Stupid pedals!

[Spooly]

Hmm I here'd halfords road bikes are really good value, the mountain bikes I know are shocking but how are the road bikes? Apparently there really good

mine seems fine and put together well

 

[fossyant]

Clipless. M520's for starting out and some MTB or touring type shoes.

Flat pedals are illegal on road bikes, by punishment of death.

 

[vickster]

Shoes and pedals will likely set the OP back £50+, may be out of budget

 

[theloafer]

Clipless. M520's for starting out and some MTB or touring type shoes.

Flat pedals are illegal on road bikes, by punishment of death.

... have used toe-clips and straps all my cycling years( about 35) not had a prob with them can wear any shoes i like all three bikes have them fitted
tourer /boardman cx / and my carbon road..if its not broke why fix it

 

[fossyant]

... have used toe-clips and straps all my cycling years( about 35) not had a prob with them can wear any shoes i like all three bikes have them fitted
tourer /boardman cx / and my carbon road..if its not broke why fix it

So last millennium. I've been using clipless for about (gets out calculator ) 22 years !

 

[theloafer]

have tried clipless just could not get away with them and have NEVER had a clipless fall..(touch wood)

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

keep practicing, it does get easier. I can only cycle in boots so have only ever used toe straps on pedals (due to hypermobilty in my joints, I need the support of a boot to hold my leg above my ankle, my foot just does not do it naturally). There is a trick to them, it takes a short while to get the hang on it, longer to be able to get your feet in without looking.

As a tip, at junctions where you have had to stop, clear the junction using 1 foot in the strap (assuming you stand on one foot over the bike at the junction) and use the other pedal upside down until you are clear on the junction (and any such traffic) if possible. It helps with the confidence thing if you are finding you need to look at the pedal and deals with any potential issues at junctions from a safety point of view (sorry officer I was looking at my foot trying to get it into the pedal won't go down very well at the scene of an RTA).

I ride with them quite loose and for the first few weeks of new pedals (just had to replace my pedals after the bearings failed) I tend to leave something like a stick in the plastic becuase they are invariable squashed flatter than is useful and it takes time for them to stretch to the curve of your shoe/boot.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Sounds like OP needs some practice with getting that second pedal round and the toes in, rather than buying extra kit.

I'd suggest sitting on the bike while stationary with a hand against a wall, and flick the pedal round over and over until it starts to feel more natural.

If you have super smooth soles on your shoes this maybe tricky, but you'll get the hang of it. Good luck!

 

[Leaway2]

Dump them, get some 520's <£20 and some cheap Aldi shoes. See how you get on.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

You could move the strap on the side you can't get into so that when you're not strapped in the pedal is the right way up.

 

[Goldenretriever]

Spooly I hated the pedals and straps on my first bike. So decided to try clipless with I think 520's and a pair of Mtb shoes, warned that I would struggle to do long distances on small cleats. Well I am still using the same ones and have had no problems, apart from nearly falling off at the end of our drive first time out! Go for clipless you won't regret it.

 

[Spooly]

where are these lidl shoes !? never seen them in there

 

[Spooly]

520's? lol sorry i havent got a clue anyone have a link for a pair?

 

[ianrauk]

520's? lol sorry i havent got a clue anyone have a link for a pair?

Here you go

 

[Spooly]

ordered a pair of 520's in black and a pair of shoes one size up from what i usually wear along with a multipack of continental innertubes and handle bar plugs as halfords seem to have missed putting mine on LOL!