Pacific Northwest - Beginner clipless pedals and shoes... ??

Hi All,

Just keeping my eyes open for my first clipless pedals and shoes. What do you suggest as beginner make/model ?

I have just started riding around the block (weather permits).. and since I will be going clipless soon.. so wanted to understand them more.

Thanks in advance.

Shimano SPD's with compatible shoes are
a good place to start. If you want to buy
the pedals online that's ok, but for the
shoes I recommend you try them out in a
store.

Shimano SPD's with compatible shoes are
a good place to start. If you want to buy
the pedals online that's ok, but for the
shoes I recommend you try them out in a
store.

Is there a particular shimano spd pedal model ?
What are these ?
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-5700-Road-Pedals-Black/dp/B00428B1FO

Shimano pd 5700 .. are they the same ?

Thanks.

Is there a particular shimano spd pedal model ?
What are these ?
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-5700-Road-Pedals-Black/dp/B00428B1FO

Shimano pd 5700 .. are they the same ?

Thanks.

No, those aren't the same as SPD's. The cleats(the part that attaches to the bottom of
your shoes) for those will stick out making walking difficult. Folks who use those don't
mind since they're on the bike most of the time doing 30,40,50, etc, mile rides. For what
you're doing, " just started riding around the block "; SPD's will be fine:

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41wySf1XEFL._AA160_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1)
Shimano PD-M520L MTB Sport Pedals with Cleats (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1)
Buy new (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1): $54.99 $32.43

24 new (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1&condition=new) from $30.99 1 used (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1&condition=used) from $30.00

No, those aren't the same as SPD's. The cleats(the part that attaches to the bottom of
your shoes) for those will stick out making walking difficult. Folks who use those don't
mind since they're on the bike most of the time doing 30,40,50, etc, mile rides. For what
you're doing, " just started riding around the block "; SPD's will be fine:

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41wySf1XEFL._AA160_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1)
Shimano PD-M520L MTB Sport Pedals with Cleats (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1)
Buy new (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M520L-Sport-Pedals-Cleats/dp/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1): $54.99 $32.43

24 new (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1&condition=new) from $30.99 1 used (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000WYAENC/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321510822&sr=1-1&condition=used) from $30.00

But I have a roadbike so can I install this pedals? Moreover I will be doing weekend rides which would be around 15 20 miles to start with. I will not be walking much.

But I have a roadbike so can I install this pedals? Moreover I will be doing weekend rides which would be around 15 20 miles to start with. I will not be walking much.

You can install either pedal linked above.

I'm still not sold on clipless pedals after about a two-year trial. There are plusses, but also some minuses. My first trial was with Look Keos and Sidi road shoes. They were great while riding, but I found it really hard to clip in after a stop - like at a stop sign, traffic light, etc. Sometimes I clicked right in, but other times I'd try and try and it seemed to take several trials. Also, while not clipped in, but while pulling away from a stop to avoid blocking traffic, I'd pedal while not clipped in, and there was a tendency for my foot to slip off the pedal, and I'd bash my leg against the pedal.

I decided to try some Shimano SPD "Mountain" pedals and shoes. I put quotation marks around mountain because there's no reason not to use them on the road. In fact, I find them much nicer on my road bike than the Keos. They are double sided, so you don't have to worry about which way your pedals are situated when you go to clip in. Nice. Secondly, they are much easier to clip into. I just put my foot on them and start pedaling and, "click", I'm in, without a lot of futzing to try and get things lined up (just a little.) Thirdly, you can walk on the shoes without doing that weird clicking, slipping, walk with your foot at a weird angle.

I'm still not 100% sold on clipless (I have platform pedals on my other four bikes), but I do like the SPD/mountain shoe combination. I may be a convert. I'll keep trying them for another couple of years. Maybe then I'll make up my mind.

;)

But I have a roadbike so can I install this pedals? Moreover I will be doing weekend rides which would be around 15 20 miles to start with. I will not be walking much.

It really doesn't matter whether you put road or mountain pedals on a road or mountain bike; it's not a compatibility thing, it's a preference thing. I use SPD "mountain" pedals on my road bike, whether I'm doing a short ride around town or a long one up in the Cascades (on the paved roads). If you stop midway through your ride and get a bite to eat, or on a longer ride to pull some water out of a river, or if you just have to carry your bike from your door to the road (I have stairs before I can ride) the recessed cleats are really nice.

I don't have this particular bike any more - the frame cracked, and I upgraded to a slightly 'better' frameset in the warranty process - but here's my older road bike with SPD "mountain" pedals:

http://landscapephoto.us/Events/WebSize/IMG_1378.jpg

They're harder to make out in this shot, because it's a crappy cell phone camera, but here's the new road bike with the same SPD A-520 pedals:

http://landscapephoto.us/Events/SkykomishToStevensPass/P10-15-11_15-22%5B1%5D.jpg

Seattle Forrest, yeah that totally makes sense. Now I have some good info under my belt which I can use when I go shopping for pedals and shoes.