Quoted post said:Originally Posted by CallumMcL [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]
Thanks for any advice!......
Callum,
Yes, in general you can mount different cleat brands onto different shoe brands. The cleat is sold with the pedal system and those are unique for each system (brand). So you can match a Sidi shoe for example with a Shimano, Campagnolo, Look, Speedplay, CrankBrothers, etc. cleat and pedal system.
The big decisions are usually things like:
- Will you want to walk around in your cycling shoes much. If so you may prefer a mountain bike shoe with recessed cleat mounting area. You don't necessarily need the deep lugged soles of a mountain bike shoe but that ability to walk fairly normally on rubber cleated soles instead of clumping around duck footed on hard and slick road bike shoe soles and a metal cleat extending beyond the sole of the shoe can be very useful. So if your long rides include stops or sightseeing or much walking of any kind, think about shoes with recessed cleat mounting and those are typically mountain bike shoes though perhaps there are some touring oriented road shoes out there that I'm not aware of.
- Pedal systems are also sold with a road bike vs. mountain bike or off road focus but you can certainly ride off road pedals on the road, many people do though it's not as good idea to go the opposite direction. So many folks that opt for mountain bike shoes with recessed cleat mounting and even some that ride road shoes prefer an off road pedal system. The typical advantages of off road pedal/cleat systems is dual sided entry so that you don't have to flip the pedal right side up with your toe before clipping in. Some road pedals like Speedplays have this feature as well but most do not.
- Cleat/pedal systems also come with various amounts of 'float' or ability for the foot to swivel freely in a horizontal plane. This makes cleat alignment on the sole less critical and helps some folks with knee tracking issues. Float is in general a good thing and most clipless pedal systems have some float but some like Speedplays have a ton of lateral float that can be helpful if you have a history of knee issues but some folks don't like that much freedom of movement in their pedal systems.
Personally I race and do most of my dry weather road riding with road shoes and Speedplay pedals, I've used lots of pedal systems over the years including Looks, Times, Shimanos and clips and straps back in the day. I don't walk around a lot on these rides and I like the float and security of Speedplays as well as the dual sided ease of entry. I do my winter, rainy season, road riding with CrankBrothers EggBeater pedals and off road shoes. These are easy to get into, very secure and also have a fair amount of float. I'd strongly recommend their Candy pedals for someone new to clipless pedals as the extra frame around the pedal mechanisms make it a bit easier to blindly find the pedal when clipping in and make it easier if you ride short distances in tennis shoes. Shimano SPD off road systems are also popular for both on and off road use.
Whatever system you decide to get, be sure to practice clipping in and out many, many times in safe places. It only takes an outward flick of the ankle to release most systems but an awful lot of riders new to clipless pedals panic and fall over when stopping at traffic lights and stop signs when they first get their new pedals. Practice on a grassy field or empty parking lot or even on a stationary trainer till it's second nature clipping in and out with either foot.
Good luck,
-Dave
