Ask Pinkbike: Back to Flats, Inches of Squish for Enduro, and Pondering the Next Upgrade | Road Bike Clipless Pedals

Look clearly you’re ranting and couldn’t get to grips with them, which is fair enough. But what’s problematic is that if someone else has a positive experience with them, you try to contort their experience into a negative. That’s a bit childish. 

Some pedals such as newer Shimano Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 only have allen key sockets so if you use these it’s worth getting a chunky 8mm allen key so that you have enough leverage to loosen the pedal in the crank.

I know what you are thinking, Shimano makes bags? But the Tokyo bag has been my go-to for the past two years, everything from daily commutes, carry-on when I fly, even the odd race day when I toe the line. Chances are if I left the house that day, the Tokyo bag came with me. It’s got just enough compartments to keep me organized and my laptop separate from smelly workout gear. The roll top closure expands for grocery runs and a hidden rain cover keeps everything dry in a downpour. With its muted colours, it even looks classy enough for business (casual) meetings. I especially like the external access zipper of the padded laptop compartment, which helps speed me through security. Most remarkably It still looks brand new after two years of near daily use, and probably will last another 20. Read the full review.

The XC5s are available in either black (as tested) or a lighter grey/orange option. Additional laces are provided, with our black sample supplied with both orange and grey laces. The shoes span a size range of EU38-50, all in a single width option. A women’s-specific version is available too, spanning sizes EU36-44 and in a black/magenta colourway.

Really I’d only recommend them to riders who will find that learning curve worth the touch of extra speed off the lights or side of the road. To me it was.

Shimano shoes are generally quite generous with who they fit, and the XC5’s relaxed nature only adds to this reputation. With a more open heel design, a forgiving upper and a pliable sole, there’s certainly more leeway here than with a race shoe. However, a lack of width choices is perhaps as much a sign of the price as it is of demand. If your foot shape is at one extreme of the bell-curve, you’ll likely want to pursue something with additional width options.

While it may not seem like it at first glance, the platform width of the Shimano PD-A600 is actually better than many dedicated road systems out there. There isn’t much support lengthwise, though, so it’s still important to pair these pedals with stiff carbon-soled shoes.

"Phoenix is fine going west until you hit about 32nd Street, then you might as well be in Kabul," he said.

When using some winter shoes with cleats I also experience such squeaking with SPD (MTB style) pedals like the PD-M520s from Shimano. As the manufacturer has sensibly remarked here, a bit of teflon spray makes the sound go away (for a time of course – then rinse & repeat).

Cambridgeshire cyclist films driver threatening him – but police say they can’t do anything

The bad news is that very few models of Shimano pedals come with multi-release cleats, so probably you’ll have to buy them in addition to the pedals. The good news is that basic SPD pedals are very cheap but really durable, so buying extra cleats isn’t a big financial burden.

Nice roundup! I have to give a shoutout to the Specialized 2Fo Flat 1.0. I went to these from some FiveTens and I was blown away. Phenomenal grip, in fact I found myself twisting my foot subconsciously as I dismounted from my bike (my feet thought they clipped in, I suppose). They are also super lightweight, and the neoprene sleeve keeps crap out.