Help roady with MTB pedal choice?

stoobydale

Hi, could one of you awfully nice mountain bike type chaps give me some advice on a cheap pair of pedals for my Carrera Fury. I am looking for some single sided SPD pedals and have narrowed it down to
http://www.cyclesuk.com/ViewProduct.aspx.qmap/ptId/1538/pId/79616
and
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info_PD-M324.html

The black ones would look better on the bike, but I suspect that the Shimano might last longer.

nicklouse

TBH the single sided are a waste of time. you never get the side you want.

Either get dual sided and if you need a flat side for a shopping trip there are plates that can be fitted, Or get some good flats and grippy shoes.

ride_whenever

For shopping you can use trainers on double sided SPD's.

Just get some basic shimano ones, and some specialized BG shoes.

Shimano pedals are best for beginners as they have adjustable tension and are more compatible with shoes.

OllyUK

When you buy a pair of SPD pedals from bike shops they usually fit a plastic insert into one of the sides to act as a platform/ meet the legal requirements of having a reflector. SO if you want a platform on one side consider this.

However double sided makes it so much easier, and thats what the majority of clipless users would reccomend.

I use spesh BG shoes and love them, they are very comfortable. And on my Fury I run xt pedals.

xcracer

Can't go wrong with these IMO:

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=81

Cheap, strong, adjustable, cheap...oh...and did I say cheap?

Not sure what those things with the platforms are all about. Surely you either ride flats or clipless? Why muddy the waters?

milese

xcracer wrote:

Can't go wrong with these IMO:

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=81

Cheap, strong, adjustable, cheap...oh...and did I say cheap?

Not sure what those things with the platforms are all about. Surely you either ride flats or clipless? Why muddy the waters?

I'll second those. Got them on my road bike infact!

stumpyjon

Go with M520s (especially at that price). I had shimano single sided SPD pedals on my hardtail for years. bought them as my first SPD pedal on the basis that I could go either way while I got used to them. I quickly got the hang of them and never used the flat side and as Nick says you're forever getting the wrong side, particularly as the weight of the SPD part tends to mean the flat side is always up. Not good for clipping in quickly when setting off on the rough stuff as you have to flip the pedal and then click in quickly before it flips again, takes some practice.

prophet_1000

stoobydale wrote:

Hi, could one of you awfully nice mountain bike type chaps give me some advice on a cheap pair of pedals for my Carrera Fury. I am looking for some single sided SPD pedals and have narrowed it down to
http://www.cyclesuk.com/ViewProduct.aspx.qmap/ptId/1538/pId/79616
and
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info_PD-M324.html

The black ones would look better on the bike, but I suspect that the Shimano might last longer.

stoobydale

The Shimano pedals PD-M324 are useless as they are sevicable pedals and won't last two minutes off road ( I know, I had a pair), the other pedals also look like a copy of the PD-M324 pedals but cost less so will probably be even worse!

As Nicklouse says they are rubbish as you'll spend all your time trying to get the pedal the right way up, Also as you want double sided pedals i.e something you can use with normal shoes the 520's everybody mentions are good pedals (I have had a set) BUT not that comfortable and hard to balance on esp over longer periods of time.

I now have these which I always stay clipped into unless I come to a sketchy section then I unclip, and they have a larger platform than the 520's ( they are the same virtually as the 520's but with a Tough moulded cage and are relatively cheap if you shop around.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=7808

Hope this helps?

stoobydale

Thanks for all the info. Prophet, those are the pedals that I was going to get initially, however after some input from the guys at work that do a bit of the off road stuff they advised me not to get double sided pedals as there would be some times when I would want to unclip for a dodgy bit of track. On the road, obviousley I am clipped all the time, but I can see their point in that sometimes off road I might want that extra security of being able just to dab down if needed. Somebody also suggested to me to just use the middle of the foot for those dodgy sections.

xcracer

Not convinced. Metal cleats + flat pedals = no grip.

Once you get some practice you will find it so easy to clip in and out of SPDs - especially if you have them on the loosest setting.

prophet_1000

I Unclip and stand with my middle section of foot over dodgy section without any trouble and I actively search out techy stuff when I ride, with the single sided pedals you have to keep looking down because you can't get the pedals the right way up and it all slows down your riding experience and (for me) became a pain in the bottom! I also found that with the exception of slower, backside hanging over the rear wheel techy steep downhill stuff, staying clipped in actually made me a better rider as it forced me to ride out something I would have naturally put my foot down on.

Its really upto you stoobydale and what you feel comfortable with but I would advise against the single sided pedals through bad experiences of my own.

Hope this helps?

stumpyjon

Never quite understood the need to unclip on the more technical stuff, the last thing I want is to have my foot to come off the pedal when I'm trying to put the power down to clear an obstacle. Maybe I just don't ride terrain that's that technical? Never had any real problems unclipping in an emergency, that's the beauty of the SPDs, you can set the tension so you're happy with the amount of hold they've got on your foot.

cee

p1sh.......

just get dmr v8's grab a pack of the longer terrorpins and you get all the grip you need