FPD pedals

Looking at the site you referenced, those pedals are similar to the Shimano SPD style sometimes seen on mountain bikes. The cleats that fit these pedals, which bolt onto the bottom of your shoes, look similar to the Shimano SPD cleats as well. One difference between those and the Shimano system that I see in the photos is that the FPD pedals you referred to don't look like they're double-sided like the Shimanos, in other words, you might have to flip them in order to snap in. The Shimano SPD pedals are double-sided so you can snap in from either side of the pedal.

To release, simply pivot your ankle outward and the pedal will release.

If this will be your first 'clipless' system, I'd suggest practicing snapping in and releasing before your first ride with them. Many here have taken spills with the different clipless pedal systems, if you do a search for 'clipless falls' you'll find plenty of threads and posts about them.

Good luck.

Thanks very much for your reply and yes this would be my first clipless system. Reading your response seems to have complicated things even more for me. Do you mean I can only use some SPD shoes and cleats then? How do I know which ones in advance of buying them?

Thanks

Ube_Astard said:

How do I know which ones in advance of buying them?

Thanks

Your LBS should know, so if you're planning on ordering these online, I'd recommend at least talking to someone there first.

Ube_Astard said:

Thanks very much for your reply and yes this would be my first clipless system. Reading your response seems to have complicated things even more for me. Do you mean I can only use some SPD shoes and cleats then? How do I know which ones in advance of buying them?

Thanks

No need to be confused or do research:

The pedals will come with cleats. All new pedals come with cleats. In the future, you'll want to know if they are actually "SPD" compatable (SPD is a brand name) - which means they will work with any SPD or SPD compatable cleat, or they will be a similar but not totally compatable cleat.

Regardless, this is not an issue for you now, just if you get around to buying a new set of cleats sometime. You'll want to know if you have to buy the cleats from the pedal company or if you can just go into the LBS and get SPD cleats.

For now, just use the cleats that come with the pedals. They will be what is known as "two bolt" cleats - meaning they're attached to the shoe with two bolts. The other common type of cleat is "three bolt".

You then buy any "two bolt" shoe that you like, can afford and fits your foot well. When you go into a shop or buy a shoe online, just make sure it's will accomodate a 2 bolt cleat. Most mountain bike and many touring type shoes are made for this. Some shoes can handle both two and three bolt cleats, but mostly it's MTB shoes for two bolt, and road shoes for 2 bolt. Since you're getting this type of pedal, I'd recommend a MTB shoe with treads for walking on.

Good luck

Thanks for all your help. I need somemore however.

I have bought Shimano shoes and fitted the cleats that came with my bike. However there are some bits left over as in the picture. Have I done everything right as the diagram wasnt very good?

Thanks

They look fine - you might need to adjust as you ride and see how the positioning feels.

The threaded parts (dark/black in your photo), I believe, are simply spare parts to use as needed. They are the threaded inserts that one would put inside the shoe, under the insole, if needed.

Since you were able to install your cleats, your shoes already have them. Sometimess those threaded inserts strip out and you might need to replace them.

I believe the other parts (silver) are also spare parts to use if needed. If you'd needed to use the threaded inserts, you'd use the silver parts to function as metal washers to support the threaded inserts, if you can follow me. They are slotted so that the threaded inserts can slide lengthwise along the shoe for cleat adjustment.

Just FYI - the threaded inserts inside your shoes are found by:

1 - removing insole
2 - look on the inner sole of the shoe and you'll either see the threaded inserts, or you will see a perforation in the material of the inner/bottom sole of the shoe. If you remove the perforated section, you'll have access to the bolts for replacement as needed.

Often / usually cleats come with printed instructions that spell this out, but it's pretty easy to figure out too.

Thanks Camillo. I was wondering if they were spare parts -they came with the cleats with the bike while the shoes already had inside attachments.

How long did it take you guys to get used to using them and do you have any fall of the bike stories? I was practicing clipping out in my hallway by balancing off the wall then trying to clip out after loosing the walls. I kept failing to clip out then falling back into the wall. I was worried that I would fall off in the street before I got the hang of it, but I then went into the street and kept one foot free, cycled a short distance and clipped out and found it very easy. Clipping back in was the problem. Fingers crossed I will never fall off.

Ube_Astard said:

Fingers crossed I will never fall off.

Yes you will, esp. at slow speed going into a turn.
Practice unclipping BOTH FEET; don't always use your dominant one
Until your "twist of the ankle" becomes a part of the insinct of putting your foot down. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! I also found it very helpful to release BOTH feet at intersections and turn lean the bike a bit more than normal because until that release is automatic, if a gust of wind comes up in the wrong direction, if your not quick enough to release the other foot it has the effect of pulling you in the direction you're falling (probably into traffic)!!

I once had my handlebar come loose and it almost pictched me over the top. Thankfully I was clipped and they saved me a really nasty accident so there are benefits besides smoother pedalling!

You'll notice your tension is too tight before you'll notice it's too loose. The one thing I was told (and don't agree with) was to set the release tension as loose as possible (easier and faster release for beginners) and tighten up as you get more comfortable. I think it's better to set the tension in the middle and then adjust more or less from there. Small difference, but I feel the quicker you get adjusted to a proper tension saves getting used to it being too loose.

I now have SPD on all three of my bikes and love it.
Good luck and happy riding!!

Any questions let me know

Like Rusty said, I leave the tension set in the middle which is the way Shimano pedals come from the factory. Hopefully your pedals are set the same way.

They may seem a little tight on release at first, but if you ride regularly I'd say within a month you won't notice it.

I've used SPD SL's for several years now and I love them. But, if I see something happening ahead that I think might require an emergency stop, I don't take any chances, I go ahead and unclip one foot to be ready.

Both of the times I fell over from not being able to unclip in time were when I was riding in a slow group and someone ahead slammed on the brakes.

Thanks. Thats a good tip to unclick and be ready for the unexpected. I had my first ride in action this morning, went into work to do some overtime. On the way back I came to some red lights and slowed up, slowed up, slowed up willing for the lights change before I come to a dead stop but they didnt change so I was trying to unclip at the last minute and panicking when I couldnt come out. Lights changed fortunately and I continued peddaling. I started to unclip one shoe approaching lights after that.

also watch, if you're clipping out early, how you rest your unclipped foot on the pedal. if you're too close to how the pedal & shoe come together they can catch. I wiped out at a 4-way because of that. I've gotten into the habit of resting my heel on the pedal.