# How important are clipless pedals?



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

Hi everyone. Obviously, I'm relatively new to road biking to be asking this question. I currently ride with my local bike club...approx. 50-70 miles/week (30-50miles on Sundays and usually 20 miles on a weekday). Anyways, I have sinned and have only ridden with my addidas barricade tennis shoes   !!! They are very comfortable and I don't have to worry about clipping in and out. Being able to walk around during our mid-point break is also nice. But, as I am getting a bit more serious about biking, I was looking into getting some true road biking pedals and shoes. It has been brought up to my attention by more than a few members that I would ride much faster and stronger with biking shoes and pedals. 

So, my question is, would they make a "big" difference in my overall performance? And, what are good pedals. By good, I mean good quality and ease of clipping in and out. I was looking at the Ultegra Pd-6700 SPD SL pedals. Suggestions? Thanks.


----------



## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I don't think that cycling shoes make a huge difference in power output, at least initially, but over the course of a long ride, they can be much more comfortable. The pedal system will also stabilize your foot, so you don't slide forward on the pedal during a climb.

Unless you feel a strong need to fit in, a performance-oriented mountain bike shoe is fine. They have the same foot position as a road shoe, but with a little flexibility in the forefoot and a more walkable sole. True road shoes really suck to walk in.

I've been riding Speedplays on my road bike for years. They're not very walkable, but very nice to my knees. My mountain and 'cross bikes have Time ATACs, which are a mountain system. SPDs might be better for road use, though - it's a smaller pedal, with a narrower Q factor, and I think they're lighter.


----------



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

AndrwSwitch said:


> I don't think that cycling shoes make a huge difference in power output, at least initially, but over the course of a long ride, they can be much more comfortable. The pedal system will also stabilize your foot, so you don't slide forward on the pedal during a climb.
> 
> *Unless you feel a strong need to fit in, a performance-oriented mountain bike shoe is fine*. They have the same foot position as a road shoe, but with a little flexibility in the forefoot and a more walkable sole. True road shoes really suck to walk in.
> 
> I've been riding Speedplays on my road bike for years. They're not very walkable, but very nice to my knees. My mountain and 'cross bikes have Time ATACs, which are a mountain system. SPDs might be better for road use, though - it's a smaller pedal, with a narrower Q factor, and I think they're lighter.


Thanks for the feedback. I honestly DO NOT have the urge to "fit in". Heck, I don't even sport a bike jersey at the moment either. I do wear comfortable road biking shorts and do use a comfortable pair of gloves. 

Anyways, the mtn bike shoes you are referring to, do they require special pedals too?


----------



## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

mountain bike pedals will require a special pedal that takes a mountain bike cleat.

Personally, i think that it is night and day between riding with regular shoes and cycling shoes. With clipless you become attached to the bike, no slipping off the pedal and hurting yourself, once you get the cleat position adjusted your foot automatically goes to the correct position and your whole shoe becomes the pedal so you get more support over your whole foot.

Ultegra pedals would work just fine, shoes aren't the best to walk in, mountain bike shoes are a bit easier. I like the feel of road shoes and pedals more than mountain personally.

If you do go clipless practice clipping out before you stop rolling, many people fall down by stopping with their foot still attached, spaz out and fall over.


----------



## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

I also suggest the SPD's for starters. Look at something like the Shimano MO76 for a starter shoe, it looks like a road shoe but has the mountain sole which is easy to walk around in. As far as pedals, consider the Shimano A520, it is an SPD that looks like a road pedal.

After a while you can decide if you want to move to a road pedal, like the Speedplay, as mentioned and which I use or the Ultegra as you mentioned.

Get a jersey, not to fit in, but the pockets in the back are very useful.


----------



## NotZeroSix (Apr 18, 2010)

Having clipless pedals is a must. When I first started getting into biking, I was just like you, using my Nike Tour VI as the shoe for training. Though it was safe from not worrying clipping in/out, it was however uncomfortable. I would get hot spots near the ball of the footbed, sore knees from "mashing down" the pedals, inefficient pedaling which resulted depleting stamina. When I was climbing up a hill with my tennis shoes it took a lot of energy (100% effort on each stroke) to get up the grade. With Clipless pedals, using an antagonist motion (pulling up), it seems I can conserve my energy (by using 50-75% effort on each stroke) which I can go longer and faster. 

Clipless pedals does save from that though. $80-$100 for the pedals and another $80-120 for the shoes themselves. But in the long run they are worth it. And since this is a beginners corner, I wouldnt bother getting sidi's or S-works performance shoes unless you really are going to keep them for years to come. IMO, they are expensive and cant justify the reason to own them unless you race. Just pick decent ones though with the locking mechanism since it will give you a good fit. 

Also, when you get your clipless system, you will inevitably fall. Its downright embarrassing and also scary. You dont want to be seen crashing in 30mph on the road. So word of advice, keep practicing clipping in and out in a grassy area away from rough tarmac, and it will become a habit to unclip before making a complete stop or emergency brake.


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Cni2i said:


> It has been brought up to my attention by more than a few members that I would ride much faster and stronger with biking shoes and pedals.


That's a common perception, but also a vast exaggeration. While the gains in speed exist, they're very small when measured with a stop watch. But as said by others, being attached to your pedals is safer, especially when riding out of the saddle or spinning your cranks at very high rpms. And on long rides, cycling shoes are simply more comfortable than shoes not designed for cycling. Go for the clipless.

For what it's worth: don't "pull up." It's not effective. Elite cyclist just push down, with the winning ones just pushing down harder. 

/w


----------



## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I'm going to put a word in for Crank Bros eggbeaters. Easier IMO to clipped in than SPD which I used to have.

I'm using them with lightweight Mavic MTB shoes. And being curious I weighed them with cleats against my DMT road shoes with Campy cleats. They are 1g lighter.

Very comfortable and easy to walk in.


----------



## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Save the MTB pedals/shoes for the touring/mountain bike.

If you are road riding and will only have one pair then by the appropriate tool for the job the first time. Stick with the SPD-SLs and don't worry that the cleats will impede your walking, 99.9% of the time you wear these you will be clipped in and riding the other .1% is irrelevant.


----------



## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

ewitz said:


> Save the MTB pedals/shoes for the touring/mountain bike.
> 
> If you are road riding and will only have one pair then by the appropriate tool for the job the first time. Stick with the SPD-SLs and don't worry that the cleats will impede your walking, 99.9% of the time you wear these you will be clipped in and riding the other .1% is irrelevant.


+1 on this -- there's a reason why road pedals are different for mtn pedals. for most newbies, I'd agree that an MTB/SPD pedal is the way to go, but you seem to be riding a good bit more than a typical newbie. With longer rides, more platform helps distribute your weight across the pedal vs. a system that helps maintain pedal position. 

While the effect on actual speed may be minimal, you'll certainly find yourself less fatigued and better connected to the bike. Whether you end up in mtn shoes/pedals or road shoes/pedals, you'll be happy you made the move. I've never met anyone who's gone clipless and decided to go back.


----------



## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

IMHO clipless pedals are greatly overrated for the average recreational rider. Here’s an opinion you might be interested in reading:

http://www.rivbike.com/article/clothing/the_shoes_ruse

I have clipless on my road bike and platforms on my hybrid. I don’t feel comfortable standing on platforms, but otherwise there’s not a lot of difference. I generally don’t stand when I climb, so it doesn’t really matter to me. The drawback to clipless is that you can’t change the position on the pedal, which I sometimes like to do to reduce fatigue (just like changing hand position on the bars).

I find that a stiffer soled shoe will reduce foot fatigue on a longer ride. I have a pair of Specialized MTB shoes, which have a section on the sole that can be cut out to mount cleats. You can leave the sole intact if you just want a stiff sole to use on platforms. You can walk in them, but they’re stiff enough so that you wouldn’t want to walk far in them.

+1 on the Shimano A520 road touring SPD pedals. They have a good size platform to distribute the pressure, so you don’t need to go with the ultra stiff soles that you need with some of the road pedals.

Some people do go back from clipless. My sister in law does ironmans (full century and marathon), and got rid of the clipless pedals. She didn’t find any advantage, only risks to wrists and knees from not being able to unclip.

If you’re happy with sneakers, keep riding in them. You won’t go any faster with clipless.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I can't speak to the performance advantage of clipless because I have platform pedals on both of my road bikes. I can say that comments about losing grip on platform pedals are a misnomer IME. I ride in tennis shoes in colder weather and Tevas in warmer weather. My feet have never slipped off a pedal unless I've wanted them to... even going uphill in the rain.


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Opus51569 said:


> I can't speak to the performance advantage of clipless because I have platform pedals on both of my road bikes. I can say that comments about losing grip on platform pedals are a misnomer IME. I ride in tennis shoes in colder weather and Tevas in warmer weather. My feet have never slipped off a pedal unless I've wanted them to... even going uphill in the rain.


Do you have toe clips? those will serve the same function. If you don't, and it's true you've never slipped, then you're riding with more caution and spinning slower (especially standing) than you could with some kind of a pedal connection.

IME, there are two advantages to using some kind of cycling shoe with some kind of pedal connection. First, the stiff sole allows better power transmittal and less fatigue. I think that's undeniable. Second, the connection allows you to spin faster, push with more power at high rpm, and jump out of the saddle and otherwise change position more quickly without the worry of a foot slipping. Those all add up to a faster and more powerfull ride, and just as important, more fluidity and more fun.

Clipless pedals were a great advance over toeclips and straps only because they can be more convenient and more comfortable to use. You could get a very solid connection with straps, but you have to tighten them, which means reaching down to pull the strap when you start, and reaching down to loosen them to get out. And a really tight strap can be uncomfortable and interfere with circulation, resulting in numbness or pain. The no-hands operation of clipless eliminate those drawbacks.

The OP wants to be able to walk around, but would like to get the benefits of stiff soles and positive pedal connection. I think MTB shoes and spd-type pedals are a great way to go.


----------



## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

I rode with toe clips for years and never touched the straps. They were loose enough to easily get in and out of, but would prevent me from slipping off the pedal. Remember, this is recreational riding, and not racing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone tighten a strap while on the bike.

I agree that MTB / SPD is a great way to go if you’re doing mostly riding and a little walking. If you’re spending a lot of time off the bike then you’ll want good walking shoes with platforms (and maybe with clips).


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

seacoaster said:


> I rode with toe clips for years and never touched the straps. They were loose enough to easily get in and out of, but would prevent me from slipping off the pedal. Remember, this is recreational riding, and not racing. _I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone tighten a strap while on the bike._
> 
> I agree that MTB / SPD is a great way to go if you’re doing mostly riding and a little walking. If you’re spending a lot of time off the bike then you’ll want good walking shoes with platforms (and maybe with clips).


I've seen it lots, and done it myself many times. And not racing. When I wanted to go hard, spin fast, climb out of the saddle, I'd reach down and give those suckers a tug. It helped. It wasn't that hard, nor was reaching down to loosen it when stopping, though I did have the experience new clipless users dread, toppling over at a stoplight next to a line of cars with laughing drivers. 

When I first started riding fixed-gear about 12 years ago, I went with clips and straps for a while. Getting in and out, and tightening and loosening the straps, without being able to coast, was a bit too much. Clipless is much better.

Another way he could go is Powergrip straps, which I've not used but have heard good things about.


----------



## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

JCavilia said:


> I've seen it lots, and done it myself many times. And not racing. When I wanted to go hard, spin fast, climb out of the saddle, I'd reach down and give those suckers a tug.


Maybe I missed it 'cuz I was always in the back of the group with the slow riders?


----------



## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Most recreational riders don't need clipless pedals. But for those who use them never want to go back to pedals/clips or platforms and many wish they should have done this earlier.


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

seacoaster said:


> Maybe I missed it 'cuz I was always in the back of the group with the slow riders?


I was never up with the fast ones, believe me. 

Did you ever ride with traditional road shoes with the cleat that slips over the back of the pedal cage? With those, you got a nice positive lock if you tightened the strap, but it was almost impossible to get out without loosening it. Made panic stops very exciting sometimes, as you needed both hands to brake and control the bike, but had to get a hand down to flip the buckle and yank that foot out before you fell over. Look made things so much easier.


----------



## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

seacoaster said:


> Some people do go back from clipless. My sister in law does ironmans (full century and marathon), and got rid of the clipless pedals. She didn’t find any advantage, only risks to wrists and knees from not being able to unclip.




is she hot? do you have a pic???


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

I rode MTBs for several years before getting a road bike this year. Going clipless makes a huge difference IME and I would advise you to go for it. Choose the right tool for the job first time, ie road shoes and pedals for a road bike, otherwise you risk buying twice. 

I have CandyBrothers Eggbeaters on my MTB and they are really easy to get in and out of but for my road bike I wanted a more solid connection and feel to avoid hotspots and ensure I can put as much power down as possible. I went with Shimano 105 pedals as they are excellent quality and only a fraction heavier than Ultegras for a fraction of the price.


----------



## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Between going clipless, switching to higher cadence, using the correct shorts, and riding a fitted bike, the comfort and efficiency is so amazing. I vaguely remember how much it used to hurt to go on my long rides. Now I ride twice as far, twice as fast, and without any real pain.


----------



## BruceG1 (Apr 6, 2010)

Another issue is that is near impossible to use road cycling shoes with platform pedals. They just slip off a pedal unlike a tennis shoe. If you want the comfort of a cycling shoe, I think you must use a clipless system. 
Go for both I say. (Shoe and clipless pedal)


----------



## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

Clipless is a huge improvement over traditional pedals. I've ridden both mountain and road pedals on the road and either works fine. If you want to walk around off of the bike go with mountain pedals.

Traditional pedals only let you mash the pedal down. Clipless pedals allow you to pedal full circles and get much more power across the top of your pedal stroke. Also being able to lift your trailing foot will give you a bit more power (you'll notice it if you climb a steep hill).

Also, the stiffer sole of the bike shoe will flex less when climbing steep out of tee saddle climbs. I've noticed with flat pedals that I have to concentrate on centering my foot, and then lose power trying to keep my heel from dropping. With clipless and a stiff sole shoe I just pedal and go up the hill.

If there's one upgrade that you can make on a bike, to me it's clipless pedals. No other change makes such a big difference (assuming that the bike fits).


----------



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

A huge "thank you" for all the great feedbacks everyone. I've read through them multiple times  

To clarify, I don't plan on walking around a lot with the biking shoes, just maybe into the juice/bagel shop (during our mid-way stop). I honestly love the idea and concept behind riding with biking shoes and clipless pedals. Truth be told, I am somewhat apprehensive about not being able to unclip faster enough. I have this fear that the clip/shoe mechanism would lock up and I'll just fall flat over  Of course I would practice a lot before actually going out on a ride with them, but still....that fear lingers for some reason. 

At this point, I don't have any discomfort in my feet, even after a 50-60 mile ride. I do feel the burn in my thighs and calves though. My knees did feel some ache after the first few rides, but now, they feel fine  

In the end, I want to invest in some biking shoes and clipless pedals IF they will improve performance, lessen fatigue, and minimize potential knee problems. From the majority of the responses here, it seems as though they would do what I initially thought they would. Now, I just have to get over the fear of falling over and decide whether I'll go with Mtb or road biking shoes. Again, thanks for taking the time to advise.


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

> I am somewhat apprehensive about not being able to unclip faster enough. I have this fear that the clip/shoe mechanism would lock up and I'll just fall flat over Of course I would practice a lot before actually going out on a ride with them, but still....that fear lingers for some reason.


Most clipless systems can be adjusted so that clipping in and out is easier. Start at the easiest setting. Make sure you begin trying to unclip well before you need to stop, and remember to clip out the foot you want to put down... Also, be aware that road shoe soles are very slick so watch that they don't skate right off the pedal surface when trying to clip in - I found this quite alarming at first, coming from mtb shoes and pedals. With Shimano SPD-SLs you need to ensure the cleat is hooked under the pedal tip as you clip in (not hard when you get the knack).

You will definitely notice a performance advantage imo. Replacing platform pedals with clipless ones is my first change on any new bike.


----------



## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

Cni2i said:


> Hi everyone. Obviously, I'm relatively new to road biking to be asking this question. I currently ride with my local bike club...approx. 50-70 miles/week (30-50miles on Sundays and usually 20 miles on a weekday). Anyways, I have sinned and have only ridden with my addidas barricade tennis shoes   !!! They are very comfortable and I don't have to worry about clipping in and out. Being able to walk around during our mid-point break is also nice. But, as I am getting a bit more serious about biking, I was looking into getting some true road biking pedals and shoes. It has been brought up to my attention by more than a few members that I would ride much faster and stronger with biking shoes and pedals.
> 
> So, my question is, would they make a "big" difference in my overall performance? And, what are good pedals. By good, I mean good quality and ease of clipping in and out. I was looking at the Ultegra Pd-6700 SPD SL pedals. Suggestions? Thanks.



In my opinion, clipless pedals are a necessity as soon as you start riding your bike on a regular basis. What kind of cleats and shoes? If you are new to clipless, then I would start with MTB shoes with a recessed cleat and SPD pedals. Both sides of the pedals are symmetrical and you won't have to worry about getting the proper side up to clip in. Al thought the one sided ones are counter weighted, I still have the "find" the clip when getting on my bike and sometimes it takes a glance down which can be unnerving for a beginning roadie.

Once you finish a year or so in these pedals, then go for the serious roadie clips and shoes. I went from SPD to SPD-SL and the difference was amazing - the connection with the SPD-SL was much "tighter." A couple of downsides of SPD-SL: It takes a little more oomph to get out of the clips and if there is any mud,l snow, ice, whatever in your SPD-SL cleats it'll be difficult or impossible to clip in unless you cleat out the cleat connection points (regular SPD cleats don't seem to have this issue and seem to be self cleaning). 

No matter what type of cleat system you get, make certain you practice clipping in an out at the LBS on their trainer in a no penalty zone. Next, go out on the road and practice clipping in an out while riding slow so you get used to the unclip motion. This motion has has to become second nature so you know how to get out in stressful situations.

I think once you get your clips installed you're going to climb and perform like you've never thought possible!

Later!

ColoradoVeloDude
Colorado Springs, Colorado


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Time is the key.*



Cni2i said:


> Truth be told, I am somewhat apprehensive about not being able to unclip faster enough. I have this fear that the clip/shoe mechanism would lock up and I'll just fall flat over


It's not really a mechanical "lock-up" that has people toppling over when using clipless pedals. In almost all cases, it's misjudging the _duration of ti_me they have for clipping out. Sometimes it's not their fault: say you are rolling towards a stop and estimate that you have about 10 seconds for the clip-out. Suddenly something darts out in front of you, reducing that 10 seconds to 0.5 seconds. Even a pro would have a difficult time unclipping on such short notice.

What to take away from this is to get in the habit of unclipping early _and_ unclipping in situations in which the need for a sudden stop might be thrown your way. After a while, you'll also learn to unclip one foot and keep on rolling, then clip back in when the need for a stop has gone away (like a red light turning green for you). With some pedals, you can actually leave the front of the cleat loosely in the pedal, with the rear locking mechanism already unclipped. That's what I did on my Look pedals if I wasn't sure if there was going to be a need to stop or not. (Past tense because I no longer use clipless pedals).


----------



## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

wim said:


> Past tense because I no longer use clipless pedals.


Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but the other day you recommended clipless. Just out of curiosity, can you clarify? 

My SPD pedals are set loose so that I can unclip without much effort or warning. I don’t want to be one with my bike, I just want to ride and enjoy the passing scenery. Life is good on a bike.


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

seacoaster said:


> Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but the other day you recommended clipless. Just out of curiosity, can you clarify?


Perfectly good question. It's not by choice—old age finally got me. I've got some problems with the bottom of my feet (plantar fasciitis or something that feels like it) and find that cycling shoes make them worse. Thick socks, soft-soled sandals and platform pedals allow me to keep riding my bike. Perhaps the problems will go away, but at the time I'm perfectly happy on platforms. FWIW, stopped racing many years ago.


----------



## livingstone (May 13, 2008)

Being a newbie myself, I am presuming that all the newer road bike shoes are like my inexpensive Specialists--with the soles built so that they are quite easy in which to walk. Must not have always been so since I received many warnings about road shoes being difficult for walking.


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

livingstone said:


> Being a newbie myself, I am presuming that all the newer road bike shoes are like my inexpensive Specialists--with the soles built so that they are quite easy in which to walk. Must not have always been so since I received many warnings about road shoes being difficult for walking.


Your presumption is incorrect. It depends on both the shoe and the pedal/cleat design. Many road shoes with cleats are pretty awkward for walking. I'm presuming your shoes have a design that recesses the small cleat into the sole. Is that correct? Many other designs are not that way, and have a much larger cleat that protrudes from the sole.

Everything's a tradeoff. What model are your Specialized shoes?


----------



## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

livingstone said:


> Being a newbie myself, I am presuming that all the newer road bike shoes are like my inexpensive Specialists--with the soles built so that they are quite easy in which to walk. Must not have always been so since I received many warnings about road shoes being difficult for walking.


Hate to break it you but those aren't road shoes.


----------



## livingstone (May 13, 2008)

JCavilia said:


> Your presumption is incorrect. It depends on both the shoe and the pedal/cleat design. Many road shoes with cleats are pretty awkward for walking. I'm presuming your shoes have a design that recesses the small cleat into the sole. Is that correct? Many other designs are not that way, and have a much larger cleat that protrudes from the sole.
> 
> Everything's a tradeoff. What model are your Specialized shoes?


 
BG Elite Road Shoe. Cleats are not recessed. It's like the edge of the heel is raised to allow your feet to remain flat while walking.


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

livingstone said:


> BG Elite Road Shoe. Cleats are not recessed. It's like the edge of the heel is raised to allow your feet to remain flat while walking.


Ah. You have very liberal standards concerning what's "quite easy in which to walk." (that's a good thing, IMO). What kind of pedals do you ride? The cleats vary a lot in terms of how much they interfere with walking.


----------



## livingstone (May 13, 2008)

JCavilia said:


> Ah. You have very liberal standards concerning what's "quite easy in which to walk." (that's a good thing, IMO). What kind of pedals do you ride? The cleats vary a lot in terms of how much they interfere with walking.


My pedals are inexpensive, "entry-level" Shimano SPD-SL. I was quite surprised with the shoes, after a friend warned me about road shoes and strongly suggested I buy MTB shoes/pedals. I often even walk around the house a bit before I get around to taking them off after a ride.

My apologies for this thread hi-jack. It really wasn't intentional.


----------



## kritiman (Jul 31, 2006)

Since your feet never leave the pedals you won't be constantly shifting them to find your sweet spot. You hit a bump and they're right where they should be.

All the major brands are easy to unclip. If it were hard, they wouldn't be in business long. 
For MTB, shoe interference could be a problem that you'll have to check. I'd stay away from "house brands" though. You might get lucky or not.

You're guaranteed to fall at least once. When coming to a stop I would unclip the right foot. It becomes so automatic that you do this even if you're leaning left. :mad2:


----------



## moldoverb (Mar 15, 2010)

It took two good falls and a piece of advice before I got the hang of clipless pedals. The advice? Loosen the clips so you can get in and out of them easily. Obvious unless you've just bought your first "real" road bike and are utterly clueless. 

No problems since, even in city traffic. And I feel very comfortable being 'part of the bike'.


----------



## moostapha (Oct 1, 2009)

I kind of think they're necessary. I can't really tell you why. 

When I got into cycling, I was riding a friend's Cannondale with Look Deltas…and when I bought my road bike I immediately put egg beaters on it (it was a mistake…wanted to be able to walk around…will be switching to road pedals at some point, but they work just fine for now). 

So, other than test riding when I was shopping for bikes, I haven't ridden a bike with flat pedals in about fifteen years. 

Frankly, I can hardly imagine riding without them now.


----------



## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

They make a giant difference. I'm a complete neophyte and can still just point out you're getting a lot more out of pedaling when you can also get something out of the upstroke... anyway in your original post you mention the Ultegra 6700 pedals... at several retailers right now the Shimano R670 pedal is on sale and it's essentially the same pedal, just non-series so it doesn't say Ultegra on it and it's a different color....


----------



## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

My errand bike which I keep at my work 24/7 has plain platform pedals. Every time I get on this bike I can immediately feel the pedaling inefficiency.


----------



## TreeKiller (Sep 3, 2007)

+1 for mtb shoes and SPD pedals. I wouldn't try to go overboard on cost at first either. Shimano 520 pedals (~$35 online) will get you started and you can find deals on shoes too. Just to keep you outta trouble with the wife, GF, SO, etc. Be careful wearing them in the house, especially on hardwood or tile floors, they tend to scuff and dent (don't ask how I know this)


----------



## moostapha (Oct 1, 2009)

I, on the other hand, think you should go somewhat overboard. I made the mistake of getting basic eggbeaters and city shoes, thinking I wanted to walk. Screw that. Now, it's a year later, and I want to upgrade. Already. 

Don't go _too_ overboard…you don't need $300 pedals on your first bike. But I'd suggest you get something you don't want to upgrade from, otherwise you're going to throw away pedals in about a year.


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

moostapha said:


> I, on the other hand, think you should go somewhat overboard. I made the mistake of getting basic eggbeaters and city shoes, thinking I wanted to walk. Screw that. Now, it's a year later, and I want to upgrade. Already.
> 
> Don't go _too_ overboard…*you don't need $300 pedals on your first bike. But I'd suggest you get something you don't want to upgrade from, otherwise you're going to throw away pedals in about a year*.


There are high quality pedals for around $100 that willl last most roadies for years.
One example:
http://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...edals+PD-5700&vendorCode=SHIM&major=5&minor=2


----------



## moostapha (Oct 1, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> There are high quality pedals for around $100 that willl last most roadies for years.
> One example:
> http://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...edals+PD-5700&vendorCode=SHIM&major=5&minor=2


+1

Look also sells a few pedals at or under $100.


----------



## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

Cni2i said:


> . Now, I just have to get over the fear of falling over and decide whether I'll go with Mtb or road biking shoes. Again, thanks for taking the time to advise.


I call it a left brain right foot thing. It will take a bit to realize when you have to unclip. You want to practice in a variety of ways: a trainer, perhaps a park or road where there are no cars and unclip every so often.


----------



## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

i think someone else may have said this, but if you've got a local bike co-op, you can probably find an old pair of Looks there for dirt cheap. also, could post a WTB on CL.


----------



## moostapha (Oct 1, 2009)

Tommy Walker said:


> I call it a left brain right foot thing. It will take a bit to realize when you have to unclip. You want to practice in a variety of ways: a trainer, perhaps a park or road where there are no cars and unclip every so often.


I disagree. I think you just need to freaking do it. 

Clip pedals are really easy…I don't know what the big deal is. You'll probably fall over once or twice as you figure out a few things you probably shouldn't do and learn to make the bike fall the right way at low speed. Big fat hairy deal. 

I went mountain bike riding for the first time a couple days ago (single track), and I took the suggestion of the guy who was taking me (also the one who got me into road riding): I used platforms to get used to the different bike.

After 2 minutes, I put eggbeaters on it. Literally, 2 minutes. 

My feet slid around so I didn't have control or power, lifted off the pedals on upstrokes, made me almost crash when taking a _tiny_ 6" drop off of a curb and a foot fell off…then then, I twisted my heal out first when coming to a stop *on platforms* because, apparently, that's a very strong habit. 

After changing them, the next 2 hours or so of single track went pedal-related hiccup free. Yeah, I went down. Not once was it because of the pedals. Not once did I actually pull the bike over because of unclipping improperly. Once, I managed to get stuck in a rut, let the bike crash, and just walk out of it over the frame. I didn't realize I had unclipped until I was walking away. 

It just happens. 

Suck it up and just buy clipless.

Being afraid of clipless pedals is like being afraid of shoes when you're already walking. 

I'm never riding platforms again. Seriously. I might not even bother doing it to test ride bikes if LBSs will put pedals on for test rides.


----------



## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

I would hope that the OP had decided by now, the first post was back over a month ago!


----------



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

moostapha said:


> I disagree. I think you just need to freaking do it.
> 
> Clip pedals are really easy…I don't know what the big deal is. You'll probably fall over once or twice as you figure out a few things you probably shouldn't do and learn to make the bike fall the right way at low speed. Big fat hairy deal.
> 
> ...


Ouch!!! Just b/c it's easy for you, doesn't mean it'll be easy for everyone else out there trying clipless for the first time. Granted, I do agree with you that they are actually not that difficult. And I agree that if you are riding a road bike more than just once every few months, just get the clipless and be done with it. 

I tried clipless pedals for the first time (Look Keo Max2 with Specialized BG Pro shoes) and it wasn't bad at all. I practiced in a relatively empty lot for 10-15 minutes, and I was off riding home with them. A couple of days later, I went on my usual Sunday ride with the club (40-50 miles) and everything went great. I actually found that clipping in took a little more practice (ie, not looking down to your pedals). Clipping out is fairly easy....you just have to remember to do so


----------



## Cni2i (Jun 28, 2010)

Peanya said:


> I would hope that the OP had decided by now, the first post was back over a month ago!


I have. Got the Look Keo Max 2 with Specialized BG Pro shoes. Love clipless system thus far. Can't believe I waited so long to get them. Thanks for everyone's input. :thumbsup:


----------

