NotAsFat
04-07-07, 09:27 PM
As in walks like a duck. Yes, I finally broke down and got my first pair of road shoes and pedals. Shimano SH-R131S shoes and Look Keo Classic pedals. I had been using Shimano 424s (2-sided MTB pedals w/resin cages) and was having some foot pain problems on longer rides. Tried on some Sidis, but the Shimanos fit me better. I also looked at some Speedplay pedals, but Speedplay puts their "mechanism" in their cleats, and I didn't like the idea of walking around on my clip mechanisms.
First impressions - the shoes:
If it walks like a duck, and it falls on it's butt, it's probably wearing road shoes. I took about 2 steps on the vinyl section of the LBS floor with the bare cleats, and retreated to the carpeted section and put the cleat covers on. :o But that's inherent in the breed, and I'm not going to whine about it any more.
Well made shoe, with a very stiff sole. The velcro and ratchet straps make for a secure, easily adjustable fit. One feature I'm not sure I like is the vent hole in the sole of the shoe. The LBS guy said most people tape over the hole (inside the shoe) in cold weather. After a few miles on the bike in high-40s weather, I have to agree. Should be nice on hot days, though.
First impressions - the pedals:
The LBS upgraded me to the red (9 degree float) cleats w/covers at no charge. The stock cleats have about half as much float. The red (bottom) portion and the white (cleat engagement surfaces) portion of the cleat serve as wear indicators. If the red wears down to the white, or vice versa, it's time to get new cleats.
Clipping in and out was considerably different than with my SPDs. With SPDs (especially the ones with cages), you just put your foot on the pedal, position your foot so the cleat is over the binder, and step down. The Look pedals balance so the latch in the back always hangs down and the side you clip into faces slightly toward the ground behind you. You have to catch the tip of the pedal with the toe of your shoe and get the tip of the cleat to catch in the hole in the pedal. Then you can step down and the shoe will click in. This is not easy the first few times you try it, because the sole of the shoe is really slick, and wants to slip off of the pedal when it's not clipped in. I expect that after I've done it a few hundred times, it will be second nature, but there's more of a learning curve than I expected. Clipping out was a little bit different, too. With SPDs, when you kick your heel out to clip out, you're out. With the Looks, you kick your heel out, but you also have to lift your cleat clear of the hole in the pedal. Not a big deal, but could be a problem in a panic stop situation.
First impressions - riding:
The stiff carbon fiber sole provides a very comfy platform for long-distance pedaling. Way stiffer than my MTB shoes. They (and the pedals) are also a good bit lighter, which should make it a little bit quicker to accelerate. The 9 degree float is almost too much for me. My heels tended move a bit more from side to side when I pushed it than they do with my SPDs. I'll get used to it, I'm sure, but I can't see why anyone needs 9 degrees of float, if their cleats are set up properly.
Riding in upper 40s weather, with about a 10 mph headwind, the vent hole in the shoe sole made for pretty chilly feet. I was wearing cushioned sole cotton socks, and I was wishing they were wool. :) I really wished I'd taken time to tape over the vent hole.
My MTB shoes were okay for half-centuries and metric centuries, but I think I'm going to like these better for the longer distances. I'm looking forward to some more pleasant weather so I can give them a better test.
First impressions - the shoes:
If it walks like a duck, and it falls on it's butt, it's probably wearing road shoes. I took about 2 steps on the vinyl section of the LBS floor with the bare cleats, and retreated to the carpeted section and put the cleat covers on. :o But that's inherent in the breed, and I'm not going to whine about it any more.
Well made shoe, with a very stiff sole. The velcro and ratchet straps make for a secure, easily adjustable fit. One feature I'm not sure I like is the vent hole in the sole of the shoe. The LBS guy said most people tape over the hole (inside the shoe) in cold weather. After a few miles on the bike in high-40s weather, I have to agree. Should be nice on hot days, though.
First impressions - the pedals:
The LBS upgraded me to the red (9 degree float) cleats w/covers at no charge. The stock cleats have about half as much float. The red (bottom) portion and the white (cleat engagement surfaces) portion of the cleat serve as wear indicators. If the red wears down to the white, or vice versa, it's time to get new cleats.
Clipping in and out was considerably different than with my SPDs. With SPDs (especially the ones with cages), you just put your foot on the pedal, position your foot so the cleat is over the binder, and step down. The Look pedals balance so the latch in the back always hangs down and the side you clip into faces slightly toward the ground behind you. You have to catch the tip of the pedal with the toe of your shoe and get the tip of the cleat to catch in the hole in the pedal. Then you can step down and the shoe will click in. This is not easy the first few times you try it, because the sole of the shoe is really slick, and wants to slip off of the pedal when it's not clipped in. I expect that after I've done it a few hundred times, it will be second nature, but there's more of a learning curve than I expected. Clipping out was a little bit different, too. With SPDs, when you kick your heel out to clip out, you're out. With the Looks, you kick your heel out, but you also have to lift your cleat clear of the hole in the pedal. Not a big deal, but could be a problem in a panic stop situation.
First impressions - riding:
The stiff carbon fiber sole provides a very comfy platform for long-distance pedaling. Way stiffer than my MTB shoes. They (and the pedals) are also a good bit lighter, which should make it a little bit quicker to accelerate. The 9 degree float is almost too much for me. My heels tended move a bit more from side to side when I pushed it than they do with my SPDs. I'll get used to it, I'm sure, but I can't see why anyone needs 9 degrees of float, if their cleats are set up properly.
Riding in upper 40s weather, with about a 10 mph headwind, the vent hole in the shoe sole made for pretty chilly feet. I was wearing cushioned sole cotton socks, and I was wishing they were wool. :) I really wished I'd taken time to tape over the vent hole.
My MTB shoes were okay for half-centuries and metric centuries, but I think I'm going to like these better for the longer distances. I'm looking forward to some more pleasant weather so I can give them a better test.