SPD pedals

Zombie_donkey

The Roadie I will be getting has strapped pedals, I fear my feet will get caught up and I will go tits up.

Are SPD pedals easier or harder to get your foot out of?

Also where's the best place to get cheap SPD shoes?

nich

I find SPD's much easier.

I struggled to get my feet in the straps, and get them out, and get any benefit from them - not used them in many many years mind so maybe they are better now

SPD's are easy to unclip. When you're learning on them you can adjust them - at their loosest you might struggle to stay clipped in when you pull up, and will barely have to angle your foot to unclip. Not sure where to get them - wiggle are usually cheapest but you might be better of trying them on.

Zombie_donkey

Cool

I think I'll get the pedals when I get the bike and buy the shoes before I pick up the bike. I may as well ride it home. 8)

merkin

Maybe get the shoes and pedals asap and try them on a hack so you don't scratch your new bike on it's maiden voyage. :twisted:

jonny_trousers

Big recent post on this very topic. Look beyond your nose young grasshopper and you will find the answers you seek.

cjcp

I'm happy with either SPDs or SPD-SLs. The former are probably better for commuting if you have to put your foot down a lot due to lights etc.

Check out the DHB range on Wiggle. Good value.

Zombie_donkey

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Big recent post on this very topic. Look beyond your nose young grasshopper and you will find the answers you seek.

Yes Sensai.. wax on wax off.

I am crap at doing searches I will admit.

I got the pedals at Wiggle £20 Shimano PD-M520 Pedals. Bargain probably.

If I get some shoes now too I will fit them to my Hybrid as Merkin suggests, although it is only 3 months old rather than a hack.

cjcp

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Big recent post on this very topic. Look beyond your nose young grasshopper and you will find the answers you seek.

Yes Sensai.. wax on wax off.

I am crap at doing searches I will admit.

I got the pedals at Wiggle £20 Shimano PD-M520 Pedals. Bargain probably.

If I get some shoes now too I will fit them to my Hybrid as Merkin suggests, although it is only 3 months old rather than a hack.

I have those pedals. Very good.

Zombie_donkey

I take it these will fit the egg beaters I just purchased?

EKE_38BPM

I used toe clips ages ago on my first road bike then after a few years riding a BSO on flat pedals I got a road bike again and moved onto SPD-SLs. I think the gap between using toe clips and going clipless helped me unlearn, but clipless is fine in an accident and I would say its safer.

I would say practice on your hack, practice away from traffic and never look back.

ratherbeintobago

Experience suggests that SPDs unclip in a crash, whereas toe clips might not.

Andy

Zombie_donkey

Well I ordered the shoes too. I should have them on my hybrid next week.

I bet these SPD pedals are a pig to use without the shoes.

jonny_trousers

Yeah, I use M520s too and have no complaints (other than the threads going far too easily on the cleat screws). Shoe-wise, all you need to consider is if you will want to walk in them or not.

Specialized Needs

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Well I ordered the shoes too.

How did you choose the shoe size?

Zombie_donkey

Specialized Needs wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Well I ordered the shoes too.

How did you choose the shoe size?

I went by the table on the shop. Size 9 = 44, although I normally get a 43

Specialized Needs

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Specialized Needs wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Well I ordered the shoes too.

How did you choose the shoe size?

I went by the table on the shop. Size 9 = 44, although I normally get a 43

Yep. It seems cycling shoes come up small, usually. Make sure you are comfortable in them before getting to the point you can't return them.

Zombie_donkey

Specialized Needs wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Specialized Needs wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Well I ordered the shoes too.

How did you choose the shoe size?

I went by the table on the shop. Size 9 = 44, although I normally get a 43

Yep. It seems cycling shoes come up small, usually. Make sure you are comfortable in them before getting to the point you can't return them.

Will do

Specialized Needs

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Specialized Needs wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Specialized Needs wrote:

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Well I ordered the shoes too.

How did you choose the shoe size?

I went by the table on the shop. Size 9 = 44, although I normally get a 43

Yep. It seems cycling shoes come up small, usually. Make sure you are comfortable in them before getting to the point you can't return them.

Will do

I've got these nice eggs I can teach you to suck, as well ...

Zombie_donkey

gbsahne001

I used clips for 15 years and went over to SPDs a few months ago, I find the SPD's are easier to unclip / get your foot out off but not as easy to get back into / clip but that's probably still a practice issue.

snailracer

Alternative:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... s-10-35398

Zombie_donkey

snailracer wrote:

Alternative:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... s-10-35398

They look better than what comes with the bike but Wiggle has already processed my order

This is the second time I have used Wiggle and I have to say they do seem prompt with their deliveries.

Catfish

Ditto for the shimmano M520's good pedal for the money.
I'm using "DHB M1" shoes from Wiggle. Again good value for money

Zombie_donkey

Well the pedals and shoes arrived and I fitted them.
The shoes are snug like footy boots but nice and airy.

I decided to take peoples advice and practice on a field so off I went to the local village park. I thought I would just attach one cleat to make pedalling a bit easier. Bad idea!

I got to a corner in the road, went to stop to take a turn and over balanced on the clipped in side. Landed on my elbow. :oops:

After some cursing and explaining to a watching neighbour what was going on, don't think he understood, I carried on to the park, more carefully.

I had to adjust the angle of the cleats so my feet were in a comfy position and this also made it easier to release the pedals. I rode round until the cricketers wanted to start playing again and rode home with no more falling over.

I have the pedals set to easy release but I can still pull up on them when powering the bike.

I may buy elbow pads for a couple of weeks though

I think that's the first time I have fallen off a bike since I was 7.

Zombie_donkey

Rode in to work today with them and I didn't fall off! Hurahh

I think I need to raise my seat a bit though, as I had been pedalling with the arch of my foot and now my leeg is still quite bent at the bottom of the stroke.

Also my feet were numb. I wore the shoes around the house for an hour and this didn't happen. Could my ankles be at the wong angle or something?

rjsterry

Zombie_donkey wrote:

Rode in to work today with them and I didn't fall off! Hurahh

I think I need to raise my seat a bit though, as I had been pedalling with the arch of my foot and now my leeg is still quite bent at the bottom of the stroke.

Also my feet were numb. I wore the shoes around the house for an hour and this didn't happen. Could my ankles be at the wong angle or something?

Pedalling with the arch of your foot would effectively shorten your leg as well as being WRONGER THAN WRONG (sorry, a bit of a pet hate of mine. Had it drilled into me as a child when I learn to ride), so yes, you might need to raise the saddle slightly.

Cycling doesn't actually encourage circulation in your feet that much, so if you do the shoes up a wee bit too tight (very easy to do), it can cause this. Try loosening the straps/laces a smidge.

Zombie_donkey

I'll do that, Thanks.

rjsterry

The 'clipless moment' normally happens a few weeks in, once you have got used to them and forget that you are using them.

merkin

There you go, something to look forward to in a few weeks time, just when you least expect it.

aldric

What shoes did you get?

Zombie_donkey

I cannot wait to fall over in a few weeks time

I got the DHB £40 shoes. They are very sturdy.