Just getting my kit together for some road riding in Mallorca next week and realised that the cleats on my road shoes are past their best. I’ve currently got the yellow tipped ones with 6 degrees of float, but can only find the red tipped (fixed ones nearby). It’s probably a stupid question, but am I going to notice a huge difference? I don’t have any hip or knee issues.

Will I die if I go for the fixed ones or should I wait and buy some floaters out there?

Ta

These – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shimano-Cleat-Speed-Sl-Fixed-Spares/dp/B000NOTIX8 or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shimano-Cleats-SPD-SL-SM-SH10-SM-SH12/dp/B003MWM24U

I wouldn’t risk a riding holiday with cleats I wasn’t used to. You’re probably Ok but why risk a holiday?

You will likely notice a huge difference, but you may like it. A lot of pros use ones without float. As per Druid though I’d not start trying now…

Because there’s no float you have to be absolutely spot on with your cleat placement.

If you’ve worn out five pairs and have a consistent pedal stroke, you won’t notice the difference. If it’s your second set of cleats then your cleat position may not be optimal yet. My next KEO cleats will be black fixed as I too have no hip or knee issues.

Even if you’ve worn out 5 sets there’s nothing to say your cleat position is optimal, just that it’s within 12 degrees of optimal! If your ‘neutral’ position is to sit at one extreme of the float it’ll feel horrible!

wot njee said

(if any shop sells the pedals, they should have yellow cleats in the box and might take a set out to sell you before they can reorder replacements)

I’d go for the ones with float. I bought some Look Keo cleats with no float while on holiday (all I could find at the time) after I broke a grey one and I found that on long rides they aggravated my knees. They are alright on my track bike where I was only riding relative short periods of time but on the road they only caused discomfort. I have no knee injuries or problems for the record.

Thanks all
I managed to hunt down a pair in the local Halfords for a bargain price too.

Geoff, I’d strongly recommend bringing some new tyres with you out here as well as spares.

The recent storms have tan so much sharp debris onto the roads that everyone is shredding tyres and tubes.

Most of the shops around port pollensa are selling tyres but they are expensive !

Be warned. On a positive note, the forecast is stabilising and conditions are looking good.

Note also that the cap de formentor road is closed beyond the beach for resurfacing (at last) !!!!!

Cheers TLR. I’m on a 5 day flyer, so I’m hiring a bike with 2gocycling rather than drag my own along – I’ll instruct them to fit some gatorskins 🙂

Be warned. On a positive note, the forecast is stabilising and conditions are looking good.

I’ve been comparing the forecast for PP with Perth all week, and it definitely looks better where you are.

Note also that the cap de formentor road is closed beyond the beach for resurfacing (at last) !!!!!

That’s a bit of a bugger, but better than another closure on the Luc road.

New Oakley’s just arrived, so I’m good to go 😀

Are you staying in PP ?

If so, I’d recommend campanet to binibola to caimari up Sa Batela and then onto lluc.

It’s a nicer ride, better climb to Batela for coffee and 30km of descent back to PP.

I was cheered and car horned all the way down yesterday to Pollensa from a car full of local women. Great fun, still smiling writing about it here at our pool 🙂

Are you staying in PP ?

Yes, @ The Uyal

If so, I’d recommend campanet to binibola to caimari up Sa Batela and then onto lluc.
It’s a nicer ride, better climb to Batela for coffee and 30km of descent back to PP.

I’ll have a look at that 🙂

Yep, that’s the best run. It’ll be 65km door to door, easily doable in 3.5 hours with a coffee stop at Batela. The climb out of Caimairi is only 8km at 5% as opposed to the long drag to Lluc from the PP side.
Recommended as one of the best circulars on the island.
The option of Sa Colabra fae Batela is also there too, lovely. Have fun !