I have been working at the Trek Stores of Madison for a while now, and I'm starting to pick up a few things as I talk to more people in all forms of shapes and sizes as well as ability. One of the strangest things I have come across is where people spend (or don't spend) their money. This ranges all across the board. From your first timers to your veterans. It's quite odd to hear some of the reasons I have heard to not spend the little extra money on certain things when the cost to benefit is definitely there.
First and foremost, the bike. Many people come in, expecting to see some cheap hackjob of bikes that they can just take out and ride and treat poorly. Nope, sorry, we don't make bikes like that. While we do offer a wide variety of bikes at Trek, none of them are even comparable to bikes you may see at Target or Wal-Mart.
Beyond that, I really like to get people in things that are a bit more money on their contact points. So where they are actually touching and using the equipment. There are a few contact points on your body to really think about. The main two are your feet and your bum. The next is your head and hands (not quite as important, but still important nonetheless).
First off, your feet. Even if you are a new roadie, it's worth your while to spend the money in getting shoes that are both comfortable and well built. I'm not saying a shoe with a hard plastic last vs. a carbon last is wrong, but making sure that the shoe will last and fits your foot well is key. If the shoe is a bit tight, you're going to develop blisters and hot spots. Especially in longer rides. Taking away from the enjoyment of riding. The stiffer the last on the shoe, also, the better ability you're going to have while riding. With more stiffness comes more power transfer. Or less power lost in flexing of the shoe.
To go along with your shoes being stiff, comfortable and properly vented for hot days, you need some pedals that work just as hard as you do. There are a lot of decent pedals out there, so I won't get into each one specifically, but just what to look for. For a newer rider, check for adjustability of the spring in getting in and out of the clips. Some brands are naturally harder to get into, while 'others are harder to get out of. Just be sure to ask or try out the pedals before you just go straight into purchase.
Another key point for me is surface contact. How large is the area where you will be contacting the pedal from your shoe? Look at the surface area and really try to feel the difference between one and another. The larger the surface area, generally the less possibility of getting hot spots or aches in your feet. That also gives you less of a chance of slipping off the side. Especially under sprinting or climbing conditions when you're putting a lot of stress on both the pedal and the cleat.
That's all I have for today. Next time I'll talk a bit about saddles and things that affect your butt.
Some pedals to look at are ones from Shimano, Look, and Speedplay.
-Dave
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