KeithA

I'm ordering a new road bike that doesn't come with pedals. Excuse my laughable ignorance, but I don't know if the threads on cranks are universally sized or if I need to match them up thread size wise. The crank on the bike is the FSA SLK Carbon Fiber ISIS spline 10 Speed 50/36 T. The pedals I want to get are the Speedplay X5's.

Anyone know if one size fits all or if I have to either look for or specify a specific thread size?

Thanks a whole bunch.

phantomcow2

pedals are fairly standard. I think its 9/16
So they will fit

KeithA

Thanks Phantomcow,

I'm pretty lost on these things and your help is much appreciated.

moxfyre

Yep, one size fits all as far as threads go (aside from BMX bikes and oooold French bikes)

If you're ordering new shoes as well, you'll want to make sure that your shoes are compatible with 3-bolt road cleats, as opposed to 2-bolt recessed mountain cleats.

KeithA

Hey, thanks, I was kind of aware that there are compatibility issues with pedals/shoes, but unsure as to what the differences were. At least, I can go in eyes open as to what to look for.

moxfyre

Right. If you're buying shoes in person, bring the cleats in with you. Basically there are two types: "mountain" shoes which take a RECESSED cleat with a two-bolt pattern (allowing you to walk very comfortably), and "road" shoes which take a larger platform cleat that sticks out and uses a three-bolt pattern (awkward to walk on, but some feel they're more comfortable for long road rides).

Speedplay X5 pedals take a sticking-out road cleat that uses the 3 bolt pattern.

Some shoes can be adapted to work with either type of cleat

sch

The Speedplay website has an extensive discussion of shoe/pedal compatibilities. Their website is www.speedplay.com. The 'biggest' problem is with size 12 or above shoes but other problems are discussed and a variety of adapters are available for certain problem shoes. A lot of non captive shoes (ie non Shimano) have multi hole patterns to allow almost any cleat to be fitted.
Steve

KeithA

Thanks, I've already visited their site. Ended up thinking the X2 might be the one I want. Pedals/shoes can be expensive though. I don't want to skip on the pedals, but will look for value shoes as long as they're sturdy enough and comfortable.

moxfyre

I've actually taken the opposite approach: I find that a good shoe makes a world of difference (lightweight, padded, vented, and stiff for road riding, or flexible sole and recessed cleat for commuter use). On the other hand, all pedals feel pretty similar to me. The SPDs are what I prefer due to the cheap knockoffs and the recessed cleat, but that's about the only difference I can perceive. Every pedal has some whizz-bang feature like more or less float, "mud-shedding", or a titanium spindle, but all clipless pedals seem to do pretty much the same thing...

KeithA

That's interesting because I do have a pair of new Shimano SPD's which I've never used as I didn't want clipless for the bike they came with. Perhaps I'll go with them. The biggest advantage for me would be the walking comfort of the shoes, as per what Moxfyre alluded to.

Peek the Geek

I agree 100% here. Find a good pair of shoes that will last you years, and spend the money on them. Pedals, despite the many different concepts, are all pretty similar in function, whether you pay $50 or $200. Besides, you may end up buying several different sets of pedals before deciding on a style that you prefer. I know I have.

KeithA

Well, I went to a local Performance shop today and tried on a few pairs, before settling on a pair of Pearl Izumi shoes. They fit so nicely and have the rigid sole I'm after. Besides, I kind of dig their looks.

So, for the time being, I'm going with my SPD's.

You guys have been extremely helpful here and so was the guy who helped me at Performance. I feel pretty confident in my decision. Thanks!!!

moxfyre

Great! I have casual Pearl Izumi shoes that I ride everyday to work, and wear all day. I love 'em. And if you don't, Performance has a very generous return policy (perhaps overly generous actually, considering that they allow me to return things to the store that I bought online).