Newbie needs advise on pedal types

anthonyjf said:

Looking to upgrade clip pedals on my Trek 1000, but what's up with all the different styles - SPD, SPD-R, TIME, LOOK????? Ride mainly on asphalt roads (no climbs in New Orleans, LA) about 50 miles/week. Need advise on what type of pedal to buy. Thanks.

I use to ride look 3.1 pedals, they were nice but I hated the float on them. They are designed to let the back side fall down so the toe is facing up. I found that every time I had to clip in I was paying more attention to the pedal than the road, plus I felt like when your clipped in it's a little rough on the knees. I switched to Speedplay x2 pedals and LOVE them. They are extremely easy to clip in, plus I have zero knee pain. I highly recommend them. Hope this helps you😄

anthonyjf said:

Looking to upgrade clip pedals on my Trek 1000, but what's up with all the different styles - SPD, SPD-R, TIME, LOOK????? Ride mainly on asphalt roads (no climbs in New Orleans, LA) about 50 miles/week. Need advise on what type of pedal to buy. Thanks.

Depends on how much walking you do with your bike , most people use Look but the cleats wear real fast if you do any walking on them . Touring cyclists tend to use SPD´s for that reason - recessed cleats , but you do need to oil them now and then but SPD´s can usually be found quite cheaply and the cleats do last a good long time ( you can even switch left for right to get even more life out of them ) and being designed for off road use can cope with a fair amount of dirt etc .
Hell of a problem , so much choice - so go for something simple to start with as it may not suit you and it´s stupid to pay a fortune with out having the experience to know what you do ( and don´t ) want or need : I have SPD but that´s due to a duff foot / ankle that stops me using look type pedals .

good luck

el Inglés said:

Depends on how much walking you do with your bike , most people use Look but the cleats wear real fast if you do any walking on them . Touring cyclists tend to use SPD´s for that reason - recessed cleats , but you do need to oil them now and then but SPD´s can usually be found quite cheaply and the cleats do last a good long time ( you can even switch left for right to get even more life out of them ) and being designed for off road use can cope with a fair amount of dirt etc .
Hell of a problem , so much choice - so go for something simple to start with as it may not suit you and it´s stupid to pay a fortune with out having the experience to know what you do ( and don´t ) want or need : I have SPD but that´s due to a duff foot / ankle that stops me using look type pedals .

good luck

I've had really good luck with Speedplay pedals. They have some of the best float out there and are one of the lightest pedals. I've used SPD and Shimano dura ace pedals similar to Look and I'm happy with the Speedplay!

el Inglés said:

Depends on how much walking you do with your bike , most people use Look but the cleats wear real fast if you do any walking on them . Touring cyclists tend to use SPD´s for that reason - recessed cleats , but you do need to oil them now and then but SPD´s can usually be found quite cheaply and the cleats do last a good long time ( you can even switch left for right to get even more life out of them ) and being designed for off road use can cope with a fair amount of dirt etc .
Hell of a problem , so much choice - so go for something simple to start with as it may not suit you and it´s stupid to pay a fortune with out having the experience to know what you do ( and don´t ) want or need : I have SPD but that´s due to a duff foot / ankle that stops me using look type pedals .

good luck

Thanks for the great advise - just what I was looking for. Next question: What's up with the shoe sizes??? 40 - 50?? Is there some kind of conversion chart or something??

anthonyjf said:

Thanks for the great advise - just what I was looking for. Next question: What's up with the shoe sizes??? 40 - 50?? Is there some kind of conversion chart or something??

Yes, maybe someone else knows it. The sizes run in metric. I have a size 10-10.5 foot depending on brand, my cycle shoes are 43's. If your buying online from a shop they usually have a chart or your local bike shop can size you up!