I've got two of their road bikes. One at home and one at my Mtn place.

Most comfort and best power transfer I've ever owned. Love em.

 

Any recommendations for road pedals/shoes? Trying to keep it semi cheap.

 

Speed Play

Once you ride with them 2 times you will wonder why you never have.

Also don't buy the super lightweight stuff. It makes no sense. Just get a nice set of speed play pedals


Shoes I can't say. A lot like specialized. Well priced.

I only ride Sidi. They aren't cheap. I just love them.

 

Shoes, don't buy anything but sidi IMO. I've had a pair of dominators for 8 years. Maybe up front cost is higher, but value cannot be beaten.

 

Don't fall for the "Italian" hype. I have had them all sidi, LG, mavic, specialized etc. this sport is about what feels right for you and your wallet. Go to pro shops and ask many questions. Go to the diff cycling websites and read plenty of reviews.

 

I love Shimanos pedals. I have Dura Ace and they're fantastic...rotate effortlessly, great platform, super light. Couldn't ask for more. And if you're diligent, you can snag them for cheap via Craigslist or etc.

As far as shoes, ditto on Maxemus. Just go to a store and try some on, and make sure it's comfy - wouldn't want to be stuck with them for a 4 hour ride if there's a little bit that bothers you!

 

Just remember its all about weight. The less a piece weighs the more it will cost. I have used Look pedals for the last five years. Most recently I bought the look carbon blades and love them. But the truth is that all the pedal options are probably as good as the others.

 

exactly why I told him to buy the plain steel cheap SpeedPlay for under $100 bucks typically


Sidi for me isn't Italian hype. I've ridden in a number of different brands. It just fits me by far the best. It needs to feel good whether you spin just 20 miles or 200 imho.

 

Yep, comfort is #1, but assuming its comfy you need to think about quality and durability unless you want to replace shoes every year.

 

I've got a pair of Sidi's on my Spin Cycle at home that are 8 years old minimum with 1000's of miles. Fit like a glove. Uglier than hell but man oh man I've got my couple hundred bucks out of them for sure.