21
votes
Are modern clipless shoes and pedals that much better than toe clips and straps?
Clipless pedals hold your feet more securely and release easier than toe-straps and clips. As you are probably aware, it is possible to to tighten straps to the point where they must be released ...
- 620
20
votes
Accepted
Connecting and disconnecting clipless bike shoes from Shimano pedals
You're not going to break them, and really, their advice is too complicated.
To clip in, just stomp your foot on the pedal in the right spot. If you don't get it right, try again. Pretty quickly it ...
- 29.2k
18
votes
Accepted
How do I get a cleat that's stuck in a pedal, detached from the shoe, out?
Slacken off any tension adjusting screw first
Your goal is to apply torque to the cleat as you would with your foot in a shoe. So essentially you need something like a gigantic flat screwdriver. I ...
- 57.3k
18
votes
Accepted
Are modern clipless shoes and pedals that much better than toe clips and straps?
The simple answer is that 'clipless' pedals and shoes just function better than toe straps.
They are easier to get into, easier to get out of, locate the foot more accurately and solidly on the pedal,...
- 75.5k
17
votes
Accepted
Shoes supporting heel-mounted cleats
With the help of a bike fitter and mechanic, we found a very good solution that has served me well. I've put in about 2000 km this year and am heading to my first imperial century tomorrow.
...
- 551
14
votes
Best clipless pedals for sore feet?
All clipless pedals, including road versions, have very small contact patch. Even though road pedals are large, most of the size is just mechanism and actual contact patch is the small metal patch ...
- 21.8k
14
votes
How to mount clipless pedals on a tandem?
Tandem cranks are special. The pedal thread directions on each arm are oriented correctly to prevent loosening from precession, as on any other bike. You just need two sets of normal pedals.
If ...
- 81.9k
12
votes
What's the point of double-sided SPD pedals if SPD pedals with platform are more convenient and lighter?
I had the platform one side pedals on my previous bike and went to the SPD both sides for my new bike. I think it depends on how you use the bike.
I bought the platform one side as my entry to ...
- 2,708
11
votes
Accepted
What's the point of double-sided SPD pedals if SPD pedals with platform are more convenient and lighter?
Hybrid SPD pedals are somehow "weighted": the heaviest item (that defines the rest position of the pedal) is the rear of the mechanism rather than the platform. In "calm situation",...
- 17.6k
10
votes
How do I get a cleat that's stuck in a pedal, detached from the shoe, out?
Use water-pump-pliers or locking pliers (vise-grip). Grip the cleat and turn it either clock-wise or anti-clock-wise
Alternatively a medium sized screwdriver used as a lever at the rear 'nose' of the ...
- 8,269
9
votes
Recommendations on how to buy clipless bike shoes
You need shoes, cleats and pedals all to be compatible.
(There's also an implication that you have two feet, and nothing unusual there.)
Shoes have to fit your feet comfortably, with a close fit ...
- 121k
9
votes
Connecting and disconnecting clipless bike shoes from Shimano pedals
No, you cannot break the cleats nor the shoes or pedals with any reasonable movements. They are made to withstand even large forces directly pulling the cleats from the shoes and various forces that ...
- 16.1k
8
votes
Accepted
Do one-sided clip-in pedals have a bit more friction and inefficiency than alternatives?
Likely two things.
Bearing seals will slow down free spinning. In actual use the added resistance from the seals is minimal and the seals ensure the bearings remained greased and in good working ...
- 30.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Safety guidelines when using MTB clipless pedals on a road bike
This answer is for SPD pedals, which are the most common MTB pedals. Other systems do not have multi release cleat, and some don't even have adjustable springs.
First: make sure you do not have multi-...
- 21.8k
7
votes
Accepted
What kind of shoes can you use with Garmin Vector pedals?
You don't need to buy Look brand shoes to mount Look cleats on them. You do need shoes that have mounting holes that fit Look cleats. Look-compatible mounting holes are the dominant standard for road ...
- 13.8k
7
votes
Accepted
Bolt came out of both clipless cleats
Those bolts need to be secured very carefully.
Use a torque wrench set to 5Nm to tighten the bolts, alternating a quarter turn at a time between them.
Use plenty of threadlocker on the threads.
Use ...
- 15.5k
7
votes
What's the point of double-sided SPD pedals if SPD pedals with platform are more convenient and lighter?
Finding the right side is not that easy.
With the SPL SL style Look Keo Blade Carbon pedals on my road bike finding the right side is always a hassle and makes starting in traffic very stressful. With ...
- 26k
6
votes
Accepted
Multi directional release pedals for road bicycling?
You can put road pedals on a mountain bike and mountain bike pedals on a road bike. They're just pedals -- all that needs to match are the diameter+threads on the pedal. Of course, you may not look ...
- 46.1k
6
votes
Accepted
What are the disadvantages of securing your foot to the pedal?
The only disadvantages I could think of are:
- The higher price for clip-less pedals and the need to have cycling specific shoes (which are usually not comfortable in walking)
- Not being able to ...
- 316
6
votes
Right Shimano SPD pedal clicks on down stroke
It's a case of systematically hunting down the source of the click. As Andrew Henle said in a comment it's very hard to understand where a noise is coming from when you are riding on the bike. Once I ...
- 75.5k
6
votes
Recommendations on how to buy clipless bike shoes
One minor thing may be worth mentioning: different brands tend to make shoes that fit differently. From your other footwear, you may have got the sense that your feet are relatively wide or narrow, or ...
- 29.7k
6
votes
Mtb vs Road Pedal Stack Height
In general stack height is larger for MTB pedals. It's not so much the pedal itself, but the cleat that goes on top of the pedal and the walkable sole, compared to road cleat that goes inside the ...
- 21.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Could the spindle of a pedal have just one set of bearings, not two?
Okay, I probably could have given the drawing a bit more effort, but hopefully the idea is clear. Most SPD, SPD-SL, and their knockoffs use this bearing arrangement. You have two cup-and-cone bearings ...
- 15.5k
5
votes
Are there big differences in maintenance/care between different types of clipless pedals?
Shimano pedals are usually brought up as a good beginner pedal because they are readily available just about everywhere, have several low-cost options, have standards that much of the industry follow ...
- 2,795
5
votes
Are there big differences in maintenance/care between different types of clipless pedals?
I think it's important to mention that pedals aren't simply "road" or "mountain" pedals, but that there are pedals designed for many different purposes. Most people will classify "road race" pedals ...
- 21.7k
5
votes
Unlock cleat from clipless pedal
I removed the insole of the shoe, placed the Allen wrench in the hole left by the loosened bolt. I then aligned it with the hole the bolt goes in to the cleat AND THEN turned the shoe and it popped ...
- 51
5
votes
Are modern clipless shoes and pedals that much better than toe clips and straps?
For me, a big benefit of cycling with "clipless" pedals is that when I "clip in" to my "clipless" pedals my foot is instantly firmly attached at my ideal pre-set position-- fore/aft, inboard/outboard, ...
- 211
5
votes
Recommendations on how to buy clipless bike shoes
Your shoes should fit quite snug. That means that the heel should not move up and down when you are trying it. Later when riding you will want to pull the pedal with your foot.
On the other hand it ...
- 16.1k
4
votes
Multi directional release pedals for road bicycling?
But a pedal is way different than a ski. Since the pedal pivots there is no going out the back or front from torque. Like you can step out of a ski. You cannot step out of a pedal.
Twist is the ...
- 15.6k
4
votes
How much float do the Speedplay Zero pedals have?
I read the following, from their website as having the option to either lock them in place and use them as a fixed cleat, or use them with up to 15º of adjustable float, which considering many are ...
- 9,189
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