A little advice please
 

I have avoided clipless pedals like the plague up until now. I am riding strictly for fun and exercise, and don't think falling down is much fun. I KNOW if I get a set, I will fall a few times getting used to them. I also know they will let me ride further and faster in the allotted time, which IS fun. So. Are they worth it?

From what I have read, SPD looks like the system of choice. Is that correct? Is there any reason not to get a pedal that allows one to ride with or without clipping in? Other than weight, which is not a major consideration here. Any advice on shoes? I insist on being able to walk in whatever I get. Not for miles and miles, but at least into the quickie mart.

Second question. I've also avoided a bike computer like the plague for no real good reason. I think I will get one to see how much I really do ride next year. I'm leaning towards a wireless unit. Any suggestions on ones to choose or alternatively avoid?

I have clipless pedals - and have never fallen because of them, but I HAVE saved my shins from some serious whackings I can tell you...

The key is to practice clipping in and out before you go anywhere. Get used to it, and you won't have an issue. I would probably kill myself with regular pedals now.

I can walk in my shoes with no problem. I got a pair of the hybrids for my wife and for friends who ride on the tandem - but I am a purist.

An alternative that almost everyone who tries them likes them, are the PowerGrips.

http://powergrips.com/

Pretty simply concept that achieves much of what people want from a clip (or clipless), but easy to use and you can use any type of shoe with it.

I searched BF and found many people who had used them for years and loved them.

I haven't ordered a pair yet, but I expect that I will eventually.

I've ridden flat pedals, plastic toe clips with straps and clipless.

Flat pedals: easiest and require no thought whatsoever BUT are only exercising one set of leg muscles (i.e. 'mashing')

Toe clips: used them for 2 years and the difference between flat & clips was simply amazing in terms of power to my stroke and efficiency. Took a little bit of getting used to but now I won't ride without them if I'm riding over 3 or 4 miles. These were the cheapie 15-dollar type from my LBS and work great!

Clipless: just got them a couple of months ago. Terrified me at first because of being 'locked in' and unable to respond. Plus all the horror stories of falling over, etc. But I practiced clipping & unclipping a couple of days. The efficiency of clipless is even better than the toe clips! My first real ride clipless was a 34-mile ride out through the western part of the state. My problem is wearing a size 16 shoe so the only clipless shoes I could find are racing-type (SIDI) that mean the clip portion sticks out below the sole and are not comfortable to walk in...if I could get the mt. bike style shoe in my size that has recessed cleats, I'd be much happier but oh, well.

Since I am a bike commuter, I'm not going to ride clipless then change shoes after only 4 miles' ride. So my current pedals are flat on one side and SPD on the other. Work fine but are 'inefficient' in street shoes used on the flat side. So I've ordered a pair of Power Grips to see if they're better than the plastic toe cages I've used before. If it works, I'll have Power Grips on one side and clipless on the other side of the pedals.

But in terms of riding with or without toeclips or clipless, you'd be simply amazed at the difference in riding efficiency and you'll be unlikely to go back to flat pedals once you've gotten used to toeclips (toecages?) or clipless. The clipless still make me nervous if I'm having to ride through town with lots of stopsigns & lights where I'm having to stop then start & re-clip/unclip.

For me, toeclips are smarter and easier for urban riding...my recommendation is to try toeclips for a while (they're cheap & easy to mount, can be made pretty loose so getting 'trapped' when coasting up to an intersection is unlikely). Of course there are infinite variations and experiences from members of this forum and folks that will tell you to skip toeclips & go straight to clipless. I didn't do that and the transition from toeclips to clipless was easier for me.

I'll bet if you took your Sidis to a shoe repair shop, they could attach some sole material that would make the cleat 'recessed.' You'll probably want to take the pedal too, so they can see where where to NOT put the material.

In addition to finding several positive comments on the Powergrips option, I should add that in reading dozens of threads on clipless pedals, that the most consistently positive responses were in regards to the Crank Brothers egg-beaters design. Nearly everyone who compared them to the Shimano clipless pedals liked the egg-beaters better. With many of them liking the mini-platform "Candy" design.

http://www.crankbrothers.com/eggbeater.php

http://www.crankbrothers.com/candy.php

Can't say myself, as I've never used any of them. Only reporting what I found from reading several hundred posts.

The most efficient pedalling stroke is where you pull up on the feet aswell as push down. This is not possible unless you have clips, power grips or clipless. Clipless are far better and do take some getting used to but once tried- you would not go back to any other form of pedal.

That pulling up on the pedal does take dome getting used to but it works. Just takes a long time and a lot of practice to make it work.

The other point that helps is a FIRM soled shoe. MTB types shoes are fairly firm but do have some flex in the "Trainer" lookalikes to enable you to walk in them. I have a Rigid sloed set of MTB shoes. Ok to walk a little way in them but far more efficient on the bike.

I cut my cycling teeth so to say using old fashioned toe clips, straps and cleat ed shoes. Now ride with road clip-less, and they are much nicer. You only need to practice a bit before it becomes second nature to unfasten yourself easily and quickly. I think the main thing to remember is to unclip before you need to, like coasting down for a stop. Don't come up to a stop and slam on the breaks then think about unclipping. BTW I used to tour a lot in SE and South Central MO, it was a great cycling place in the 70's, except for the local police who seemed to think cyclists were somehow related to Hells Angels.

One of the disadvantages to the Eggbeaters and similar pedals is that you MUST wear clipless shoes to ride on them comfortably...the advantage I have to my pedals is that one side is flat, one side is clipless so I actually have a choice whether I put on clipless shoes or not. If I was ONLY going to ride clipless then I'd probably use the Eggbeaters or some other mini-pedal. But as explained before, I vary my shoes.

While I've changed out pedals with some regularity to have toeclips or flat or clipless, it is a pain to do so and I find myself leaving the pedals on my two bikes just the way they are.

A few other factors to consider with clipless pedals. 1. The amount of rotational float. Some pedals allow unlimited float (e.g., Speedplay), and other very limited (e.g. 3 degrees) to no float. This is an issue is alignment of your leg and ability to move that alignment around is an issue. Some folks need a great deal of float to keep their knees safe. Other, don't need or like float. 2. Pedal preference is a very personal thing, akin the seat preference. Get 10 people together and you're sure to have an argument about which is "best". Keep in mind that the "best" is what works for you. 3. Expense. The range of prices for going clipless is quite wide... from under $100 to four or five times that once you factor in the shoes, cleats and pedals.

The SPD's are a relatively inexpensive way to get started. This is where I'd start, recognizing that in a season or so, I'd probably upgrade. Hence, I wouldn't go top of the line with my choice.

I have used Look, SPD, and Speedplay (currently). I have Speedplay Frog's on my hardtail and Zeros on my road bike. I have found them to be the easiest to use. Their best feature, as do Crank Bros pedals, is the two-sided entry, which, after you adapt to them, means you never have to take your eyes off the road when you clip in. The float on the pedals means no knee pain. And the Frogs can work as a recessed cleat if you can find a mountain bike shoe of sufficient size. My $.02 worth...

Some pedals have a rider weight limit, usually 185#. I have had 2 crashes from pedals breaking. After 20 years of various pedals I have stayed with SPD types for a few years. The shoes are at least as important as the pedals, if the shoes hurt your feet, it won't matter what type of pedal you have. I like the MTB shoes for ease of walking and I do climbing centuries with them.

Actually when I read through all of the threads on clipless pedals, one of the prime advantages of the platform egg-beaters, that people cited over and over again, was that they were fine when used with regular, non-bike, shoes. Now, this isn't obvious to me when looking at the pedal. At the least it looks like you'd need a shoe with some tread depth. And you'd want a shoe with a sturdy sole, or else you'd feel the "hot spots" where the metal brackets were pressing on the bottom of your shoe.

Some of the egg-beaters have pretty large platforms, like this one:
http://www.crankbrothers.com/acid.php

The big complaint about the one-side clipless, one-side normal platform pedals was that the weighting of those pedals is such that the clipless side rotates to the bottom side. So that much of the time when you unclip, you have to use your feet to flip them over and then catch it before it flips again. My take on the comments I read about this design was that about 2/3rds of those who had used such a pedal didn't like it and didn't use them again on new bikes.

I was leaning in that direction until I read all of those complaints. I would estimate that the percentage of people who complained about egg-beaters was about 1/10th that of those who complained about the one-side SPD pedals.

As always YMMV.

I read your question and had to smile because that was me last May asking the same question. Now, I have clipless on all my bikes, including my Nishiki path, beater bike and I swear by clipless. Yes, I fell once on a road bike, but only because I tried using a Shimano SPD cleat in a Wellgo clipless pedal, bad move. Other than that one incident, I've never had a problem with clipless on the road. However, I keep my clipless pedals adjusted to "loose".
On the other hand I tried clipless on my mountain bike. I fell several times but decided to persist. I've since been able to learn how to ride a mountain bike with clipless. I use SPD pedals for all clipless applications, but that's my preference.
I think if you go clipless, you'll be answering the next cyclist to ask the question with your success story. Go for it!
Edit: I use SPD mountain biking shoes (Shimano M-80) for all applications because they are so comfortable.

I was okay with platforms. I tried toe clips and they chaffed my toes without mercy, so tried Power Grips. They're good. They did make an impression on the instep, so I went to a Shimano clipless on one side and platforms on the other. I now wish I had gotten a similar pedal with clips on both sides, but it's not enough of an issue to scrap a good pair of pedals. I'm using the Answer bmx shoe on a Giant Cypress, by the way.

Well, I fell twice in the first two days, so it seems to be a very short learning curve. I would suggest you get a feel for them before playing in traffic.

Yes, I've read those complaints, too, about the pedal 'flipping over' to the flat side when you're riding clipless & vice versa when you're riding in normal shoes & using the flat side. My experience is that no matter which side I want to be using, the pedal rotates naturally one way or the other when my foot is off/out of it. So, I guess the complaints are justified that others have posted...

Certainly with toeclips, the clipside rotates down due to weight. Some may find this too inconvenient, I suppose. My SPD/flat pedals don't do it quite as much. But even with the toeclips, it just takes a quick little nudge with my shoe(s) to get seated into them again. I guess I haven't used the clipless enough because getting clipped into them is a pain in b*tt. Once I'm in, it's dreamy but getting there is always a worry nudge. Never had that with toeclips...

Either way, the d*mn pedals rotate.

Perhaps the double-sided clipless pedals rotate just as much but since either side works with the shoes, folks don't have a complaint...?

Whatever, the pedal 'flip' doesn't really bother me since I'm not making many racing starts from stoplights...:lol:

Set the release tension on the pedals to the minimum setting to start, this will make it easier to get in and out, which will be come second nature in no time. If you think the pedals are releasing when they shouldn't increase the tension.
Pratice unclipping both feet at the same time, that way if you lean the wrong way, you wont panic and not be able to unclip.
Remember that unlike toe clips, to release from the pedals you have to twist your foot, then you can move it out to the side, in the direction it is already moving.
I fell once because I couldn't unclip fast enough, luckly no one was watching. I fell a bunch of times with my toe clips and straps, go figure.

For a computer, look at the Cateye Micro Wireless, easy to instal, set up and use, and mostly bombproof.

I put a small weight made of 3/4 steel angle on the front of the right pedal. Not pretty, but that pedal always comes up in the same position. Not rightside up, but I always know where it is.

Ya know, my problem with pedals is clipping in unexpectedly. I'll unclip one or both feet before stopping or making a turn on soft dirt, and CLICK. One or both feet are clipped back in.

I bought that very unit last night after we went for a ride. It's set up and on the bike now. I definitely like the wireless unit. The only part of the instructions I wasn't sure about is the auto on/off function. I want to disable the auto function and turn the thing on when it suits me. Not sure which way it's set now, guess I'll find out when I ride again. Which looks to be Friday with two of my Grandsons.:)

After riding with toe clips for about ten years, I decided to give clipless a try about six weeks ago. I put my bike on a trainer and practiced for several day before hitting the road. I thought to myself, after all this practice,I'm going to be one of the few who don't take a spill. Wrong!! After a couple of tries at unclipping, I took a hard fall on asphalt when my foot would not unclip. I had to take my shoe off to stand up and had a hard time removing the shoe from the pedal! I rode the rest of the route with my left shoe clipped and my right unclipped, then fell on the other side with the same problem. It finally dawned on me that I had just screwed in the cleat partially and planned on adjusting them later when I found the proper position. Evidentially, I never did screw them in tightly and the shoe turned but the clip didn't! I think I cracked my wrist in one fall and skinned up my left knee in the other. The bad part was my riding buddies getting to laugh at me twice in the same day. After tightening up the cleats, I have had no further trouble but I sure have been nervous while clipped in. I bought Shimano Mountain Bike shoes and SPD cleats.

Instructions on those things do tend to be a bit hazy, Terrierman. Still, I keep mine (different model) on auto and the battery lasts forever, anyway. Sort of like a digital watch.

Since I do alot of transportation cycling, I do not want to convert all of my bikes to clipless, and there is no way I can trust myself to disengage differently on some of my bikes than others. I have been using toeclips for almost 40 years, since my undergrad years at UCLA, and have no burning desire to try anything else. Also, clipless just would not look rignt on any of my bikes.

As your reading a lot depends on what type of riding you do, how many bikes you have etc. I only ride a single road bike and when I am riding I am riding, I never walk anywhere except to the bathroom on occasion. So for me SPD-SL were the best choice, easy to get in/out of the cleats last a long time and you can buy them reasonably cheap. As for falling, I did this once the first week I had them and never since, getting out is easy, getting clipped back in sometimes causes me more problems really (but only occasionaly).

My advice? Don't use "further" when you mean "farther" (and vice-versa) ;)

Seriously, I, too, am a confirmed traps user. I just wish I could find a good pair of shoes to use with them.
My "sneaks" just ahve way too much flex

Another vote for Speedplay. I've used their Magnums and Frogs. Both are great.

I had been using traditional toe-clips prior to the Magnums. The transition was simple.

Speedo