Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Velo Fixe => Topic started by: Webber on 21 February, 2021, 12:44:53 pm
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Hi all just wondering what pedals everyone is using on there fixed gear I’ve been using shimano spds but would like to use some stiffer shoes but not sure of road pedals as they are single side
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Speedplay for me. Dual sided, loads of adjustment, free float. I tried to go back to spd-sl but didn’t last more than a month.
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I use either SPD or Look Keo, depending on the type of riding I am mostly doing. At the moment it is Look Keo, as I'm mostly riding with little walking at any stops.
With single sided pedals, there is a knack to getting clipped in with the second foot. I find it is easiest if I start off slowly, and can usually get the pedal to flip over and get clipped in first time. The biggest issue tends to come when I need to get away quickly, such as when at a junction when having to clear a lane or two of traffic in short order. I get going without clipping in the second foot on those occasions, but then it can take a few attempts to get clipped in at a faster pace once clear of the junction.
For the number of times you might clip in during a ride, I wouldn't make the slightly more difficult process with a road pedal a determining factor. Comfort whilst riding will far outweigh that.
As an other option, rather than switching to road pedals you could look at stiffer soled SPD shoes.
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Could try some SPD pedals with a larger platform. I think they can give a bit more support and stiffness. Though would depend on what sort of shoes you are using.
eg the Shimano touring pedals (PD-A520 or PD-A600) are single sided, with a small platform.
Or there are various double sided MTB pedals with larger platforms. Though a bit heavier and thicker, maybe more risk of pedal strike.
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Plenty of road shoes can take two bolt cleats. If the sole is stiff the size of the cleat/pedal doesn’t matter. Ultimately you’re pressing on a skinny axle anyway.
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SPDs for me, double sided entry reduces the faff, but then I use them on all my bikes. As noted above, there are plenty of stiff soled SPD shoes about.
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I have flats on my fixie. I have a strap on the right hand pedal, but don;t faff with it on the left.
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SPDs for several reasons. Double-sided for easy entry and re-entry. Recessed cleats in case of walking. Less mass flying around in case of accidental unclippage.
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This chap reckons that Speedplay clones are the dogs dodahs and considerably cheaper into the bargain
YouTube about speedplay clones (https://youtu.be/Mwt4SXTqJA0)
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I use all sorts of clipless pedals on fixies (M540, A520, SPD-SL). I wouldn't ride unclipped, as flailing pedals are nasty.
Having watched my friend accidentally unclip and faceplant last year (afternoon in A&E, pretty much every part of him bruised or skinned), don't ride with too low a tension or with SH56 cleats. Especially if you are going for a Strava segment, as he was. He hasn't ridden fixed since.
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This chap reckons that Speedplay clones are the dogs dodahs and considerably cheaper into the bargain
YouTube about speedplay clones (https://youtu.be/Mwt4SXTqJA0)
Well he would because he is being paid to do exactly that ;)
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MKS Urban platforms with Christophe toe clips !
Well after about 55years its a bit late to try these new fangled things !
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crank bros candy - basically an SPD but uses their own cleats. Double sided.
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SPDs for several reasons. Double-sided for easy entry and re-entry. Recessed cleats in case of walking. Less mass flying around in case of accidental unclippage.
^^^ Spuds, for all these reasons. And they are cheap, bomb proof and the cleat isn't made of some sort of wax (or basically the pedal - see speedplay)
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I like SPDs for the general walkability, but I prefer the single-sided road/touring versions. They're much easier to clip into than SPD SLs; I find them easier than the double-sided ones.
You can get stiff-soled MTB- type shoes.
Before I swapped to clipless, I used clips and shoeplates, which involved pulling up the strap after clipping in. The shoeplate ensured that your foot would definitely not come out until the strap was flipped loose.
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SPDs for several reasons. Double-sided for easy entry and re-entry. Recessed cleats in case of walking. Less mass flying around in case of accidental unclippage.
^^^ Spuds, for all these reasons. And they are cheap, bomb proof and the cleat isn't made of some sort of wax (or basically the pedal - see speedplay)
The logic for making the cleat out of a softer material is that it wears instead of the pedal. Which is compelling when your SPDs develop an irritating click due to wear of the pedal mechanism, but much less so when your look cleats have a half-life comparable to that of overshoes.
ATACs seem to have a good compromise, in this respect (and lots of float, if that's important to you). But I'm hesitant to recommend them here, because it seems likely that ease-of-engagement is more important than not developing a click for riding fixed: SPDs are superior in terms of ease of clipping in, and the ability to unclip, change your mind and then re-clip without lifting your foot off the pedal.
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You can get stiff-soled MTB- type shoes.
I discovered recently that it is now harder to find spd MTB shoes (which you want rather than road shoes with spd holes, so that cleat is recessed) that aren't really built up like proper rufty-tufty mtb shoes.
I got some Giro ones that are quite slinky, but the choice was pretty limited.
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The logic for making the cleat out of a softer material is that it wears instead of the pedal. Which is compelling when your SPDs develop an irritating click due to wear of the pedal mechanism, but much less so when your look cleats have a half-life comparable to that of overshoes.
Which is why I keep my Looks for the road bike, where I'm much less likely to go for a walk.
Fixed Gear gets spuds as I tend to use that around town and need to put a toe down more often.
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You can get stiff-soled MTB- type shoes.
I discovered recently that it is now harder to find spd MTB shoes (which you want rather than road shoes with spd holes, so that cleat is recessed) that aren't really built up like proper rufty-tufty mtb shoes.
I got some Giro ones that are quite slinky, but the choice was pretty limited.
Quite. I like Shimano's RT (Road Touring) range, but they are getting harder to find.
Here is a nice pair aimed at women.
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Shimano/RT5W-SPD-Womens-Road-Shoes/F7XK?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&co=GBR&cu=GBP&glCountry=GB&id=710122&ds_eid=700000001845766&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=UK_EN_Profit_Google_Shopping_All+Users_Brand_All+Products_Desktop&ds_cid=71700000047514192&ds_ag=B_A_710120_Shimano_RT5W+SPD+Womens+Road+Shoes_Shoes+Womens+Road_89+GBP&ds_agid=58700004770894836&ds_k=PRODUCT_GROUP&ds_kid=92700040713605997&ds_kids=p40713605997&gclid=CjwKCAjwgZuDBhBTEiwAXNofRP8ym28DT1IxqbPzlIf6PNch7StvRY4uNszvRj1r_nlyWg49u1TfVRoCGUsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
They are a good balance of a recessed cleat without looking like I'm about to take part in a rugby match.
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I would have gone for Shimano by preference, because their shoes last really well. That model you link to looks ideal, as long as they have a stiff sole. Not sure how the woman's sizing would work for my wide feet though.
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They are pretty stiff - not as stiff as my SIDIs, but not bad. My current RTs are over 10 years old and the pair before were about the same. They are my daily shoes and are left to look after themselves.
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Shimano shoes just won't die will they ;D
I have a pair and they now look like tramp's shoes out of a ditch, but functionally they are perfect
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I asked Mrs GC if I should replace this pair as the toe on one is a bit worn through. Her answer, 'they still work don't they...'
I took that as a 'no'
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Your MrsGC is like the inner voice of my conscience. I got the same reply, but I ignored it and bought some Giros :D
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SPDs for several reasons. Double-sided for easy entry and re-entry. Recessed cleats in case of walking. Less mass flying around in case of accidental unclippage.
^^^ Spuds, for all these reasons. And they are cheap, bomb proof and the cleat isn't made of some sort of wax (or basically the pedal - see speedplay)
The logic for making the cleat out of a softer material is that it wears instead of the pedal. Which is compelling when your SPDs develop an irritating click due to wear of the pedal mechanism, but much less so when your look cleats have a half-life comparable to that of overshoes.
ATACs seem to have a good compromise, in this respect (and lots of float, if that's important to you). But I'm hesitant to recommend them here, because it seems likely that ease-of-engagement is more important than not developing a click for riding fixed: SPDs are superior in terms of ease of clipping in, and the ability to unclip, change your mind and then re-clip without lifting your foot off the pedal.
When I rode with clipless pedals I went from shimano to time - I found them much more comfy.
I now only use clipless on the laidbacks and find shimano fine for that purpose. (Also my time pedals are lacking a dust cap, which is integral to their mechanism apparently :facepalm:)
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Sidi Dominators are pretty stiff, but the price is ridiculous given that they offshored manufacture to some Eastern European sweatshop (Romania, for my latest pair).
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They are also made for people with elf feet
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Mine are "5 Fit", which means they're full of marketing bollix. I have pretty wide feet.
Tbh, I bought them not for fit or function but because my first Dominators lasted over 15 years and I only retired them because the soles had worn so the cleats were wearing on the ground (granite setts around the office). For cycling, they were still fine, but two pairs of cleats a year aren't cheap. The new ones have already needed a replacement buckle - a potentially ride-ending fault - so these will probably not do 15 years.
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Not to deny your experience, but my experience of Sidi was really really bad. A pair of top level road shoes about 13 years ago and the started falling apart within a few rides. They had barrel adjusters in the soles for stiffness (didn't seem to do anything) and these both fell out. The heels dropped off. The buckles snapped. This all happened within a couple of months.
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I had a pair of SIDI Dominators which lasted almost 20 years too. They got pretty battered as they were my only cycling shoes in that time. Eventually the ratchet thing broke away from its moorings and they couldn't be rescued. I didn't replace them like-for-like because they were mega money.
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I've got a pair of Sidis (not the Dominators) that are about two and a half years old, including most of a year's constant touring, and they're looking pretty good. It looks like Flatus got unlucky.
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Ebay is where I got my latest pair - Sidi Jarin. Lovely shoe but @£300 too spendy but a pair turned up on ebay and I got them. Sole is stiff though. Gaerne are nice and I've got some spiuk which were in a sale and are excellent. Planet X do (or did) a mtb shoe which looks ok and not mad money https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/SHPXSDCMTBS/planet-x-single-dial-composite-mtb-shoe
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I had a pair of Gaerne shoes æons ago. Mostly blue but with some natty pinky-purplish stripes. When it rained the dye leached out of the stripes and turned my socks and feet a funny colour :'(
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The biggest problem I have is finding cycling shoes, any cycling shoes, wide enough for my feet. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
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Lake do wide options, and even their standard options are wider than most. They're spendy, but very nice.
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Bont seem sensibly wide in the forefoot.
Riot are ‘normal’ price and Vaypor S are £300. Riots are certainly available for SPDs (Riot MTB).
Vaypor in wider sizes too.
They have a decent sizing page too
https://bontcycling.com/items/support/size-chart.html (https://bontcycling.com/items/support/size-chart.html)
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Lake do wide options, and even their standard options are wider than most. They're spendy, but very nice.
Yep, Lake wide shoes have been a revelation for me. I'd been getting increasing levels of hotfoot on long audax rides to the point where I began to question my ongoing involvement in this type of cycling. I had tried Shimano and Sidi wide shoes but with no impact. Interestingly, they both felt fine to put on and never really felt cramped and various sources (including YACF) pointed me to Lake. I got the cheapest SPD pair and then did LEL 2017 and didn't have a problem (well I did but not a foot related problem). I bought another pair the following year as future proofing but I think I need to do that again this summer as I'm going to have a big problem if Lake disappears. Salt Dog cycling is the place to go for Lake shoes https://www.saltdogcycling.com/
In case of any doubt or ambiguity ... I really like Lake shoes :)
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intersting. lake (like Bont) are a bathtub construction on the sole whereas other brands are a flat sole attached to the uppers. That might be the difference
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Shimano AK47's for me.
I tried a pair of Wank Brothers once and the right pedal started to freeze on its axle on that large A-road downhill section about 100K into Brimstone (on the way to that roundabout with the modern sculpture, on the edge of a trading estate).
Not such an issue when riding a skimmer aye?! I can still feel the fear...
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Did they actually call pedals AK47? Are they popular in disaffected banana republics?
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I am aware that Shimano actually calls them 540s but the similarity between the characteristics of said clipless cycle peddle and semi-automatic assault rifle are somewhat limitless...
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Did they actually call pedals AK47? Are they popular in disaffected banana republics?
Are you referring to Hackney..?!?