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Big purchase coming up! A few questions.

Old 05-11-08, 03:25 AM
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Big purchase coming up! A few questions.

I'm planning to buy a Surly Cross Check Complete next month (yay!) It should be a nice step up from my Gary Fisher Marlin (even though I love it). My questions mostly appear to be about pedals...

1) I use my bike mostly for commuting to school (about 3.4 miles) and then from school to work (almost 4 miles), and recreational rides. I want to get some clipless pedals, but I need some that I can ride without using riding shoes every time. Once I get to campus I ride short spurts between buildings to get to class, and it would really be a pain to switch shoes every time! I'm looking at the Crank Brothers Mallets as my shoe of choice. Would these work for short (<1-2 miles almost always) rides in tennis shoes or Birkenstocks? Anyone have them?

2) I'd also really like to find some shoes that are easy to walk in for when I'm feeling lazy (or just running into a store or something). I've been looking at something like the Pearl Izumi X-Alps (https://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/3...s-For-Men.html). Are shoes that say they're comfortable for walking in actually comfortable? Companies lie

Thanks!

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Old 05-11-08, 04:18 AM
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Shimano makes a double sided pedal. One side is Old School and the other side is SPD. It's really hard to beat.

Cycling shoes have to fit really well. You will burn up a lot of time and money mailing shoes back and forth across the country. I know, I've done it. Hit several bike shops until you find a pair that fits well. Buy them. They may be painfully expensive, buy them anyway. Mine were so expensive I had to do a layaway... but now my feet don't hurt, which they always did with cheap shoes.
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Old 05-11-08, 05:13 AM
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Yeah, I'm definitely going to get my shoes at a LBS. The link is just to show them
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Old 05-11-08, 03:33 PM
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X Alps are some of the most comfortable cycling shoes ever- I love mine for the same kind of things as you. I'll even wear them around at work some days when I forget normal people shoes.
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Old 05-11-08, 04:58 PM
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Sweet, I'll definitely try to find some of those around here.

Also, I've heard the 2-sided Shimano pedals are super annoying because you have to flip them over every time you use the heavier side. Is it really that big a deal?

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Old 05-11-08, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Takabrash
Sweet, I'll definitely try to find some of those around here.

Also, I've heard the 2-sided Shimano pedals are super annoying because you have to flip them over every time you use the heavier side. Is it really that big a deal?
It's probably annoying if you happen to be a complete klutz. I've got a pair on my beater and love them. Doesn't bother me at all.
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