lowranchero

i am in need of a set of clipless pedals and shoes. i've never used them before. would like to get a good set but cost is a consideration. also want something that will fit the look of a vintage italian bike but still perform well and be lightweight.
what are you using? how much$? where did you buy? thanks

longbeachgary

About $200 for a set of Speedplay x series and shoes - Shimano R86. Check performance bike.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...1_20000__39000

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...01_70500_71006

Bianchigirll 

Hello I don't worry too much about my pedals blending. Bianchi sells a wellgo pedal that I like that is double sided so it is easy to just put my foot on and pedal off. I use midlevel ATB shoe because I want to be able to walk around.

to get a somewhat vintage look you might try a SPD pedal that has a clipless on side but then an ATB style pedal on the other. it will sort of look like you have quill type pedal without toeclips

tmh657

I can't address the issue of looks but I use SPD clipless pedals and like them. I flip bikes and some of them come with those pedals. I take them off and replace with $5 platforms so I now have SPD's on all my bikes.
I bought the shoes to get an exact fit and got the least expensive ones, Shimano shoes for $70. The cleats are recessed in the shoes so you can actually walk in them. You can buy used pedals on CL for way less than new to try some out and they should work as good as new. They are just cosmetically worn.
A lot of others like Look or Look style pedals, SPD_Sl, Crank Bros, etcccccccc.
For Christmas I would ask for these...

KonAaron Snake 

I do almost exactly what Bianchi Girl does. I use SPDs on all my bikes...usually the pd505's, which is a basic, solid pedal. For shoes, I've found they all suck and I'm lucky to get a season out of any of them. Because I find they all fall apart, regardless of price, I usually go cheapish. I'm currently riding a pair of forte (Performance house brand) atb shoes with an adjuster strap. I've found that I like shimano shoes a little more than some others for durability, but that they don't fit me well. Like Bianchi Girl, walking around is a definite consideration to me and I want something I can move a little in.

As far as getting the look, I just don't worry about the pedals. I think certain parts just naturally are changed out over time...like tires, pedals, brake pads...and I don't worry about the aesthetic much. I do have the "correct" pedals for my bikes for if I ever chose to sell them, and because it just seems cool to have them. They never actually go on my bike. One thing I considered was getting one pair of more traditional road pedals, like looks or times, and swapping them out on whatever bike I'm riding that day...but that seems like it might put unneeded wear on my cranks. I also don't care that much if I'm sacrificing a little speed and/or comfort to SPDs. I;ve never had a problem with them.

sced

Classic Italian 86 Bianchi and 93 Viner with Eggbeaters MXR. The pedals are very shiny like the rest of the components, and couldn't be easier to clip into and out of. The MXR's are $30 at a lot of places online. MTB shoes are far more practical.

RFC

Personally, I like Look Delta and Arc pedals for pure road bikes. They are solid, reliable, and readily available for $15-20 on CL and eBay. The Looks are built to last (after all, this is a ski binding company), which is why so many are still in use and why the Delta/Arc cleats are sold right next to the Look Keo cleats.

I am also a recent convert to Shimano A520 SPD pedals. They are properly weighted, and allow for easy entry and a good platform. And, the price is right.

Tomasso with Look Deltas:

retrofit

My preference is for Specialized Body Glove Sport Road shoes and Speedplay Light Action pedals.

The shoes fit well and have been comfortable from day one; the pedals are lightweight, easy to clip in and out, and a godsend for my knees. I haven't really thought much about whether the "look" fits my '80 Bianchi; I just like the ****ionality of the pedals.

stan

Steve530

I'm using a pair of Shimano M324 pedals. These are mountain bike that have the SPD clip on one side and a serrated cage on the other side. The look like pedals from the 60s and 70s to my mind. The big advantage of the two sided pedals is that you can leave on foot unclipped until you get accustomed to the clipless pedals. Of course it's also nice if you're riding where you frequent stops. I bought these at a LBS, but you can find them online. And Performance makes a very similar pedal (Campus pedal) for about half of the cost.

I use a pair of Specialized Tahoe mountain bike shoes with these pedals. They're stiff enough for long rides and flexible enough to walk in, at least for a short time. I bought these a a LBS, too. AFAIK, you can only get Specialized shoes at a dealer, but I think you can find some online dealers that sell them.

gomango

Sidi Genius 5 shoes. Wides. They fit incredibly well. Replaceable parts as well. Have two pairs, one set up for Look, another set up for Shimano pedals. Bought both pairs on CL. Both had been ridden a few times and did not fit the original owners. $60 for one pair and $75 for the second pair. Can't find a reason to try other shoes.

Can't make a decision between my Look Keo Carbon pedals and my Dura Ace spd-sl's. I like both a lot.

For my MTB, I use Sidi Dragons w/ Shimano 324's. The shoes are super comfy, and the pedals are very practical for city/fire road riding.

strop

I started out with mountain bike shoes and SPD pedals but I found those a bit heavy and not really ideal for a road-bike. I switched to SPD-SL style picking up a pair of Shimano R076 shoes for $25 and Ultegra 6610 pedals for $45 both slightly used on eBay. If you're going to buy anything slightly used it should be these as they get scratched pretty quickly once you start using them for real.

RFC

+1 God intended for pedals to get scratched.

scozim 

I'll second the Look Delta's. I bought one bike with them and liked them so much I traded for another set and then bought a new Nashbar Delta style for a third bike. The one bike shop with used parts that I like to frequent always has older Delta's for $5-10. And, yes, the cleats are still easily obtained.

Memphis Jack

I bought some Venzo shoes from Amazon which included Shimano SPD Cleats and pedals. $75 US a few years ago. I love them. I love the added power on the upstroke and the ease unclipping - just flick out your heel and it releases that foot. I only fell once, when I came to an unexpected stop after trying to get through some debris. No harm, though, other than a little pride, but not hurt. I am trying now to get some metric SPD pedals and not having success. I guess I will be retrofitting this Gitane Grand Sport to standard threaded cranks - probably have to upgrade the bearings, too - ugh. I digress. This morning I found just pedals and also just cleats available too for varying prices, depending on what one would desire or need.

Dfrost 

I used and loved the same pair of Sidi Dominator MTB shoes as my only bike shoes for 14 years! The worn shoe lugs and heel were Shoe-Goo'd a few times, but the uppers are still fine. Then my left foot decided to spread out or grow some new direction (at age 66) and they became painful for more than an hour. I replaced them with Specialized Comp MTB, which have a more square toe box to accommodate that new spread. These have been quite comfortable, including 210 miles in two days a few years ago. And the Boa cord is even easier to make on-bike fit adjustments then the Sidi ratchet buckles. That's an important feature for me, especially on very long and/or hot rides.

I like my Crank Brothers Candy pedals - very easy in and out, with a bit of a platform around the otherwise identical Eggbeaters as on that Viner above.

Salamandrine 

I like SPD and have been using it more or less since it came out. Currently riding Shimano PD-A600, which are essentially Ultegra level road SPD pedals. They are quite light and not too obnoxious looking.

There've been quite a few retro shoe threads recently. Vittoria 1976 and Quoc Pham are usually the first to come up. I was chatting recently on a ride with someone that had the Quoc Pham tourers (SPD), and they did look very nice.