Originally Posted by peripatetic
So someone explain the cleat thing, will you? Are they the same thing as clipless pedals? Are the cleats attached to your shoe, and then locked onto a pedal, or are they parts of the pedals that the shoes clip into? Excuse my ignorance, but I'd rather suffer any smirks online than in person at the LBS!
See the red cleat with the slot in it below?
you put your foot in the clips so that that cleat sticks on top back edge of the pedal, and then you cinch your straps down. It means that you can pull in all directions without your foot coming out. Some cleats have a front piece too that engages with the little triangular plate that holds your clips to the pedal so that your foot has no chance of moving around.