paid that much for a pair of shoes” Carbon soled dancing slippers. Take it from Imelda. Imelda knows shoes.
edster99
I’ve ridden clipless for the
I’ve ridden clipless for the last 20 years – look, spd, eggbeaters and spd-sl. I ride eggbeaters on my MTB and they are the easiest to get in and out of. I currently use SPD-SLs on my road bikes and I like the really positive engagement, but they are more tricky to get into, sometimes. I do wind them up to maximum spring pressure, which in combination with Sidi Ergo shoes gives a fantastic platform. I use SPDs at the gym and they are somewhere in the middle, (not that it matters how hard it is to get in on a spin bike). Having said that, I prefer the float that you get on SPD-SLs to those on normal SPDs.If i was just starting out, I’d go with eggbeaters and some mid range shoes.
matthewn5
I use Shimano RT82s (about
I use Shimano RT82s (about £80) which look like road shoes from the top with a ratchet strap and all, but have a recessed SPD cleat space on the bottom. They’re not too heavy, 650g. I’ve got carbon Look Quartz pedals that I got on eBay for a song and can’t imagine needing anything more.The pedals are about 110g each so v. light and the cleats about 20g so it adds up to a very light system. I can walk all I want (just getting down the dodgy front steps here would be a nightmare with SPD-SLs) and there’s plenty of float and a good solid connection. Nobody on the road has commented on my shoes, ever, so I’m happy!
Yes, it’s violating one of the Rules but hey.
Dave Atkinson wrote:my most
[quote=Dave Atkinson]my most comfortable ever shoes are a pair of cheap shimano SPD ones a bit like the current RT32s. I’ve done very long rides on them (up to 24 hours) with absolutely no problems at all. and you can walk in them. and they’re only fifty quid. and they’ve lasted about ten years.Shimano RT81s are a bit more, but they’re also excellent
http://road.cc/content/review/16381-shimano-rt81-shoes%5B/quote%5D
I had been looking at these too (well, the RT82 version), as they seem to tick a lot of the boxes around the £100 mark. I guess given your glowing review of the predecessor, that’s what your money would be on?
I have a reasonably local shop that stocks both the Bontager and Shimano shoes, so it looks to be a case of heading up there to try them both for size. They’ve also got the A520 pedals for the same £25 price as Wiggle, or the A600s for what appears to be a bargain at £49.
Further input is of course appreciated though! 😉
Anonymous
VeloPeo wrote:Just another
[quote=VeloPeo]Just another random thought, Specialized do insoles with high and medium foot arches. Will fit most makes of shoe – and make a big difference in comfort to those of you who don’t have flat feet.Not only do I have wide feet put also fallen arches!! I’ve been suffering from numbness in my toes, but after fitting a Specialized footbed, the blue one, into my Shimano MT42 MTB shoes I’ve noticed an improvement in comfort.
700c wrote:One of the
700c wrote:One of the advantages with SL’s (for serious riding perhaps more than for commuting), is that the three bolt pattern is available on a wide range of shoes, low end to high end, and so offers good choice for the wearer. That’s not a reflection of the cleat mechanism, just the market for shoes which support it..That’s a fair comment, but as I’m just starting out with clipless and on a reasonably low-end bike, I’m probably looking at <£100 for shoes. At that price point, two-bolt compatibility seems to be prevalent (or at least dual-compatibility), whether they're road, touring or MTB shoes. My thinking at this stage is still with SPDs, mostly likely one of the Shimano A-series pedals, and I'll then look out for a reasonably stiff pair of road/touring shoes. If prolonged riding does cause any discomfort or pressure, I'll revisit the setup having not spent a fortune. The Bontrager Solstice shoes seem to fit the bill, http://www.bontrager.com/model/11664, appear to be as stiff as their cheaper dedicated road shoes, but have a walkable sole too.
700c
Re sole stiffness – that will
Re sole stiffness – that will depend on the individual – your size and power, specifically..One of the advantages with SL’s (for serious riding perhaps more than for commuting), is that the three bolt pattern is available on a wide range of shoes, low end to high end, and so offers good choice for the wearer. That’s not a reflection of the cleat mechanism, just the market for shoes which support it..
joemmo
Simon E wrote:Hotspots from
Simon E wrote:Hotspots from using SPD pedals and insufficient sole stiffness are both myths IMVHO.The suggestion that SPD shoes lack sole stiffness mystifies me. I have inexpensive Shimano and Specialized SPD shoes as well as SPD-SL and have never found any of them flex at all.
I’d say that, after finding a shoe that is a good fit for you, cleat setup is the most important thing to get right.
agreed. I have SPDs on all my bikes and have 2 pairs of specialized shoes – one old and tatty, one with fancy carbon soles – and cleat pressure has never been an issue. I did have some more casual shimano shoes where it was but with a proper touring or MTB/CX shoe you should have no problems.
If you are concerned about fluffing the clip-in in traffic then, although they are a bit heavier, the SPD platform pedals like the M424 and M530 are nice because they help guide your foot into the clip and provide more support to pedal on if you do miss.
dave atkinson
my most comfortable ever
my most comfortable ever shoes are a pair of cheap shimano SPD ones a bit like the current RT32s. I’ve done very long rides on them (up to 24 hours) with absolutely no problems at all. and you can walk in them. and they’re only fifty quid. and they’ve lasted about ten years.Shimano RT81s are a bit more, but they’re also excellent
Simon E
Hotspots from using SPD
Hotspots from using SPD pedals and insufficient sole stiffness are both myths IMVHO.The suggestion that SPD shoes lack sole stiffness mystifies me. I have inexpensive Shimano and Specialized SPD shoes as well as SPD-SL and have never found any of them flex at all.
I’d say that, after finding a shoe that is a good fit for you, cleat setup is the most important thing to get right.
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