Pedals

[LarryJay]

I'm about to be a new recumbent rider. Have to give up my road bike because of pain in the neck, shoulders and back. So I was wondering what type of pedals everyone uses. I used clipless on my road bike but not sure if thats a good idea on the recumbent. Thanks for your input.

[Trsnrtr]

Clipless is an excellent idea on a recumbent. In fact, many swb recumbents are harder to ride without clipless pedals because you have trouble keeping contact between your feet and the pedals. ie. your feet want to fall off the pedal.

Another option is the power strap thingies.

[Arnold Layne]

I took the Ultegra road pedals off my road bike and put them on my bent when I first got it. The pedals worked great but I had trouble gripping the pavement with my shoe when I would come to a stop. A couple times I entertained the stopped traffic when my foot just all of-a-sudden slipped out from under me and down I went! I soon switched to mtb shoes and Speedplay Frog pedals. I later got some Lake CX115 shoes which have a little bit of tread around the toe and heel, which has good grip, but the thing about these shoes is that they will accept SPD, SPD-R and Look cleats, which allows use of practically any pedals. A good choice, in my opinion, for a new bent rider is the Shimano 324 pedal which has SPD on one side and regular platform on the other. That way you can get started with the platform and then clip in once you get going okay. Hope this helps.

[bigmoose]

I really like the Nashbar Rodeo pedals. They are much like the Shimano pedals mentioned above but a little cheaper. They have the platform on one side and the spd on the other side. Really work nice for the easy ride around the block in your tennies or the longer ride in the bike shoes. Have used a pair of Shimano mountain shoes with these, but had some really bad problems with my feet going numb. Switched to a pair of Nashbar road shoes, no more numb feet but big problems clicking in as the sole of the shoes are smooth. If you don't hit the spot right the first time the foot will slip off and make for an interesting start. Bad news trying to start out uphill. (Even a little hill...) Lots more good info among the previous threads. Might suggest doing a search and looking up some of the other info. Happy riding with the new bike!!

[sch]

For the first 1-200 miles cheap platform pedal should be used by the neophyte
recumbent rider. You need to master the vagaries of control, realize the necessity
for downshift on any stop and how to start going up hill. You will wobble like a 5yr
old initially. After getting accustomed to the bike then you can shift back to clipin
pedals. See also the "broken leg" thread. BMX pedals are good starter pedals.

Road shoes, as several riders noted, are BAD idea, you need a little friction to
maintain the shoes grip on the pedal and shoes with a thin layer of rubbery stuff
on the bottom are essential. Slipping the foot off the pedal on a bent can be
uncomfortable to disastrous. Comfort shoes or minimally aggressive ATB shoes
are the way to go. I use Frogs, but starting over I would probably use Crank Brothers
Steve

[LarryJay]

Thanks everybody. I'm anxious to get the bike and start riding. Sounds like its best to start without clipless initially and then change when I get used to the bike. Thanks again.

[Jake_Howie]

I recently got some Egg Beaters and I love them. They have just the right about of play to give the knees a rest and there is a little resistance before they pop of. I hat riding by LWB without them
Jake

[mchandler]

The best (bent) newbie-friendly pedals I've found are Speedplay Frogs. I've used 'em for years, and find they work great for dirt, road, bent, etc.

[bnet1]

I've never used any type of SPD's or other locking foot retention systems on any of my road bikes. Always toe clips and straps for the simple reason I can ride in any footwear I want, and I don't have to mess with swapping shoes all of the time. When I got my 'bent I had Power Grip straps installed. I like them a lot, so much in fact I started using them about the second ride on the bent. I wish I would have had them on my road bike. I would venture to say that nearly all 'bent riders use some sort of foot retention system, be it clips/straps/Power Grips/SPD. It would seem that it would be necessary on any of the bikes where the BB is above the seat by a significant amount.

'bent Brian

[erik forsgren]

Hello again Larry Jay,
Once you have learnt to ride your recumbent properly you should use clip-pedals for many reasons. First of all you exert more power on the pedals. Second you are much safer with clip-pedals in case you should fall, because if you do you will follow the bike down to the earth without running the risk of breaking a leg.
erik forsgren

[tayman]

Hello LarryJay....
I echo the advice of all the previous posters.... Use the platform pedals for a while until you master the basics of recumbent riding.... Then when you feel confident, swap them out for a set of clipless.....Set them to the easiest-out setting at first, and tighten them up as you feel more confident... I found that I used too much energy just trying to keep my feet in place on my Rans Rocket when using platform pedal before I switched.... Not to mention risking the notorious "leg-suck" injury... I also found that your shoe clips should be positioned as far to the back of the shoe as possible... And do go for the MTB shoe.. .Easier to walk in and you won't slip and slide when you put your foot down to stop.... Works for me...... Good luck and welcome to 'benting.....
Rick...Canada...

[lazy rider]

I got my first recumbent today. An Optima Lynx. I also used SPD "clipless" pedals for the first time - quite a learning curve. It was a 30km ride from the dealer to home with some moderate hills. Balance improves with speed, however speed is difficult to attain when you are wobbling. However I go home without major mishap. Toppled over 3 times - forgeting to unclip before coming to a stop - more embarrasment than injury. The hills were a challenge, however by the end I was flying along on the flat.

Verdict, the clipless pedals are excellent, however starting without them is probably a smarter idea. The lynx is an SWB with handlebar in front and a clearance of about 17" below the seat, so I think the leg suck thing is probably less of a risk than on a lower bike, particularly with underseat steering.

Negotiating a turn where sand had collected made me loose the back wheel, however it pulled through.

Thanks for all the great info in this forum which I have been avidly reading these last weeks as I have been impatiently awaiting my Lynx's arrival.
Regards from a very happy new rider.

[mikethebike]

Another vote here for the Frogs. I have them on all my bikes, also seems to help the knees. Took a few miles to get used to as I remember, but know second nature. Just remember when you first start riding; you have to "twist out" to release.
MTB