Winter gear at Aldi next week

[davefb]

The HUGE plus of the M520 is that you're shelling out £20 to try them out - they're simple, and doublesided, so clip ins are easier.

I'd be wary of paying more for something where you have to flip the pedal or negotiate a cage to clip in for my first clipless, personally, but ymmv, as they say.

yeah, i know what you mean,, but some of my 'avoid roads and hills' commute is off road and if i dont want to go with the spd, then i dont want to have to change pedals ..

dont see any diff between the 520 and 424 online though,, both seem to be 30 quid ? ? (at least , judging by lowest price on google,,,)



( gah, i'm probably gunna need another new tool arent i )

 

[heliphil]

I completed a 238 km ride over 3 BIG climbs ( Austria / Italy) with spd's - no problems for me with the pedal / shoe combination I used - I think provided the shoes are stiff enough they will be fine - not sure that the Aldi shoes fit in that category though

 

[pepecat]

Thanks John the Monkey, that makes sense! Think I will try and get hold of some of the Aldi shoes for several reasons: I'm looking for 'cheap' to start with in case I don't like cleats. I'm not up to 100 mile rides yet (more like 20.....) so hopefully they won't annoy my feet too much. I've also just picked up a very cheap MTB on ebay for the winter, so can use them on there too.

Is there any way of telling whether your local branch of Aldi will have the stuff, or is it just a case of turn up and see?

 

[CounterfeitKelly]

As far as I know it's a case of turning up and seeing what they've got on the day.
I got a pair of the trainer style SPD shoes a year or two ago (laces with a velcro strap to stop them flapping) and they are good for the price, plenty stiff enough for most riding and a good fit.

 

[ian789]

The bike on the bikestand looks like my bike! Ridgback Motion

I'll have a look, I'm new to cycling a want to keep going into the winter, so I best get prepared.

 

[John the Monkey]

Thanks John the Monkey, that makes sense! Think I will try and get hold of some of the Aldi shoes for several reasons: I'm looking for 'cheap' to start with in case I don't like cleats. I'm not up to 100 mile rides yet (more like 20.....) so hopefully they won't annoy my feet too much. I've also just picked up a very cheap MTB on ebay for the winter, so can use them on there too.

If you can't get the Aldi shoes, Merlin Cycles often do pedal + shoe deals - I got my MT41 shoes and SPD pedals for £50 all in there.

(None on at the moment, but M520s currently £20 there); http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+...Shimano+Pedals/Shimano+M520+SPD+Pedal_720.htm

 

[John the Monkey]

yeah, i know what you mean,, but some of my 'avoid roads and hills' commute is off road and if i dont want to go with the spd, then i dont want to have to change pedals ..

5 minutes with a pedal spanner?

dont see any diff between the 520 and 424 online though,, both seem to be 30 quid ? ? (at least , judging by lowest price on google,,,)

£20 at Merlin Cycles for the M520.

If you want a genuinely dual purpose pedal, Edinburgh Bike Co-Op do a one side flat/one side SPD pedal for £25.

( gah, i'm probably gunna need another new tool arent i )

M520 wrench flats (and most other pedals') are 15mm. Pedal spanner will get you more leverage, but no real reason you can't just use a spanner. DO GREASE THE THREADS to save future heartache.

 

[4F]

Ok, being totally dense here - are we saying that the shoes aldi will be selling are for MTB cleats/pedals only? Or can they be used for road cycling?
I'm fairly new to road cycling and would like to experiment with cleats (currently cycle with toe straps and quite like it) and was thinking of getting some of the shoes at aldi because they're cheap and if I don't get on with them, I haven't wasted huge amounts of money.
Would it be worth it?
Presumably i'd have to get the M520 pedals ( i don't mind having MTB pedals on a road bike) and cleats - with float?

I have M520's on all my road bikes as well as my mtb so I can use the same shoe for whichever bike I decide to take out.

 

[John the Monkey]

I have M520's on all my road bikes as well as my mtb so I can use the same shoe for whichever bike I decide to take out.

20/25 miles is about my limit on SPDs - maybe I could go further with a stiffer shoe, but with the MT41 pedalling gets uncomfortable after that.

 

[craigwend]

My pricebusting two-penneth worth

I've got some of the older style shoes (as above) with laces and straps, I prefer them to my old(er) shimano-MO 31's , the sizes seems quite generous, though useful in winter for extra pair of socks. I use my aldi ones almost exclusively, from training rides, commuting, sportive, long days rides etc, very stiff a bit heavy.

I also use shimano m520 pedals on mtb, tourer & road bike, so don't need to change shoes (or buy extra) and generally able to walk in them.

I've had other bits from them;

arm warmers, fine for the price and I may get some more as I lost one

Also had the gloves - which were fine but I lost one of them as well (yes bit of a theme, or a one legged / one armed cycling thief near me?) .

Overshoes - thin - not waterproof, not great at keeping feet warm, may be worth spending some more on neoprene ones? (

the cycle cap is generous in size and very (very) warm, but not breathable - not good for longer rides would be fine for cold commutes.

The socks are usually fine.


May take a punt on the HRM for 9.99, will come in as a cheap watch if rubbish and look at winter trousers?


The merino top, mmmmmmerino, hope I resist

 

[Chrisc]

20/25 miles is about my limit on SPDs - maybe I could go further with a stiffer shoe, but with the MT41 pedalling gets uncomfortable after that.

100 plus miles no bother on M520's for me with MT21 shoes. Up and down the Strines and Holme Moss, never felt any discomfort at all.

Anyway merino top looks ok to me! Arm warmers maybe.

 

[John the Monkey]

100 plus miles no bother on M520's for me with MT21 shoes. Up and down the Strines and Holme Moss, never felt any discomfort at all.

I'm certainly not trying to imply that my experience would be the same as everyone else!

Given the relative expense, it makes a lot of sense to start with SPD / MTB shoes & only to to road shoes/pedals if the SPD system turns out to be uncomfortable.

 

[Chrisc]

I'm certainly not trying to imply that my experience would be the same as everyone else!

Given the relative expense, it makes a lot of sense to start with SPD / MTB shoes & only to to road shoes/pedals if the SPD system turns out to be uncomfortable.

Me neither. I just started out with these as you said, cheapest easiest option ( and you can walk rather than skate..) and haven't felt the need to change it yet. I might if I tried a stiffer shoe and look cleats tho which is something I've been considering. Maybe more efficient? I dunno.

 

[fossyant]

M520's are a stupid price for £20. Cleats alone cost £10 to £12.

 

[Mark_Robson]

Don't forget though folks, Aldi take chip and pin debit cards but they don't accept any form of credit card.