|   clipless or platform pedals????? | glodied
Apr 24, 2002 4:07 PM | | i am riding w/ a $10 pair of plastic platforms on my $1100 bike, and i want to upgrade to nicer ones. i not the most confident rider, and i dont own any cleats. i ride technichal xc, some small jumps, i dont race. is the clipless pedal system really worth the $. or should i get some nice platforms? any suggestions? |
| dude, go for it | Cabin Fever
Apr 24, 2002 4:16 PM | | clipless, in my opinion, is the most important upgrade that a rider can make when they want to get serious. the control you will get is worlds more than you're used to. very good for riding technical.
i bought a pair of shimano m545 pedals, and they may work for you. they have clipless innards, and then an aluminum cage around them. you may like them with the platform hybrid thing. however, you'll probably want to sharpen the grips of the cage. i did, because they are kinda round. |
| I second the 545's (or 646's)--Best of both worlds. nm | Steve from JH
Apr 24, 2002 6:02 PM | | |
| Reap the benefits!!!!!! | Eric Hoefer
Apr 24, 2002 4:46 PM | | I switched to clipless and noticed a greater rhythem in my pedaling and it also abled me to have more stamina on my bike by almost letting me do less work. Its worth it seeing u can switch to clipless for under $100 dollars these days. |
| Reap the benefits!!!!!! | MntnMan
Apr 25, 2002 6:23 AM | | Very true. I bought a pair of Time ATAC Aliums on ebay for $48.50.
I can't wait till they get here. Due on Friday. |
| Flats | Cook
Apr 25, 2002 6:10 AM | | If you go with flats, get some good BMX style pedals (with pins) and also it's a good idea to get sealed ones. I recently switched to DMR V12's (http://www.dmrbikes.com/) after using a pretty low-end flat pedal, and the difference is amazing. With a good pair of skateboard shoes, the grip is incredible. If you point your feet down you can lift your rear-wheel just like you were clipped in. If you go this route, you might want to consider getting pads for your lower legs though, or else you risk turning your shins into ground beef when you get b@tch-slapped by your pedals.
I've spent a few years on clipless also, but now that my riding is getting more and more technical, I like the ability to bail out when necessary and I haven't noticed any depreciation in riding ability, even climbing, without the clipless.
Cheers |
| second flats | Fat Elvis
Apr 25, 2002 8:18 AM | | I've got to agree with the previous guy. Doesn't sound to me that you desperately need clipless. I've ridden both (speedplay frogs for clipless), and prefer the flats. I don't race either. I like technical trails (climbs and descents), and being able to bail has saved me from a ton of crashes. Riding clipless, you're going to crash 5-10 times as often. I did, at least. As the above guy said, get platforms with pins, and a pair of Vans or similar shoes. Supergo tends to have sealed bearing mag pedals on sale for about 40 bucks most of the time. That's what I have, and what I recommend. Been riding a pair for over a year, and they're still going strong. All in all, I just find that the platforms are a lot more fun. Wanna do a wheelie? Sure, and if you screw up, you don't end up breaking your arse. Wanna learn a few basic trials moves? Go ahead, and don't worry about falling off to the side, and being trapped under your bike with both feet clipped in. For me, it's about fun, not perfect efficiency. |
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