Northern California - Looking for some advise on pedals

Ok so Saturday i will be picking up my 2009 FUJI Roubaix and now that i am getting a real road bike i need some pedals for it.
Keep in mind that I'm not rich and I'm not hard core i ride for fun and exercise, i will be riding in some century's next year and i do a lot of group rides.

I'm also having a hard time figuring out what computer to buy, but i know i want one with heart rate.


Chuck

You'll probably find it easier to spend more money on shoes than pedals. If you go the mountain shoe route, you'll probably find that SPD cleat/pedals are a good choice. Mountain shoes tend to be more walkable. If you go for road shoes, then you'll have more options to go with Looks, Speedplays etc., but they might end up costing you more $$. You can probably pick up a nice set of mountain shoes for under $100.

For the computer choice, it'll depend on what you want to do with it. If you're just looking for real time feedback then you have a wide range of choices. If you want to download data after your ride (which you may grow into), then there are some good deals on Garmin Edge 305's right now ($250 or so I think). Ironically, I've found that the speed readings on the 305 can be a little variable when riding through tree cover. Still dig the computer though.

I agree. Any of the entry level SPD MTB pedals are o.k. The double-sided version is good for beginners, relatively easy to learn, etc. The shoes are a different matter. If you have an less common shoe size, you might find a good deal on higher quality shoes. If your riding style and weekly distance is modest, you might consider the entry level MTB shoes too for about $30-50. In a year or so, you might want to upgrade. It depends on how you plan to ride and if there is a need for walkable shoes. Good luck.

M400

I have been looking at the Garmin edge 305 i found a referb for $209.00

I have been looking at the Garmin edge 305 i found a referb for $209.00

Hey Chuck from C.H.

I'd probably wait on that Garmin... Costco and several other retailers had them for $179 (brand new not refurb)late April/May. I just looked and was suprised to see they had gone up to $300 again. Weird. I wouldn't be surprised if they drop to $179 for good sometime soon.

I personally would buy road shoes/pedals for that bike. Sounds like you're going to be doing distance in the near future and not much walking. I have SPD on one of my bikes paired with mtb shoes and while it's fine for long rides (longest on that bike was 65 miles), I definitely prefer lightweight road shoes and Look Keo's for distance. The Specialized shoes above the cheapest... "BG Comp?" are really nice for the money. You can get them for about $100 on sale... Mine still look new after 2 years of heavy use (8-10k miles). Extremely comfy with BG inserts (another $50 but totally worth it).

Hey Chuck from C.H.

I'd probably wait on that Garmin... Costco and several other retailers had them for $179 (brand new not refurb)late April/May. I just looked and was suprised to see they had gone up to $300 again. Weird. I wouldn't be surprised if they drop to $179 for good sometime soon.



That's good to know Thanks, I think i'll go with the same Cateye strata wireless i have on my commuter for now and watch the prices on the garmins.

I've been riding a Specialized road shoes/Keo pedals combo for approximately two years. It's my first experience with clipless pedals. One caution: the more that you've ridden with rat trap pedals, the more you've probably wired in slightly lifting the foot that you want to put down when you stop. Just feels better than dragging the foot across the pedal. But if you do that when trying to unclip from Keos, it won't work. To unclip, think "down and out." Put just a little down pressure on the pedal, then snap your heel per the included directions. Works every time.

It'd be a good idea to practice unclipping a couple/three times at the beginning of each ride. You need to wire the unclipping into your brain, because if you're startled, you'll tend to go back into rat trap mode.

If you haven't used clipless before, it'd be a good idea to do your first practicing where you can lean up against a wall.

You might want to take a scredriver with you, in case the cleats loosen up. (It took mine a week of rides to stabilize.)

You might want to take a scredriver with you, in case the cleats loosen up. (It took mine a week of rides to stabilize.)

Grease the threads. Problem solved.

Grease the threads. Problem solved.

Anyone know why this works? Just from a mechanical standpoint, why does grease (a lubricant, right?) make screws stay tightened?

Anyone know why this works? Just from a mechanical standpoint, why does grease (a lubricant, right?) make screws stay tightened?

Grease helps the threads seat properly. Dry screws tend to bind and not tighten properly.

Hey Chuck, if you're wanting to ride the hills with me on Sunday, get those shoes and pedals post-haste! They'll be a huge help.

Find shoes that fit (try on a LOT of them, at several different shops), get road pedals with a large contact area. That will help to reduce the possibilities of hot spots on your feet.

Tapeworm and johnny, thanks for that info.