54
55
PEDAL SYSTEMS
THE PEDAL SYSTEMS
Not all shoes are suited for cycling. Shoes used for
cycling should have a stiff sole and provide a firm
support for your feet. If the soles are too soft, the ped-
als can press through and cause foot pain. The sole
should be not too broad near the heels, as the rear
stays will otherwise get in the way of your pedalling.
This will prevent your feet from assuming a natural
position and may cause knee pain in the long run.
DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AT A GLANCE - HOW THEY
WORk
Pedals to be recommended are pedals which provide
a lock and release mechanism for your shoe, known
as clipless or step-in pedals. The firm connection
between shoe and pedal prevents your feet from slip-
ping off when pedalling fast or when riding over rough
ground. Besides this, it enables you not only to push
but also to pull the pedals, which makes your pedal-
ling more fluent. A further advantage is that the ball
of your big toe comes to rest just at the right place on
the pedal spindle and that you do not block inadvert-
ently the front wheel with the tips of your feet during
steering.
i
Read the operating instructions of the
pedal manufacturers or call our service
hotline at +44 (0) 20 8501 2582.
Step-in pedal
Shoes for step-in pedals
i
For clipless or step-in pedals you always
need special cycling shoes.
PEDAL SYSTEMS
Clipless of step-in pedals come with a special type of
cycling shoe which locks onto the pedal similarly to
a ski binding. To engage with the pedal is to turn it
to the horizontal using the tip of the cleat (the plate
on the sole of the shoe) and then rest your foot on it.
Most mountain bikes are equipped with a double-sid-
ed lock-in mechanism, so that you can step on the
pedal with either face up. The shoe engages with the
pedal with a click which you will hear and feel clearly.
With all commercially available systems the shoe is
disengaged from the pedal by twisting the heel out-
ward. Lean against a wall or ask someone to hold you
when you try to engage and disengage the shoe from
the pedal.
Functional differences between the pedal systems
concern the shape of the cleat, the release angle and
the rigidity of the connection. Cyclists predisposed to
knee trouble should choose a pedal system that has
some “float”, so that the heel can move sideways a
little while the shoe is engaged with the pedal.
Some clipless pedals have cleats embedded into the
sole which is a great advantage, as it ensures stable
walking.
The clipless pedal disengages by an outward twisting of the heel
!
Taking up the pedals, engaging the shoes
and disengaging them by turning the heel
outward should first be practised while station-
ary. Later you can refine your technique in a place
clear of traffic. Read the operating instructions
of the pedal and shoe manufacturers carefully. If
you have any questions, call our service hotline at
+44 (0) 20 8501 2582.
Cleats are recessed in cycling shoe soles
