First Clipless Pedals and Shoes.

lodgey_3

Hey all,

I have had my Cannondale Caadx for a year now and have loved it mainly riding on roads with abit of light offroad stuff however as this was my first road style bike i was comfortable learning a new bike and having to think about clipping in out and of the pedals so i stuck with flat pedals.

Im feeling alot more confident now and as im doing indoor training at the moment im finding my foot placement is all over the place and feel its time to go for some clipless pedals and some cycling shoes.

What would people recommend for my first clipless pedals? and is there a difference in cycling shoe size compared to a trainer or will the size i am in a trainer will be ok for cycling shoes? i have also seen that some cycling shoes have a wide variant, is there any way of knowing if i will need them?

Thanks all in advance for any advice.

slowmart

Shimano are the easiest to clip into. Look pedals are weighted towards their back edge which means they're sometimes a pain to get into.

There's nothing wrong in cycling in trainers however you do become more efficient when wearing cycling shoes with a stiff sole and you are clipped in. Walking in road shoes is the equivilant of walking on ice so i rode in mob shoes and cleats at first as that was my riding background and then migrated to full road shoes. If you have a hilly rode and you expect to walk mob are much easier to walk in as the cleat is below the grip of the sole.

Whichever type you choose..

Just dial the resistance to low so you can clip in and out easily.

Unclip way before you need to put your foot down.

Always think ahead if you ride in heavy traffic

Above everything relax and enjoy and you'll find it soon becomes second nature

oxoman

Some people will suggest spd,sl, my personal preference is spd 2 bolt as easier to clip in and longer lasting cleats. Get the right shoe and you can walk normally rather than waddle like a duck.

ugo.santalucia

SPD 2 bolts, some relatively inexpensive shoes from the Shimano range

Mad_Malx

I'm with Oxo.
2 bolt SPD - I've used m520 £30 or less, on road bikes without any prob, and they last forever. Double sided so easy to clip in and you can walk in the shoes.
I use a touring SPD on my best bike, a530 I think, these are single sided and look more roady, but not s huge difference.
But you are likely to have one topple when you start, when you forget at a junction. I did mine in a busy town centre, only my pride was hurt.

oxoman

Should add I use mine for commuting, Duathlons, TT,s, Sportives and touring on various road bikes. Also used on cyclocross and mtb. 1 system fits all means I don't need loads of different shoes. As mentioned above, YOU WILL fail to unclip at some stage.

navrig2

slowmart said:

Look pedals are weighted towards their back edge which means they're sometimes a pain to get into.

I think that's intended as it means the toe part is always up so when you put your foot on the top of the pedal it swings under the shoe, at least it does for me.


Don't rely on trainer sizing for bike shoes. For your first pair I'd strongly recommend you go to a shop and try on different makes - many have different sizings and widths. Stay in the shop for at least half an hour to make sure they are comfortable.

Discovering you bought the wrong size 2 hours into a long ride is not great.

mr.b-campag

Time pedals are very easy to live with. You say your foot position is all over the place - take note of that. Clipless pedals lock you into a relatively narrow range of motion (again Time are quite good on not doing that). It's really important that you set your cleats up properly to avoid injury. For instance if you tend to point your feet inwards you want to set your cleats so they do that on the bike as well. Have a look at the advice Steve Hogg gives on his website.
I'd second trying on some shoes - make sure you're wearing the socks you will wear when cycling and that your feet are warm too.

wongataa

lodgey_3 said:

and is there a difference in cycling shoe size compared to a trainer or will the size i am in a trainer will be ok for cycling shoes?

As with any type of shoe (any clothing really) sizes and shapes vary between manufacturers so you will need to try on several different shoes to find ones that fit your feet properly.

ibr17xvii

slowmart said:

Shimano are the easiest to clip into. Look pedals are weighted towards their back edge which means they're sometimes a pain to get into.

There's nothing wrong in cycling in trainers however you do become more efficient when wearing cycling shoes with a stiff sole and you are clipped in. Walking in road shoes is the equivilant of walking on ice so i rode in mob shoes and cleats at first as that was my riding background and then migrated to full road shoes. If you have a hilly rode and you expect to walk mob are much easier to walk in as the cleat is below the grip of the sole.

Whichever type you choose..

Just dial the resistance to low so you can clip in and out easily.

Unclip way before you need to put your foot down.

Always think ahead if you ride in heavy traffic

Above everything relax and enjoy and you'll find it soon becomes second nature

I'm probably in the minority here but having used both I find Look much easier to clip in & clip out of than Shimano SPD-SL's.

The lower tension Look Blades (8nm & 12nm) are ridiculously easy to get out of IME & would be ideal for a beginner on clipless.

webboo

I found that when I had Shimano SPDs both road and mountain bike that when the cleats got worn it became difficult to unclip.

darrell1967

SPD for me on all 4 bikes. Great for commuting and I’ve never had a problem as they wear down either.