Clipless Pedals and Shoes

latw5

Hi,

I have been riding a trek mountain bike for a couple of years now with toe-clip pedals.

For this summer I want to move to some clipless pedals and shoes - i remember a thread on cycling plus a while ago where people were recomending some good entry level pedals for about £20, and some cheapish half decent shoes - has anyone got any suggestions.

Together with a friend I am going to climb alpe dhuez and mount ventoux around june, and am hoping to have a road bike in place by then - i've read that mountan bike clipless pedals are a bit easier to use?

What i'm really looking for is a set of mountain bike pedals and shoes that i will be able to transfer to my (future) road bike later. I'd appreciate any help as there seems to be lots of different options and i dont really know where to start?

Thanks

Shadowduck

I'm using Shimano MT51 shoes and M520 pedals. Both at the cheaper end of the range but I'm pretty happy with them. The pedals have a little surface rust in places after a few months hard winter use and no cleaning :oops: but they still operate perfectly. The shoes are the most comfortable cycling shoes I've tried by a long stretch, both on and off the bike.

I think the reason mountain bike pedals are thought to be a bit easier to use is that they're double-sided - definitely an advantage in my book, not quite sure what the advantage of the single sided road pedals is supposed to be. Probably weight and aerodynamics as usual!

EdHarris

I can't help you out with the pedal as I use Shimano SPD SL road pedals, but I got my shoes from Decathlon. Decathlon have a fair range of own brand and more well-known brand shoes for both road and MTB. Quality-wise I can only recommend Decathlon's own and haven't had any problems with them, they were also very reasonably priced. I lot of my cycling chums use them as well.

Of course, this info only helps if you life near a Decathlon store!!

Smokin Joe

I use SPDs on my road bikes. One tip is to spend as much as you can on the shoes, for long rides a stiff sole prevents suffering from the pressure point of a smaller contact area. People who complain about SPDs being uncomfortable are invariably riding with cheap leisure type shoes.

As for the pedals themselves, one is pretty much the same as another. Once you are clipped in you won't be able to tell whether they cost £20 or £200.

Lagavulin

Specialized Comp and Expert MTB shoes with Shimano M540's pdeals on the road bike and M520's on the MTB.

I think it'd be too much hassle now for me to switch over to another pedal type that even when I get my new bike I'll probably stick another set of SPD's on it (unless its prohibited on a two grand roadbike).

latw5

thanks for the information guys.

Ive had a look at the links in your post shadowduck, and they look like just the sort of thing i had in mind. think i will give them a go after payday! Shoes sound comfortable which is something im keen on.

cheers