SPD's today

Steve_b77
Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
edited January 2008 in MTB general
After going out for a few rides with my mates, all of which use SPD's I thought to myself what the hell I'll give it ago :?

I do like the ability to ride in skate shoes too, so the halfords bike hut "freeride" pedals caught my eye, normal flatties on one side with grub screws and a SPD style thingy on the other, sold :D

Next up was some shoes, I thought of skate shoes with SPD bits, but then remembered trying to walk up a muddy bank the other day so a no go. Off I went to Dave Millar Cycles in Chester and walked out with a set of Shimano MT41's, proper comfy and with a grippy sole for them muddy & no clipped in days.

Back home and fit the cleats to my shoes and pedals to my bike and I then spent the next hour and a half practising getting in and out of the pedals in my conservatory, can't wait to have a ride round the garden to get used ot un-clipping on the move :D

Comments

  • Sir HC
    Sir HC Posts: 20,148
    Make sure the pedals are set to their lowest tension setting (if they have one), makes it easier to unclip as you fall over.
    Intense Socom
    Inbred
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Sir HC wrote:
    Make sure the pedals are set to their lowest tension setting (if they have one), makes it easier to unclip as you fall over.

    I've done that and put a little bit of anti-sieze compound on the thread incase I ever tighten them up
  • OllyUK
    OllyUK Posts: 230
    Have fun learning, you'll want to practise until the unclipping action becomes a reflex when ever you are stopping.
    And the comedy slo mo clipless falls are generally unavoidable at first (normally occur when people are watching :lol: )
  • hastings
    hastings Posts: 206
    try not to cycle anywhere too muddy when learning about unclipping cos a mate of mine fell into 1/2foot of mud when he couldn't unclip :D

    totally hilarious but he didnt find the 5 mile cycle home too fun
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    How are the Halfords Freeride pedals? I've been looking at them myself.
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Blackspur:

    They're very good to be honest, nice and smooth and dead easy to clip/unclip and to adjust. The black anodised finish has started to wear off after one ride though, but hey who really cares :lol:

    Regarding practise, I did a bit in my garden and then we all headed off to Llandegla for my first go in SPD's :shock: My bloody mates too me down a balck run -also my first time at the place- and I only fell off once, well impressed with myself. FOund the unclipping almost natural after about 5 minutes, just need to get fit so I can complete the ride without walking up some of the hills, it took me 2hours in total including all the Black run bits :D
  • dave_s
    dave_s Posts: 4,362
    Not sure about Halfords freeride SPDs but Shimano do ones which you can get away with riding with trainers if you want to.

    I use them on my MTBs without probs and I always have the non-drive side pedal with much less spring tension for emergency unclipping although I tend to only clip into the drive side pedal offroad (clip in both sides on tarmac though)

    On my road bike I use Time Atac Alium pedals which are MTB XC pedals and they were underwear-fillingly scary to unclip from until I got used to them so even though they're good pedals I'd say avoid them for offroad use if you're new to SPDs
    Dave S

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