Julie and Gaye
On Sunday, the three of us met up with a couple of others from BT (Beginner Triathlete) for a run. Going in to this I knew I was unprepared and would be the slowest but I figured "what the heck". Julie was kind enough to run with me as I moved a long at a snails pace. We did eight miles and while not where I need to be for a half marathon in three weeks, eight miles is by far the longest I have run since October. I still need to figure out the nutrition piece when it comes to my running but over all I didn't feel to bad afterwards and I have to say, I really wasn't sore at all the next day (a very good sign!).
Now, lets talk bike shoes.. and cleats and peddles. Thanks to a gift certificate to a local bike shop that I needed to use and a Christmas gift card, I was able to purchase a pair of triathlon bike shoes. I have always used mountain bike shoes and cleats, which I love, but for the longer distances I felt that I needed a shoe that was a bit stiffer and a peddle/cleat system that provided a bigger platform. So, I am now the proud owner of these.. and they actually match my bike which I didn't realize when I purchased them.
Now here is where I need some help. I don't know what type of peddles/cleats to buy.I lean towards Speedplay due to the double sided entry but I know there are pros and cons to each system. I am curious what all of you use and what your experiences are. I have to say that I am a bit nervous about giving up the comfort of my mountain bike cleats but I am hoping that the payoff will be worth it.
Finally, here is a video of Casey playing with Lulu, the boxer tonight at puppy kindergarten. Yes, I am a proud mom :)
Pretty new shoes!!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteSo I used Speedplay for my first few years of riding but have recently switched away from them when I got my professional bike fit. they were great for someone learning how to clip in because of the doublesided entry but the fact was that the smaller pedal size limited my power transfer to the pedal. I switched to the Look Keos which have a larger platform and really like them and feel more stable on them!
I have Look Keos, and I really like them, fwiw.
ReplyDeleteI had Shimano SPD-SL's and I like them a lot. Once you get use to clipping in, it is really fast. Also in a race, you should only have to clip in once.
ReplyDeleteI'm the opposite of Molly. I used to use Look/Shimano since I wanted a wider cleat for power transfer but I found the spindle length a little short for me. Speedplay offers longer spindles and that was able to dial in my fit.
ReplyDeleteCute puppy! I use Speedplay and I like the full float and for me it is easy entry/exit. They give me just as much support as the classic SPD type it's just that the bigger part is connected to the shoe, not the pedal, so same support as any other. IMHO. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteHey, those are the same shoes I bought, mine have a black sole.
ReplyDeleteSpeedplay is know to cause knee issues, I am like Joe, I use the Look/Shimano pedals for a wider cleat
I Love the puppy video! The boxer so reminds me of my Duke. :) And I can see why you have your hands full!
ReplyDeleteLook for me, I've liked them so far.
I'm a Speedplay devotee- but the shoes you have probably won't work with Speedplay cleats. I'd suggest you go into Bike Source and tell them what you're trying to accomplish. I think for an Ironman you're going to want something ultra-light, Look Carbon Keos might be a good idea. I love Speedplay though- if you can make them work the Zero's are pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteI have shimano 105 pedals. I like them, but I don't have anything to compare them against.
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