Making the jump to clipless
 

So I finally want to throw some clipless pedals on my bike. I have heard great things about the Shimano M520 and they seem fairly noob friendly. Now I'm still a little uneducated when it comes to clipless, do I need mtb shoes to fit this particular pedal? Any recommendations? I dont mind carry a spare set of shoes as I will need to change into work shoes anyway. Unless I can find a biz-casual clipless shoe...

you need ones with the two slots for an spd style clip. They do make some road shoes that are compatible, but mtb are better suited for walking around.

http://johnnysprockets.com/images/li...ciclo_06_m.jpg

Pro-tip: Don't try to track stand the first time you go out for a ride.

number one tip: dont try and have a multipurpose shoe, they either ruin the cleat, or are ****ty for pedaling.... just use a road shoe and carry an extra pair of shoes around, no biggie....

Look into crankbrothers pedals, i really like my eggbeaters and swear by them. They also work with SPD shoes, so if you already have shoes, no big deal... they clip in/out really easy, and you can engage them from all 4 sides unlike most pedals, which i find particularly nice when riding FG.

Does the hardware required to attach the pedal and shoe together come with the pedal or the shoe?

Also, will road shoes clip into SPD pedals like the M520's?

it comes with the pedal.

the clipping in all has to do with the cleat, which is the metal piece that bolts into the bottom of the shoe, so if the shoe is SPD compatible, meaning 2 hole, then yes, they can clip into SPD pedals with the right cleat installed

three kinds of cleats...
http://www.cycling-inform.com/conten...es/1/cleat.jpg

the m520's use the two hole method, so when buying shoes, look for "SPD compatible" or "Two Hole"

Exactly what I was looking for thanks a lot

np, good luck... id advise starting somewhere private.. backyard or something, you will fall.

another tip: until your used to clipping out, clip out the leg you plan to rest on about 15 feet before the actual stop, then when you get closer to the stop, put all your weight on the clipped in pedal, and turn the wheel away from your unclipped foot, and then finally put your foot down.

its really easy to fall when you first switch if your off balance

^^^^^^^^

Good advice on unclipping early, I've been using clipless
pedals for years now and I still try to follow this advice.

Shimano 520 pedals and Nike Kato MTB shoes in action :)

+1 for the m520s

Noob friendly (my first clipless setup) and MTB > Road for walking, as people have pointed out.

Chrome makes a clip-compatible version of their shoes, and I think there are reviews for them floating around the forum archives, since I can't vouch for them personally (I use dedicated shoes).

I got a set of M540's off ebay for like $20.... I also got a set of ~M520's (the previous model but same thing) and I prefer the M540's a bit more. They aren't at all harder or easier to get into, but they just feel smoother.

pro tip: this is the 5,000th thread with the exact same question. sorry, you're not special. everyone has had a first clipless ride. why aren't these closed immediately?

because how many different bike threads can there really be anyway? who cares if we get repeats.

I started out on SPD-SL. And my shoes can take both 3 hole, and 2 hole cleats, but I just use the 3 hole. I leave an extra pair of shoes at school, so I can change out into regular shoes, but I almost must have clipless for road riding.
I have the smimano R087 i think. Ok shoe for what I paid. I want a pair with the boa lacing for my next pair though :D

If you're going to get the BOA system on the the Specialized shoes be careful which ones you purchase. I have the Comps and they're horrible, the sole is extremely flexible, it was causing my feet to go numb, and the BOA system as nifty as it is lacks the ability to get enough tension in the cable across the middle of your foot without synching down the mechanism cutting off circulation to your foot. I'd look into a different shoe personally.

i mean, i do. admins apparently do not. usually forums have people abiding by the "search" rule.

what's the best two bolt system? i got chrome shoes for x-mas...

I was researching this the past week....I was looking at Time Atac, Shimano and Look.

Look weighted less, fair price and good looks BUT the quartz doesn't have float adjustment so I didn't choose it.
Shimano's M520,30,40 had great reviews but some fixed riders said that they had some unclipping situations and that scared me (I know that it could very well be because of the rider, worn cleats, etc) but the
Time Atac Roc or Aliums had better reviews from fixed riders so I went with it.

TIME ATAC.

Shimano = accidental pull out
crank bro = shoddy spindles that snap
bebop = accidental pull out
speedplay = expensive for little improvement

I have literally never experienced this. Maybe the pedals weren't tight enough?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-105-...item415d13c553

these with any road bike shoe. i carry extra shoes most of the time but its not too hard to walk in the shoes i got. feels awkward but that is about it. clip in was easy to learn, clip out was easy too. these are my first clipless i used and i currently am still using the same pair. i was recommended these same pedals a few months ago in a similar thread i started.

are you talking about the spring?
it doesn't matter, it's simply the design.