pedal tech basics

en.wikipedia.orgBicycle pedalOpen ↗

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www1.epinions.comcontent 1178116228Open ↗

Here's some very basic basics:

"Real" road pedals have a much larger cleat than the type of pedals and cleats that can be used with mountain bike shoes. People who know more and ride more than I do say this larger cleat/platform combined with good road shoes provides better support and more solid connection.

There are several types of cleats in this category, I know nothing about the + and - of any, except my WAG is that it's mostly a matter of personal preference and that any will work really well. One down side is that these kind of shoes/cleats are kind of difficult to walk in because you have no heel on the shoe and a large cleat under the ball of your foot - not really designed for walking. If you wear your shoes only for biking, it is not a problem. Guys I ride with who wear this sort of shoe/cleat change into the shoes right before they ride and change out of them as soon as they're done.

If you fit this profile, you might try this type of shoe/cleat/pedal.

There are also various types of pedals that use cleats that can be used with mountain bike type shoes - shoes that have a treaded bottom and can be more easily be walked in. The generic term is "SPD type", but actual SPD-compatable pedals aren't the only type. The major difference with "real" road cleats is the size. The mountain cleat could roughly be covered by a US Half Dollar coin, so it is small enough to fit within the tread pattern of mountain biking shoes. That's why you can walk more easily, the cleat doesn't affect the contact betwen your shoe and the ground when you're walking. Road cleats are much larger and totally exposed.

I've only ever used the SPD-type cleat and mountain shoes. I have fairly stiff soled shoes, and have never noticed any problem with lack of stiffness or "hot spots" under foot which might indicate lack of a large enough platform. When I bought them, I more or less tried to find the mountain shoe that looked pretty much like an equivalent road shoe, exept with the treaded sole. (they are Specialized Comp - which comes in a road and mountain version, very similar, moderately priced) I have also never inadvertantly popped out of the pedal - another possible deficiency of this type of cleat. I am not a huge, powerful rider and don't race or sprint. I do stand on the pedals as hard as I can to start up at intersections and get through traffic though. I guess you could call that sprinting.

I have two sets of pedals for these cleats - "road" version which look like road pedals and clip in only on one side and "mountain" pedals which clip in on both sides. I do not think the performance or weight is different in any meaningful way. The mountain pedals are said to be easier because you don't have to flip them up to clip in. However, with about 3 times practice, the road pedals are easy enough to use (similar in difficulty to the old clip/strap pedals - flip them over and get your foot in). I just like the way the road-version looks on a road bike, but like the two sided attachment for mountain biking.

If you want a single pair of shoes for both road and mountain biking, and want the option of reasonably walking in the shoes, this is a good option.

If you decide to buy road pedals, i would advise you to read my story-
Well i just bought my first pair of road pedals/road shoes today. lol funny thing is i fell over about 4 times until i got the hang of them. None of them in dangerous locations. One was on the way onto a trail on the sidewalk of a crosswalk after hitting the cross button to make light change, i was moving over to position myself to cross with my right foot out of the clip. I forgot me left foot was clipped in and fell over on to my left landing on my gulteousmaximus. Perty embarising for a first fall :P. The next was in parkinglot after stoping for a car. Both times i had one foot uncliped and the other clipped. My suggestion is that until you become comfortable with your new pedals, unclip both shoes when stopping instead of one. It will save you the small grin you will give yourself when your on your back with the bike ontop of you and ure just staring at the sky laughing at youself because u fell because your new pedals you did soo much research on just made you fall, i know i did =)
Happy Cycling.....
P.S. in road biking, not all shoes fit with all pedals, make sure you ask if the shoe and pedal are compatable before you buy:p

Thanks for the help, i am not looking to purchase shoes yet, I am more or less looking for info on them because I am a noob to the shoe cleet deal, and I have to sell them at the store I work. I definitly don't want to sell a customer the wrong product. Thanks for all your help.

What are spinning (I think that is it) pedals?

I understand the mtn vs road bike shoe comparison 🙂 , now i just need some info on the key words people say when talking about certain things.

s13hybrid said:

Thanks for the help, i am not looking to purchase shoes yet, I am more or less looking for info on them because I am a noob to the shoe cleet deal, and I have to sell them at the store I work. I definitly don't want to sell a customer the wrong product. Thanks for all your help.

What are spinning (I think that is it) pedals?

I understand the mtn vs road bike shoe comparison 🙂 , now i just need some info on the key words people say when talking about certain things.

That's pretty f#*!d up. People spend time replying to a question thinking they're helping you and you're just using that info to help you at your job!

A job you're not even qualified for! Training your employer should give you!

Woah man sorry, I guess you are right, I am not really qualified for this job, I always ask someone else for info on this subject. And the info they give me isnt as in depth as I had hoped. You have to realize we deal with more than just bike shoes. I have to do car racks, which takes up most of the business, and also kayakes and canoes. I dont get any extra money out of this whole ordeal, it is only for the customers sake. I never want to give them false info and I figured people on here would help me out.

I know plenty about car racks and am learning a lot of kayaking, and I know a good amount of cycle info. I just want to get the technical info down about the cycling part. I don't get paid [censored], and dont get comision on anything I sell.

All I am saying is that this info is basically not for my personal use yet, I have used the basket style pedals my whole life, and havent had any chance of ever learning about clips and the specific shoes and cleets. I have searched and dont come up with much. If you don't want to help out with info thats ok, but please don't think this is for any personal gain other than knowledge.

I am really embarassed that I don't know this info and had hoped that people would try to help me, which they have and I am grateful.

Basically, I already knew most of the information that people have been giving me. I havent been riding in a while, and don't know the knew stuff, and/or slang. Just trying to get back into it, and thought maybe if I just started a thread about basics, people after me could search and find the information without having to ask. I am sorry this thread took a wrong turn and is no longer just informational. I have been in the automotive world learning and learning because I am am interested in that. Know I am also back into bicycling and trying to get into kayaking, and before I spread any information I want to make sure it is correct.

I apologize for not making clear as to my intentions, the place I work is not specificaly a bicycle shop. You have to understand that althought this place is not very judgmental, but I still don't want to look like an idiot in front of my coworkers because I am knew. I figured some of this info is just common knowledge among cyclists, and maybe i just didnt pick it up along the way.

s13hybrid said:

Woah man sorry, I guess you are right, I am not really qualified for this job, I always ask someone else for info on this subject. And the info they give me isnt as in depth as I had hoped. You have to realize we deal with more than just bike shoes. I have to do car racks, which takes up most of the business, and also kayakes and canoes. I dont get any extra money out of this whole ordeal, it is only for the customers sake. I never want to give them false info and I figured people on here would help me out.

I know plenty about car racks and am learning a lot of kayaking, and I know a good amount of cycle info. I just want to get the technical info down about the cycling part. I don't get paid [censored], and dont get comision on anything I sell.

All I am saying is that this info is basically not for my personal use yet, I have used the basket style pedals my whole life, and havent had any chance of ever learning about clips and the specific shoes and cleets. I have searched and dont come up with much. If you don't want to help out with info thats ok, but please don't think this is for any personal gain other than knowledge.

I am really embarassed that I don't know this info and had hoped that people would try to help me, which they have and I am grateful.

Basically, I already knew most of the information that people have been giving me. I havent been riding in a while, and don't know the knew stuff, and/or slang. Just trying to get back into it, and thought maybe if I just started a thread about basics, people after me could search and find the information without having to ask. I am sorry this thread took a wrong turn and is no longer just informational. I have been in the automotive world learning and learning because I am am interested in that. Know I am also back into bicycling and trying to get into kayaking, and before I spread any information I want to make sure it is correct.

I apologize for not making clear as to my intentions, the place I work is not specificaly a bicycle shop. You have to understand that althought this place is not very judgmental, but I still don't want to look like an idiot in front of my coworkers because I am knew. I figured some of this info is just common knowledge among cyclists, and maybe i just didnt pick it up along the way.

Sorry about the previous responder. Some people apparently have a chip on their shoulder.🙄

The only reference I have ever heard to "spinning pedals" is to the cheap, low-quality pedals that are used on stationary exercise bikes. Using one of these bikes is referred to as "spinning". "Spinning" can also be used to describe the technique of using a very low gear to go uphill on a bike as opposed to standing up on the bike and "mashing" down on the pedals. Recumbent cyclists use the spinning method out of necessity.

Yeah I got a little carried away with the reply, I tend to ramble. But I have only heard of the spinning pedals you speek of also. That is why I was semi confused when I had 2 customers on seperate occasions say they wanted to know what type of cleets to buy, because they only had spinning pedals.

But now I am starting to doubt that is actually what they said. Is there something close to something called spinning pedals? I asked a coworker what cleets they needed, and they said they needed mtn bike cleets (happened to be spd). I never thought about asking why, but now he isnt there anymore.

Thanks for any help. 🙂

WoodLark said:

Sorry about the previous responder. Some people apparently have a chip on their shoulder.🙄

The only reference I have ever heard to "spinning pedals" is to the cheap, low-quality pedals that are used on stationary exercise bikes. Using one of these bikes is referred to as "spinning". "Spinning" can also be used to describe the technique of using a very low gear to go uphill on a bike as opposed to standing up on the bike and "mashing" down on the pedals. Recumbent cyclists use the spinning method out of necessity.

I'm sorry if you think the OP was undeserving of my reply. A big problem in retail today, not only cycle shops but in every sector, is under or untrained sales staff and as a result customers leaving empty handed or with merchandise not suited to their needs. Another big problem is shops unloading unsuited and even ill-fitting merchandise to uninformed customers just to unload [censored] and to make a sale. The big loser is always the customer, so buyer beware. Suck it up and get your [censored] together.

s13hybrid said:

But now I am starting to doubt that is actually what they said. Is there something close to something called spinning pedals? I asked a coworker what cleets they needed, and they said they needed mtn bike cleets (happened to be spd). I never thought about asking why, but now he isnt there anymore.

Thanks for any help. 🙂

My guess is the customers are talking about exercise (spin) cycles at a gym. Ever heard of a spin class? Since SPD is the most common type of clipless pedal design, that's probably what the gym has on the exercise bikes. But really, the gym should tell them exactly what cleats to buy.

Xsmoker said:

I'm sorry if you think the OP was undeserving of my reply. A big problem in retail today, not only cycle shops but in every sector, is under or untrained sales staff and as a result customers leaving empty handed or with merchandise not suited to their needs. Another big problem is shops unloading unsuited and even ill-fitting merchandise to uninformed customers just to unload [censored] and to make a sale. The big loser is always the customer, so buyer beware. Suck it up and get your [censored] together.

I agree about some of what you have said. The place I work allows you to return whatever whenever, so if you get the wrong thing no problem. They also would rather you walk out with information and purchase somewhere else then buy the wrong/not needed thing at our store. I am only trying to get information to help with telling the customers the correct information and to help me with purchases of my own later. I even tell the customers to return just to let me know what they thought about the product. The clipless system is a grey area for me, my employer has told me the basics but I wanted to know more. Basically this post wasnt for my sake (until I buy some shoes) but to help the customers I incounter wanting to know what type of cleet to buy for whatever reason. So the buyer dosent have to worry. If you were talking to someone about something at your job and wasnt sure about it, wouldnt you try to go out and retrieve the information to help you better understand something? I am trying to understand if you are mad at me for trying to find the information I need, or if you are mad at the retailer for not giving the information I need.

With that being said, I had no idea that you used the clipless system at the gym. I have never been to a gym before, and always assumed they just used basic cheap disposable pedals. Didn't realize they had gotten so advanced that you needed to go and buy specific cycling shoes. :o Thanks for the info.

Xsmoker said:

I'm sorry if you think the OP was undeserving of my reply. A big problem in retail today, not only cycle shops but in every sector, is under or untrained sales staff and as a result customers leaving empty handed or with merchandise not suited to their needs. Another big problem is shops unloading unsuited and even ill-fitting merchandise to uninformed customers just to unload [censored] and to make a sale. The big loser is always the customer, so buyer beware. Suck it up and get your [censored] together.

I don't disagree with you about the state of merchandising today, but I think you came down a little hard on a guy who was obviously trying to learn something so he could help his customers in spite of his employer.

Based on his latest reply, it sounds like the "spinning pedals" either refer to double-sided platform/spd pedals or his customers are so badly uninformed that they think they can use cleats with platform pedals.

s13hybrid said:

With that being said, I had no idea that you used the clipless system at the gym. I have never been to a gym before, and always assumed they just used basic cheap disposable pedals. Didn't realize they had gotten so advanced that you needed to go and buy specific cycling shoes. :o Thanks for the info.

Some do and some don't. Also, some gyms have exercise bikes with a mix of pedals: platform, toe clip, straps, and clipless.

WoodLark said:

I don't disagree with you about the state of merchandising today, but I think you came down a little hard on a guy who was obviously trying to learn something so he could help his customers in spite of his employer.

touché