UKC

We've recently shelled out for a "proper" bike for my son.

Spent a small fortune equipping him with gear to make sure he's safe and has the ability to mend punctures etc.

He currently had pedals with traditional cages / straps but will, at Christmas, be having either mtb/spd or road shoe/pedal combinations in his stocking.

Any recommendation / preferences ?

In reply to coinneach:

What type of bike is it?

In reply to coinneach:

Personally, I'd always go Shimano, as fool proof, easy to adjust and can generally be serviced, which some others can't.

SPD pedals are double sided, so easier to get into. Also, the cleats are recessed in the shoes, so easier to walk in off the bike - all of which I'm sure you know. Try:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-m540-spd-pedals-44565.html

SPD-SL pedals are more appropriate on a road bike, though you may find the cleats are a problem on the shoes, depending on how big his feet are. Try:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-pd-r550-spd-sl-road-pedals-63269.html

You could try these to start with, as have the option not to be clipped in:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-a530-spd-single-sided-touring-pedals-55...

Beware of these - I have them on one of my bikes and it's very easy to catch the cage on the ground if you're clipped in, as they are very thick:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-m324-spd-pedals-44659.html

In reply to The New NickB:

It's a Bianchi road bike.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Thanks . . I have shimano mtb shoes and use them for road and mountain bike.

He has a mtb too but has just about grown out of it.

Specialised hot rock for sale !

In reply to coinneach:

Defo just go for standard SPDs. Bombproof, cheap, adjustable, fit wide range of shoes, double sided pedals and recessed so you can walk about without looking like a tit!

Depending on how confident he is on is bike you can get Clickr SPDs that disengage more easily but im sure he will be fine with the standard ones.

Has he ever used clipless pedals before? If not might be worth practicing in a doorway for a while or even sticking them on his MTB for a couple of rides to protect the nice bianche from getting dropped!

In reply to coinneach:

It's a proper road bike, get him proper road pedals. Look keo or shimano spd-sl.

In reply to coinneach:

It depends on the 'type' of riding he's going to do.
If he is just out for riding (e.g.training/racing) and not likely to need to walk, then road shoes with look keo pedals or similar may be best, but they are useless to walk in for any distance - and a liability on slippery café floors. SPD type pedals and shoes are fine for most things (I have them on my road bike, mountain bike and everyday hack - I'm happy with the insignificant extra weight for grip when I have to walk). If he's likely to be riding in trainers then you can get double sided SPD pedals with a platform (Shimano M424 or M545), and also single-sided SPD pedals which take SPD cleats on one side and normal cages on the other (Shimano M324). Toeclips and straps are equally fine and compatible with trainers etc.