Which Pedals/Shoes?

bykerbloke91
bykerbloke91 Posts: 37
edited August 2012 in Road beginners
I've been advised to upgrade from the basic pedal (with trainers) that I am currently using.

What is the best pedals/clipless shoes that any of you would recommend? Don't mind spending a bit of money on a decent pair as they will be well used. Have plenty of free time to cycle :lol:

Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    There's not much to choose between the various types of road clipless to be honest. I prefer the cleats on Shimano to Look but I find Look easier to clip into. Some beginners prefer double sided off road clipless for ease of use but I like the larger platform of a road pedal. For shoes have a look around and try on a few you like. Comfort of fit is the most important thing but you want a good stiff sole and I would suggest something with two velcro straps and a ratchet adjustment which makes them easy to adjust if your feet swell while riding.
  • #david2012
    #david2012 Posts: 275
    Hi I've just got myself some Spd pedals and some R077 shoes. I'm only a beginner myself but for a first set up they seem fine.. Worth trying on the shoes as they are a little different if compared to wearing trainers. In all cost me around £85 for both
  • baldwin471
    baldwin471 Posts: 366
    Speedplay Zero's. Can get them for about £80 on ribble. Fantastic, better than the Shimano Ultegra and Look Keo's i've ahd.
  • iampaulb
    iampaulb Posts: 159
    sorry but im going to hijack this for a sec.

    i currently have MTB shoes with MTB cleats on my roadie, as i ride DH too so i thought get a shoe i can use for both bikes

    But would say some carbon sidis and road pedals. give me more power because of the stiffness in the show?

    just a curious thought
  • Graydawg
    Graydawg Posts: 673
    I'll just be putting my spare set of Shimano M520's onto the road bike when it arrives and riding using my M087's

    Don't feel the need to use roadie shoes, just yet .. :)
    It's been a while...
  • iampaulb
    iampaulb Posts: 159
    Graydawg wrote:
    I'll just be putting my spare set of Shimano M520's onto the road bike when it arrives and riding using my M087's

    totally the same set up as me :D
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    iampaulb wrote:
    sorry but im going to hijack this for a sec.

    i currently have MTB shoes with MTB cleats on my roadie, as i ride DH too so i thought get a shoe i can use for both bikes

    But would say some carbon sidis and road pedals. give me more power because of the stiffness in the show?

    just a curious thought

    very marginal and nothing like the gain from going from platform pedals to SPDs. Loss to Wallet will be higher though.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
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  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 17,688
    iampaulb wrote:
    But would say some carbon sidis and road pedals. give me more power because of the stiffness in the show?
    The power comes from your legs, not the shoes. There will be marginal gains in having stiffer soles, but you can get perfectly respectably stiff MTB shoes, and MTB pedal systems (eg SPDs) are cheaper and easier for mixed riding.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    iampaulb wrote:
    But would say some carbon sidis and road pedals. give me more power because of the stiffness in the show?
    The power comes from your legs, not the shoes. There will be marginal gains in having stiffer soles, but you can get perfectly respectably stiff MTB shoes, and MTB pedal systems (eg SPDs) are cheaper and easier for mixed riding.

    Yes, but MTB shoes weigh a ton... I am not an advocate of light weight equipment, but a set of light shoes really helps the ankle and all the muscles around the ankle. It's a bit like going for a long walk with light boots or very heavy ones... with the latter you'll ache all over... Unfortunately they are very expensive, but also very durable. I typically get a good 5 years of intense use out of a pair of cycling shoes... now that I don't stop for coffee any longer, probably more. 100-150 pounds will buy a decent set of road shoes, light and stiff and durable.

    For the OP: I think Shimano SPD SL pedals are second to none and way cheaper than other more fashionable makes... 30-40 pounds buy you a set of Shimano 105, which last tens of thousands of miles without any maintenance
    left the forum March 2023
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 17,688
    Yes, but MTB shoes weigh a ton...
    My Shimano RT081s come in at 682g for the pair. Which is maybe an ounce or so more than shoes costing £150 more. I know they're not MTB shoes, but you don't need 'road pedals' to go fast on a bike on a road.
  • For shoes checkout sports direct. As they have plenty of stores you will probably be able to go and try some on.
    I've bought both MTB spd' shoes and road spd sl and there cheap as chips. Good start to see if you like wearing them before buying a more expensive pair
  • I'm new to cycling and 3 weeks in purchased some shimano pd-r 540 pedals for £27 and a pair of DHB1 shoes from wiggle less than £50.
    The pedals have a nice wide platform with adjustable clip resistance and I'm having no problems at all with them, despite never using anything like this before. They came with the cleats which alone cost about £14 so an absolute bargain.
    The shoes are wiggle own brand and fit me perfectly, and its free returns if the size is not quite right. They are very comfortable and stiff. As for weight saving, i have no idea how much heavier they are than stuff costing twice as much, but a good sh1t probably gives me the same benefit.
  • I've got some Exustar pedals, they came with cleats for £24 delivered. Lighter and just as good as keo looks but a hefty chunk cheaper. For the money, unbelievable value!
    Andy