I want to go clipless, as wearing a kit with my pumas looks kind of ridiculous, plus I want to try it out. Shimano 105s are on Amazon for only 61 bucks. My question is what shoes would you guys recommend to go with these pedals? Oh, and I am riding with my roadie brother this weekend, so I am looking at getting them NOW. I have amazon prime and one day shipping, so I am thinking of getting the Pearl Izumi selects along with Shimano PD-5700 105s. Amazon's return policy is great so I am not worried about the fit on the shoes, as it is pretty easy to return. Are these decent choices for a novice?

Go to your lbs and try them on. Solves the timeliness problem and you make sure you got something that fit which will end up being a lot more valuable than anything we can tell you.

I definitely agree with you on that, and trust me I like supporting my lbs (purchased my Bianchi from them) but they have the same pedals for 100 bucks, so money and time come into play. I also get free two day shipping with amazon (prime member.)

When I tried Shimano's shoes in a store I had to opt for the wide version as I was told that they run narrow. Something to consider. I used to ride Specialized Comp shoes with the BOA system and hated them, I now have Northwave Typhoon EVO SPS, miles a head in comfort and stiffness compared to my old Specialized shoes.

I like my Shimano R106 road shoes and I really like them. Got 'em at REI.

I agree with the others. Go into your LBS and at the very least TRY the shoes on.

Shimano 105 pedals are fine though.

These are comfortable, and they look marginally like actual shoes. (Which is good when I bike to meetings and whatnot.)

Exustar SRT-707

eh I just ordered mine from bonktown, never tried them on. their no questions asked return policy at chainlove/deptofgoods/realcyclist/competitivecyclist makes buying stuff like that from them a no brainer. I got lucky and first pair I ordered fit like a charm (mavic zxellium). looking at the size chart is pretty helpful.

that's a touring shoe for mtb pedals

Ah, sorry. I run SPD pedals on my Steamroller, so that's what was on my brain.

Carry on.

Since we're on the topic of clipless - and those who have been using them for quite some time are replying here...I have a question:

I've been using Shimano M520 clipless pedals for at least the past 6 months - and they are my first and only experience with clipless pedals. The problem I have with them is that I can't lock-in quickly, efficiently, and consistently. This can be a problem while commuting in busy downtown areas with lots of stoplights. I haven't yet mastered the track-stand.

I have no problems releasing my shoes - but are there clipless pedals that are consistently easy to lock into? Some kind of rails or guide for the cleat?

can you loosen the tension and see if that helps?

M520's are pretty consistent for me when I use it. Try tiiger's suggestion and play with the tension.

It's not the tension - it's the alignment. When the cleat is aligned just right, it'll lock in every time with very little tension. It's more of a 'muscle memory' problem, and I was hoping that there were some clipless pedals that had kind of a 'V' shaped "funnel" to help guide the cleat into the correct position.

practice, that's all I can say. I've been clipless for three years and it is all second nature by now

Do you have a lot of lateral knee movement? (indicating poor cleat placement)

Have you tried angling the cleat on the bottom of your shoe a little?

No. Of course I didn't think of that...that just makes too much sense. Not sure which way to adjust it though. I knew that the cleats were adjustable - but I never knew exactly why they needed to be adjusted - mainly because the adjustments seem so miniscule. I just slapped them onto the bottom of my shoes and went riding.

No, I don't have a lot of lateral knee movement. I try to keep my knees perfectly straight up and down, and in line with my hips and feet.

That's why amazon sells them cheaper. Your LBS charges more because they let you sit down and try them on.

Just take a look and see if your feet are crooked, adjust the cleat angle accordingly.

If you stand or walk normally with your feet at an angle, try to recreate the angle with your cleats.

Ride and relax your legs while pedaling. You'll feel with your feet which way they are trying to align themselves. Fore/aft is another thing to consider, I and other people just slam the cleat all the way back to get it as close as possible to the ball of the foot. It's a lot of trial and error but it makes all the difference in comfort and knee/joint health. it's another one of those "listen to your body" deals

also, cleat adjustment may not transfer well between different bikes because of the different q-factors. some people are more sensitive than others though

Definitely know what you mean. I'm currently getting used to the 105 pedals that OP's talking about. Just the other day, I tried to clip my left foot into the pedal and the slippery sole of my shoe ended up causing my foot to slip off the pedal and have the pedal bang against my ankle as my foot went down.

Hurt. I have Sidi Genius 5 Pro's. I'd recommend looking at retailers who have generous return policies and ordering the size you normally wear and also half a size smaller. Try them on and then return the one that doesn't fit. I found a pair on eBay for $210. (They retail for $250, and by all means you do not have to spend a ****ton on shoes.)

Get outta here!!!

No, your LBS charges more because they move 1% of the overall volume of Amazon if they're lucky.

Thanks to both of you for helping me notice the obvious problem. I paid closer attention to the angle of my shoes, and noticed that specifically my left one was angled so that my toes were pointing slightly outward. I adjusted the cleat last night to bring the toe in, but I think I over-corrected. While it's much easier to lock in, now my heel is out too far.

Although I adjusted the right shoe as well, I didn't notice a big difference on my right side...maybe my left side is just more sensitive to minor position changes.

I can't believe I was riding like this for nearly 6 months and never noticed it...especially since many people consider me to be borderline OCD.