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Switching to clip in's - need advice
I had a nice stack a month ago after slipping off my pedal while doing the oaks so I'm convinced I need clip in's now 
I'm looking for something reasonably priced that can take a beating, the shimano 540's came up as a good all round pedal and then I started looking at the crank bros. The thing I like about the crank bros range is the design appears to be well suited to riding in mud as they look like they won't get clogged up. Im interested to know what others think would be a good place to start. I also looked at the shimano 545 with the built in platform but not sure what the disadvantages of this type of pedal is, I just liked the idea of being able to ride the bike down to the shops without getting my riding shoes on.
I'm also up in the air about shoes so if anyone has any tips it would be great. I am beginning to think this is going to be a case of which shoe feels best but if there is something else I should be looking at please let me know.
Anyhow is anyone has the time to share some experiences of their switch to clip ins it would be much appreciated.
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I'd go some Shimano to begin - the 540 are a good mid-range choice. To be honest I don't think you should worry about mud, I find Shimano easier to get in/out of over Crank Bros so that advantage beats any mud clearing you might loose (and I'm not convinced that's much).
I started off with some 'trainer' like shoes (like the Shimano MT31) and while OK found the more solid soled, 'proper' cycling style shoes better. Funny that - shoes that are designed for cycling are better for... erm... cycling
Anyhow - am now using Shimano 181 or Northwave Aerator depending on bike and like the Northwave more as they are wider fitting for my fat hoofs.
You can have my black Crankbros Candy's (with cleats for your shoes) for $60. Cost about $120 or something. Hardly used.
id go the shimano's as well ive rode them for years and ive never had any problems with mud etc and clicking in and release has always been smooth.. shimano shoes are also great and have proven to be very durable go for a stiffer sole thats more ride specific as you dont want a shoe thats to flexy and get something with replaceable metal toe studs as these will wear down in time if you do alot of hike a bike plus they dig in and give you great traction whilst carrying or pushing your bike over obsticles or hills,, just remember when sizing not to go to small as your feet expand whilst riding from the heat and bloodflow and you dont want that cramped feeling wich can become painfull. also keep your cleats nice and tight so you dont get any play .once you get used to them you will wonder how you ever did without them.. your feet will only come off when you want them to and your pedaling power efficiency will increase with the upstroke..
the dual side with the pedal platforms are a good idea but on the trail they can become very annoying as you will find yourself constantly flipping them trying to get a lock in, it can be very frustrating on technical stuff and hills.. i normaly swap my pedals over or if im feeling lazy il just ride on the spds its a bit uncomfortable with sneakers but its worth the trade off... thats my peice happy trails mate good luck
520s and think they are GREAT! have no idea what i had before but I didn't like them as much... dangersean raves about time atac - whatever they are and pikey and ben have them too... not sure about the quick release like the 520s on those though!
After using both Shimano SPD's and Crank Brothers I would recommend crank brothers for sure.
Yes they may take a little to get used to for clipping in, I find them a breeze for getting out of (but only when I want too !!)
Much lighter as well (not that makes a heap of difference).
Simple no fuss pedal. I actually like the Crank Brothers Candy, because you still have some sort of platform for those difficult times when you still need to unclip.
Noal - If snwbrd doesn't pick up the Candy's that you have on offer let me know. Would be happy to pick them up for my hardtail which currently has SPD pedals.
Dicko
Time ATACs.....costs a bit more but I like them a lot more than the SPDs I used before.
One thing to remember is that Time ATAC and Crank Bros will eat the bottom of your shoes unless you use sole protectors. See here:
http://nobmob.com/node/10069
Snwbrd, When I started off just over 2 years ago I went straight to clip ins using Shimano SPDs. I had so many silly stacks due to not being able to unclip etc. I probably could have slackened off the tension and I did eventually although I still never felt 100% confident in them. Then when I got the new bike I got crank brothers mallets (basically egg beaters in a frame) and use them with Shimano M182 shoes. Personally I find Crank brothers so much easier to unclip from and have much more confidence as a result.
So I would recommend those but it's all down to personal preference. Perhaps get the basic options of both and try them out. I think basic SPDs are not very expensive.
I'd stay away from the M545 - with that design system with the plate straight under the cleat, mud clearance will definitely be a problem.
Basically they're an M515 with a pedal around them, and I found the M515's scary: unexpected clipouts mid-air mid-jump. Not fun.
I found the M520's much better. Good mud clearance, no unexpected clipouts, don't chew up the bottom of your shoe. Can be set very loose on the tension without unexpected clipouts. Been using them a couple of years now. The M540's suggested by other posters will only be better again.
ridden with shimano and found that as they were making my knees sore- no float
tried crnk bros and they ate my soles. bearins are not the greatest either
got a set of time atac. sound. easy to unclip, super durable. have bought a second pair for the next bike.
@organicrye: I have fussier knees than most, I find mine (M520s) have more than adequate float. Were you using the right cleats / did you have them aligned correctly? Not arguing, just surprised.
Torpedo 7 has shoes and pedals for $89 at the moment - http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/EXSSPN932
IMHO buy the best you can - I have used a bunch of different Shimano pedals and have mates who have used Cranks and got tired of them eating their shoes, among other things. They have all changed to Shimano's.
I bought a pair of XTR's (M970) a year or so ago and they are the ducks nuts.. never clog, positive action, adjustable float, easy in and out, no sign of wearing out.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/s/cycle/7/xtr_pedals
XT's (M540) are pretty much the same just a bit heavier.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_PD-M54...
you won't regret spending the extra - it will just save you upgrading in 6 months.
My 2c worth.
Mark
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experience is something you get right after you need it
Thanks everyone I really appreciate the advice. I'm leaning towards the Shimano's at this stage but might take noels offer on those crank bros so I can at least try them out without spending too much on new ones.
Now I just need to find some shoes I like
Every time mate! They're the shizzle
I've said it plenty of times before here: http://nobmob.com/search/node/phil%20crank%20bros
+1 for Time ATACs. I started with the Shimano M545s when learning and they were great, but once I was confident I started to use the Times. I’ve never had an issue with them eating away at the soles of my shoes, but then again they’re not carbon.
Also another thing to consider is that you should work out what sort of riding you will be doing. If I’m riding on my bike and I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll be doing a few drops and jumps...In this situation I don’t think the times are very good. I’ve hurt my ankle previously because of the lack of platform support when I landed off a drop and didn’t have my foot dead straight.
So for general trail riding and mucking about I’ll fit my Shimano’s, but then for racing I’ll put the Time’s back on.
you might want to have a look at this first. Unlucky, yes but it wouldn't happen without the cage.
be warned, gruesome pics and you need to be logged in to see them
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=539136
i have the shimano full platform pedals with clips (not sure about the model). The full platform is good to ride without shoes to work.
I use them as loose as i can. I once have a problem with uncliping and twisted the uncle when going over the handle bars. I ride technical stuff and the clips are not the best for that, when you stop half way down in a broken terrain I can't clip again both feet. The same when the distance to the "crux" is short, i need to grab a tree or something, clip both pedals and start.
However the good bit is when climbing or looking for air in a jump, but the air you can get with better technique and the climb with better shape.
Next bike will have no clips for me.
After reading too many reviews I'm stuck between a more race oriented shoe like the Shimano M182 and a more casual shoe. I'm not sure if I should give up the stiffness for a shoe that is more comfortable to walk around in. I'm keen to get the best of both worlds if that's actually possible?
My other two concerns are durability (shimano seems to win here) and width of the shoe. My current shoes (very old nike) are very narrow and I cannot fit my orthotics into them which is desirable especially when hike a biking. So far I have looked at 661, Northwave, Shimano, Specialized but still no closer to making a decision
I have wide feet, and have never been able to fit them into anything Nike has ever made.
I've tried a few pairs of shoes - soft sole for walking, specialized and shimano.
The soft sole are terrible for long rides, your foot takes all the pressure.
Solid sole is better. I found the Shimano's (a lot) more comfortable then specialized (not sure about that body geometry stuff).
I've just got some basic 2-strap shimano's, if you go to their website and look at the shoes / mountain sports range, you would probably be ok with anything from that level
A note on pedals - crank brothers are good pedals (although I have snapped one), but they do work better with hard soles, as the platform is so small that you can feel the pressure directly on your foot on softer-soled shoes
... you think you'll be doing. Personally I'd go for the stiffer soles.
I bought a set of eye-talian Vittoria MTB shoes off ebay, probably two years ago now. Apart from being the right sort of discount on RRP, long-lived, relatively light, and hard-wearing, they have a stiff sole plate with a little bit of flex just under the toes. so they've kinda got a foot in both camps (pardon the attrocious pun). You still wouldn't want to be walking around your local shopping mall in them for hours, but it does make them a little more manageable to walk in than a normal bike shoe without sacrificing too much functionality on the bike.
Rob has a thread going atm about foot pain. Flexy soles sitting over pedals with a small footprint is asking for the dreaded "hot foot" if you find yourself spending a lot of time in the saddle.
I ride in a pair of casual shoes that I bought from the bike barn at Parramatta, they are red fox for $60.00 they are ok I found the shimano to narrow for me & the pedals i'm using are shimano spd with a resin cage around them which has had a few knocks lately they are the 424 which are also on the bike barn site . Good luck i'm still going thru what you are after a few months but you get more confident each ride & you know your limits & when you get ready too unclip if have too
My 2 cts:
I've just switched to Crank Bros Mallets on the Enduro, and am getting used to the clip-ins on some of the more familar tracks.
This is a flat pedal with CB eggbeaters in the centre and can be ridden with normal shoes and clip ins. While the CB's tension isn't as adjustable as the Shimano, I've worked out a trick to make the initial release easier....use a bit of wax (better than oil) on the brass cleats to make entry / exit easier & quicker. I've found this helps as the cleat opening on my Nike MTB shoes is quite recessed and the rubber on the sole made the side way motion required for release a bit trickier...
Slightly "waxing" the cleats made a hell of a difference! Now I've got the best of both worlds... easy in/out cleats for climbing etc, flatties for trickier stuff (where you may have to bail)..plus the grippier rubber sole of the Nike's is good for hike a bike sections.
Rgds, Hans
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Happiness is a warm shock.
... why you were having trouble getting in and out - you've still got SPD cleats on your shoes!
If they're what came with the pedals, I'd take 'em back - besides being the wrong 'uns, they're all rusty.
No - all CB's cleats here...that was just a pic from the web.
hahaha...nice one...
Cheers, Hans
haha I didn't even notice the SPD cleats
I think Im going to go with an entry level Shimano shoe for the time being and try out both SPD and CB pedals. Thanks for the advice everyone, much appreciated.
in case anyone else is shopping around, also cheap at wiggle except limited sizes.
Just checked em out. Suggest you go to a shop and try a few out if you haven't already.
If it's just for hike-a-bike, i wouldn't buy hybrid shoes - you probably find that in your current riding shoes you get pressure on the arches / ball of foot and perhaps some numbness / poor circulation. The stiffer sole of a MTB / Road shoe (not a hybrid or even 'gym' shoe) combats this by spreading the load over the whole foot.
It's more if you are planning a 5km hike at the end of the ride, or planning to go shopping or something. As most MTB shoes have tread that surrounds the cleats, i'ev never had an issue even walking a few hundred metres.
I saw this which looked alright, shoe+pedal deal. The shoes have decent tread on them. I vaguely recall having this model a few years ago - i think I broke the ratchet mechanism
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SH282B00-...