Road Cycling - Pedals?

I recently purchased a trek 1000 and was looking to invest in some new pedals and shoes. Any recommendations?

Sidi Genius shoes and Speedplay X-1 Titanium pedals. That's a good combo.

55/Rad

I recently purchased a trek 1000 and was looking to invest in some new pedals and shoes. Any recommendations?

What's your price range? Having a limited budget could eliminate some shoe / pedal brands as they tend to be on the higher end.

Sidi Genius shoes and Speedplay X-1 Titanium pedals. That's a good combo.

55/Rad

sounds expensive, let me check it out

What's your price range? Having a limited budget could eliminate some shoe / pedal brands as they tend to be on the higher end.

I guess under 200 for both shoes and pedals. Any pedal would be a big upgrade for me because I can't stand the toe clip.

I still need to get a bike lock and perhaps a new saddle since the one that came with my bike hurts my ass so much so I can't spend too much on pedals.

Ok, Nike Hautecam shoes ($100) and Speedplay X-3 pedals ($90). Great combo and great price.

55/Rad

wow that sidi genius shoe speedplay x-1 combo would cost me as much as my bike :(

Ok, Nike Hautecam shoes ($100) and Speedplay X-3 pedals ($90). Great combo and great price.

55/Rad

where can I find the x-3 pedals for $90?

where can I find the x-3 pedals for $90?
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=1343&subcategory_ID=5245

Check the hot deals section of this forum for the 20% discount coupon and the price drops to $81 + shipping. So, about $90 total.

55/Rad

What kind of riding will you be doing? How many miles? How often?
I have Look pedals (red cleats) and Speedplay Zero pedals. If possible try a test ride with both.
Shoes? Whatever is comfortable. Some shoes are kinda narrow for my wide foot.

What kind of riding will you be doing? How many miles? How often?
I have Look pedals (red cleats) and Speedplay Zero pedals. If possible try a test ride with both.
Shoes? Whatever is comfortable. Some shoes are kinda narrow for my wide foot.

I just do recreational riding, and perhaps when I'm ready I'll ride to work. No racing for me as of now. I guess I'll stop by my LBS and see what they have to offer me.

This looks like a pretty serious combination for under $200. $190 down from $280. Shoes and pedals:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile_combo.cfm?SKU=19194&estore_ID=&subcategory_ID=2111&CFID=26987091&CFTOKEN=24454951

Different people have different preferences. I personally would not spend as much on pedals and shoes as I did on the bike. I'm quite happy with SPD 515s that came with my bike and a pair of Lake CX-125 shoes I got for $25 at Pricepoint. YMMV

There's another thing to keep in mind - how much walking are you going to be doing in your bike shoes? Depending on the type of pedal/shoe it may be easier or harder to walk. There are certain pedal styles and shoe types that make it easier to walk in. If I'm correct, SPD pedals with a mountain style shoe are the best for walking. Whereas a hard-soled road shoe with a Look style pedal is difficult.

Do you want to be able to walk in your shoes?

Different people have different preferences. I personally would not spend as much on pedals and shoes as I did on the bike. I'm quite happy with SPD 515s that came with my bike and a pair of Lake CX-125 shoes I got for $25 at Pricepoint. YMMV

Are you talking about the blue ones that have single sided entry? Because I am about to throw mine in the trash. They are impossible to get into in a rush.

Anyone have some recommendations for pedals that cost under $100 and aren't a total ***** to get into in traffic?

I had a similar question a few weeks ago when I bought my new bike, with the additional proviso that I wanted to use the shoes on my mountain bike as well. The other cyclists at work recommended I just get some mountain bike shoes and pedals so I got some spd-m520 pedals (double sided entry, easy to adjust and now I'm used to them, easy to get in and out of) for $50 and some Shimano M038 shoes on sale for $60 (I think they're normally priced at $80). I mostly use my bike for commuting to work and while the pedal/shoe combo isn't the most efficient or the lightest it was cheap and it works - I'll worry about getting 'proper' shoes and pedals when I get the bike that goes with them :)

Are you talking about the blue ones that have single sided entry? Because I am about to throw mine in the trash. They are impossible to get into in a rush.


No they are double sided. I find them quite easy to get into and out of.

I recently purchased a trek 1000 and was looking to invest in some new pedals and shoes. Any recommendations?

I will pass on the same advice I got when I bought my shoes - the Sidi brand has maybe the best rep in terms of quality and durability and customer satisfaction. Their best feature is a ratchet mechanism that comes on several models. Over the course of a bike ride, you may find you want an adjustment (due to arch compressing or whatever), and nothing beats the precision and holding power of a ratchet. Superior to Velcro (TM) in that respect.

Most of the Sidi line is very lightweight - much lighter than most athletic shoes. The road models are especially light; the mountain bike variety are heavier but still very light, and have the added convenience of versatility (mountain or road riding) and have soles that allow you to walk around (on road shoes the metal cleat protrudes).

I bought a mtn. pair for around $169, which may sound expensive but a good shoe is an investment. You get what you pay for. 169 is actually a mid-priced shoe.

For pedals, Shimano SPD pedals have been around for a decade or more (?) because they are a reliable and proven design.

Ah, I have the A515s and they are a pain. They are going on ebay shortly.

Also, I have to echo the praises of Sidi. The last pair I tried on felt great.

Do you want to be able to walk in your shoes?

not really, I'll just be biking around my neighborhood and to work.

For pedals, Shimano SPD pedals have been around for a decade or more (?) because they are a reliable and proven design.

I've read in some other posts that SPD pedals are a lot harder to clip out of than Look or speedplay. I think the best way that I can decide for myself is to go to my LBS and try out each one.

If you don't care about walking then you have all options open. I like to ride long distance on weekends and maybe stop at a quickie mart or resturaunt along the route for a drink. I like to be able to walk in my shoes. If you wanted a good walking shoe I was going to suggest SPDs and either a Mountain or Spinning shoe. The Specialized Sonoma or a Shimano M020 shoes is a nice walking shoe. They look pretty much like a crosstrainer/walking type shoe but have recessed SPD cleats. For my Mountain bike I like a dual combination flat/spd pedal adjusted for easy release.

Good luck

I've read in some other posts that SPD pedals are a lot harder to clip out of than Look or speedplay. I think the best way that I can decide for myself is to go to my LBS and try out each one.

Never had a problem, either on road or dirt, although perhaps ignorance is bliss. I haven't tried the others. You don't want em to pop out too easily, however.

I've got size 13 feet, so shoes are damn important. The Sidi Genius 4 Megas were a big hit to my wallet, but after riding them for a couple weeks now, I'm loving it. Like having my toes sucked while I pedal. :D

...Like having my toes sucked while I pedal. :D

Ewwwww. Just thinking about the toejam is making my stomach turn.

55/Rad