So I just got my first road bike. I'm absolutely loving everything about it but the pedals. It is a cheep but cheerful Carrera Zelos 2015. It has these silly straps that always hang down and my size 12 feet can't slide into them easily. As I use my bike to ride to work every day there is lots of stopping and starting at lights and it is very frustrating. What would you recommend as a good set of beginners pedals? I'm not averse to cleats in the long term but I might not buy the shoes straight away so they would have to be useable without them. I'm not going to do any serious riding for about a month as I am so unfit at the moment but once I do I would get the right shoes for the cleats if tha'ts the way I go.
Road bike newbie pedal advice
- Thread starter gietzy
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
You can often just remove the straps and toe-clips from the existing pedals. Otherwise, pop some cheap MTB style flat pedals on it, or if you are sure that you will go clipless, some Shimano A530 touring pedals.
A530's are a flat pedal on one side and an SPD clip on the other, I have them on my commuter/general purpose bike
A530's are a flat pedal on one side and an SPD clip on the other, I have them on my commuter/general purpose bike
smokeysmoo
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bolton, not very far from Nob End
to CC 
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Yes, I have some Shimano A530s and they are useful as one side can be used with ordinary shoes. Bearings are not great but then it's a thirty quid pedal.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
A530s are decent little peds. Fully rebuildable too, though in all these years I've only ever needed to rebuild one shimmy pedal. The A525 is a little.cheaper, but has a cromo axle instead lengths 530s alloy one.
