Cleats

[philinmerthyr]

I bought a pair of Shimano MTB shoes today. I take 10 in trainers but needed 11 (46). The 10s were too narrow. The 11s were perfect though.

I'm planning a 30+ mile ride in them tomorrow.

 

[ianrauk]

As others have said.
Shimano shoes come up small.

 

[themosquitoking]

As others have said.
Shimano shoes come up small.

And some. I normally take a ten or eleven, with shimano i need a 46.

 

[HovR]

You don't have to spend a fortune, but sorry Spokey and everybody else who keeps recommending M520s. They're cheap, but for an extra fiver you can get M530s or PD A520s. Both caged, one single-sided, and as they have caged surrounds are easier to clip into for a novice.

+1 for M530's. There's enough cage to be able to take your foot out (and use them as flat pedals) for tight/slow switchbacks where you might need to dab a foot down off-road, or cattle grids etc for those less confident on the road.

I started on M530's with Aldi shoes, cost me something like £45 to get started with clipless. Of course the £20 shoes will wear out at some point, but I've had them a good 6+ months now and they're still holding up fine.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

You don't have to spend a fortune, but sorry Spokey and everybody else who keeps recommending M520s. They're cheap, but for an extra fiver you can get M530s or PD A520s. Both caged, one single-sided, and as they have caged surrounds are easier to clip into for a novice.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=67249&_$ja=tsid:46412|cgn:Pedals Clipless - MTB|cn:Chain Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-Eng-DT-SE|kw:255746UK_M530 SPD Trail MTB Pedals

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28051&_$ja=tsid:46412|cgn:Pedals Clipless - Road|cn:Chain Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-Eng-DT-SE|kw:87640UK_A520 Road Pedals

No need to be sorry about pedal opinions!

I'm a Noob and have to say I have found the M520's a breeze to clip in and out of.

 

[Black Country Ste]

I have A530s on my bike, wearing Shimano RT32 shoes. I sometimes struggle to clip in on the move but overall have little problem and the shoes are extremely comfortable. I recently wore them at a concert I cycled to, standing up for three hours and barely noticed I was wearing them. I rode for more than 60 miles last weekend and my feet didn't budge.

 

[wakou]

+1 for the A520 pedals, they are great.

 

[jonny jeez]

Some say there is an advantage, I say there isn't.
I have tried both. I started of with road cleats then swapped to MTB.
Road cleats wear out, MTB cleats don't.
I like to walk about without having to worry about waddling like a duck, worrying about cleat covers etc.

Unless you are racing and want all the correct kit, then MTB SPD would be my suggestion.

I followed Ian's advice on this point MTB are far more resilient for a commute, especially with frequent clipping/unclipping..

but...I do find that whatever quality MTB shoe and pedal combo I use, after a while, they start to creak a fair bit. Oiling the springs in the pedals helps a lot but its still annoying of they start to creak on a long ride. Not ridden a long distance with road shoes and pedals to provide a comparison but i don't hear complaining creaks from friends on rides.

 

[festival]

You've saved me posting that!

This is what I wear:

£50 for these (they are spot on):

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p50521/Sh...rce=googleps&gclid=CIuj_-KbjrcCFTIQtAodxWAAmw

And £20 for the M520's you mention.

£70 in total and job done - I'm clipped in, I don't have spaceman shiny shoes on the end of my feet and I can easily walk the grotty 200m rough track back up to my house at the end of a ride. What more do I need?

***

Tis a funny old sport/hobby this cycling malarky - so many people get carried away with what things must cost, upgrades that cost a small fortune for a tiny return and the occasional outbreak of bike snobbery.

Best bike and kit on the planet is the bike and kit that gets used - I have friends who who have some seriously pricey bikes that are just hanging up in the garage that they share with the other mandatory "Boys Toys". Sad!

Like I said, it depends on what you expect from a product.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

You've saved me posting that!


Tis a funny old sport/hobby this cycling malarky - so many people get carried away with what things must cost, upgrades that cost a small fortune for a tiny return and the occasional outbreak of bike snobbery.

Best bike and kit on the planet is the bike and kit that gets used - I have friends who who have some seriously pricey bikes that are just hanging up in the garage that they share with the other mandatory "Boys Toys". Sad!

Ditto, I have a cheap Viking Torino, and I have done nearly 6,000 miles since last June. I know I would be faster on a lighter bike, but it keeps me trim.

 

[Devonshiredave]

Go for M530's on the pedal front, they have a larger surface area you can use to pedal if you don't get clipped in straight away.

+1 Great little pedals. I'm that taken with them, I'll get a pair for my hybrid when I get it.

 

[themosquitoking]

+1 Great little pedals. I'm that taken with them, I'll get a pair for my hybrid when I get it.

I love them, they look so cool. I'm going to buy some for the hybrid too.

 

[MaxInc]

You can pedal without being clipped in on the M520 too, although I must admit the M530 look cooler. I wonder if you could pedal on the M530 using normal trainers, for those really short rides to the shops in town. I might get a pair for the MTB.

 

[themosquitoking]

You can pedal without being clipped in on the M520 too, although I must admit the M530 look cooler. I wonder if you could pedal on the M530 using normal trainers, for those really short rides to the shops in town. I might get a pair for the MTB.

Haven't tried it but i'll bet you can.

 

[fossyant]

I use the XT pedals for the commute and MTB, the bearings are better than the M520s and the pedal lighter, but of course you pay a premium.

MTB SPD are the most practical option for commuting if you have lots of stop start and walking to do - ie from parking bike to getting changed etc (or carrying a bike upstairs at work in my case).

I still prefer road shoes on the main road bikes though. The retention is massively more secure (read lots tighter) and I never have managed to pull the shoe out of the pedal, I do it fairly often on the MTB type SPDs though.

Road shoes if you haven't got much movement off bike, MTB for practicality.