[SimonChik]

Yes I am a noob. I kept these pedals with a bike that I bought used and recently sold, now they're on my new bike. I'm afraid to go clipless because the bike is carbon and if I fall I can say bye bye to the bike... But anyhow i will practice my arse off before I take it out for a "real" ride.

That's the pedals that I have, now the question I don't have shoes or the metal cleats that should come w/ the pedals. Can anyone direct me to some good shoes for these pedals? is there a better pedal / shoe combo out there for me? I live in New York city and cars can get crazy sometimes.

 

[BadWolf]

Yes I am a noob. I kept these pedals with a bike that I bought used and recently sold, now they're on my new bike. I'm afraid to go clipless because the bike is carbon and if I fall I can say bye bye to the bike... But anyhow i will practice my arse off before I take it out for a "real" ride.

That's the pedals that I have, now the question I don't have shoes or the metal cleats that should come w/ the pedals. Can anyone direct me to some good shoes for these pedals? is there a better pedal / shoe combo out there for me? I live in New York city and cars can get crazy sometimes.

Sidi road shoes are great. I get just a pair of Genius 5. The fit is incredible. I've try on ton of shoes and nothing fits like the Sidi. The Sidi is one the few companies that I found that made half size shoes.

https://www.sidiusa.com/sidi/roadplayer/products_road.html

 

[perttime]

For cleats, find a shop that sells Shimano pedals.

When buying shoes, nothing beats trying them on before buying.

 

[PJ352]

Yes I am a noob. I kept these pedals with a bike that I bought used and recently sold, now they're on my new bike. I'm afraid to go clipless because the bike is carbon and if I fall I can say bye bye to the bike... But anyhow i will practice my arse off before I take it out for a "real" ride.

...now the question I don't have shoes or the metal cleats that should come w/ the pedals. Can anyone direct me to some good shoes for these pedals? is there a better pedal / shoe combo out there for me? I live in New York city and cars can get crazy sometimes.

First off, try to shed the paranoiac view that CF bikes break when they fall. While there's no guarantee, IME they're as durable as their alu/ steel counterparts.

I'm of the opinion that there's a learning curve with just about any pedal system, and after two or three days most cyclists are past it. That given, I see nothing wrong with this choice of pedal system, use a similar one myself, and prefer the more positive click in/ out over some other systems.

With those pedals you'll need 3-hole SPD-SL compatible road shoes. The standard cleats sold with them have 6 degrees of float:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1033531_-1_1534001_1534000_400048
(and yes, you can find them cheaper)

Shoes are as personal as helmets and saddles, so it's best to visit your LBS and try a few on. I also suggest purchasing through them, because cleat setup is an integral part of bike fit, so you'll want assistance to get that right.

 

[JCavilia]

I'm afraid to go clipless because the bike is carbon and if I fall I can say bye bye to the bike

I second what PJ said. This is paranoid nonsense that someone has fed you. First, falling over because you have clipless pedals is not inevitable. It's not that hard to learn to get out of them. Many newbies have some bizarre phobia about this. It ain't that hard to avoid. Besides, if you do fall over because of this, it's essentially a no-speed topple. Chances of hurting yourself or your equipment are minimal. Freak accidents happen, but by definition they're rare.

Second, CF bikes are not antique china teacups. They don't fall apart with any little bump. Did you watch the Tour de France on TV? (You can watch the Vuelta starting tomorrow if you have Universal Sports on your cable). How many times did you see riders crash, often hard, often tangled with other riders? Usually they jump up, glance at their bloodied skin, and hop back on their CF bikes and chase back to the pack, using more power than you or I could ever dream of producing. And the bike didn't break.

So relax. And if you want shoes to use with those pedals, any road shoe with a 3-bolt pattern (which is to say, pretty much any road shoe) will work. Prices range from 50-60 $ to if-you-have-to-ask-you-can't-afford-it.

 

[spade2you]

Falling is inevitable and can even happen to the pros. It's generally at low speeds and rarely results in a small bruise, scratch or two, and a slightly hurt ego.

Agreed that carbon bikes aren't as fragile as some would like us to believe. Have crashed at 25mph, fallen countless times, tipped over in my clipless pedals, knocked the bike over, and put it in the trainer for countless years of abuse. Bike is still alive and kicking.

Any road shoe that fits and has a cleat adjustment will do the job.

 

[SimonChik]

I might go to a big bike shop here in the city called R & A? I'm in New York. Has anyone ever heard of them? I never been to the actual location but they have a decent web store. That way I can actually try on the their shoes to see which one fits me the best. I also need to use that Specialized Assometer to see which seat I can change to. I have Specialized Toupe Seat and it's pretty harsh when I ride 2 days in a row. The first day I can ride on it for hours with no problem.

 

[PJ352]

I might go to a big bike shop here in the city called R & A? I'm in New York. Has anyone ever heard of them? I never been to the actual location but they have a decent web store. That way I can actually try on the their shoes to see which one fits me the best. I also need to use that Specialized Assometer to see which seat I can change to. I have Specialized Toupe Seat and it's pretty harsh when I ride 2 days in a row. The first day I can ride on it for hours with no problem.

That's actually saying a lot, IMO. But then, I'm a fan of Toupe's.

If you're going to a Spec dealer to get your sit bones measured, check out their line of BG road shoes while there.

 

[SimonChik]

Whats BG?

 

[SimonChik]

What does that say? Lol is that good or bad? When I first started biking a month and a half ago I couldn't stand the seat. I had to tilt the front down and all that good stuff, but now w/ the new bike and seat.... It's pretty good. Maybe my bum got a bit stronger... I really think I need a shorter stem. I wish I had more friends that biked more and knew more about them.

 

[PJ352]

What does that say? Lol is that good or bad? When I first started biking a month and a half ago I couldn't stand the seat. I had to tilt the front down and all that good stuff, but now w/ the new bike and seat.... It's pretty good. Maybe my bum got a bit stronger... I really think I need a shorter stem. I wish I had more friends that biked more and knew more about them.

BG = Body Geometry. Specialized uses the term relating to any facet of their fit system, but in this case it's used for their line of shoes.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=EquipShoesRoad&eid=4927&menuItemId=9309

Sitting on a saddle for hours without problems is pretty good, is what I was saying.

Be careful of tipping the front of your saddle down, because it tends to move the rider forward, placing pressure on their hands/ arms. Most times, level is best.

 

[PJ352]

I just realized that you may be more interested in this:
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=EquipShoesRoadWmn&eid=4927&menuItemId=9309

 

[SimonChik]

LoL I'm a guy man! Chik is my last name...

 

[Mr. Versatile]

It doesn't matter much what shoes you settle on. What you need to be concerned with is what kind of cleats can be used with those pedals. The cleats will fit almost any road shoe.

 

[PJ352]

LoL I'm a guy man! Chik is my last name...

Hard to tell from where I'm sitting.

But in that case, the first link will be of more interest to you.

 

[Cni2i]

As others have said, you just have to make the time to visit a few bicycle stores and try on several different pairs of shoes. Different stores b/c one store will definitely not have all brand of shoes (ie, Specialized, Sidi, Scallante, Shimano, Mavic, etc.). We all have preferences, but in the end, they are your feet.

Just to give you an idea, I'm 5'8" and wear size 8.5 street shoes. The shoes that were most comfortable for me were the Specialized BG Pro and the Mavic Avenirs/Zxelliums. I ended up with the Specialized BG Pro. I honestly visited 5 different LBS and tried on at least 8-10 pairs of shoes before ended up with these. I also found out that one company's size 41cm may not fit the same as another company's size 41. So, be cafeful if you are considering ordering online.

 

[SimonChik]

Thank you all the help. I'm 5'10" and I wear 9.5 shoes.

 

[perttime]

I'm 5'10" and I wear 9.5 shoes.

And a particular model from a particular brand might fit you best in size 10.

 

[PJ352]

And a particular model from a particular brand might fit you best in size 10.

Not to say this will hold true for the OP, but IME it does. I'm consistently an 8.5 in street shoes, but take a 42 in a Specialized road shoe. A snug fit in the LBS can quickly turn into a tight fit out on the road, so something to consider. Also, wear cycling socks when trying the shoes on.

 

[josephr]

Shoes are very personal and try on as many as you can! My feet aren't considered "wide" by any standard, but I found the Shimano and Forte (Performance brand) as being uncomfortably narrow. I liked the Sidi and Bontragers I tried on, but i ended up with a pair of Diadora that I really like. FWIW, this is my second pair of Diadora road shoes and they've held up pretty well.

There's still a lot of debate about there on the ratchet tightening mechanism but, for mtn biking, I had a pair of Pearl Izumis and picked them cause they had the ratchet but threading/releasing the ratchet was big ole PITA. Eventually, I just sold them and got a pair of Bontrager three strap velcro shoes that have been pretty good so far and stay as tight as I need them.

Good luck!