help with clipless pedals...

greatgordini

hey,
I recently decided to upgrade to clipless pedals.
I wasn't aware there was so much to consider...so I'm requesting your advice. I've checked out the company websites but I'd like to hear from the consumer.
My bike: giant rincon se (4 years old?)
Use: communting (roads) AND light-moderate recration trail riding

I have read that look ATAC pedals are great for cleanliness but if I got shimanos, how much of a problem is dirt/water? Also, how do the two compare re: tension and float? what if i got ****ty ankles and knees?
Is it that much of a hastle to get dual binding over single? (it's really just convenience eh?)

For those short commutes, I don't want to have to wear the cleated shoes. Are there decent pedals out there with flat platform and (dual) bind sites? I understand there are recessed-cleated hikers for biking and walking but the sole is more flexible and less efficient...(and there's more foot pain?)
Are the stiff sole mtn shoes that uncomfortable to walk in (walking in the road shoes would be hard for sure)?

how is the lifetime on the pedals and shoes?

So basically, I'd like easy, durable pedals with dual binding (if that really is better) but also platform for short commutes. The stiff sole shoes are better than the hikers but are they comfortable to walk distances?

Money is an issue for me so I'm looking for the best deal for the $ I'm shelling out.

Any thoughts? options?
I know...pretty long for my first thread.
Thanks.
G

pauls

I recently bought a pair of Shimano PD-M545 pedals - give the best of both worlds - cost £50 (about $70) the shoes I got are Cannondale - can't remember what type. The pedals are great with either cleats or normal shoes though. Not tried them in the wet though.

Paul

stubacca

I recently bought a mountain bike that came with Shimano PD-M515 pedals. I've not been super impressed with the pedals, though they are doing the job for me so far. I did have some problems yesterday while riding through some muddy sections - couldn't unclip for the life of me, so had a few embarassing slow-motion capsizes! Like you I'd like a platform to use for shorter rides, or technical sections where I don't feel confident enough to be clipped in. I've decided to steer away from the Shimanos - I've tried a set of Crank Brothers Egg Beaters on a friends bike, and found them a lot more comfortable and efficient at releasing.

Crank Brothers are releasing a new platform pedal in the USA in August - the Mallet C. Word so far is it will be about $100. It has a good looking platform with a rotating egg beater in the middle - check out http://www.crankbros.com/. They also have the Candy SL coming out at the same time - smaller, less aggresive platform for around $140.

Another option if you decide on the Time ATAC is to look at the Time Control Z - http://www.timesportusa.com/zpedals.html. These seem to also be around the $100 mark.

Shoes - I'm using a pair of Specialized Sport MTBs. They have a solid sole and velcro fasteners ($70). While not the most comfortable pair of walking shoes you'll ever own, they're fine for wandering around the sections of trails where you dismount. If you intend wearing the shoes for extended periods off the bike, I'd suggest getting a soft-soled lace-up shoe instead.

Can't offer much help on lifetime of pedals and shoes, though most people I've spoken to have told me at least 5 years for each, depending on how abusive you are to them. Cleats will need to be replaced a bit more frequently (maybe every 2-3 years depending on how much you ride), but these don't seem to run much higher than $20 per pair.

Zac

For the platform question I recomend that you look at Shimano. They make a pedal that has clipless on one side and a straight platform on the other. For the question on mud and water, Shimano pedals suck in the mud, although there new ones are just as good as times.

Gazoo

Shimano M424's are your best buy for the price and your usage IMHO. I've had them on my MTB for probably 2000 km with no problems at all....and I'm a pedal masher! They have a polymer? cage rather than alloy and they're still tough.

JohnO

M424's are on my MTB. Had a real problem (and a couple of spectacular upsets) getting them to release, until I figured out that the cleats were loose on the shoes and jamming. Work fine now.

I've seen toe clips/straps with a SPD cleat being sold for those times you don't have cleated shoes.

rek

Lower-end Shimano SPD pedals can have release or engagement problems as mud can jam them up. If you use them on dry trails you won't have a problem. They are good for commuting, though, especially those with a platform (when you need to clip in and out often around town, it's nice to have the platform there as a backup in case you don't clip in the first time you try.)

Single binding pedals are often lighter, and usually weighted so that one side (the clippy one) stays up at all times. They aren't hard to get used to if you are experienced with using clipless pedals, but for starting out they do increase the learning curve a bit.

My old mountain bike had Shimano M545 pedals (similar to Paul's) and they were quite good at the task of commuting. I never ended up using them on anything other than a shoe with cleats, though. I had fairly flexible-soled shoes then (Shimano M037) and it wasn't so much an issue of hot-spots on the foot, but it didn't feel very stable when riding out of the saddle.

My current mountain bike has M515 pedals, and is used for mountain biking only (I commute on my road bike now.) Not a ride goes without me swearing at the pedals for one reason or another (mainly due to mud problems, or unintended clipping out as the release tension is set really low to compensate for mud problems, etc.)


How do you find these shoes? I'm just about to buy a pair in the next couple of days.

__________________
Peter
Cannondale Synapse Carbon Scalpel Cyclocross Ultra