Shimano RT51 SPD Shoes

Advantages: Control, power transfer, efficiency etc
Disadvantages: You might fall off once or twice....

...cheaper though! A lot of people worry that they won't be able to release from spds's; yes that can be a problem initially but I recently saw someone who's used to spd's fall off a bike equipped with toe clips!! It's all about what you're used to! I think I fell of mine about 3 or 4 times max due to not being able to release a pedal! Time atacs generally have more float than spd's (5 degrees) which can help if you've got dodgy knees although some say they don't feel positive enough! They also clear better in muddy conditions making it easier to "find" the pedal. Prices generally start at £15 -£20 for a basic set of spd copy pedals & go up to about £80 for top of the range shimano's & carbon Atacs. Shoes can be picked up from £20 to £120 depending on spec but things to look for are warmth, sole stiffness (depending on how much walking... Read review

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Advantages: Compatable for LOOK, SPD and TIME cleats
Disadvantages: Only one color scheme

...The Shimano R121 shoe is a very durable and reliable shoe. It is compatable to 3 different cleats: Look, SPD and Time, which makes it very versitale for those of us with more than one bike with different pedals. Although it is almost not worth the trouble of changing cleats, as it is much easier just to buy new shoes instead of removing one cleat and re-installing the other and making all the required adjustments. I have now had this pair of shoes for about 8 or 9 months and have logged way over400 hours and countless miles in them and they are showing less wear than could be expected. I chose to use the Look cleat with my shoe and once I changed froom my Lake shoes to the Shimano shoes I noticed a tremendous amount of added comfort. The soft inner-lining makes the wear on the achillies and ankles minimul while still having... Read review

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Advantages: great value and functionality
Disadvantages: might fall off once or twice whilst learning!

...The Shimano M535 pedals are my pedal of choice these days, I’ve used other pedals and even other manufacturers but I have found that for value for money and ease of use these cannot be beaten. At first, using clipless pedals can be daunting but its not really an option when riding cross country as the added power and control are more than worth the effort of overcoming the fear and the odd bumps and bruises that you might get during the learning process. Obviously using these pedals you also need to have shoes which are compatible, mind are the top of the range Shimano units (which I would highly recommend) at a cost of around £120 but these are by no means the only option as compatible shoes can be picked up for as little as £20 to £30. Back to the pedals, they’re reasonably light, easy to maintain, set up and use and even manage... Read review

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