Clipless systems

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Dellphinus
Greetings,

I've been slowly getting sucked in to cycling. Currently have platform pedals, and ride in athletic shoes. A the gym, I ride a trainer that has supergrip style straps. While riding, I find myself moving my feet around on the pedals for a change of pace every now and then.

Do any of the clipless systems allow any foot position movement/adjustment while riding? What is ther "float" referred to in some of the ads?

Thanks,
DP

I don't have direct experience with every cleat system out there, but here's a little info. Your foot is not locked in like it is in a vise, but it should be snug. Float refers to the amount of rotation that is allowed before the cleat unclips (most work this way).

Clipless cleats are definitely something that you need to try out to really understand what it feels like. Chances are, once you get used to it, you won't go back. I just started using them last year but it feels like forever. I bought a low end pair of shoes at Nashbar.com for about $40 and the Ventoux pedal, currently on sale for $39.95 (it comes with a pair of cleats). Probably the best money I ever spent on bike accessories after padded shorts. I just upgraded to Shimano SPD-SL Ultegra pedals ($139), but kept the shoes, the difference is there but it is not that enormous.

Please, please do practice clipping in and out in a safe place, and one foot at a time. It takes a little practice and who needs an embarrassing tip-over at a street light?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Randybaker99


Please, please do practice clipping in and out in a safe place, and one foot at a time. It takes a little practice and who needs an embarrassing tip-over at a street light?

It's even more embarrassing when there are 3 other people lined up beside you and you knock them all down like dominoes. BTDT

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by eric_the_red
It's even more embarrassing when there are 3 other people lined up beside you and you knock them all down like dominoes. BTDT

You're right, that would be awful!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Randybaker99
You're right, that would be awful!

I used clips for years and had some bad experiences of not being able to get out quick enough and toppled right over!!

If you are thinking of getting into a clipless pedal, take a look at Shimano MTB pedals. I still have these on a road bike. They are double sided entry and offer some float.

Take a look at Speedplay as well. They have road specific pedals and also offer double sided entry, which helps out tremendously when you have to stop and clip back in to get going. These pedals have up to 15 degrees of float, and a lot of guys out there with knee problems will tell you this is the way to go.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Dellphinus
Greetings,

I've been slowly getting sucked in to cycling. Currently have platform pedals, and ride in athletic shoes. A the gym, I ride a trainer that has supergrip style straps. While riding, I find myself moving my feet around on the pedals for a change of pace every now and then.

Do any of the clipless systems allow any foot position movement/adjustment while riding? What is ther "float" referred to in some of the ads?

Thanks,
DP

PD-M515 pedals are good.

"Float" is the ability for your foot to rotate. It's usually given in degrees -- the amount you can twist freely until the disengaging mechanism starts to have an effect. (The release is a lot tougher to twist through than the float, though, so accidentally clipping out is somewhat rare -- and on most pedals you can tighten the release mechanism to make it even less of a problem.)

Some pedals, like Time's, have lateral float -- that is, side-to-side float as well as twisting.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Jim's ride
PD-M515 pedals are good.

... as long as it's not muddy 🙂 They are problem-free in the dry, though, and very cheap.

The M515 has since been replaced with the M520, which should be about the same price as what the 515 used to be (i.e. damn cheap) and has a more open design for better mud-shedding ability.

I have the old sampson pedals which act like speedplays and the float makes a positive difference so much so that I cant imagine ever going back to a look style pedal.

I have the Look 296 pedals with the red cleats on my new road bike. The red cleats allow a reasonable amount of float and the look pedals provide a large contact area for your foot. I haven't ridden them much yet but so far so good. I used the Sampsons on a Bridgestone road bike I had a long time ago. I liked them but as I recall they weren't quite as easy to get in and out of as the Looks are.

I remember my very first ride with clipless pedals. I had just put the Onza elastomer clipless pedals on my mountain bike. I practiced getting in and out of them a bit and then went on my first ride with them. It went pretty well overall but at the first stop sign that I got to there was a woman walking with her little daughter and oushing a stroller. I stopped at the stop sign said hello to them and proceeded to slowly tip over as I was unable to get my foot out... Very embarrassing!

Here's a little tip:

Your natural instinct will probably be to pull your foot upwards as you're trying to clip out. Afterall you're trying to get your foot OFF of the pedal! It's much easier to unclip while pressing DOWN on the pedal. Once you make the switch to clipless, you'll never go back. Good Luck!

Ok,

So tell me how much of this I can find in one system (no particular order):

1. Shoes that look like athletic/hiking/running shoes

2. Shoes you can walk in without killing yourself or the shoes,

3. Pedals that can be used with or without cleated shoes

4. float

When riding by myself, none of this matters. When riding with the family, we tend to ride for a while, then stop and hike/walk/lunch, etc. Also, when camping, we're wearing tenies/sandals,whatever, and everyone jumps on whatever bike is handy. I know that sooner or later I'm gonna end up with a second bike, but for now, I'd like to make this one dual duty...

Thanks for all the help/insight.

BTW, the kids say they're really looking forward to seeing me fall over at stopsigns. :-)

DP

Hmmmm, hmmm hmmm... lots of requirements there. As with any of life's pursuits, you're going to have a hard time identifying the choice that satisfies all of these well.

Well, I take that back. There are plenty of inexpensive systems out there designed for super-casual use -- combination platform/SPD pedals and simple, athletic-style shoes that can carry the wee SPD cleat recessed enough to make walking fairly simple.

Here's where the snob factor comes in, though. Anyone that rides a more dedicated system is bound to inform you that a bare-bones clipless setup isn't really worth the investment, aside from as an indoor spinning aid. The float in those old SPDs isn't very good; a generic SPD/platform combo will be and harder to get in and out of than a more refined system, and harder on you in the long run. Old-school SPDs are misers with float, too. They're workable, but maybe a better choice for that cross-town errand bike rather than that fitness-ride bike.

My advice? Look into a good, double-sided MTB pedal. Nearly any MTB system will be designed for use with walkable, smaller-cleat supporting MTB shoes. Speedplay, mentioned above, is the king of high float at reasonable prices, and they make a well-regarded MTB pedal, the Frog. Unlike their road systems, the Frog uses a small cleat that's designed for use on walkable MTB shoes -- but like all Speedplays, it's double sided... no fumbling to flip the pedal over when the light turns green.

Good luck with your choosing. And practice on grass. Find a (deserted) park. Have fun!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Dellphinus
Ok,

So tell me how much of this I can find in one system (no particular order):

1. Shoes that look like athletic/hiking/running shoes

2. Shoes you can walk in without killing yourself or the shoes,

3. Pedals that can be used with or without cleated shoes

4. float

When riding by myself, none of this matters. When riding with the family, we tend to ride for a while, then stop and hike/walk/lunch, etc. Also, when camping, we're wearing tenies/sandals,whatever, and everyone jumps on whatever bike is handy. I know that sooner or later I'm gonna end up with a second bike, but for now, I'd like to make this one dual duty...

Thanks for all the help/insight.

BTW, the kids say they're really looking forward to seeing me fall over at stopsigns. :-)

DP

Here's my best shot:

Nashbar Rodeo pedal - cheap ($19.95, SPD on one side, platform on the other. I have this one on my commuter and I can vouch for it. No float though, but you may find it is not an issue, I can take it or leave it:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=108&subcategory=1078&brand=&sku=6223&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

Mountain shoe - here is a very inexpensive one, with enough tread to be flush with the cleats and look like a hiking shoe. I found these EXUS SM 800 on nashbar, I don't have these but I have a pair of Lake mountain shoes that were about $40.00 and are fine for walking around a bit. Much better than the road shoes I have. I wouldn't wear them to the mall, though.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=84&subcategory=1041&brand=&sku=10852&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

If you give up on float, you can probably have all your other requirements. Three out of four isn't too bad.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dellphinus
Ok,

So tell me how much of this I can find in one system (no particular order):

1. Shoes that look like athletic/hiking/running shoes

2. Shoes you can walk in without killing yourself or the shoes,[/quote]
Most lower-end MTB and touring clipless shoes satisfy these points.. they generally have a recessed SPD-compatible cleat mount, which will let you use most mountain pedal systems (SPD, Time ATAC, Eggbeater, etc.)

Quoted post said:

3. Pedals that can be used with or without cleated shoes

4. float

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Dellphinus
[
1. Shoes that look like athletic/hiking/running shoes

2. Shoes you can walk in without killing yourself or the shoes

I have the same requirement. My Shimano look too sleek and are painful after walking a while.

The Specialized Rockhoppers can almost pass as fancy athletic shoes, and are comfortable for walking. After watching my commuter friends wear theirs all day, I tried on a pair and found them to be quite comfortable. I'll get a pair when the shop gets the black/navy color in.

One of my pals uses SPD-cleated sandals and swears that they're the most comfortable things ever. Look like basic Teva sandals.

Quoted post said:

3. Pedals that can be used with or without cleated shoes

4. float

Again, I have the same requirements, as my primary bike is my commuter, and sometimes I just want to run up to the drugstore or something and don't want to change shoes. Of course, if I were wearing cycle shoes as everyday shoes, that would be less of a problem.

I picked up a cheap set of Pyramid pedals, much like the previously mentioned Nashbar Rodeo pedals. In fact, they're probably made by the same folks. Anyway, they were $35, are only meant for recreational riding or spinning, have next to no float, but work just fine for light stuff like rec riding and commuting.

As for a dual use pedal with float, you may consider just using a regular clipless pedal with decent float and a metal platform adapter. I've seen them for under $10 before.

Check this out. Could be an answer:

http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/pedals_clips_straps/14046.html

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Blackberry
Check this out. Could be an answer:

http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/pedals_clips_straps/14046.html

Just saw those today, but at nashbar, where they're $16.99. Not being a huge fan of most online retailers, and being a fan of small bike makers, I'd buy from Rivendell.

I ordered some Lake ATAC pedals from my local shop today because all I ever hear is how they have a good amount of float and lateral movement at a good price. If they suck, I'll try the pedal straps.

I tried the straps, and they're on my commuter. The Time ATAC (sorry, didn't mean to say Lake in previous post) pedals are great, but the versatility of the straps is perfect for a commuter.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Blackberry
Check this out. Could be an answer:

http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/pedals_clips_straps/14046.html

Got a pair of Power Grips as a gift. But they won't fit with my stock pedals (no hole where needed, and can't drill where I need to due to curvature. Ordered a pair of rat traps from Rivendell. We'll see how they work...

I hope they work out for you. I'm sold on them.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Malcontent
I hope they work out for you. I'm sold on them.

Got the pedals today, but it's raining so I couldn't try them out. Managed to go about a half mile during a break, and they feel pretty good.

Got a question for you though...

The instructions for the straps show the bracket mounted to the "reflector" holes in the front of the pedal, and the strap end mounted to the reflector hole closest to the crank. If the strap end is mounted there, it looks like it's keep your foot pushed way out on the pedal, and severly limit where you could place your foot on the platform. I mounted mine to the end of the pedal (parallel to the frame part), and it seems to work fine. How did you attach yours?

Thanks everyone for all the advice/help!
DP