Pedal info and advice please.

Morning,

i've recently bought a bike that has come equipped with Shimano dura ace pedals (PD-7401) that i think are look compatible?, they're in great nick so i thought i might use them.
I've never used clipless pedals before, preferring toeclips and straps cos it's meant i can scoot about in trainers. This means i know nowt about these new-fangled pedals, i know i'd need to buy some shoes and some 'delta'? cleats, but i'd like to know if others think it's a worthwhile move?, and a little advice on which cleats and what the hell 'float' means wouldn't go amiss!.
So, if you've got an opinion/advice, it'd be gratefully received.

Cheers Matt

I'm not sure whether those Shimano pedals are cross-compatible with Look cleats, modern ones aren't, although you can often "hack" cleats to fit other pedals if you get busy with a sharp knife or a file... :shock:

Generally, I prefer riding with clipless pedals. You feel a better connection to the bike, your feet are nice and solidly attached to the pedals but you can quickly clip out if things get sketchy or you need to step off. I'd advise setting the spring (clamping!) tension on the pedals as slack as possible if you're just starting out - this will make it easier to detach yourself from the pedals when you need to. You can always increase the tension later to properly clamp yourself into the pedals.

Float is, basically, the amount your foot can wiggle around while still attached to the pedal. It's generally a good idea to have some float: your natural pedalling action probably includes a little rotation sideways about the foot (although only a few degrees) so it's good to try and accommodate this. You unclip yourself from these pedals by twisting the foot sideways, and a little float will allow your foot to rotate slightly before you start unclipping. Zero-float setups are pretty hardcore and rely on a very good pedalling technique, no hint of dodgy knees and a precisely correct cleat setting. Lack any of those three and you'll start having knee problems at least! Float gives you a bit of an allowance for imprecise cleat setup and slightly wonky pedalling style.

Thanks for the reply Pierre, you sound pretty positive about them. I'll be trawling ebay for a couple of days now looking for a cheap pair of shoes and cleats to give them a try.

Cheers Matt

Good morning,

Re Shoes - there are a lot of sales on at the moment - CRC Ribble Wiggle and other sites - you might get a better deal there than on eBay. Apologies if some of the sales are finished. Also, check Amazon.

Richard

I think PD-7401s are Look compatible, in fact they might even have been made for Shimano under licence in the Look factory. If so, you need the older Delta cleats rather than the modern Keo ones - they come in 2 colours and the red ones are better than the black as they have more room for manoeuvre and won't give your knees (& other joints) such a hard time as a result.

David

I have the exaxt same pedals on my bike, and you need Look Delta cleats as has been said in a previous post. Although David has said to get the red ones as they allow for more movement, which aids in knee problems, this is in fact incorrect. I have had four operations on my right knee now, one of them bring ACL reconstruction so I'd say im pretty qualified to comment!

The black cleats are better, as they keep your feet in a more secure position, if you have knee problems you dont want your feet to be moving around as this is also causing movement and stress around the knee joint. Particularly when under load (climbing, accellerating etc) you need your feet and knees to be in a nice tight comfortable position.

Sorry to go against your advice David, but though it was important to mention.

Thanks,
Sean.

SNight":10d7tbn3 said:

I have the exaxt same pedals on my bike, and you need Look Delta cleats as has been said in a previous post. Although David has said to get the red ones as they allow for more movement, which aids in knee problems, this is in fact incorrect. I have had four operations on my right knee now, one of them bring ACL reconstruction so I'd say im pretty qualified to comment!

The black cleats are better, as they keep your feet in a more secure position, if you have knee problems you dont want your feet to be moving around as this is also causing movement and stress around the knee joint. Particularly when under load (climbing, accellerating etc) you need your feet and knees to be in a nice tight comfortable position.

Sorry to go against your advice David, but though it was important to mention.

Thanks,
Sean.

Click to expand...

Fair do's. I'd always been led to believe that the red ones were better in that regard. The Look engineers supposedly had to find ways to work a bit more freedom into both pedal and cleat as the early versions were very restrictive and didn't do Bernard Hinault's tendinitis any favours. Not really what a sponsor wants - their star rider ending up crocked thanks to their products!

David

Thanks guys,

think i'll follow Richards advice and check out a few of the sales as well. Interesting difference between david's and Sean's experience with cleats, i tend to keep my toestraps fairly loose so think reds might be the way to go to start with. Despite having had bikes since i was a toddler i have yet to develop anything that might be seriously considered as an actual pedalling style! .

Cheers Matt