What type of pedals?

ForumNewbie

I have been riding a Dawes Audax light tourer with toe clips and straps for a couple of years now. I keep the straps very loose so that I can get my feet in and out easily. I never tighten them as don't intend trying to loosen if I have to stop quickly.

Anyway, I feel that my feet are slipping about more and more, so I want to try a change of pedal type without toe clips and straps - but I am very reluctant to try clipless with cleats as I don't like the thought of falling off.

I am thinking about just putting straight touring pedals on for a while (no toe-clips or cleats) as I just cycle with trainers anyway (don't have proper cycle shoes yet). Are these pedals:
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f%5FProductID=6593&f%5FFullProductVersion=1&f%5FSupersetQRY=C245&f%5FSortOrderID=1&f%5Fbct=c003154c003147c003266
likely to be any good at all on a touring bike with drop bars?

whyamihere

If you can use toe clips and straps, you'll have no problem going clipless. Just go for it, it really is very easy.

ris

clipless is so easy even i can do it, and i'm a spoon who falls over my own feet.

you'll never go back once you've tried it!

fizz

whyamihere wrote:

If you can use toe clips and straps, you'll have no problem going clipless. Just go for it, it really is very easy.

Agreed. Thing is with clips and straps you have to do them up tight to get any benefit, which means if you fall in them your feet are not coming out. Whereas with clipless is just a twist and then your out.

If you dont like the idea of full on roadie clipless then try SPD's also they have the benefit that you can walk around in them as well. Might be more suited to your needs.

ForumNewbie

fizz wrote:

whyamihere wrote:

If you can use toe clips and straps, you'll have no problem going clipless. Just go for it, it really is very easy.

Agreed. Thing is with clips and straps you have to do them up tight to get any benefit, which means if you fall in them your feet are not coming out. Whereas with clipless is just a twist and then your out.

If you dont like the idea of full on roadie clipless then try SPD's also they have the benefit that you can walk around in them as well. Might be more suited to your needs.

I know what you mean, but I don't use the toe-clips properly - the straps just hang fairly loose so I can get my feet in and out easily without adjusting the straps at all.

Can I also ask - being someone who is not that bothered about speed, what is so wrong with just flat traditional pedals without clips or cleats?

If I was to try clipless, I would want them really slack so I could get my feet out easily - so as a novice, what clipless pedals would be best to try? Bear in mind I would need shoes as well - I'd be looking for comfortable ones that are okay to walk in as well?

SpinyBike

I put Shimano SPDs on my road bike

/ducks

biondino

ForumNewbie, if you're really happy with flat pedals then by all means get them - of course you don't need anything else, no-one can tell you otherwise. However, a lot of people here have tried clipless and would never go back - I'm one of them, having used SPDs and eggbeaters, and I can confirm the benefits are enormous. Once you're used to them - and it does take a few rides - they feel utterly second nature and make you feel far more in touch with the bike. And both can be worn with shoes which you can walk in - the cleats are recessed so there's no clacking or slipping.

It's also very easy to get your feet out (at least the ones I've tried) - you simply pivot your foot so your heel moves sideways until you disengage. You can set them fairly loose to start with, sure, but once you're comfortable with them you'd probably want to tighten them to lessen the chance of slipping out accidentally.

Of course, this would involve spending money on both pedals and shoes.

roger_merriman

the pedals you link to will be fine in the dry but slippery in wet, personally i'd get some cheap MTB pedals if you don't want to go clipless, as they will grip in the wet.

zenzinnia

Try some of these
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Shima ... 000000039/
They are great for light touring and general use. One side has an SPD fitting and the other dosn't so you can use flat shoes or - if you are just getting used to clipless you can unclip as you aproach a stop or tricky bit and use the other side for a bit. Once you're used to them you'll find you don't bother unclipping until you need to.

However everyone falls down once! Just do it on the lawn or somewhere that isn't dangerous first.

alfablue

I have been using SPD's for years, but recently got my girlfriend (cyclist of 8 weeks only) to try them, she was confident with them after 10 minutes and ever since she has been raving about them, and how she can power up the hills now. I got her Shimano PD-M520's, a bargain at £14.95. Better to get double sided in my view - no pedal flipping, and whilst we always wear cycling shoes it is still possible to nip to the shops with ordinary shoes, no problem. The shoes she and I use are good for walking too, she got Specialized Soma shoes which look good, are comfy and are pub friendly.

keef66

I have the M324's Zenzinnia mentioned on my present bike which is an mtb on slicks. I can use the spd side when I'm off for a proper ride in the lycra and cycling shoes, or the flat side when I'm in civvies and popping down the shops.

My new road bike is having double sided spd's so I won't need new shoes, but I won't be going shopping on it!

fizz

ForumNewbie wrote:

the straps just hang fairly loose so I can get my feet in and out easily without adjusting the straps at all.

IMHO then you might as well just use flat pedals as if you dont do the straps up reasonably tight you wont get a huge amount of benefit, yes you get some from having your foot in the right place but its not much.

I would have thought SPD's with MTB type shoes are going to be your best bet. My other half went clipless like this a while ago and even though she was worried about doing so she said that after about 4 or 5 goes she can clip in and out without really thinking about it.

At the end of the day its your choice if you want flat pedals and thats what you feel comfortable with they just go with those.

ForumNewbie

Thanks everyone for all the advice.

Not sure whether to try clipless just yet, but I think I will have to give them a try eventually.

I've never actually changed pedals before - can someone please advise me what type/size of spanner/tool do I need to get the pedals off and on?

alfablue

You need a 15mm open ended spanner (or an 8mm allen key from the back of the crank if it has allen key holes, though if they are stiff the leverage is easier with a spanner). Dedicated pedal spanners are long because pedals can be on quite tight and they give more leverage, but you may be okay with a regular open ended spanner. (I think some very old pedals may have imperial rather than metric sizes but I doubt if you will have these).

Put the chain on the large chainring - helps avoid stabbing yourself with the teeth if the spanner slips.

For the right hand pedal (as you sit on the bike) the thread is normal so turn anti-clockwise. If you put the spanner so that it is close to the crank you can usually just squeeze the crank and the spanner together to loosen the pedal.

On the left hand pedal there is a left hand thread, so to undo the pedal you must turn it clockwise.

When fitting the new pedals, make sure you put the left hand one on the left - they usually have an L stamped on the axle, remembering that to put it on you turn the left hand one anti-clockwise.

Screw the pedals in by hand to ensure you don't cross-thread them, use the spanner to do the final tightening, but don't do them up very tight, there is no need and it can make removal later very difficult. I put teflon grease on the threads.

Here is what Park Tools say.

ForumNewbie

Thanks very much for the detailed advice Alfablue - much appreciated.