Awesomeman0524

HI all,
Recently my mom bought me a new road bike with drop bars for me to ride around and work out in the process. Currently i am riding with sneakers. But as I am getting better I started riding faster, Which my feet ended up slipping off my cheapo plastic pedals. I am also getting pretty tired when my shoes bend. However, I don't know which pedals to buy. I can either buy some nice double sided clipless pedals with cage on one side and clipless on another side, or a metal cage pedals with mtb shoes.
Of course, the second combination is around 20$ cheaper, but i feel like the first combination will be cheaper in the long run. But here's another issue. I am not riding on carriageways. So i don't know if clipless is necessary. Also, as a commuter, I will constantly get on and off the bike. So road bike shoes with cleats may not be comfortable to walk in. Advices? Thanks!
p.s. I will be buying b twin shoes online. It is embarrassing for me to walk in to a bike shop because I am overweight.

mrodgers

Personal opinion that isn't common here but, for commuting and constantly getting off the bike or at least constantly stopping and putting your foot down, I would do mountain bike platform pedals with the pins to hold your feet on. I don't commute, but find myself riding more in traffic with stop signs and stoplights more often that the past so I bought mountain bike pedals. I love them far better than the toe clips (cages) that I had on with regular basic metal pedals. My feet don't move at all.

This is what I got but there are many different varieties from different manufacturers....

Forté Convert Platform Pedals

RubeRad

I would also recommend pinned platforms. They do a good job of spreading pressure, so that they work even with soft soles. That way you don't need to buy special shoes AND pedals.

I rode clipless for years, but when my shoes wore out, I decided to just switch to platforms rather than shop for new shoes for my crazy wide feet.

I found this article very helpful.

There are many good options, if the pins are threaded/replaceable, that's a good sign that the overall quality of the pedal is good. The pedals I ended up with for my wife & I were Wellgo MG-1 and MG-3. Each pair was just a little over $20 from eBay.

the sci guy 

Answer in this post: https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...l#post18734450

fietsbob

Road shoes you stay on the bike and ride all day. SPuD type you get off when the trail gets Gnarly, though some like them for touring,


Platform pedals You wear the shoes you are comfortable wearing for the rest of your day.


How many stoplights and stop sign intersections on Your commute route daily?

KD5NRH

Clips and straps for typical commuting and utility. On a road bike, I'd probably go for clipless, but I like being able to just get on the bike in whatever I happen to be wearing. Only had one pair of steel toe work boots that wouldn't fit in my cheap clips.

CliffordK

Get over it.
There are lots of cyclists that are different sizes. If your bike shop doesn't cater to people of all sizes, shapes, and colors, then find a better shop.

It is a lot easier to try shoes on in a shop. The only reason to go online is if you buy at a discount (E-Bay), or there is a particular line that your local shop doesn't carry (winterized boots?) Even so, cycling shoes are somewhat different than street shoes and there may be a learning curve to find what you like.

Your shop should also give you some help starting getting clipped in and clipped out. Mine offered training sessions on rollers.

Toe Clips aren't a bad option to give you some pedal retention, but allow casual shoes. I've ridden them with casual shoes for years.

I've recently converted to SPD pedals, and won't go back. For me it was toe clips or SPDs, no "flats", so there was no need for double-sided cage/SPD pedals. Others like those with both options.

For errands an walking around stores, SPDs are fine. If you are off the bike for a day at a time, then perhaps find a way to leave casual walking shoes at work, or carry them with you.

SouthFLpix

I agree with the above, platforms are good for commuting. If you want to go on longer rides, brevets and such, I recommend road shoes and pedals. They are stiffer and harder to walk in, but they have a larger surface area and are better at preventing numbness or hot spots on long rides.

KD5NRH

I used to hang out with a camera around mile 60 of a local metric century to get some good shots of people really giving it all they have to finish the race. I was amazed at the number of overweight retirees still hammering along in 95F heat.

GovernorSilver

If the bike shop makes fun of you for being overweight or otherwise makes you uncomfortable (by their behavior, not just your imagination), then don't spend money there. Go to another bike shop.

Walter S

I ride with steel toe-clips and a pair of Merrell bike shoes. These are as good as clipless for long rides IMO. Tennis shoes make my feet tired if I'm pushing hard at all.

Papa Tom

Platform pedals with pins! After years of riding with cages, ruining all my shoes, and stressing out every time I had to stop and go and get my feet into and out of them, I switched to Odyssey Twisted PC platform pedals (about $15-20 set - nothing fancy, just what the bike shop had on the shelf) and I will never go back.

I ride in sneakers and I use these for commuting, "tours," and everything else. Don't overthink it. Just put a set on and go.

RubeRad

Wow, those odysseys are plastic (although they look sturdy enough). How well do the 'pins' bite? They're just molded along with the whole structure, right? The plus of sharp, replaceable threaded metal pins, is really good sharp bite, so your shoes hold on. The minus is, really sharp bite, so it can really dig into your shins if you're not careful...

Papa Tom

Yes, they are cheap, basic pedals that work great. I have never been a gearhead, so maybe I'm missing some perfectly rational explanation as to why I should be using pedals that cost ten times more and are made by some company with a French or Italian name. But I defy anyone to show me a pedal that will add a single ounce more enjoyment to my rides.

RubeRad

Well, I enjoy feeling how well my sneakers grip on my Wellgo MG-1 pedals, they're made of (or at least with) magnesium, and only cost me like $22 off eBay. However, I don't know how much enjoyment weighs, so I'm not sure if it is an ounce or not.

tjspiel

I have a slight preference for clipless pedals and cycling shoes for my 6 mile commute but that preference gets stronger as the distance I'm riding gets longer. That preference can also be tempered by inconvenience.

For the last few years I've been riding a fixie with "campus" pedals. These pedals are platform on one side and clipless on the other. They are ideal for me during the fair weather months. If I happen to forget to put my cycling shoes on when I walk outside in the morning on my way to work, I'll just ride in my sneakers. If I were riding 20 miles, I'd go back in and get my cycling shoes.

In your case, since you said you're getting on and off the bike constantly, clipless pedals and cycling shoes may not be worth the hassle. Some types of cycling shoes aren't bad to walk around in though, - they tend to be SPD type.

Papa Tom

Clever reply! The point is simply that, for me, while different size tires or a more comfortable saddle might make a difference in my ride, the difference between a $15 platform pedal and any other platform pedal would be negligible. I just enjoy being on the bike too much to worry about certain things.

The Wellgos are the silver ones, right? I have a pair of those around the house, but they are the wrong size for my bike. Cool and pretty rugged-looking, though.

Blue_Bulldog

I think honestly, it depends on how you're going to commute and what the road situation is like. For a 5 mi commute from the train station to the office, I was on my road bike and wore my clipless. Honestly, I like riding fast. Not only because riding fast rules, but because in Orange County, CA... it helps for when you have to hop out of the bike lane into a left turn lane, or when there's no bike lane, or something like that. When you're around cars, it helps to keep up with the flow of traffic best you can and I found being clipped in gave me the speed to do that. It'll take you some time to get used to flicking out of the pedals at a red light or stop sign, but eating it at >1mph at a stop sign in front of a blonde in a convertible is just something every cyclist has to go through.

I have a pair of cleat covers that I snap on when I'm off the bike, walking to/from the train, car, or office, or any other time I have to walk. These are like $15 and worth every penny. I carry my shoe shoes in my backpack, along with my change of clothes for the office.

That being said, if you're taking a shorter commute, or are in an area where you can leisurely ride without declaring Mortal Kombat against cagers, by all means, use platform or MTB pedals... if you find them comfortable.

This hyper judgemental pretentious bike shop in your town, should probably have some sort of loaner program. I know a lot of LBS that do and a lot that don't, so maybe inquire with the Judgey McJudgeersons that run that shop. See if you can ride a week with one and a week with the other. They might not, since they think everyone needs to be built like Chris Froome, but the chances are good. They do this with saddles a lot, and it stands to reason they'd have some tester pedals there.

ThermionicScott 

One of the reasons I really like clipless (or strapped pedals of some kind) for commuting is that it makes it easier to pull one crank up into the 2 o'clock starting position than taking your foot off and nudging the pedal upward from below.

RubeRad

They come in lots of colors, I've got one pair in black, and one pair in a dull silvery-grey

RubeRad

I realized that pretty quickly when I switched back to platforms, but I got pretty used to giving the pedal just a little flick (nudge) to get it into position. I do like being able to just start pushing immediately, rather than gambling with the 90% chance of successfully clipping in on the first try.

ThermionicScott 

Were you unclipping both feet? (And why? )

PaulRivers

As others said, I'd suggest pedals with pins. I wear Chrome Kursk's (shoes) and use (Edit) Specialized Bennies for pedals.

For something cheaper VP Components VP-Vice Pedals are good to:
https://www.amazon.com/VP-Components-.../dp/B006ZH1H7M


Regarding clipless vs cage, I would personally never do cage. They're the worst option for being able to get your foot out in an emergency - worse than flats obviously, but worse than clipless as well. I wouldn't recommend cages to anyone - either go with flats with pins, or go with clipless, I really really don't like cages for safety reasons.

RubeRad

Specialized Bennies?

PaulRivers

Yup!