Recommendation for clipless
 

Going to be doing a tour in the spring 30-50 miles a day for a week. Wanted to get some clipless pedals/shoes for my fixed gear to train over the winter. Never ridden clipless before but did a similar tour in the past and it seems like it makes sense.

Don't want the full on clicky race shoes, something a little softer that I can walk in too as often you stop and wander around a bit for lunch and don't want to drag a second pair of shoes for that. Would be great if the shoes don't look super bike racer dorky as I'm vain.

What should I get?

For the money, you can't beat the Performance Brand, Forte Carve pedals. I've been running them for years on my mountain bike. I weigh 270, and have banged them againts rocks and trees, gotten them muddy and wet, and 4 years later they still work great. I just purchased another pair to go on my commuter/road bike. Not bad for less than $50

http://www.performancebike.com/webap...ssociationsCmd

The pedals recommended above use SPD cleats, they are better for walking in. They will fit these shoes or something similar.

This type of shoe is comfortable to walk in and looks much like a regular shoe. If you choose something with laces make sure and tuck the laces in so they don't get caught in the chain.

Shoes you really should try on before you buy as the sizes can run a bit different depending on the brand. Your LBS is a good place to start.

Those performance pedals look pretty good.

What about something like Egg Beaters? I know at one point a lot of people on here used to like these.

PI make some decent looking touring shoes that can be worn around when not on the bike. they use mtb style cleats, so any shimano spd pedal, crank bros, etc will work with them.

i use crank bros candy pedals on my touring typed bike.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=279307

Shimano pedals start for just as much as the Performance pedals and are better. I had a pair of Forte pedals and I never really liked them - cruddy clip in/out action compared to Shimano.

Egg Beaters are fine. The low-end eggbeater pedal is crap. Cheap Shimano-compatible pedals are not necessarily crap.

Thinking something like Shimano PD-M540 for pedals and then something like Shimano SH-MT33L for shoes.

Any reason to step up to the Shimano XT pedals for non-mountain bike use?

Thanks for the suggestions.

Pedals are a matter of choice. I've been riding Bebops for at least 10 years - 20 degrees of no-resistance float - kind of like Speedplay Frogs. If you don't like the free float then probably SPD or Egg Beaters would be a better choice. You definitely want a recessed cleat. If you don't want to look dorky, look for a touring or commuter style shoe with laces. I recently bought a pair Shimanos that lace for about $50 from Performance.

any of the shimano SPD pedals are good quality vs price ratio...
i forget which model they are but the "mountain bike" ones are good...can clip in from either side.

i have a520s on another road bike, i like those as well with the additional bit of platform...although you can only clip in one side.

also theres the touring style ones, where theres clip in one side, flat pedal the other are good.

basically you cant go wrong with any shimano SPD pedal.


i also recommend SPD over other clipless systems mainly for your situation....first time user (they are super easy to use/get used to), u dont want clickyclack roadie shoes...there are TONS of spd compatible shoes...pretty much all the normal street shoe looking clipless shoes (like chrome, mission workshop, DZR) are SPD.
http://img.bnqt.com/CMS/vt/network/v...7-cf204353.jpg

i have some DZR's that look nice, can wear to work, actually look good just walking around...
and i have some Mavic Razors, technically MTB shoes, but really they are pretty much like road bike shoes but with the cleats recessed and hard rubber cleat-ey sole so you can walk around without clickyclacking....wear them for road biking and spin classes.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=279381

Nashbar has pretty good price on the Deore XT 780 and 785s.

Any reason to go with the one with the platform 785 vs the 780? Seems like the platform isnt' really for riding without SPD shoes but for giving additional support when clipped in.

yah i believe you are right.
have not used either, but i have the M520s (pretty much like the 780s but not as high end) and the A520s (im guessing more road oriented 785).

the M520s i really like, being that the spd is on both sides so i dont need to look down to clip in....
whereas the A520s have the clip-in on one side of the pedal. but they do have the added platform. you cant really ride on those without clip-in shoes, the platform is just there for added support. honestly, i can see why the platform is a benefit for added support, but i havn't exactly experienced or noticed the benefit.

i took a look at the 785s on google images, and its hard to tell if the bottom side of the pedal has clip-in mechanism. if not, i personally would probably prefer the 780s over the 785s, just because i find the benefit of the pedal being double sided more beneficial than the support of the platform.

if the 785s do clip in from the bottom though...
or if the bottom dosn't have spd clip in, BUT is a platform to use normal shoes on....

i just know the a520s i have can only clip from one side, and the bottom side is not conducive to using normal shoes.

anywho dont know if ive helped lol