Road Bike Saddle and Pedals and Cycling Shoes

[Rughi]

Okay Tim, here is what I believe is really important:

If there were only one warning that utility, commute, recreational or casual cyclists could hear, it should be that the experience of racing has nothing to do with what their experience will be. Don't base your comfort on an image, any image (including my recommendation, if you think of it as solely image).

Setting aside my recommendation, the "biz" talk about Terry saddles was real world, and that's the part of all this that I can respect. And please read Sheldon Brown, his was one of the wisest voices in cycling. I miss Sheldon.

Roger

 

[kongjie]

Ha, I'm glad I casually mentioned shorts. You've got to get a pair or two before you evaluate saddles. I only commute about 10 miles a day and padded shorts even make that short distance a lot more enjoyable. I said "chamois" but I just meant padded, as there are lots of synthetic alternatives these days.

I have what they insultingly call a "comfort bike" and I can attest that padded bike shorts + a very firm Terry saddle is much more comfortable than no padding and a soft and wide "comfort" saddle with a lot of spongy gel.

 

[wilsonent]

I used to live in Indy, and the bike shop in Broadripple was excellent at the time. I moved away in 1998, so they may not still be there. If they are, talk to the guys who work there. You can't go wrong with that place.

 

[TimmyBoston]

I used to live in Indy, and the bike shop in Broadripple was excellent at the time. I moved away in 1998, so they may not still be there. If they are, talk to the guys who work there. You can't go wrong with that place.

That shop (the bike line) has a location in Carmel, which is really close to me and where I have been doing my business. Thanks for the reinforcement!

 

[TimmyBoston]

I'm also in the need of clipless pedals and cycling shoes. I have a good friend who recommended I get a setup for a mountain bike and hook use that instead of road setup on my road bike. He recommended this both because the cost of the entry level equipment is cheaper and mountain cycling shoes are easier to walk in.

Cost is a major factor here, I need to keep it down as much as possible. (I had no idea how expensive this would be ) I'm only looking for entry level gear, nothing fancy and since my local bike shop only has very expensive stuff I'm looking to order online. What do you guys recommend to get me started?

PS: I will also be looking into shorts. I didn't know they actually made a difference. Thanks for letting me know that, guys. I probably wouldn't have ever looked at them if you all hadn't mentioned them here.

 

[jazzman]

The Bike Nashbar catalog/website has good 8-panel shorts for little money.

Terry's men's saddle with cutout has done the trick for me.

Clipless pedals with the Shimano design are easy to learn, and you will always be able to find compatible gear. (But try not to fall over when you stop while learning how to use clipless pedals.)

 

[Mysterion]

For recreational riders, mountain-style pedals make good sense, for precisely the reasons your friend outlined. As far as shoes go, comfort is going to be your deciding factor. This may seem obvious, but I've encountered way too many folks who put up with discomfort because they figure bike shoes are somehow distinct from every day footwear. This is an area where you really need to shop locally, not online--you're just going to need to try out some different options to see what's comfortable.

Some good manufacturers of mid- and lower-end shoes:

Diadora
Specialized
Lake

An inexpensive pair of generic pedals will be perfectly adequate for you to start. You can probably score these cheaply by going to your local bike shop, and asking if they have any "take off" pedals. Most shops have bins of stuff that has been removed from new bikes to suit buyers' requests. Obviously, it gets sold off cheaply, even though it's essentially new. This is also a good way to find a saddle, as these frequently get swapped out.

Finally, apologies for any feathers I may have ruffled with my flip commentary on Brooks saddles, and the riders who love them. No offense intended, fellas.

 

[moonshine44]

I can highly recommend the Specialized Taho mountain bike shoes, but definitely buy your shoes locally, or at least try some on locally then if you need to, buy them over the Internet once you find the shoe you like.

The Shimano mountain bike pedals are great too. I have the M520, and they're great pedals. Nashbar has them on sale right now, too...

 

[Brodirt]

On shoes and pedals:

Shoes should be what fits best. Do not set a price limit. An uncomfortable pair of shoes will ruin everything else that you enjoy about cycling. Go to your LBS and try on as many pairs as you can.

I will add this, the stiffer the shoe the better the performance. In my experience this performance comes with very little loss of comfort as well, provided that the shoe fits properly otherwise. This means that if you find a shoe that fits you very well from producer A, if that producer offers that shoe with a composite sole or with a carbon fiber sole, the carbon fiber sole will perform better. It will cost more as well. Some people have complained that it took a few rides to get used to the extra stiffness of a carbon soled shoe and their arches were a bit sore.

On pedals:

You need to make a major choice first, and that is if you want to wear a road shoe, one with little to no lugging or a mountain bike shoe with lugging. The difference being ease of walking when off the bike.

Your choice on that issue will limit your choice in pedal systems. You cannot use MTB type shoes with Speedplay, Look, Shimano SPD SL, Time and several other road pedal systems.

This is important because many people find that the pedal with the largest platform contact area provides for the greatest amount of long term comfort.

So, while I would say that a Crank Brothers Egg Beater is a great pedal for people new to clipless pedals because of its ease of entry 4-sided system and adaptability to either road or mountain type shoes, I would also tell you that it is a horribly uncomfortable pedal to use on long rides.

I recommend the Look Keo pedal for ease of entry (even though only 1 sided) and exit, as they are very intuitive and for their relatively large pedal platform. Without bells and whistles they can be pretty cheap too. You can't use MTB style shoes with them though.

If you must use MTB style shoes than I recommend either Shimano SPDs (but their platform is kinda small), or Crank Brothers Quattro road pedals, although you would still have to be careful with the interface with MTB style shoes with these. You can, and I have, cut lugs off MTB style shoes to make pedal interface work better.

 

[bro-ham]

I am a fan of the WTB saddle shape, and the price is usually pretty good. I also like the Crank Brothers Smarty Pedals.

If you are new to clipless, practice in the grass, nothing worse than falling over on the pavement still clipped into the pedals. That said, it only takes a few minutes to learn.

 

[RazorDingo]

I'm also in the need of clipless pedals and cycling shoes. I have a good friend who recommended I get a setup for a mountain bike and hook use that instead of road setup on my road bike. He recommended this both because the cost of the entry level equipment is cheaper and mountain cycling shoes are easier to walk in.

Clipless pedals and shoes will make any cycling you do much more efficient than platform pedals and street shoes.

To begin with, cycling shoes have much stiffer soles, which means that as your foot pushes down on the pedal, all of the energy goes into moving the bike forward, rather than flexing the sole. You also get the benefit of the upward stroke. Its hard to put a hard number on the benefit clips and cycling shoes make - but it certainly feels like a lot.

The advice about mountain bike shoes and pedals for commuting/utility cycling is spot on. I have a pair of Lake mtn bike shoes and pedals, and I quite frequently wear these into a grocery store I pass on the way home. The mountain bike shoes allow me to walk quite comfortably, since they have rubber soles that make good contact with the floor. If I try wearing my roadbike shoes, I make an annoying "clicking" noise, and I walk with an odd "toes-up" gait.

I'd suggest you look at Nashbar. I'd also recommend a fairly "standard" clipless style like SPD. You "may" want to consider a style of pedal that has clipless on one side, and platform on the other - in case you ever want to ride your bike in street shoes. But Nashbar has some great "budget" options available.

 

[syzygy]

I'm a WTB guy and have a Speed V which is great. I use a much lighter on my commuter - proper cycling shorts really make a huge difference. I am, unfortunately off the bike for a while - I broke my scapula on a fantastic crash last week which has also put a damper on my straight razor shaves - I'm stuck with the DE for now! Not so bad I guess, things could be worse, sort of.

 

[BrightFutur]

I have had nothing but success with Shimano R-540 pedals. They are *very* easy for a rider who is new to clipless pedals to use (I used them and the shoes, the very first time, on a 55 mile training ride. Fell once at a stop light because I didn't clip out in time. Was fine on the journey and absolutely golden on the climb!)

Here are the pedals on my race bike

Front:

Back:

And here are my training shoes that are set up for them ATM (Forgive the dirt. Just got back from a long ride)

Underside:

Side:

You could definitely use the pedals without the shoes, though its a little rough at first, I've done some 10 or 12 mile commutes shoe-less when I needed to. Hills are no fun without that up-stroke though!


I know that Shimano-SPD offers a combination pedal that has a platform with an SPD clip inside of it. And they also offer a running shoe with an SPD clip recessed inside of it.

I don't know if the two will actually work together though, as I seem to remember the SPD portions being recessed in both? But it is a definite option if you want to have something that's more versatile.

 

[perry]

(I had no idea how expensive this would be )

You ain't kiddin! I left the shop with my bike, water bottles & cages, helmet, and shorts.. Man o man, it's only gotten worse! Floor pump, minipump, patch kit, extra tubes, saddle bag, multiool, helmet.. and now I'm thinking shoes and pedals too... blah blah blah.. Worse than wet shaving!

I decided to order some bibs from love2pedal.com today. Around $35 shipped, 30 day test ride guarantee.. Seems like a good way to ease my way in to the bibs. The owner is active on bike forums and folks seem to like em, so...