Oh dear what I have got myself into: Pedals and shoes

wytco0
Posts: 79
Just as I was leaving the shop where I tried a Cannondale bike for size the sales person mentioned "of course you know you need to add pedals as well" now I know to all you seasoned road bike rider this is of course obvious however to me it wasn't, I simplistically thought that bikes came with pedals!
So I came home and started to do some research into pedals for road bikes, I know I need to understand them but at the moment I am again completely confused as there seem to be loads of different types and prices and lots of words like float which I am finding confusing.
I would be grateful for any advice you can give me on short list of pedals that would be suitable for my new bike which will probably be a Cannondale Apex or 105. What are the key points to consider with pedals.
I do have a pair of cheap cycling shoes which I bought a year or so ago from Lild or Aldi I use them with my hybrid but just as shoes they don't clip-in, they do have some fittings on the bottom that look as though I can screw in something (not sure what the correct name is for the bit on the shoe that connects to the pedal) will these shoes be OK or should just get some new shoes.
I am starting to realize how all these things are linked and they all cost money
Oh and follow up question how do I train myself i the art of using clipped in pedals without breaking either myself or my new bike?
So I came home and started to do some research into pedals for road bikes, I know I need to understand them but at the moment I am again completely confused as there seem to be loads of different types and prices and lots of words like float which I am finding confusing.
I would be grateful for any advice you can give me on short list of pedals that would be suitable for my new bike which will probably be a Cannondale Apex or 105. What are the key points to consider with pedals.
I do have a pair of cheap cycling shoes which I bought a year or so ago from Lild or Aldi I use them with my hybrid but just as shoes they don't clip-in, they do have some fittings on the bottom that look as though I can screw in something (not sure what the correct name is for the bit on the shoe that connects to the pedal) will these shoes be OK or should just get some new shoes.
I am starting to realize how all these things are linked and they all cost money

Oh and follow up question how do I train myself i the art of using clipped in pedals without breaking either myself or my new bike?
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Comments
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These are a great way to start as you still have the option of using shoes. Also the wider platform helps when you first start using spd's http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tedKingdomRibble Stealth
previous: Kiron Scandium, 80's Raleigh Equipe, Striker0 -
wytco0 wrote:Oh and follow up question how do I train myself i the art of using clipped in pedals without breaking either myself or my new bike?
I leant against the garage wall practicing clipping in and out for a while and then went for some short rides round and round the drive stopping and starting much to the amusement of the local kids who thought this old guy was learning to ride a bike.
Oh - and I still fell off a bunch on my first long ride with them on; it's easy when you're thinking about it but in the early days be wary 6 hours into the ride when you are tired and not concentrating. The plus point is you usually fall off when you're stationary or nearly so meaning it's only pride that gets hurt0 -
if they are sticking slightly, spray some dreaded WD40 on the cleats
the waxy coating they leave will help ease them in and out
not on the pedal....0 -
1@ATIME wrote:These are a great way to start as you still have the option of using shoes. Also the wider platform helps when you first start using spd's http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tedKingdom
Thanks these look good I may try these on my hybrd to get started and to train myself into clip-less pedals.
Silly question follow: is SPD the type of fitting? I see MTB mentioned a lot with pedals I assume that means Mountain Bike I assume that I need SPD compatible pedals but road ones. I know this probably sounds silly but I am a bot confused are there other clip-less fitting than SPD?.0 -
On pedals where you can adjust tension, make sure you adjust the cleat tension spring so that it is very low (on Shimano pedals this is usually done via a small hex key, look for the + and - stamps). Then increase tension after a few goes so that you cannot unclip when stamping up a hill but can still easily unclip when you want to. Test the effect when propped against a wall or on a turbo, etc.
Note that the tension spring does not control float (twisting movement of the shoe when clipped in) as this is fixed at about 5 deg for many Shimano pedals.
I use SPD (the M540 or M520 which are double sided and supposed to be for MTB) and many other roadies do as they offer double sided clipping and the choice of decent shoes that can be used for pottering around cake shops. There are also single sided SPD-SL for those who don't like walking or believe that any improvement in power transfer makes them worthwhile. Most shoes/pedals are not SPD/SPD-SL interchangeable as the screws are different positions and number. Some touring pedals offer both worlds though, such as the A520. Whichever type you go for, get the stiffest soles you can afford as that makes a big performance difference and avoids any hotspot issues (where the foot gets uncomfortable due to a single pressure point).0