What kind of cycling shoes should I buy?

Question

I bought a carrerra valour road bike. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_240447_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_47151_crumb_33980-33957_parentcategoryrn_47151

When I wear my ordinary trainers my feet just slip off the pedal and doesnt rest on the pedal properly. Do the pedals on this bike require specialist cycling shoes. If so do I need those cleats too. I dont like the idea of my feet being stuck to the pedals in case I fall. Could someone explain what shoes or other accessories I need with these pedals and if I can buy alternative pedals which would be more comfortable and that my feet are not stuck too.

Thanks

Answer 1

Jimmy and Tom give some good advice about clipless pedals and shoes, however they are expensive and I would suggest first have a pair of strapless toe clips fitted, these will keep your feet in the correct position on the pedals without locking you in as they only engage the toe.

Most peoples problems with pedals are caused because they try to pedal with the instep, you should use the ball of the foot and make sure your feet are parallel to the bike,although a proper pair of cycling shoes , without cleats but with a stiffened sole are worthwhile.

Answer 2

Having your feet clipped in is actually MUCH more safe, for the reason you stated above - Your feet won't slip around

Not only that, but you'll be much more efficient and therefore quicker.

Pedals which come with road bikes are always rubbish - You're never meant to actually use them (apart from to ride home from the shop with :P )

For your first pair, I would recommend some "Eggbeaters" There have 4 points of entry, as opposed to 2 or even 1 on other pedals, meaning it's easier to clip-in. Not only that, but they take SPD style cleats, which would generally be used with Mountain Bike shoes - These shoes often have the cleat recessed into the shoe, so you can still walk quite well without looking like an idiot.

I bought some DHB MTB shoes and some Eggbeater MXR pedals and they have been brilliant. I'll soon be moving onto SPD-SL pedals, as I want a larger point of contact as I want to get into the more competitive side of cycling.

Answer 3

For a cheap solution you could fit straps onto the factory fit pedals. You then tuck whatever shoes you have into the straps and tighten them across the instep to stop your feet sliding on and off the pedals. However, these can be tricky to get out of in an emergency.

However, you've bought a decent bike, so if you are going to be a reasonably serious user, you might want to invest a bit more and get something like LOOK or Shimano SPD pedals fitted to your bike and then specialist cycling shoes that fit those pedals. LOOK cleats typically fit to the bottom of a hard sole shoe, but can be tricky to walk any distance on when you get off the bike, while the Shimano SPD tend to be recessed in the sole of a shoe so are easier to walk on (if I remember correctly). There may be others in the market as well now. I can't remember all the details on the Shimano ones as I've used LOOK for years, and when I got them I just think that they felt better while I was on the bike. The LOOK system allows a slight bit of freedom to twist the foot ever so slightly to the side if you've been in the saddle for a long time which I thnk is in their favour.

I wear Nike Poggio shoes fitted with LOOK red cleats. There are also black and silver cleats in the range which offer differing ranges of said movement, according to preference. They look awesome and are just about the lightest shoe around and were designed for 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

Anyway, you can get out of these "clipless" pedals easily if the worst happens and you need to make a quick escape.

For more info you really need to go have a look. Best bet is to go to your nearest independent bike shop and ask; you'll get to see what I'm on about and they'll be happy to ask and find out more about your requirements and then advise the best solution for you and your budget, and you can compare and find out what's what. They are run by real bike enthusiasts and will give sound advice and offer a wider range of options than Halfords, who I get the impression just want to sell new bikes, and treat accessory customers as a bonus. That said, Halfords' new bikes are pretty decent.

Anyway, hope some of that helps.

Happy cycling.