# Shimano Pedal/Shoe Combo (105/SH-R133L)



## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

*UPDATE: REVIEW ADDED BELOW*

Just ordered a pedal and shoe combo that I hope will be good for the kind of riding I want to do (long rides).

Decided to go all-Shimano. Got the 105 pedals (PD5700S) and the SH-R133L shoes.


















Went to a couple of local bike shops during my search and was pretty disheartened at some of the prices I was seeing (ridiculous). First LBS I went to, the guy showed me one shoe that was $180, and it was, like, a basic, entry-level shoe. Then he showed me a nicer shoe that was $280. I don't remember exactly which ones they were. Nice, I'm sure, but, more than I wanted to spend.

Just like everybody else, I want as much for my money as I can get.

Next shop I went to, I told the guy I was looking for a carbon shoe - either carbon weave or carbon composite - for around $130. He told me I wasn't going to find a carbon shoe for less than $200...so I set out to prove him wrong. 

Got the Shimano SH-R133L shoes (carbon composite sole) in a 48 for $140, and the Shimano 105 pedals for $65.98. Shipping was $12.25, so, I think, a pretty decent deal for the quality of the hardware I got.

Links to pedals and shoes:

Shimano 105 5700 Pedals at Price Point

Shimano SH-R133L Road Shoe at Price Point

Anybody running either these pedals or shoes? Or, this particular combo? 

What do you think?

I'll receive them around the middle of next wk, and will certainly post my impressions.

Should go well with my new bike:


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Hope the shoes fit you. Buying shoes online is a crapshoot, and shipping costs for exchanges can eat up the apparent savings, but sometimes you luck out. I've had both experiences, but more recently I've decided it's worth a few bucks extra to be able to try them on and know for sure.

Good price on the pedals, and those are good solid performers that should last you a long time.


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## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

JCavilia said:


> Hope the shoes fit you. Buying shoes online is a crapshoot, and shipping costs for exchanges can eat up the apparent savings, but sometimes you luck out. I've had both experiences, but more recently I've decided it's worth a few bucks extra to be able to try them on and know for sure.
> 
> Good price on the pedals, and those are good solid performers that should last you a long time.


Thanks for the comments.

Hopefully the size I chose will work for me. I have a pair of entry-level Shimano MTB shoes in a 47, and they are just a tad too tight, so, I went with 48s this time. You're right about the advantage of being able to try stuff on, but the LBSs in my area just don't have a great selection and are too high-priced.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Yeah not to be a downer but you really should've opted for shoes you could try on free. Even if it's still Shimano, you never know if the fit is different.

I have those same 5700's. Very reliable pedals, and that's all I can say really. You might find the release tight because SPD-SL is generally running higher binder tension. Supposedly the lowest setting is still higher than Look's highest last I heard.


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## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

Ventruck said:


> Yeah not to be a downer but you really should've opted for shoes you could try on free. Even if it's still Shimano, you never know if the fit is different.
> 
> I have those same 5700's. Very reliable pedals, and that's all I can say really. You might find the release tight because SPD-SL is generally running higher binder tension. Supposedly the lowest setting is still higher than Look's highest last I heard.


Thanks for your input.

I understand your point. But, as stated above, I visited more than one local shop, and was not impressed favorably with the selection of shoes or the value of the shoes that were offered. 

Price Point, a company I have dealt with in the past, offered the best bang for the buck, allowing me to get a semi-high-end pedal/shoe combo for a price I could afford. If it turns out that I have to exchange the shoes for a different size, I can live with that. Even after te cost of doing that, I would still be far below what it would have costed me to buy that combo from the LBS (full retail price - likely $300 plus after tax). 

That brings me to another point - the lack of a good selection of gear at most of the shops around here. It seems that the selection of gear they carry is is very limited - almost an afterthought. Maybe they would sell more shoes, pedals, clothing and helmets if they'd place more of an emphasis on carrying the items and actively attempting to sell them. I understand that their focus must be on selling bicycles. But, shoes and pedals, jerseys and shorts, etc, are an essential part of the sport for serious cyclists. 

I also understand that it would be cost-prohibitive for many small shops to carry a large inventory of these items. But, maybe they could take the lead from many motorcycle shops I have seen, and have catalogs available for customers to look through and choose their gear, which they could order. I was not offered this service at any of the three shops I visited, even though I commented on the lack of selection. 

For example, I was interested in a pair of Scott shoes, and traveled to a shop that was listed on Scott's website. The shop did not have any of the Scott shoes, nor was the clerk able to provide any pricing information on the shoes. He took my number and said he'd call me with this info, but I never heard from him.


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## Ajost (May 27, 2012)

I'm running the pedals but using Bontrager RLX road shoes (cost $116). So far I like the pedals and the shoes are ok. 

v/r

Allen 

2012 Cannondale Supersix 105


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## Ajost (May 27, 2012)

Err...correction, Bontrager DLX road race shoes, not RLX.

v/r

Allen


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## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

Ajost said:


> Err...correction, Bontrager DLX road race shoes, not RLX.
> 
> v/r
> 
> Allen


What's the sole material on those?


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## AtomicMoose (Aug 15, 2012)

I run Shimano 105 pedals. Good all around pedal.


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## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

Not a bad deal, I was just looking at 105's and found that Nashbar had the cheapest price.
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Search...earchResultView&searchTerm=Shimano+105+pedals

I ended up going with Speedplay pedals just to try something different. I like them so far.


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## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

ParadigmDawg said:


> Not a bad deal, I was just looking at 105's and found that Nashbar had the cheapest price.
> http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Search...earchResultView&searchTerm=Shimano+105+pedals
> 
> I ended up going with Speedplay pedals just to try something different. I like them so far.




Nice find!


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## fuzzy (Jul 19, 2011)

I just got some Shimano RO87 shoes used that were like brand new that I found on craigslist. I was able to try them on and they fit true to size. The only problem was that I need shimano cleets and these had Look cleets on them. I found the Shimano PD-R 540 SPD-SL pedals with cleets at nashbar for 13 dollars more than just the cleets so I got them to put on my electra townie  I can use the cleets on my my Ultegra pedals on my Trek 2.3 too.


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## Ajost (May 27, 2012)

memphis said:


> What's the sole material on those?


ummm...not sure. I don't think they are anything special. 

v/r

Allen

2012 Cannondale Supersix 105


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## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

Ajost said:


> ummm...not sure. I don't think they are anything special.
> 
> v/r
> 
> ...


How do you like your Cannondale?


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## Ajost (May 27, 2012)

memphis said:


> How do you like your Cannondale?


Really enjoying the bike. I tried the CAAD 10-5, Synapse Apex, and Trek 1.2 and like it the best of all three. Also, it's on sale now from Cannondale for $1799. CAAD 10-5 was around $1500.

Happy I bought it!

v/r

Allen

2012 Cannondale Supersix 105


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Shimano 105s are great pedals and good value. The pedals and cleats last a long time, but try to avoid walking in cleats on gravel and other rough surfaces. I started with Shimano RO-86 shoes (nylon sole), also bought online, and I find Shimano shoes run to size - I'm a 44 and their 44s fit me perfectly.



> _Next shop I went to, I told the guy I was looking for a carbon shoe - either carbon weave or carbon composite - for around $130. He told me I wasn't going to find a carbon shoe for less than $200...so I set out to prove him wrong. _


Indeed. My new shoes are Louis Garneaus with carbon soles. I bought them online for $69 - down from nearly $300.


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## Defy (Apr 22, 2012)

I have the 105 pedals and I really like them. I lowered the tension from the beginning and they are very easy to clip in and out of. I chose this over the 540 pedals bc it was all metal and the base was wider. 

My shoes are several levels below, I got the shimano r77 (I believe), the bottom is not carbon and it's all Velcro. The shoes fit me great and I bought it at performance bikes where I tried them on. I paid $8 more than amazon but i was able to try them on. I bought the pedals from amazon tho bc they were way cheaper. 

Overall, I like the all shimano combo. I plan on using it for many years.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

> _The shoes fit me great and I bought it at performance bikes where I tried them on. I paid $8 more than amazon but i was able to try them on._


Good on you for supporting the shop that helped you out.


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

Ventruck said:


> Supposedly the lowest setting is still higher than Look's highest last I heard.


I agree that the 105 is a great pedal, however, this statement is very inaccurate. My last Look pedals were the Blade Carbon Ti's in 16Nm and the effort required to unclip was greater than my 7900's by a significant margin. 

Not trying to call you out, just didn't want the OP going out with some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy that he was going to have release issues floating over his head. 

For the OP, I have 105's on one bike, and the Dura Ace carbons on another. The 105 pedals are every bit as good, I don't notice any difference in use, except that the DA pedals spin so easily it is less likely to be hanging in the perfect position when you go to clip. In essence, the 105 is the better pedal in use.


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## memphis (Aug 5, 2012)

Well, I got my Shimano 105 pedals and SH-R133L shoes the other day. At under $220.00 for this combo shipped to my door in 4 days, it's needless to say that I'm very pleased with the deal I got. The shoes alone, which have carbon fiber composite soles, would have been >$200 at the LBS. 

I've done >100 mi. with this combo so far, and love it.

The pedals are great - no complaints. Quite easy to clip in and out...I have not needed to fiddle with the tension adjustment. 

The combo works very, very well - in fact, I've gone from a 17 mph average with my MTB shoes to 25 mph average with these shoes and pedals!

OK, just kidding, but I can tell you that there is a perceptible increase in pedaling efficiency due to the stiff composite soles and wide pedal surface area, especially when climbing hills or sprinting. Any flex I can feel is certainly not happening in the shoes or pedals, but is in the tires, wheels, and, to a lesser extent, the frame.

So, to summarize, I'm very happy with this combo, and it looks snazzy with my white Scott CR-1, too!

Highly recommend!

John
Memphis


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