tbradnc

I'm getting a Trek 5200 this week and it has Look A5.1 clipless pedals on it.

I'm a total newbie when it comes to clipless and don't know where to start. I've been riding a Giant OCR2 and it isn't clipless.

What kind of setup should I get? Do I just need the shoe or is there another component that attaches to the shoe and clips to the pedal? How much should I plan to spend on something that will last? Can you wear the shoes when you get off the bike? Questions, questions.... Thanks!

BTW, I ride 100-150 mpw with very little stop and go traffic.

Thanks,
Thomas

hi565

Price range? with the bike you ahve i would serioulsy go wiht maybe a keo or a Shimano Dura Ace pedal. I prefer shimano because of the distance is shorter from the cranck to the pedal which is more efficient when pedaling. OH and with that bike you can ride mountain pedals and be able to walk minimally on a cleated mountain shoe, but i suggest going witha road shoe and pedal. ( I think the distance is shorter than the looks on the shimanos I may have mixed it around, i am pretty sure though)

supcom

I suspect you need a pair of 'road' shoes. Your pedals should come with cleats that attach to the bottom of the shoes and will cause you to walk 'toes up', make funny clackety-clack noises, and slip on smooth tile floors. It will help stretch your calves, so perhaps they aren't all bad. (Just a joke folks, I'm sure that road shoes have lots of good qualities, but since I quit wearing them, I can't remember what they are.)

If you buy a pair of shoes at the LBS when you pick up your bike, the good folks at the store should spend a few minutes getting the cleats installed and adjusted for you. You may even be able to get some nifty rubber cleat covers that will dampen the clackety-clack noise and help prevent embarrasing falls at the kwiky-mart, but will make you walk a little more toes up than without.

DanO220

As long as you're not racing the Tour De France (or riding with a club where everyone THINKS they are) get yourself a pair of MTB shoes. Some are comfortable enough to walk around in all day because the cleats are recessed - as opossed to road shoes.

Next get yourself some Crank Bro's Eggbeaters. Introduced as a MTB pedal; they are also popluar with a lot of commuters and road riders, including myself. They feature a four-sided entry design which is very intuitive and thus, easy to master. You'll be clicking in and out without a thought the first day.

Crank Bro's also stand behind their product. I managed to crack and bend a pedal I'd been riding for two and a half years without so much as a lub. When I called they didn't even ask for a reciept or date of purchase. For $25 they shipped me a new, upgraded pair along with a set of free cleats. They didn't even want to see the broken ones first... told me to just ship them back in the packaging my replacements came in. Can't ask for better than that. I'm sold on 'em.

Whatever you decide on, going clipless will enhance your riding for sure.

All the best. DanO

forum*rider

I got rid of my road pedals/shoes and now use a pair of eggbeaters on both my mtb and road bike.

Also since I ditched the road shoes and only have one pair I figured they might as well be a damn nice pair so I got some Sidi Dragon SRS's. Dang expensive at $190(covered by the sale of my road pedals/shoes) but they are great and I can replace the soles/lugs when they wear out.

Of course you don't have to spend anywhere near that amount of money for a good setup. Look around at shops and on the internet(once you know you're size). Shoes are on sale alot and you can find some great deals. Some sites like www.pricepoint.com even have combo deals where you get the pedals and the shoes.

Also, I would have to say not to buy online unless you are absolutely sure what size you wear. Cycling shoes come in Euro sizing (39, 40, 41, 42 etc.) so you have to find out what size you wear in Euro sizes.

About wearing the shoes when you get off the bike, it's alot easier with mtb shoes but you can walk around in road shoes as well. The mtb shoe has some tread so the cleat is recessed off the ground so the cleat isn't grinding into the ground. The road shoes are smooth on the bottom with no tread, so the cleat is slipping around on the ground. On top of that road pedal cleats are usually much bigger than mtb cleats so it makes walking that much harder.

PWRDbyTRD

I'd pick up the Specialized Taho's...they're a trail oriented shoes and are really comfy even walking in...I love mine

Grasschopper

#1 - Sidi
#2 - go back to #1

Honeslty I wouldn't mind trying another pair of Specialized as they seem to have improved a lot since the last pair I bought. On the other hand the Sidis I bought to replace the last pair of Specialized Comps is like I am putting on a taylored suit. They simply fit perfectly and are SOOO soft and feel great all day long. Those new Specialized BG shoes do look nice though....I still say Sidi.

PWRDbyTRD

Sidi is next on my list to try out some shoes, but I wanted something a tad bit more comfortable so i went with the Tahos

tbradnc

Thanks for the tips everyone.

Here's a question.... do cleats normally come with pedals?

If so, would it be considered tacky to ask the guy I'm buying the bike from to include the cleats?

Thanks
Thomas

propagandrew

If you don't want to spend much money I've found that nashbar/performance brand shoe to work just fine. I think mine are forte (bran) elan (model) and I got them for well under $40. Ride with them everywhere, no complaints at all. Since I have look style pedals, I always just have my normal street shoes in my panniers because walking in road shoes is... interesting at best.

forum*rider

If you're buying new the cleats always come with the pedals. If you're buying used it's up to whoever you're buying from.