Road Cycling Essentials

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[DOD]Asprilla;22274652 said:
Road cleats generally have three bolts (speedplay have four) whilst MTB cleats have two. You can't really mix and match.
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Cheers.

Still got my MTB shoes having sold the MTB itself, in the market for a road bike so was hoping to keep the shoes and just buy pedals.

Will I be shot at dawn for putting MTB pedals on a road bike? :o
 
Big Chris said:
Will I be shot at dawn for putting MTB pedals on a road bike? :o
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You'll probably get a lecture from "Big George", but as [DOD]Asprilla says, it doesn't really matter :P

I use MTB pedals and shoes on all my bikes simply because I like them. Yes, the Yukon looks a bit weird with them, but I don't have to look at them when I'm riding it so I don't care. At least you can walk like a normal person when you get off the bike :)
 
I think most people use MTB pedals on a road bike - for me it's because they're cheaper. Any reason why you're opting for the M785s? The M520s are very popular and much cheaper too; I've used them for 2 years without issue now.

Treated myself to the 2011 HTC bib shorts and jersey kit today. It's a nice kit, plus it's the year I went to watch the tour and the year Cav won green so :).
 
tbh i've been looking at mtb cleats and shoes for my road bike, it's just preference!

can you use those ones with normal shoes too?
 
VeNT said:
can you use those ones with normal shoes too?
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No, they're not flat, so they'll dig into your feet through your shoes, and you'll find it difficult to pedal. You'd need something with a flat platform on one side; I have A530s on two of my bikes for this reason. You can get pedals that are essentially platforms with recesses for the cleats, but I get the impression that they're the worth of boast worlds.
 
I've had two rides on my neighbour's bike with proper clipless pedals and they feel great. I don't know how to describe it but somehow it feels really natural to be "bolted" to the bike and to not have to worry about my foot slipping off or anything like that. You can just concentrate on the actual pedaling rather than having your foot moving about. My neighbour gave me all the warnings about how I'd probably fall off a couple of times, but so far I've been fine. He did say that if I was going to fall to make sure I went left so as not to bang his derailleur :D

I'm still getting used to getting my left foot in and out for stopping and starting at junctions - sometimes I'll be pedalling for a hundred yards or something trying to get the pedal the right way up and get my foot in. Mind you, other times it just goes straight in first time. I'm also finding it requires a bit of forward planning in terms of thinking what is coming next when setting off. Yesterday I took off from a junction turning right and then going into a bit of a slope, and I ended up having to go all the way to the top without my foot attached... With hindsight if I'd taken it a bit slower from the lights I could have got my foot in before I even started turning.
 
I use Shimano M520 and specialised Tahoe BG mtb shoes as i like to walk once I get back off the bike.
 
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Right, forward planning time...

I'm starting to look around at bikes. I'm planning to sign up for Cycle2work at the start of October (that's when our benefits come up for renewal at work) so that gives me a few months to do a bit of research. So, any particular guidance on what I should be looking for?

I'm planning to commute 3 days a week to begin with. It's a 13 mile journey each way, pretty flat, and I'd be doing it all on roads or cycle paths. I'll also be using the bike for leisure rides at the weekends, and the odd sportive event here and there. I doubt I'll get into any serious touring for a few years yet, but it will get used for a variety of things.

Budget wise, Cycle2work will stretch to up to £1,000, but I'd prefer to go for more like the £800 mark in terms of the deductions from my salary, and I'll need some of the cash for lights, lock, etc.

With the above in mind, I've been looking at road bikes costing in the region of £600-700. So far, 2 bikes that have caught my eye are the Boardman Road Race and the Giant Defy 2, although the 2012 Defy 2 looks to be right at the top end of my price bracket, so I guess I'd need to know if the 2011 model is worth going for instead?

Cycle2work is done through Halfords, so obviously that's going to push me towards Carerra, Boardman, etc, but they do say they can source pretty much anything, though the question then is how much they can reasonably get other bikes in for.

Any thoughts at this stage would be much appreciated!
 
My cycle2work scheme was through Halfords, I got my Trek MTB from Leisure Lakes.

I was told at the time they're the same company, no idea if that is true though.
 
I got the Giant Defy 2 a couple of months ago - first road bike having spent the last year or so on a Trek hybrid. Totally love it.
 
well the deft has better shifters etc (Tiagra vs sora) so thats a point in it's favor
I'd try to get to ride both and see how you feel?
 
Never (or always) a good idea to watch the tour before your commute. Absolutely knackered now although did beat my PB on one of the short climbs en-route. 43rd instead of 87th on Strava now :p
 
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