Don't worry, you'll still bang up your new bike. ;-)

I haven't flallen in months, yet mere days after getting my new bike, I managed to get stuck in the pedals and fell.

Do like car and motorcycle racers do when they get a new helmet... take your new bike, and toss it on the ground. There. Now it's scratched and you can quit worrying about it and get on with riding.

What is your price range ?

Nashbar Special ATB Pedal

Where else but Bike Nashbar can you find a dual sided clipless pedal for under 20 bucks! This pedal has sealed bearings, 4 degrees of float, CR-MO axle, adjustable release tension on both sides and weighs in at a featherweight 345 grams a pair. At this price there is no reason not to go clipless. Specify Color: Black or Silver
$24.99

Shoes I paid around 25 for mine.

Haha. I wish I could bring myself to do that. I'll instead end up having a mental breakdown when I do end up falling over on the bike and scratching it

Wow. $25 each for pedals and shoes sounds like about what I was wanting to pay. I would ideally like to spend < $100 for shoes and pedals together. Thanks, I'll check out the nashbar's.

I would recommend mtn bike shoes as your first pair of shoes, they are more comfortable and easier to walk around in.

Sounds good

Ditto.

Sweet! Thanks, guys. I'll probably end up getting the Nashbar Special ATB and some mountain biking shoes. I really appreciate all the advice and help

There are some people on this site who spend $160 on a jersey so you may not get the best advice when it comes to spending wisely!

Hahah... for some reason I don't see spending $100+ on a jersey excessive, but for pedals and/or shoes it seems outlandish to me... go figure.

I just ride in underarmor... Cheaper and I can wear it when I lift as well

Yeah, underarmour that I got on the cheap from Target a while ago is what I wear right now, but I would like to buy a jersey someday...

Even more important is to reverse this thinking when you're taking them off... if you're trying to take them off, and you *think* they're stuck and just not coming off easy, you're probably turning the wrong way and tightening the living crap out of them... and yes... I have done this before

Yeah, if nobody greases the threads when you put them on the old bike, they might be a biatch to get off. That is the only issue.

I'm a big fan of moderately/ cheaply priced "SPD type" pedals - any of the pedals that have small cleats that work with mountain bike shoes. Shimano SPD and the compatable ones are one example. Crank brothers is another.

This is because I like using decent quality (not the cheapest) MTB shoes which are easier to walk in. For a recreational cyclist, even a serious one, there is little if any performance difference between this type of pedal and shoe and "real" road pedals and shoes.

You can find pedal /shoe combos and/or closeouts on the on-line sites. Then, fit is an issue, and can potentially be a problem. Best is to try the shoe on locally and buy it locally. Otherwise, make your best guess on size, but order another larger or smaller and return the one that doesn't fit.

One other thing - if you go the MTB or "touring shoe" route (as opposed to road shoes), don't get the kind with exposed laces, it's just a hassle and is WAY too Fredish. Get velcro shoes.

Yowza... I feel like a freak when buying cycling shoes! I wear a size 13 in "normal" shoes, and this seems to equate to about a 52 according to nashbar's little print out fit guide thing, which leaves me with only 1 pair of shoes off their site that is in my price range: https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...ype=&estoreid=

Those seem like quite a good deal. Is that a good brand?

Sidis are very, very good IMO... note that I wear a size 11.5" (45) in 99% of my shoes/boots/sneaks... I need a 46 in Sidi shoes.. a 45 was waaaay too small. I have a pair of boots and a pair of lake cycling shoes that fit perfect in size 45.

Those should be a really good compromise... a full hard sole for power transfer, and maybe not quite as easy to walk in as a soft sole. With those shoes you should be a long time before you feel like you need roadie shoes and pedals to improve your power transfer.

Ok... I think this will be my last question before I purchase shoes and pedals... hehe.

Do pedals come with cleats usually, or only if it's specified in the item description? I'm looking at them on Nashbar.

depends on the pedals but most come with the cleats. You can buy them seperatly if the balance between what is cleat and what is pedal is significant, e.g. Speedplays come as a set, cleat only or pedal only where the locking mechanism is on the cleat not the pedal. However, for many types of pedals, crankbrothers, shimanos, time, typically the cleat is small potatos compared to the pedal.

Thanks for the answer! I wasn't sure exactly what the deal was with the cleats and pedals, but it makes sense now.

Well, I ended up going with Sidi shoes (https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...ype=&estoreid=)
and Nashbar pedals (https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...pless%20Pedals)

Once again, thanks for all the information and opinions you all gave me!

Yes, go to your LBS first. You need to try on shoes until you figure out your size. Also, different brand shoes come in different widths so get a pair that are comfortable. I thought I knew my shoe size (42) until I tried them on at my LBS. Turns out 43 was a much better fit. My LBS didn't have the model I wanted so I then went ahead an ordered online. Yes, you can some good deals online.

Personally, I like a shoe that has ratcheted buckles that I can adjust while riding. Buckles vs velcro is whole other topic, but it comes down to personal preference and how much $$$ you want to spend.

Then you have pedal type. There's the Look type and the Speedplay type. I have Looks, but they're "one-sided" pedals and can be more difficult to clip into because you can only clip into them on one side of the pedal. Most people in my velo club ride speedplays- which you can clip in on either side- seems more forgiving. Both clip out easily. Looks require very little maintenance and replacement cleats are cheap ($15-$20) while Speedplays require periodic greasing and replacement cleats are more expensive ($50-60).

Welcome to the world of clips and pedals! Take your time and you'll find what works best for you.