Just bought my first....

[Randochap]

Yep, with you there. All my cycling gear is black or dark grey. I don't like bring unnessessary attention to myself

You don't like being seen by motorists? Not the time to be indulging in fashion consciousness, IMO. I buy nothing but canary yellow or "emergency" orange for upper body wear -- especially clothing I'll be wearing in rainy, overcast, or night riding conditions.

Shoes: You should buy MTB shoes for use with SPD pedals.

 

[parklaneyido]

You don't like being seen by motorists? Not the time to be indulging in fashion consciousness, IMO. I buy nothing but canary yellow or "emergency" orange for upper body wear -- especially clothing I'll be wearing in rainy, overcast, or night riding conditions.

Shoes: You should buy MTB shoes for use with SPD pedals.

That's a funny shade of yellow or orange you're wearing in your avatar?

I have a yellow altura jacket for dull weather conditions or night riding. I will be buying a royal blue gore jersey when I get paid.

I think I am going to send the road shoes back and get the MTB ones instead

 

[adscrim]

If you're commuting with the odd longer ride I'd say spd and MTB is the way to go - it's what I wear for my commute for the walking reasons.

The road pedals offer more support for the foot and a larger platform but the benefits of this really only come into play unless you're doing a lot of road miles. I've heard of people complaining about hot spots and numb feet and attributing it to the use of spds on the road. I believe this is less of a factor off road as you're up on your feet more and moving around alot.

 

[parklaneyido]

I think I may just get some road pedals.

EDIT: Second thoughts, I may stop reading my own thread becuase I'm so indecisive. I'll give the MTB setup a go first seeing as it's the cheaper option, and as I'm a newbie, it seems the more sensible thing to do.

 

[JediGoat]

Well, if it's an consolation, at least your post helped point me to some cheap SPDs

I'm in the process of trying to resuscitate my bike after 4 years in the shed, and my old SPDs (actually, I think they are exactly the same ones) were a bit rusty. Although I was slightly worried about them seizing, I wasn't worried enough to spend £40....but less than £20 with postage is a bargain.

 

[adscrim]

For the purposes of adding to your indecisiveness - have you thought of touring pedals and MTB shoes? These offer a platform for the tread of your shoes to sit on meaning greater support for your feet.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Shimano_PD_A520_Touring_Pedals/5360027292/

hope this helps!

 

[Chris James]

....
I also went for SPD MB pedals as opposed to SPD-SL Road pedals as I want to feel reasonably comfortable walking in them if I have to. Seeing as I'm a newbie to road cycling, I figured it wouldn't make too much of a difference

Your post is ratehr confused. You walk in shoes, not pedals.

If you use road shoes with SPD cleats on the bottom then the cleat will be proud of the sole of the shoe, making walking difficult. It will also be tricky to clip in to an SPD pedal.

You could buy SH-71 cleats as well, which have additional 'pontoons' that spead help position the road shoe on SPD pedals and also provide a sort of lead in to allow easier clipping (and walking!). I have done this with my winter boots and it works fairly well.

It would be much easier to just buy proper MTB shoes as suggested above.

Failing that, buy road shoes to go with your road pedals. It is better not to mix systems.

 

[Chris James]

For the purposes of adding to your indecisiveness - have you thought of touring pedals and MTB shoes? These offer a platform for the tread of your shoes to sit on meaning greater support for your feet.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Shimano_PD_A520_Touring_Pedals/5360027292/

hope this helps!

By the way, I agree with this. The A520 is an excellent pedal. I can't tell the difference between 'touring' shoes and this pedal and using a proper road shoe, the extra support works really well.

 

[Randochap]

That's a funny shade of yellow or orange you're wearing in your avatar?

... on a bright sunny day. Dress for conditions. Glad, contrary to inference in your previous post, to hear you do.

BTW, the jersey I'm wearing is a nice old Wolverhampton Racing Club wool blend my cousin gave me on a visit 20 years ago.

Good decision on changing the shoes. Stick with double-sided pedals.

 

[parklaneyido]

By the way, I agree with this. The A520 is an excellent pedal. I can't tell the difference between 'touring' shoes and this pedal and using a proper road shoe, the extra support works really well.

Sounds like I should have gone for those...Oh well, I'll see how I fair with the M520's

... on a bright sunny day. Dress for conditions. Glad, contrary to inference in your previous post, to hear you do.

BTW, the jersey I'm wearing is a nice old Wolverhampton Racing Club wool blend my cousin gave me on a visit 20 years ago.

Good decision on the shoes. Stick with double-sided pedals.

I will see how I get on. As I've said, I only ride for pleasure, I don't take it seriously or anything so I don't see why I wouldn't get on with them

 

[Randochap]

Sounds like I should have gone for those...Oh well, I'll see how I fair with the M520's



I will see how I get on. As I've said, I only ride for pleasure, I don't take it seriously or anything so I don't see why I wouldn't get on with them

You understand my vote goes for the pedals you bought, right? They're double-sided.

 

[parklaneyido]

You understand my vote goes for the pedals you bought, right? They're double-sided.

Yeah I understand

 

[Chris James]

If you have never ridden clipless before then double sided is probably an advantage, so I think we all agree that M520 is a good pedal. Having siad that, single sided pedals are easy to use, albeit perhaps off putting at first.

 

[parklaneyido]

So I got my pedals through the post yesterday. They both came with right handed threads!! Now I've got to wait even longer to give them a go!

 

[youngoldbloke]

So I got my pedals through the post yesterday. They both came with right handed threads!! Now I've got to wait even longer to give them a go!

- so, that's why they were so cheap!