Dfarr2010

I'm just starting to get into cycling and bought a Tommaso Monza last year and love it so far. However, I need to upgrade to clipless pedals and shoes. I don't get to ride very often and don't want to spend a lot. I have a few stupid questions. Obviously all pedals are different and I can research what is good or bad, but will pretty much any clipless pedals fit on my bike? Also, do all road shoes pretty much fit all road pedals or do certain shoes only fit certain types of pedals? If anyone has any shoe/pedal combination suggestions that would be appreciated. It seems that most bike shops i go into have a very small selection and usually the latest gear which is more expensive. Any good suggestions for an online resource to buy older model shoes/pedals at a discount? Thanks for your help.

climber7

1. any pedals should fit on the bike.

2. not all shoes fit all pedals. there are two cleat types: SPD (two-hole design) and SPD-SL/Look-type (three-hole design). there are also speedplays, which i believe are a four-hole cleat, but i think you can get an adapter for those. choose a pedal based on your riding style and then choose a shoe that is compatible with that pedal/cleat type. for example, mountain bike and some sport road pedals are SPD. these are easier if you're going to be clipping in and out and/or walking around a lot. if you're more concerned about riding and pedaling efficiency, then you should get real road pedals, which are pretty much all three-hole designs. examples include shimano 105/ultegra/dura-ace, look keo, speedplay, etc.

i use ultegra pedals with shimano shoes and love them, but i think you'll get lots of support for most kinds. you can get 105 pedals for about $60 online, i think, so you can definitely do this without breaking the bank. shoes might be a little more.

as for shoes, you really need to try some on and figure out what size and type are comfortable for you. and remember to make sure they're compatible with the pedals you want.

mvnsnd

As stated above there are really two ( three ) type of systems, road SPD-SL or Look 3-hole style, or mountain SPD 2-hole style. I think the SPD style will cost less overall to get into as SPD style shoes can cost less and entry level pedals are similar in costs.

No shame in running SPD's on a road bike, especially if you plan to do any walking off the bike. It's harder to walk in road shoes.

Finding shoes that fit is going to be the issue as all manufacturers shoe sizes are a bit different and the feel of the shoe will be different. Try on some different manufacturer shoes and write down the size that fit the best. Then look at other offerings on-line.

himespau 

if price is a major concern, it looks like pricepoint.com has some shoe/pedal combos that are pretty affordable. Can't vouch for long term quality, though.

gladiator13

I picked up these shoes and pedals to go with my new bike and I'm loving them. The shoes fit great and the pedals are awesome. Really good deal on Jenson. I would have paid more for just the pedals and my local big box store.

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...d+Shoe+09.aspx

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...700+Pedal.aspx

It was pretty easy to get used to as well. I've only been out a little bit on them but I did practice at home a bit, then road circles in the driveway and now I'm just going to tighten the tension a bit more as I get more comfortable to avoid accidentally unclipping while riding.

himespau 

I have the SPD (mountain bike) version of that shoe and really like it as well.

gladiator13

I looked into those as well but figured I might as well go all out and I'm dealing with the funny walking. I don't get off the bike much though so its not a big deal.

tknesel

Some people find the SPD style easier to work with since you can clip in / out of both sides of the pedal vs. the other styles that need to be oriented properly to clip - but you can get used to either with a little practice. I had almost 800 miles on my new road bike before I *finally* installed my clipless pedals. I am so much happier! I was able to grab a pair of Specialized shoes and Mavic Sport pedals for $100 new at a swap meet last fall. The biggest difference I noticed is that my foot is positioned properly for optimum power transfer whereas with the toe clips and tennis shoes my foot was positioned too far back so I was pedaling "on my toes" which really affected my climbing. I also much prefer the greater contact area of the 3 hole design - it feels more solid to me - but there are some really strong riders in my group that have no problem with SPD or other smaller styles like Crank Brothers or Speedplay. Walking around is a little tricky but you can adapt. It's trickiest on the slick floors at the coffee shops on my route. Congrats on the bike and enjoy!

brettlynch11

I am brand new to road biking and got Speedplay Light Action pedals put on my bike right away. I use them with Specialized Elite Road Shoes, and would definitely recommend them.

Then again, like I said, my experience is limited. The worker at the LBS said he has raced with them for a while, but is switching to the speedplay zeros because he had his shoes coming loose from the pedals during hard sprints.

Clipped_in

I have put about 20k miles on my Eggbeaters and I love them. Four-sided entry is a beautiful thing. I hear people worry about pressure points on the soles of the feet but it just isn't an issue if you have a good stiff sole shoe. Sidi's are my preference.

Good luck with whatever you decide!