To cleat, or not to cleat?

[Dec66]

For years now, I've been laughed at by "proper" road cyclists for my refusal to use clip pedals. The reason I don't is purely because I've not been able to get along with them when my commute has miles and miles of traffic lights every 200 yards; the constant "click-unclick-click-unclick" is a pain in the bum. So, I've been using basic pedals and Astroturf shoes on the feet, a hangover from riding to and from football games (the nipples on the sole provide quite nice purchase).

This morning, however, I think I may have undergone a Damascene conversion. As I was going up the hill out of Beckenham I passed another roadie who was rather shocked that someone with crap shoes and pedals should rip past him at the rate of knots I did (he wheelsucked me all the way down the hill and told me so at the traffic lights).

He has a point though. I'm doing more out of town riding than I'm used to so perhaps it's time to take the plunge and get some cycling shoes and clips.

Naturally I'll be going entry level; the crankset is Shimano so I'm thinking of going Shimano R065 shoes and Shimano R540 pedals, which I can pick up online for a combined total of just over £60. Anyone have any thoughts on what these are like in terms of ease of use in city traffic, and also out on the open road?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dec66]

For years now, I've been laughed at by "proper" road cyclists for my refusal to use clip pedals. The reason I don't is purely because I've not been able to get along with them when my commute has miles and miles of traffic lights every 200 yards; the constant "click-unclick-click-unclick" is a pain in the bum. So, I've been using basic pedals and Astroturf shoes on the feet, a hangover from riding to and from football games (the nipples on the sole provide quite nice purchase).

This morning, however, I think I may have undergone a Damascene conversion. As I was going up the hill out of Beckenham I passed another roadie who was rather shocked that someone with crap shoes and pedals should rip past him at the rate of knots I did (he wheelsucked me all the way down the hill and told me so at the traffic lights).

He has a point though. I'm doing more out of town riding than I'm used to so perhaps it's time to take the plunge and get some cycling shoes and clips.

Naturally I'll be going entry level; the crankset is Shimano so I'm thinking of going Shimano R065 shoes and Shimano R540 pedals, which I can pick up online for a combined total of just over £60. Anyone have any thoughts on what these are like in terms of ease of use in city traffic, and also out on the open road?

Thanks in advance.

That should of course have read "CLEAT". I hate this bloody phone.

 

[Legs]

You don't need to match your pedals and shoes to the manufacturer of your crankset. It may be worth considering what kind of platform the pedal presents to a day-to-day shoe for all those times that you ride your bike without specialist footwear - my Look PP136 pedals are rubbish in trainers! If you're not fussed about aesthetics, there are lots of MTB pedals which have cages so you can pedal normally with them (they'll look awful on a road bike, but who's looking?) MTB footwear is also much more practical for walking than road-specific footwear. Not as stiff (so not quite as efficient at transmitting your legwork into the bike) as road shoes, but still allows you to pedal in circles.

 

[Markymark]

I hate this bloody phone.

Buy an iPhone. Your chances of of getting sex increase rapidly.

I have cleats on my road bike and but not on my commute bike. I use my commute bike the vast majority of time. The cleats on my road bike are ok but if the goblins came at night and switched them back to flats I'd not lose any sleep.

 

[I like Skol]

For commuting and general riding I would suggest the MTB system. Shimano M520 pedals can be had for £15-20 and do all you require and the mid-range Shimano casual or MTB shoes have always been the shoe of choice for me and last well. The best thing about the MTB style system is that the aforementioned pedals are double sided so much less faff when frequently clipping in/out and the shoes allow a much more confident stride when walking around off the bike

 

[Dec66]

You don't need to match your pedals and shoes to the manufacturer of your crankset. It may be worth considering what kind of platform the pedal presents to a day-to-day shoe for all those times that you ride your bike without specialist footwear - my Look PP136 pedals are rubbish in trainers! If you're not fussed about aesthetics, there are lots of MTB pedals which have cages so you can pedal normally with them (they'll look awful on a road bike, but who's looking?) MTB footwear is also much more practical for walking than road-specific footwear. Not as stiff (so not quite as efficient at transmitting your legwork into the bike) as road shoes, but still allows you to pedal in circles.

I know they don't have to match, it's just the OCD in me (or should that be the CDO? )

I think that's part of why I want to swap over; I do want to transmit the legwork into the bike better. If I can find a shoe/clip combo that's almost as easy as taking my foot off the pedal, that's the one for me (and the R540 seems to have good reviews in this aspect, though at 330g a bit heavy).

Winter's coming and I'll be swapping over to my Mongoose Hybrid for the commute soon, so I may have a look at MTB pedals for that and stick with flat pedals.

 

[Dec66]

I know they don't have to match, it's just the OCD in me (or should that be the CDO? )

I think that's part of why I want to swap over; I do want to transmit the legwork into the bike better. If I can find a shoe/clip combo that's almost as easy as taking my foot off the pedal, that's the one for me (and the R540 seems to have good reviews in this aspect, though at 330g a bit heavy).

Winter's coming and I'll be swapping over to my Mongoose Hybrid for the commute soon, so I may have a look at MTB pedals for that and stick with flat pedals.

MTB SHOES that is... Not the phone this time, just a brain fart!

 

[ianrauk]

For commuting, go down the MTD SPD route rather then SPD. All that stop starting will mean you will wear out SPD-L cleats very quickly and the cost will soon add up. MTB Cleats, you will wear our the shoes before you wear out the cleats.

 

[Dec66]

For commuting and general riding I would suggest the MTB system. Shimano M520 pedals can be had for £15-20 and do all you require and the mid-range Shimano casual or MTB shoes have always been the shoe of choice for me and last well. The best thing about the MTB style system is that the aforementioned pedals are double sided so much less faff when frequently clipping in/out and the shoes allow a much more confident stride when walking around off the bike

Ta... And when I'm out on the open road, where traffic lights are far and few between?

 

[ianrauk]

Ta... And when I'm out on the open road, where traffic lights are far and few between?

Stick to the one system for all your bikes.
Pain in the arse having to chop and change. And of course it means you forking out for 2 different sets of pedals and 2 different pairs of shoes.

 

[I like Skol]

For commuting, go down the MTD SPD route rather then SPD. All that stop starting will mean you will wear out SPD-L cleats very quickly and the cost will soon add up. MTB Cleats, you will wear our the shoes before you wear out the cleats.

Perhaps you aren't looking after your shoes very well? I am on my second or 3rd set of cleats on my current commute shoe (about 10yrs old) and don't put my feet down much or walk far. I wish I could buy another pair of THESE as they seem to be almost indestructible apart from the lining just starting to break up at the back of the heel
The last cleats were worn to a razor sharp edge at the front, I wondered why I was struggling to unclip

Ta... And when I'm out on the open road, where traffic lights are far and few between?

MTB cleats & shoes for my roadbike too. Just as good for the odd 100 miler and don't have to walk like a constipated duck at the café stop

 

[ianrauk]

Perhaps you aren't looking after your shoes very well? I am on my second or 3rd set of cleats on my current commute shoe (about 10yrs old) and don't put my feet down much or walk far. I wish I could buy another pair of THESE as they seem to be almost indestructible apart from the lining just starting to break up at the back of the heel
The last cleats were worn to a razor sharp edge at the front, I wondered why I was struggling to unclip

MTB cleats & shoes for my roadbike too. Just as good for the odd 100 miler and don't have to walk like a constipated duck at the café stop

My main commuting shoes are 6 years old and starting to look a bit tatty. A 35 mile daily round commute in all weathers in London takes it's toll.

 

[Citius]

As I was going up the hill out of Beckenham I passed another roadie who was rather shocked that someone with crap shoes and pedals should rip past him at the rate of knots I did

I don't see why. If you're fitter than him, then you'll pass him, regardless of what pedals you're using.

 

[Dec66]

I don't see why. If you're fitter than him, then you'll pass him, regardless of what pedals you're using.

I don't think I was, he was a fit guy, and a fast rider. What I am, though, is what I believe is known as a "puncheur"; I can blat up the likes of Box Hill at a pretty high cadence and maintain speed.

A "grimpeur" would hand me my arse on proper climbs, and I'd like to improve there.

Having said that, coming back down the hill the fact that he had an 11t at his disposal as opposed to my 12t may have helped, hee hee

 

[vickster]

I don't recall much of a hill out of Beckenham
(grew up in the Bromley area, lived in Beckenham previously, spent many of my school years yomping up Summer Hill in Chislehurst, that would count as a bit of a hill in the SE)

Get SPD system or stick with the flats (my friend steamed past 5 male roadies in her trainers the other day, she was amused, they less so)