Pedal Advice for novice

grugni

Hi

On my bike (boardman team hybrid) the pedals have gone cuckoo, sounds like the bearings have given up.

Im just wondering if there are any recommendations for good replacement pedals? I like the ones with the foot straps in them, they are pretty awesome

macnab

I would think that most cyclists on this forum use cleat type pedals which use a clip in mechanism on the sole of a cycling shoe that engages in a specifically designed pedal. Because of this you probably will not get much feedback on the type you have mentioned as they are usually used by novice riders. The advice that I usually give to a novice is buy something like Shimano M324 Clipless SPD/Flat Pedals, as these are flat like conventional pedals on one side and have a clip in mech on the other: "Combines SPD mechanism on one side and flat pedal body on the other, you can ride with cleats or normal shoes"

hardCopy

Combination ones are a great option.

I went with LOOK Keos when I got my bike first and found them very comfortable with cycling shoes but the shoes are a pain once you get off the bike and regular shoes are not comfortable on the pedal platform.

I briefly tried cage and strap pedals so that I could wear runners and got rid after one race, if you do try this don't get plastic cages as you'll never get your foot into them.

My most recent combination is a pair of these Shimanos, similar to above, with a pair of Touring/MTB shoes. Now I can walk around in my cycling shoes and cycle in my walking/running shoes.

I'll probably stick with these pedals for a while and put SPD cleats on my Tri shoes for races.

route66

macnab wrote: »

I would think that most cyclists on this forum use cleat type pedals which use a clip in mechanism on the sole of a cycling shoe that engages in a specifically designed pedal. Because of this you probably will not get much feedback on the type you have mentioned as they are usually used by novice riders. The advice that I usually give to a novice is buy something like Shimano M324 Clipless SPD/Flat Pedals, as these are flat like conventional pedals on one side and have a clip in mech on the other: "Combines SPD mechanism on one side and flat pedal body on the other, you can ride with cleats or normal shoes"

+1.

I use Shimano A530 double sided pedals. with Shimano MT33 spd mtb shoes. The advantage of the SPD setup is that the cleats are recessed and it is therefore actually possible to walk around in the shoes.

I've used various clips but don't like them because you have to use them if you want to avoid rotating on the unused dangly bits at the first corner:eek: I also find it harder to get my foot inserted, and even when I do, it's not as secure as the SPDs.

Your Mileage may vary ...

smacl

macnab wrote: »

The advice that I usually give to a novice is buy something like Shimano M324 Clipless SPD/Flat Pedals, as these are flat like conventional pedals on one side and have a clip in mech on the other: "Combines SPD mechanism on one side and flat pedal body on the other, you can ride with cleats or normal shoes"

I had the dual purpose 324s as my first SPDs, but I would now advise against them. I switched to 424s which let you clip in on both sides of the pedal, and are fine for use as flat pedals unless you have very thin soled shoes. The 424s are also cheaper and lighter than the 324s, and perfect if you want to use the same set-up with regular shoes or cleated shoes.

check_six

It's possible to get regular double-sided spds http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/ and get a pair of plastic clip in platforms to use while you are getting used to the new pedals. Ditch the platforms once you are used to the new pedals. The ones which are flat on one side and spd on the other are good in theory but, like the toe clip pedals, you have to flip the pedal over to the correct side every time you stop and start off again. This gets annoying.

The main problem with a new pedal system is that you are going to have to get shoes to go with them. The main benefit is that you will go faster!