nscrbug

I didn't want to 'hijack' the other pedal threads out there, so I decided to start my own...hope that's ok.

Ok...my bike is a Trek 2100 (WSD) roadie..it came stock with Shimano M505 SPD pedals. At the current moment, the only cycling shoes I have are a pair of Specialized Sport MTB shoes that I have been faithfully using for my spinning classes for the last 2 years or so. Of course, these shoes work fine with the M505 pedals on my bike...the problem is...I HATE THEM..the pedals, that is. I've tried adjusting the release tension numerous times, and I can't seem to find that "sweet spot", where I'm happy with the tension. In a nutshell, I've given up on the SPD's and would like to try something else...something easier to clip in/out of. I am leaning towards something from Crank Brothers, but I'm not sure which one to go with.

If I'm reading the descriptions correctly, it sounds like ALL of their pedals employ the same basic design, that being a 4-sided entry pedal. That part I get...I think. Where it gets confusing for me is when I read descriptions for the Candy, Smarty, and Quattro pedals...and it says "2-sided pedal with 4-sided entry". Mind you...I have not seen any of the Crank Bros. pedals in person, so I'm only going by pictures and descriptions on the internet. So am I to understand that this type of pedal has 2 sides (duh!) but the 4 metal clips (don't know the technical term for them) inside the pedal spins within the pedal platform, thus giving the rider more of a chance to clip in quickly??? I hope that makes sense...LOL From everything I've been reading on here and other bike forums, lots of riders really like Crank Bros. pedals for their ease of getting in and out. Are they really that easy? Easier than standard SPD's? Would I be giving anything up by switching to any one of the Crank Bros. pedals? And the biggest question...which pedal is best? Eggbeater? Candy? Smarty? or Quattro?

I'm doing my first sprint tri in June, and one of my concerns is T1. I cannot run/walk barefoot with my bike. I have some foot issues and going barefoot is not a good idea for me. I need to be able to at least jog through T1 with my bike, until I get to the mounting point. I figured mountain bike shoes would be the best option, due to their walkability over road shoes. This is another reason why I am considering a Crank Bros. pedal...so that I could use MTB shoes. However, I think at some point down the road...I may want to consider getting a pair of road shoes. Am I correct in understanding that all I will need to do, in that case...is to purchase the Quattro cleats for my road shoes?

I know this is a lot of questions, and I'm sorry if all of this has been covered before. But I would like to get pedals this weekend and want to make an educated decision on my purchase. Thanks for helping a newbie out!!!

Linda