Road pedals

[Dumbellina]

I just put the deposit down on my first ever roadie (a Cannondale CAAD8). I bought it because it feels the same as my Cannondale hardtail (F2000), and I want most components to feel similar too - seat, pedals.

I looked at the range of pedals at the shop and confess to knowing nought about them. Only they are single sided and walking will be a little difficult.

Any tips road pedals that maintain the feeling of MTB pedals, in terms of float, ease of entry/exit, etc. Any tips on price as well as they range from $120 for the 105 cheapies to $340 for the Dura Ace, with all kind of Time, Look, Crank Bros in between?

[ozelise]

I just use the same MTB pedals on my roadie as my MTB (Shimano M959). Many advantages:

- one pair of shoes
- can walk in shoes
- more float
- similar weight
- easier to clip in/ unclip

[alchemist]

I'd second that. I use Candys or Quattros on my roadie and Egg Beaters or Mallets on the mtbs.

[DaGonz]

Any tips road pedals that maintain the feeling of MTB pedals, in terms of float, ease of entry/exit, etc. Any tips on price as well as they range from $120 for the 105 cheapies to $340 for the Dura Ace, with all kind of Time, Look, Crank Bros in between?

Don't know what the price was but I just bought CB quattro SL's with my roubaix. Seems to work fine with my shimano 180's and the normal egg beater cleats though the float is a little less mainly because the gap in the shoe is about the same as the grooves on the platform. I think a bit of file or rasp action on the sole would alleviate that some what though.

I was surprised what having that extra platform does for you though over just using egg beaters (as were on the crosser...)

all in all, pretty happy with them but the purchase choice was solely basd on the fact I run eggbeaters on the mountain bikes...

Cheers
Gonz

[Misplaced]

Again, another Crank Brothers groupie.

Quattros on the roadies, candys and mallets on the MTBs.

Same shoes, same cleats

[Grover]

i did the mtb pedal on a road bike thing for a few years. i didn't want to shell out for another set of shoes. now i'm on road pedals i wouldn't go back, a bigger/stiffer interface so a bigger pressure area hence more comfortable and that little bit extra power transfer.

it's not that big a difference and until you experience road pedals you'll be happy with mtb pedals so if you don't want to buy extra shoes go that route.

if you're happy to spend the extra dosh then the best road pedals around IMO are the look keo carbons. lighter than durace and cheaper (especially from pbk).

[ScottD]

I have just changed to proper road shoes and pedals from mtb ones. Its is 100times better. No heel float stiffer and way mor compfortable on longer rides.
I use to ride with SHimano m575 pedals and Specialized body geometry shoes they were good but my new combo of Shimano Ultegra pedals and Shimano Tri shoe is amazing in comparison.

[leitch]

yeah road pedals are waaaaaay better.. if you get a pair of look pedals (Keo, whatever) then get the RED cleats, which still give you some float, but have all the advantages of being a road pedal.

[Sleeman]

Grover has beaton me to it, again. But I would run whatever MTB pedals you have on your F2000, and then if you have the money, get a proper roadie set up, there is a reason they have it. I switch between Look Keo pedals with Carbon soled LG road shoes, and Crank Bros Candy's with LG MTB shoes on my fixed roadie, and the difference is huge.

They only real benifit of the MTB pedals on the roadie is being able to walk in them. The lack of float is not such an issue on the roadie as you are pretty much locked into the same position on the bike anyway.

[alexb618]

i get sore toes/feet when i use mtb pedals on the roadie - will a road pedal such as the look keo with the larger platform combined w/proper road shoes help?

[Dumbellina]

I got a set of Candy SL's at home that are busted up and in need of love. I think I'll service and clean them up first and save for some decent pedals (the Look Keos looks the shit) and good shoes.

[bighitter]

if your planning on clocking up alot of road miles youll definately be doing yourself a huge favour by getting a proper setup.for me i absolutely love my cx6Ti pedals, their a little heavier than the keos but feel so damn right!

[McBain]

MTB shoes on the road suck. Unless you are using top-end carbon soled things, they just flex way too much. Even some carbon soled mtb shoes flex too much for my huuuge power output. :p

Then again, road shoes bite unless you are just clipping in at the start of the ride, and not unclipping until you get home. Walking around in road shoes sucks nuts, and single sided pedals suck even more if you need to unclip at traffic lights or whatever.

I'm currently using Specialized carbon roadie shoes with Crank Bros Quattos (with the road specific egg beater cleats) and they are pretty good (except for falling apart at the wrong time, but that was partly my fault). Double sided and pretty quick to clip into when you are trying to get away from the lights before cars squish you, and not completely horrible to walk around in (for no more than 20m anyway).

[JohnJohn]

A vote here for Speedplay Zeros from someone who has tried most of the major clipless pedal systems over the years (though not the current Times or Look Keos).

Advantages:

Adjustable free float. Don't want float? Screw it right out. Need more inboard float or more outboard? Adjust accordingly. No need to mess about with cleat rotational position.

Double-sided. Easy, therefore, to get into at the lights. Essential, IMO, in a commuting road pedal.

Low axle-sole distance. This just feels more comfortable to me, compared to, say, Crank Bros Quattros that are quite tall.

Relatively light. The pedal itself is very light, which is good for complete-bike weight-weenie bragging rights, but sane people realise the cleat is quite heavy.

Disadvantages:

Absolute sod to walk in. The cleat houses the retention mechanism and so is large and capped with an aluminium plate that is frictionless on many surfaces.

Expensive cleats. Because of above-mentioned mechanism.

[Shrekmeister]

I'd second that. I use Candys or Quattros on my roadie and Egg Beaters or Mallets on the mtbs.

i've just broken a set of eggbeaters and they are less than a year old :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek: :eek: :eek:

not sure how i willl go on the warranty :confused: :confused:

now also to decide on another set of pedals..... :confused: :confused:

[Bodin]

A vote here for Speedplay Zeros

I'll be getting these for my new road bike (http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=60435). I'm over "traditional" road pedals and wanting to try something new. Every pair of CB pedals (egg-bleaters, candy, etc, etc...) I've ever used suck horrendous quantities of dogs' balls for entry/exit consistency and durability and unless you're a total weight-weenie and are sponsored by them, I'd never bother.

[King Knobby]

I reckon that unless you're doing mega miles its best to use the same peddles as on your mtb, but buy good stiff mtb shoes. I use Time ATAC peddles and carbon soled Shimano shoes and dont notice any difference from when I used to use Time road peddles and proper road shoes. Except I only need one pair of shoes and cleats last longer and theyre easier to walk in and its easier to clip in and ...

[mtb1611]

Road pedals for sure. I've been riding a road and mtb on different pedals/shoes combo for more than 10 years. Initially started with spd's and Shimano mtb shoes on the roadie but a mate leant me some spare Look pedals and shoes to give it a go. Never went back. There's no need for the same degree of float on a road pedal and quite frankly I never saw the "can't walk in road shoes" argument to make much sense: I use sneakers, leather shoes, boots or thongs to walk in, and use cycling shoes to ride in ;) The power transfer on road shoes is infinitely better and in my humble opinion cannot even be compared to a mtb shoe/pedal combo in this regard, they're that far ahead. I'm currently using the Shimano R540 road pedals that came on my Giant TCR 2 with Gaerne shoes and love them. They've got a tad more float than Looks tend to and the cleat is actually less obtrusive making the shoes easier to walk in (in case I lose all of my footwear and have to wear them to work or to walk down the shop.....:D ).

Regarding comments re CB mtb pedals, I've had a pair of Eggbeater C's for a couple of years now. Only drama I've had is that recently one of them self-destructed (mid-ride of course) and I had to purchase a rebuild kit. Problem was that the outer casing of the roller bearing had become mis-shapen and I had to get an engineer mate to actually drill the bloody thing out before I could fit the new bearing. Other than that I've had no dramas, but I think it may almost be time for a set of new cleats, although that's due simply to normal wear and tear.