Hi! So about 10 scars and multiple scrapes later I'm ready to make the plunge and buy clips. You should see the battle wounds on my legs. They put my 9 year old son's to shame. The bike store here has a very limited selection of mountain bike shoes, . . well they only sell 1 pair and one kind. A pair of SIDI's I tried them on and I just don't really care for them. What do you think of these?
http://www.bontrager.com/model/07823/en
I would obviously have to order online but I'm not quite sure what I should be looking for. I do end up pushing my bike up some pretty crazy rocky trails so I know that they should have some traction. Also what is the difference with the different types of clips? I read that there are some for mountain biking and some for road biking. Thank you so much for all your help.
Janie...oooh! Promise...those scars will fade and you'll forget them. I wore a pair of flexible knee pads for my first season. A pair of lizard skins that worked pretty good.
There are many women-specific shoes made for mountain biking now and I would not buy a man's shoe unless it was an Italian brand since they are usually slimmer all around (Diadora). A woman's heel and entire foot is usually more slender and its important to get a shoe that isn't sloppy in the heel. This will help enormously when pushing up a steep hill or walking the bike over technical spots, not to mention the need to break out of your clips fast. And if your shoe has slop, this will cause you grief.
Another feature are toe spikes. Some shoes come with them, just make sure you can unscrew. When I ride places that are sheer rock, toe spikes can make walking very slippery.
I've gotten away from shoes that have laces in them also. I wear the Sidi Bullet 2 for women, there are no laces, just 3 velcro fasteners that hold me pretty snug. Laces have a way of sneaking out every now and then and that can be awful if they wind around your crankset. A step up are the shoes with ratchet buckles which you can adjust on the fly. Personally, I don't find it necessary and when I crashed with those shoes, the buckle has hurt me by digging into my foot. A good material for a shoe is called Lorica. Its bomb-proof, you can get it wet constantly with no stretch or shrink. Good shoes will have a warranty also, they'll go through a lot of abuse and should last several years.
You'll be looking for MTB shoes and MTB pedals (which stands for mountain bike). Road will be *road*. Road cleats and pedals have a wide base, whereas MTB pedals are small looking in comparison. There are different styles, some look like barrels (Crank Brothers) and then there are Frogs (which I despise) and the popular Shimano spd style. I would say the spd pedals are your best bet for ease. I'm not sure what your conditions are, but I ride Shimano 969's because they shed the mud better. They are the easiest exit/entry pedal I've ridden. They are also adjustable for release tension. I have them set so I don't have to twist my foot very far to get out of them.
If you can get to a good bike shop, they can show you some different styles in pedals. Crank Brothers Candies are very popular. Here's a complete link for pedals, very exhausting but you'll get a good idea what others are saying about certain styles.
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/drivetrain/Pedal/PLS_135crx.aspx
Here's one on shoes:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/mtb-apparel-and-protection/Shoes/PLS_144crx.aspx
If you buy on line, type in women's mountain bike shoes and you'll get tons of places with sales. I would try and get to some local bike shops and get your foot measured and step into the shoes that they have. Pedals are going to be something different entirely, its trial and error on feel, but I'm thinking your should look into Shimano-style pedals.
I hope this helps! I'm so happy that you are getting to this point in riding, climbing will be much easier, no more slipping off the pedal. You'll have a learning curve for a couple of rides and then everything will click. Good luck Janie!
Nita
Now if only I can get up those hills faster. Thank goodness for Cathe and running my endurance is pretty good. I will check out everything you've said. Now it is time to shop. Thanks again!!