Dylan_on_a_Bike

Hey everyone. Longtime lurker and first time poster here. For the past few years, I have been commuting using clipless pedals (currently using wellgo pedals with one side clip less and one side platform), but as I am getting into touring I am not sure how well clipless will perform for month long tours. What I am looking for are opinions and preferences: what type of brand and style of pedal do you prefer? If you do use clipless pedals, what shoes would you recommend for touring? Thanks for any input!

MRT2

Curious to hear from experienced tourers. I would think that OP's current pedals, (clipless on one side, platforms on the other) would be an excellent choice for a month long tour.

Caretaker

Have in the past used Welgo SPD clipless pedals but now I've changed to clips and wear Specialized Sonoma shoes that can be used for sightseeing on foot around towns quite comfortably.

Saves having to carry a seperate pair.

BigAura

Keen SPD sandals on and off bike. I use Shimano PD-M540 pedals.

staehpj1

I recommend decent spd shoes and pedals that suit you. For me that means Sidi Giau or similar and two sided spds (like the ones BigAura linked to).

On the Trans America, my daughter used a pedal with a platform on one side and a spd on the other. They were OK, but I think she said if doing it over she might choose two sided spd for long tours if she already had them. She preferred the platform spd combo ones around home and on campus. Shimano makes nicer pedals that are similar. She found that they cost about the same per mile because they lasted longer

There are lots of other acceptable choices, so it is hard for anyone to say what is best for you.

Bezalel

Keep what you have. The longer you are on a bike the more you'll gain from clipless. I currently use Shimano PD-A530 but looking back, I'd rather have Shimano PD-M324.

dellwilson

Shimano RT-82 with Crank Brothers Candy pedals. I'm a full time commuter and occasional tourer and this combination does it all.

Cyclist0094

I went from toe clips to clip-less for touring in 2004, Single sided Shimano M324 pedals. No complaints, they work very well. I keep the tension light so getting out of them is easy and quick.

sstorkel

I use the same pedals. I wore a pair of Shimano MT-31 shoes on my last tour. They were passable for walking around, but I found that the soles weren't quite stiff enough for pedaling. Next time I'll wear my Specialized BG Comp shoes. You couldn't pay me to use platforms or toe clips...

cyclist2000

I use Shimano M520s and M540s in the past with Sidi dominator shoes. I will using the Shimano M530s on my tour this year.

Machka 

All my pedals are like that. Not that brand, but clipless on one side and platform on the other. I think they're perfect for touring because you've got the best of both worlds there.

And I wear Lake Mtn Bike shoes which look kind of like a pair of hiking shoes. They've got cleats so I can clip in if I want, or they work just fine on the platform side too. And I always have a pair of plain ordinary sandals with me, which I've worn on the bicycle as well for short trips.

irwin7638

I use the Shimano pd 324 which is similar to your Wellgo. It has SPD clips on one side and a straight platform on the other. I think it is a great touring arrangement, on the road I can use the cleats for better efficiency, in traffic I can use the platforms for safety, and just jump on with any shoes or sandals I like.

Marc

Erick L

For me, it's been...

Toe-clips - Felt pressure on the toes around 60-70km and would become painful when riding day after day on a tour. I'll never go back to toe-clips.

SPD - Great for riding the bike, ok for walking but not so good for hiking.

Powergrips - I currently use MKS Touring pedals with them. I wear light hiking shoes.

cyccommute 

I use Shimano M520 dual sided pedals and Specialized mountain bike shoes, just as I do for all my riding. I've hiked for many miles in many different mountain bike shoes for various reasons. They may not be the most comfortable walking shoe but they get the job done. Any mountain bike shoe that fits and you like will work.

Doug64

Our main touring pedal right now is the the Shimano 324, but I have the 540's on one of my bikes. One of the reasons I like the SPD pedals is the durability of the cleats. My wife and I have used Look pedals for a number of years, and I really like the feel of them. What I didn't like is that on any tour over 2 months long, was having to replace at least one cleat. We both unclip with our right foot when stopping, and that right cleat just takes a beating.

The advantages of the Shimano 324 type pedal has been pretty well coverd. The thing I don't like about them is that the clip always seems to be on the bottom, and requires flipping it over. This is not a big deal, except when starting up on a steep hill. I'm tempted to use the 540's on this summers tour, but when it comes time to prep the bikes, I'll still probably put the 324's on mine.

We both use Lake shoes that are sold as a road shoe( they would take the 3-hole Look pedals, but has a sole more like a mountain bike shoe. They are a good touring shoe, and I wish they still made them, CX 125. We carry walking shoes and change if we plan on doing any walking. I don't want to compromise my riding shoe for something that is "walk friendly." I'd rather carry some running shoes for off bike use. These shoes are about 10 years old and have seen really hard use.

We each have a pair of the more "walk friendly" mountain bike shoes that we wear when riding around town, and for shorter rides. They might be OK for touring, but I've never ridden any longer than 2-3 hours wearing them up to this time.

I took this picture the other day to illustrate the difference in wetness and dirt on shoes, pants and bike when riding in the rain with no fenders. I was trying a new bike out on a short 2-day ride, and was too lazy to put fenders on it even though I knew we would have rain on the second day. Anyway, the clean small foot is my wife's (she has fenders), and the big dirty one is mine.


These are Shimano mountain bike shoes that my wife uses for around town riding and short trips. She thinks that they would make a deceent touring shoe. She also uses Shimano 324 pedals both on her town bike and her touring bike. I have a similar pair, and believe the combination of lacing and velcro strap provide a snug fit. Yes, those are tomato plants in her rack trunk. I should never let her go to the store by herself!

fietsbob

Old Campag steel cage pedals , Toe clips [Fisher doubled Stainless,.. ] toe straps left rather loose..

pretty loose fitting shoes, shoe shop modified to make a wide but recessed slot cleat, walking compatible..
Birkenstock 3/4 length cork composite insoles..

last trip Ireland and Scotland , about 6 months..

wahoonc

Platform pedals and power grips or MKS touring pedals and toe clips. I rode clipless for a few years and preferred the other stuff. YMMV.

Aaron

andrewclaus

I enjoy hiking as part of my touring style, so I use walking shoes with platform pedals and toe clips. That's worked for me for over 40 years. I tried cleats with MTB shoes on one X-C tour and for several years of commuting. They were OK, but eventually I went back to the old way. Walking was just a little tricky--I didn't like hitting rocks with the cleats and slipping. Walking securely was more important to me than the cycling gain.

Another reason was cost. I see some pedals that cost as much as my current bike, not to mention the shoes. My current platform pedals and toe clips were very reasonably priced and have lasted a very long time.

phughes

I use MTB platform pedals with the studs. I use whatever shoe I want. ON my last tour I wore Crocs which were perfect since I rode into Hurricane Irene and had plenty of rain. IN about 15 minutes after the rain, my feet were dry. With the studs there is no reason for toe clips and my feet don't slip. I can change positions on the pedal if I want which adds to my comfort.

That being said, use what you like and are used to. That is the only criteria that should matter.

Tourist in MSN

Around town near home, two sided SPD pedals. But on tour I want the option to use normal shoes off the bike and SPD shoes on the bike. For that I switch to M324 pedals for touring.

Some people can ride for 60 miles and wear the same shoes for the rest of the day around the campsite. I can't, when I get off the bike I have to put different shoes on with softer soles. Thus, I am carrying two pair of shoes, one to wear on bike and one off the bike. This also gives me the option to wear the off-of-bike shoes for evening grocery store runs, restaurant trips, or on my last tour one day when my biking shoes were still soaked from the previous day.



But, if you were to do the entire trip with one pair of shoes, there is no need for multi-function pedals. On my last tour, one guy used SDP sandals for everything, thus a double sided SPD pedal was best for him. One other guy used sneakers for everything, he used an old platform pedal using toe clips.

Type of shoes? I have four pair, three Pearl Izumi and one pair I do not recall the brand. I prefer the ones with velcro straps instead of laces. Do not focus on which brand or model, instead focus on venting, walkability and most important, fit. I also use Superfeet insoles in some of my shoes.

seeker333

I use Speedplay Frog pedals with an old mtb shoe. Any 2 hole mtb shoe will do. Frog pedals have no springs or restrictions in foot rotation (float) as you pedal - better for your ankles and knees.

Frog cleats + mtb shoes make a combination that is much easier to walk in than any road bike equivalent.

I use different shoes off-bike when the ride is done.

imi

MKS touring pedals, toe-clips and running shoes works fine for me

SwampDude

I've never heard of this combo approach, but it sounds interesting.

Having the ability to walk comfortably at stops during a tour is a significant benefit of platforms or clips. I think the walking comfort benefit outweighs the value of clipless, unless the tour group is speed-oriented and keeping up is hard to do.

lenA

platform pedals with flexible plastic toe clips, no straps and a pair of nice wide crosstraining shoes

wsgts

Just started with Shimano SPDs myself, been riding with straps for a while. Also, just had my first spill today. I can tell you that I'm a SPD convert since it helps me get the LHT up the few hills we have. Being a newbie, never realized how much it helped to pull rather than just push....