Pedal
From biketrip.org
Contents |
[edit] Clipless or Clip ?
[edit] Clipless pedals
Cleats are a system on the shoe sole that locks on the clipless pedals. The shoe is firmly locked on the pedal and a rotation movement is required to release the shoe.
Clipless are a great system and once you've tried it you can't really do without it. Traveling with clipless pedals is of course totally possible but require you to bring an extra pair of shoes. It's possible to walk with cleats cycling shoes but the cleats will wear off. The sole is not very flexible, and it's not uncommon to slip on the cleats. It's like walking with ski shoes sometimes. If a pedal breaks or if the clipless mechanism breaks, or if you lose the cleats on your shoes, you're screwed. Well, at least if you don't have extra parts with you. Cycling on clipless pedals with normal shoes is a bitch and clipless equipment can't be find in every countries. Every brand has a different clipless system, there's no standard here.
So, in conclusion, clipless pedals are great if you have some spare room for spare parts and extra shoes.
[edit] Clip
Clip pedals basically build a cage around the pedal. It's made of a clip, usually in plastic but can also be metal like on the picture, and a strap. Your foot stays in place and sliding is prevented, but it's not as steady as the clipless versions.
Touring with clip is more frequent than clipless, mainly for the shoe space economy it represents. Straps are wearing off very fast so it's always a good idea to carry some extra but you can find some easily in cycle shops. Large pedals are usually better for touring since the regular shoes soles are not as stiff as the clipless one. The clip equipment is way cheaper, even for top pedals, than the clipless one.
[edit] Manufacturers
- Shimano - Bicycle parts
- Campagnolo - Bike parts
- Look - Bicycles
[edit] See also
This article is part of the Packing list project.
