I just decided on my first road bike. I went with the '08 Madone 5.2 Performance Fit in the black/white/grey scheme-- understated and beautiful IMHO. I pick it up Monday. Today I got equipped with a silver/grey Bell sweep XC helmet, some Sidi Genius 5 shoes (I love these already, I just bought some Sidi Vertigo motorcycle boots at Christmas and I was more than happy to add another pair of Sidis to the stable, sooo comfortable and they look great, excellent materials/craftsmanship), bottle, and bottle holder. I now need to figure out what pedals to put on the bike and what cycle computer I'd like to get. Sooooo, any experience/advice on what pedal set or cycle computer you'd recommend? My local shop has a pair of '08 Ultegra pedals that are marked down to $100. That seems like a good deal but I don't want to buy without doing some research first---suggestions? Computer? Pedals?

Thanks!

If the Ultegra pedals have the metal plate like the ones in the picture it is a good price. If they have the plastic plate they are the older design and probably you should stay away from them as the plastic plate tends to wear out.

I like Look Keo pedals, but really the choice is highly personal.

Speedplay Zero's for the pedals.

You're already going big bucks, so I'll say Garmin Edge 705 (w/ cadence and HR).

Go big or go home.

If you're interested in Look, check out either www.probikekit.com or www.wiggle.co.uk. Also check out the prices for Time pedals at wiggle. There's mucho debates on pedals (search this site for all of the above names, or SPD SL). I'm no expert, but just get the ones that ring your bell in whatever way you're thinking: looks, color, weight/price, cleat walkability. All the major brands are excellent.

SPD-SL's are the best pedals you can buy for a road bike. No knee issues? Slap on a pair of 0 float cleats and enjoy the way a clipless system was meant to be ridden.

$100 for those pedals is a good deal. I just recently checked PBK and the ultegra pedals are now $150. A big increase over last years prices, used to be the lowest on the internet. Make sure they are the ones depicted in post #2 and not ones that look like this:



That's the older inferior model (compared to the latest iteration).

Congrats on the bike. Pictures?

Pedals are a pretty personal thing, some like SPD-SL, some swear by Keo or Time, and a lot of people enjoy Speedplay Zeros. For myself, I had the SPD-SL when I was first starting out, for no reason other than they were popular and made by Shimano and I got a good deal from the LBS. After about a couple of years, they were causing pains in my knees because their lack of float (6 degrees max, I believe). I did a lot of research and decided on the Speedplay Zeros and have been them ever since. They are by far the better system for me. My advice, if you are young and strong and don't care about knee issues, go for the SPD-SL. But $100 sounds like a lot for the Ultegra, I spent less for my Dura-ace version but that was several years ago. But if you are worried about or already have some knee issues, you would be better off with the Speedplay Zeros (not Lightaction or X series).

Also, you will find much better deals on the web than your LBS for your accessories. Probikekit, Backcountry, Bonktown, Wiggle, Total Cycling, Ribble, even Performance, have great deals. Check them out.

Also for computers, go either with the cheap wireless ones for $20 just for speed/distance, or something will last you a lot longer like the Garmin 305/705 with HR monitor and cadence and etc. With the mount of the cadence/speed sensor on the back wheel, you can get a lot of info on your trainer too with the Garmin units, not to mention ANT support so you can add power meter to your bike later and have the same head unit showing that info. There are some decent Polar products that falls somewhere in the middle of that range costing between $100-300. They do the HR monitoring and cadence and stuff, but I always felt their lack of GPS support and front wheel mounting of speed sensor don't appeal to me as much as the Garmins.

As far as computers, I really like my Garmin Edge 305 with cadence/HR, you should be able to get a great deal right now as the 705s have been out a while...

Pedals....meh, since you already have road shoes, you're stuck with road pedals....I would have opted with Mtn pedals/shoes. But, I'd go with the Ultegras as mentioned above, they are pretty much bombproof.

Yet another pedal option would be Crank Brothers (specifically Eggbeater, Candy, or, if you can find it, Quattro) with the three-hole cleat.

Computer? Really depends on how much you want. I stayed with a wired Cateye for a while, then got a Blackburn Neuro primarily for HR monitoring. I have no plans for a power meter and not enough interest in datalogging anything else.

PBK has 105 SPD-SL pedals for $57

Just got the 105s from Ribble and they seem great - looked and researched but for the life of me, cant figure out what the SL in SPD-SL stands for?

SL = Super Luxe

I'm pretty confident that what my LBS has for $100 is the older model with the plastic plate instead of the metal. Speedplay Zeros and Look Keos both are appealing. I like how both of them look and they seem to be fairly popular and solid. The Keos at my LBS are $119.99 and the Speedplay Zeros are $184.99. The Keos are looking better and better for the price.

Which wireless comps do you like? iI don't need HR monitoring or GPS right now, so just something basic. Also, are the Trek comps that have the sensor that mounts into the slot in the fork of my bike decent?

Basic?
https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...Cyclocomputers

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4110

https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...Cyclocomputers

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4110

You can spend more and get less, much less.

VDO MC1.0 w/ altimeter. In addition to all the basic stuff gives you alt/total climb/max grade/avg grade

they're pricey for what you get, and I've read more than enough bad reviews of Trek's digital wireless computers to make me buy something else. If you're looking for something in that price range, the Cateye V3 is good for the money.

As for pedals, I don't think there's a significant enough difference between the 105 and Ultegra pedals at PBK to warrant $50 more for Ultegra. I have Look Keo Carbons ($125 at PBK right now) and am happy with them. The plastic cleat does seem to wear faster than the Shimano cleats, and they get scuffed more than 105 pedals though.

Regarding wireless computers --

If you ride with lights, then depending on the computer and the light, they might interfere with each other. I stopped using a Cateye Strada wireless because my Dinotte light would keep it from working if set to one of the flash or low power modes. But, fortunately, the same light doesn't cause any problems with the Neuro I just got and its 2.4 GHz system.

+1 on the Garmin 305 & Speedplay Zeros. Nice choice on the shoes, I have those, too.

If you have a Mac, get the Ascent software to use with the Garmin ($40). If you have that other OS, I'm sure there is an equivalent application...

I have a Macbook Pro, but I don't need GPS or HR monitoring---basic is better. Cadence is not even a necessity. I'd like a good wireless comp.

Check the manufacturing date on the keos and make sure they are not in the ones that had a safety recall.

Here is the link to the U.S. Government Consumer Product Safety Commission bulletin with details about which pedals were recalled and how to identify them. If your dealer is an authorized Look dealer (they should be), they will know all about this and may have the replacement spindle kits to rebuild the defective pedals in their shop. Its a 10 minute fix.

https://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08354.html

Bob

I think I'm going to give the Ultegras a shot.

Time rxs carbon, cateye v2c

Wow. I got them for around $60 last year.