Shoes and Pedals

I started with the Crank Bros Mallet C's; they gave me the chance to unclip in technical sections I wasn't comfortable with, then moved on to their Eggbeaters.

As far as shoes go I'd look into more of a tennis shoe style w/SPD compatibility. They're comfortable to walk in for those sections you're not comfortable or able to ride.

All of course is my own personal experience, others may vary.

kevin english said:

I started with the Crank Bros Mallet C's; they gave me the chance to unclip in technical sections I wasn't comfortable with, then moved on to their Eggbeaters.

As far as shoes go I'd look into more of a tennis shoe style w/SPD compatibility. They're comfortable to walk in for those sections you're not comfortable or able to ride.

All of course is my own personal experience, others may vary.

Kevin,

Thanks for the quick reply...Where did you get them? How hard is it at first to get used to being clipped in? Have you ever fallen over because you forgot to/how to unclip?

Crank brothers and Time pedals have got a good reputation for mud shedding and being reliable in all conditions, Shimano used to be really bad when dirty but they have new pedals out that are meant to be much better.

The type of shoe and pedal you buy will be determined by the sprt of riding you do, for racing you want a stiffer shoe but if its just for fun rides where you might have to walk then you may want to look at softer shoes.

Many times, in fact I just put new cleats on my shoes this weekend and took a couple of tumbles. Bad hip bruise, but not much else. I've found that pedal induced spills happen at slow speed so it's more like falling over than actually crashing. Miraculously, when you endo or spill at speed, you will unclip without trying.

I can't remember where I got the pedals but I know thery're out their cheaper now. Several places have them for about $70, try www.supergo.com or www.airbomb.com, but I thought I saw an add the other day where someone had 'em for about $50. (Had to be either MountainBike Action or Dirt Rag.) As far as shoes goes I recommend strongly getting those from your LBS to make sure you get a good fit.

Can't go wrong with Shimano in terms of price and durability. Sure the eggbeaters are nice, but also expensive. For a 'newbie' who's just wanting to try them out, Shimano's are great as they have easy entry. Only thing is they are not terrific in the mud. Get a pair which has a cage around the pedal like the PD-M545 or PD-M424.

As for shoes, probably go a casual pair as you are not after the stiffness of a racing pair. Comfort is top priority!