Road Cycling - I need to learn something about peddles?

I went to the LBS to look for a bike for my wife today and while there saw a BIANCHI road bike there similar to the Vigorelli I have coming to me. The pedals looked like they were very small on the Bianchi at the LBS and not what I'anm used to pedals looking like. What do I need to know about using the pedals correctly on the Vigorelli when it arrives and will they be the same type as I saw at the LBS? Do you need a special shoe that locks in to the pedals? Sorry for such a basic question.

Without seeing the pedals it is a bit hard to say. However if they don't look like the pedals you had as a kid (platform pedals) then you will need a pair of cycling shoes as well as the appropriate cleats, these screw into the bottom of the shoe and clip into the pedal.
I just looked at the Bianchi site and the bike should come with WTB MP-350 pedals which are an SPD (Shimano Pedal Design). So yes you will need special shoes.

CHEERS.

Mark

You need to learn something about peddles? I can teach you how to spell it correctly :p P-E-D-A-L-S.
With questions about specific pedals, its best to ask at your LBS, as they with probably know exactly what they are and what you need to use them :)

Thank you. Spelling was never my strong suit:)

I just want to know the way the PEDAL/Shoe thing works. You lock your shoe in and thats it? Can you replace the pedals of that type with conventional pedals?

yes, you clip your shoe into the pedal when you begin riding, and unclip it when you put your foot down. (usually by the twist of an ankle.)
you can replace them with platform pedals, but i wouldn't recommend it.
clipless pedals make for very efficient power transfer. get a pair of cycling shoes and learn how to clip in and out. your LBS will have more useful info.

They might even be able to explain to you why pedals that your shoes CLIP into are called 'clipless'.

In the end though... this is the kind of pedal you want.

cAPS(less)

Clipless pedals came from ski binding technology. They are a great way to lock the foot to the pedal while still being able to release from the pedal when you need to.

I have heard cliples is anywhere from 5-20% more efficient than platforms.

What is the advantage or disadvantage to these two types of pedals??? I don't mean the brand but the different type. This would be for road only. I do however find it odd how the SPD weighs less even though it seems to have more working parts.:confused:

Road Pedal (http://www.nashbar.com/profile_moreimages.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1123&sku=5077&brand=)

Road Pedal (http://www.nashbar.com/profile_moreimages.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1123&sku=5078&brand=)

The Vigorelli comes with a relatively cheap set of Wellgo clipless pedals and cleats. You will need cycling shoes. Many people seem to suggest replacing these pedals with something better (i.e., Look, Speedplay, etc...), although I have not on my own Vigorelli. The included pedals are very similar to these Nashbar pedals:

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/NR-PDL.gif

There are 3 kinds of pedal you can use.
Plain platfrom pedal
Platfrom pedal with toe clips
Clipless pedal

Plain platform ones are easy to use, but not that efficient. You can only apply force over a small sector of the rotation, and your feet can slip off if you stand up.
Toe clips are a lot more efficient than plain platforms, you can spin the pedal around rather than just push down, and you can stand up on your toes. Racing riders used to use a slotted plate on their shoes (to engage on the edge of the pedal) and cinch the straps tight, which made exit very difficult. These days, you would use toe clips if you want some performance and safety, but dont want to use special shoes every time you ride. You really should ride them with the straps loose, so you can exit quickly and safely.
Clipless pedals are designed for racing and sport use. They are called clipless because you dont need a toe clip (see above).You need special shoes, which have a metal or plastic cleat. The cleat engages with a spring mechanism on the pedal, and the rider can pull and well as push. You release the cleat by rotating your foot.
Most riders have some "fail-to-unclip" moments , when they stop with their feet clipped in. This usually results in a fall, which is mostly harmless unless a car runs over you. Because of this type of accident, I personally would not recomend clipless pedals for someone beginning to ride, or for use on a new style of bike. If you are unfamiliar with the gears or handling of the bike, you should gain some confidence with platform pedals before fitting clipless.

There are 2 styles of clipless: MTB riders use pedals with spring mechanisms on both sides, and the cleat is recessed into the sole of the shoe. These are fairly practical for walking, and easier to engage. Racing cyclists only have the cleat on one side (for lightness), and their larger cleats protrude from the sole, making walking difficult and in some conditions, dangerous. For everyday riding, you can fit MTB style pedals on a road bike.

MichaelW, thank you for explaining so thouroughly that even I can understand:) what pedal options there are. I am a new rider and do NOT want to use the clipless pedals that will come with my Vigorelli. I would like to use platform pedals with toeclips. Can you or another forum member point me in a direction to acquire a set of pedals with toeclips ?

Thanks for helping me get my bike set up right for me! I'd be on the ground alot I fear with the clipless pedals:)-I can work into them and will save the ones that come on the bike incase I decide to go clipless at some later point.

If this is your first bike in a long time, probably is easiest to start off with clips. Your LBS should carry them in stock when you get the bike just ask them to swap them out. They might not even charge you if you ask to swap the pedals, then if you decide to go clipless later down the road get a decent pedal.. look, speedplay, shimano, time etc.. It only takes a few rides to get used to having clipless pedals, but when you have not ridden in a long time it can take time just to get used to riding again.

I just called the BS who is shipping the bike to me and they are going to give me a pedal with toe clips instead of the clipless style. I am really getting excited about receiving my bike! Thanks for all the help:beer:

Originally posted by Peddler
MichaelW, thank you for explaining so thouroughly that even I can understand:) what pedal options there are. I am a new rider and do NOT want to use the clipless pedals that will come with my Vigorelli. I would like to use platform pedals with toeclips. Can you or another forum member point me in a direction to acquire a set of pedals with toeclips ?

Thanks for helping me get my bike set up right for me! I'd be on the ground alot I fear with the clipless pedals:)-I can work into them and will save the ones that come on the bike incase I decide to go clipless at some later point.

sounds like you're just a little behind me in the learning curve. :) after a month of riding, i just took the clip pedals off my bike and put on clipless (Time ATAC SPD-style pedals, which are mountain bike pedals but they were a good deal and work fine). got some road shoes too. went for my first 'clipless' ride last night. it's actually not that bad! getting out of them wasn't so bad, at least under non-emergency conditions. clipping in was a little harder, but it's not that much harder than platform/cage pedals with clips. you still have to feel around with your foot a bit. i've heard stories of people coming up to stoplights and forgetting to unclip, and then falling over sideways. fortunately i've escaped that fate so far.

i didn't feel any great increase in efficiency over my clips and running shoes combo. but i did feel less like a dork, now that i had 'proper' pedals. and that of course is extremely important with road bike riders.

it sounds like you've already made up your mind and are getting the clip pedals. unless spending $50 on shoes is a deal-killer, i think you should keep the clipless pedals on the bike. in two months you'll decided you want clipless after all, and then it's $60-200 for new pedals, plus labor if you don't feel like you can install them yourself.

from one newbie to another!

Some disadvantages to using toe-clip pedals is that you will need to "flip" the clip up while inserting your foot. This can result in some awkward moments when you first start rolling. Luckily, you'll still have a platform to pedal with even if the clips are upside down. However, be careful because the clips and straps when rotated that way may snag on things. On the road it's not that big a deal and pretty soon you get accustomed to flipping the pedals quickly enough so that it will become second-nature. But then again, you can also get accustomed in a similar manner to operating clipless pedals too.

Another option you may wish to explore is to get clip-inserts for your clipless pedals such as the Winwood Instep Adapters (http://www.winwoodbikeparts.com/prod/clip_less/clip_less.htm). The setup is kind of hokey, you increase the stack height on the pedal and there's a lot of flex from the plastic so you'll lose efficiency but if you intend to eventually switch over to clipless but first want to get a feel for the rest of the bike, this may be one way to go. I wouldn't suggest it as a permenant setup. This also works great if you normally ride clipless but want to from time to time cruise around town with your normal shoes instead of walking around with stiff-soled cycling shoes that may have protruding cleats forcing you to walk around like a duck. It's great if your bike doubles as a commuter/utility bike and you don't feel like carrying around two pairs of shoes.

I just changed out plaforms for clips and straps. They are a huge improvement. My feet were beginning to slip off the platforms and the most inopportune times, but I didn't want to put clipless pedals on a comfort bike.

The $20 for the clips was a good investment. Going straight from platforms to clipless would probably have been rather difficult. With the clips, the first couple of rides were pretty hairy, but now I have it down pretty good. Occasionally, I still have trouble getting one foot in, but no spills or anything....yet.

When I get my roadie next year, I am going to get the Shimano Ultrega pedals, because of the larger platform. I have riding buddies with the M515's and they say on longer rides their feet get bad hot spots.

To be honest, I would say that the transition from platforms to clipless is about the same as from platforms to toe-clips and straps. Actually I think it might be easier especially if you use double-sided clipless with multi-entry/release capability since you don't have to worry about flipping the pedal right-side-up and going in toe-first or doing a heel-twist-and-out action to get out. You just step and go to get in and heel-out to get out. For the record, I too went through the platforms->toe-clips->clipless route and will have to say that using clipless is much easier than using toe-clips. That said, going from toe-clips to clipless will be even easier than going from platforms to toe-clips.

TrekRider I would not just go by the size of the platform of the pedals.. since you're shoe normaly won't even come in contact with it when using clips. The cleat comes in contact with the engaging mechanism while the rest of your shoe floats above that. The one problem some people have with smaller cleats like SPD's is that they get that hot spot. While pedals like Looks have alot larger cleat so that is less of a problem.