Clipless/shoes advice

[lesley_x]

I tried clipless around 3 years ago. I am not the most agile or coordinated of people. I unclipped the wrong side, and ended up doing the splits the way you should not be able to do the splits. It was excruciatingly painful and I rapidly went back to flats and have been happy for several years.

I have the urge to try clipless again and my theory was this. I bought road shoes and road pedals. I was considering buying mountain bike or trekking shoes with recessed cleats. Would this make it feel more natural and less of a penguin feel when you are walking/put your foot down? I like the look of mountain bike shoes but if it would be easier to walk in something like a specialised tahoe then I could get on board with that.

Pedals - I gave my brother in law a pair of shimano double sided, mtb pedals (M424) which I could get back (he's not using them). What is going to be the absolute easiest pedal for getting in and out of with least fuss. None of this flipping them over nonsense?

Basically what's the best combination to start with?

Thanks

 

[Paul.G.]

I've just moved back to mountain/tracking style shoes with recessed SPD cleats from look keo, far easier to use and quicker to clip in if your riding in traffic etc. Also better for walking so yes, I think as you suggest, these are the better option in my opinion. My SPD pedals are cleat one side, flat the other and made of steel. I have them on my cross bike and my Colnago. Hope that helps.

 

[lesley_x]

Thanks for that, did you go for a trekking style shoe or one that looks more like a road bike shoe?

 

[vickster]

If you want to walk a recessed cleat, with spd pedals. The Tahoe is an admirable example of such a shoe in a MTB style. I am not sure what other type of MTB shoe you mean. Get the multi directional cleats to facilitate easier clipping and have the pedal on the loosest tension, double sided pedals are the easiest, but one with a flat side will mean you can ride with flats if the mood takes

M520 is a very simple beginner pedal, inexpensive too. I started with these plus a Tahoe...not that I have moved on very far, now use an A600 and a Sonoma shoe

 

[Biker Joe]

I use M520 SPD pedals combined with Shimano M077 MTB shoes.
Easy to use and you can walk in the shoes.
I've been very happy with this combination.

 

[Cubist]

Tahoe/Sonoma are great as trainer style shoes, good for commuting, and folk like DHB and Northwave, Shimano and Bontrager all do similar styles. You can go either side of the trainer style with chunky MTB style shoes like 5.10 Hellcats, Shimano MP 66, or you can go towards a more road style shoe with Disco Slippers from Specialized BG comp, Shimano, Diadora, Mavic etc.

I'm with Vickster on the PD A600. I personally would like to ban the recommending of M 520. They are cheap for a reason, and for another fiver you can get a caged pedal that's far more user friendly like the PD M530.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have worn Shimano MT91 boots for a while now and find them really good for cycling and walking all day. If you go down this line make sure you order T least one size bigger than normal. Easy to get out of clips as well.

They also make a Similar training shoe.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-mt91-goretex-spd-touringhiking-boots/

Steve

 

[vickster]

Tahoe/Sonoma are great as trainer style shoes, good for commuting, and folk like DHB and Northwave, Shimano and Bontrager all do similar styles. You can go either side of the trainer style with chunky MTB style shoes like 5.10 Hellcats, Shimano MP 66, or you can go towards a more road style shoe with Disco Slippers from Specialized BG comp, Shimano, Diadora, Mavic etc.

I'm with Vickster on the PD A600. I personally would like to ban the recommending of M 520. They are cheap for a reason, and for another fiver you can get a caged pedal that's far more user friendly like the PD M530.

The A600 are a PITA though as the wretched pedal is always the wrong way round when wanting to clip in - I find this with every flat/SPD combination pedal. It's also very uncomfortable to ride on the flat side of the A600 with trainers so they would be better double sided IMO

I have no issue with the M520 on the carbon, that said I don't ride it very often, so if using the pedal every day or for a lot of miles, it may be better to invest in something higher up the range

The M530 looks rather chunky for a carbon roadbike, but fine on a CX, hybrid or MTB

 

[Cubist]

I suppose I get used to the clipping back in ritual, after all, I have to do it about three times on my way to work, which is nothing compared to an hour off road. On the MTBsI prefer the bigger target of a caged pedal and simply have to stamp into them

I expect I actually meant the PD A530 rather than the mtb trail pedal, but they're great if you can stand the look and weight of them.

 

[vickster]

I have to clip in around 10 or 15 times on my way to work, more if traffic rubbish! That's in 20 minutes, so spinning the pedal and looking down from time to time is annoying

I think the OP has road oriented bikes looking at her sig

 

[Globalti]

SPDs are perfect for mountain bikers, commuters or people who expect to be stopping frequently. The cleat fits in a recess in the sole of the shoe making walking easy. However the extra thickness of rubber makes the shoes heavy and the double-sided pedals need to be heavily built to take the high stresses.

Road pedals and shoes are about half the weight of an SPD setup but more difficult to use and terrible for walking, even dangerous if you happen to slip on some chantilly cream on the cafe floor. However a stiff road shoe gives you a nice firm platform especially when climbing out of the saddle.

Horses for courses.

 

[ColinJ]

I agree with that. I currently use SPDs on my MTB and both of my road bikes but will probably put Look pedals back on my best bike when I am fit enough to get up the hills round here on its 39/29 bottom gear. I have the pedals and a pair of Sidi road shoes waiting in my spares box.

 

[Venod]

I used to use Look road pedals & waggle about in non recessed cleated shoes, I now use double sided SPD's M540 on all my bikes road & mtb, no flipping the pedals, clipping in is really easy and I can walk in the shoes, the shoes are stiff so no problem climbing out of the saddle, but as Globalti points out there is a slight weight penalty.

 

[lesley_x]

Thanks for all the replies. The two types of shoes I mean (I've just been looking around I know nothing about mtb shoes) are these
http://www.wigglestatic.com/product-media/5360065692/shimano-xc60-mtb-shoes-12.jpg?w=1100&h=1100&a=7

versus something like these, which appear to be more rubber soled, easier to walk in.

http://ancillary.edinburghbicycle.c...ra-large/specialized-bg-tahoe-shoe-womens.jpg

I prefer the look of the first type, but I imagine they might be more difficult to clip in and out of than the second type - as in to find the pedal and clip? If anyone has experience of these shoes I'd be grateful. I would like to feel secure when I put my foot down after unclipping, which I imagine the trekking shoes would be better for. I pretty much want the easiest experience possible.

When I was in my LBS before Christmas they were doing the Specialized Tahoe for £40, kicking myself for not buying them.

Oh and vickster did you find you had to go up a size for the Tahoe?

 

[Spinney]

I'd go for the 2nd type. I've got mountain bike style shoes for my touring bike, fine to walk around in (they sound a bit crunchy on gravel when the cleat makes contact with the stones, but on most surfaces they are fine), no problem with gripping the road when you unclip.
As someone else said, get the pedals on lowest tension when you start off.
Good luck with it!