MTBing and Clipless pedals.
MTBing and Clipless pedals.
Author
Discussion

VEA

Original Poster:

4,792 posts

231 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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Afternoon all,

As I am getting back into MTB I have started looking at some clipless pedals.

What are peoples recommendations? I have a pair of look pedals on my road bike.

I don't know wether to go for something with a platform or just the clip like egg beaters or something like this http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...



Apologies, I am guessing this has probably been done to death in here

AndrewEH1

4,922 posts

183 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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Have a look at the Crank Bros Mallets, more of a platform a bit cheaper too if you don't get on with them.

I used them a bit on the road to see if I would use them on the MTB.

Worked nicely, easy to clip in and out of, but clipless isn't really for me as I fall off far too often! haha

Remember you'll have to buy new shoes too!

Edited by AndrewEH1 on Tuesday 23 July 13:16

Vladimir

6,917 posts

188 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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I had some years ago and they were useless. So I had a period of using flats; then tried SPDs again and they are now much better.

I'm currently on slightly hybrid XT trails which are also useable with normal shoes for pub rides...

SkinnyBoy

4,635 posts

288 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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Shimmy 520's are the best bang for your buck pedals bar none. Prety much bullet proof and cheap enough if you flog them to death get some new ones

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...


Fluffsri

3,413 posts

226 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
quotequote all
Been through lots of different types of Shimano for MTB and Look for Road. Due to cant be arsed changing cleats over all the time for my winter boots Ive gone Egg beater all round. Cx bike has Candy's, road bike and single speed have Beaters and my bouncer has Mallets. I doubt Ill change brands from now on. The only tip I have if you go for Eggbeaters etc is a dab of silicoset on the end caps, the older ones had a habit of falling out.

Celtic Dragon

3,353 posts

265 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
quotequote all
SkinnyBoy said:
Shimmy 520's are the best bang for your buck pedals bar none. Prety much bullet proof and cheap enough if you flog them to death get some new ones

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Echo this. I have 2 pairs and both combined cost me £30 inc delivery from ebay.

jshell

12,102 posts

235 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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I like a cage arouns mine: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Cheap and reliable!

SkinnyBoy

4,635 posts

288 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
quotequote all
jshell said:
I like a cage arouns mine: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Cheap and reliable!
Aye! I run the M545 ones on my full susser, great pedals. I've also got the XT 785 Trail pedals which i prefer to the classic SPD shape as it tends to find the cleat quicker after a dab because of the longer shape, less likely to roll under your foot I guess.

As for the Crank Brothers stuff, I've found that yes it looks pretty but their finishing durability is atrocious, I have quite a bit of their stuff on my hardtail and each item has some kind of design flaw in it, like the seatpost head clamp uses a tiny torx screw to tighten it up, or the decals on the grips wore off after one ride, the anodising on their parts is nanometer thin too, you only have to look at it and it scratches. Not a fan!

Smartboy

232 posts

238 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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I've got a pair of Welgo WAM-D10 pedals on my MTB http://www.mtbr.com/cat/drivetrain/pedal/wellgo/wa...
Can't remember where I bought them from now... think I got them from Halfords about 6 years ago and probably paid about £40 for them at a guess.
They've outlasted 4 extremley well-used MTB's and are still going strong.
Ideal for me having SPDs on one side, and really wide platform on the other (non-SPD, just platform with a series of adjustable pins for grip... a bit like the good-old DMR's).
Keep the bearings greased up and they keep going and going.

I've also got a pair of M520's on my road bike (as I'm too tight to get road-specific pedals and shoes) which I also rate.
Have used these on my MTB as well, but like the sense of 'safety' which I get by chosing to unclip and use the platform sides on the really sketchy parts of trails. Like knowing that if I bail out, the bike won't still be attached to wrench my feet from my ankles (although many riders prefer the 'safety' of knowing their bike is always attached to them.

Each man to his own I guess.

DMN

3,058 posts

169 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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When I started using clipless, I brought some hybrid platforms (clip on one side, platform on the other). This is so whilst I was learning I didn't have to ride any really sketchy stuff whilst clipped in. Edit: It was a pair of the Wello pedals in the post above.

Now I use these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shimano-Mountain-Pedal-EPD...

I can ride 95% of Dalby's Red Route whilst clipped in now, the above pedals have a platform for when I'm doing the other 5%. Plus their cheap enough to replace when I next smash one into a rock.

Edited by DMN on Tuesday 23 July 16:29

VEA

Original Poster:

4,792 posts

231 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
quotequote all
I have no issue being clipped in as I have been riding clipped in for many years.

My question was more of what do people recommend?

Brand wise... Crank Bros, Shimano, others?

I see most people seem to be recommending the Shimano offerings.

What shoes do people go for?

jshell

12,102 posts

235 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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VEA said:
What shoes do people go for?
Shimano winter boots and Specialised shoes for summer, having a slightly wider fitting.

joema

2,754 posts

209 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
quotequote all
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...
Most people I know use them. I have crank bros mallets and they're good but tension is questionably loose at times...

Depends what sort of riding whether you want xc disco slippers or something more casual...
I'm getting some fiveten ones soon as going back to spds

Viperzs

979 posts

197 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
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jshell said:
I like a cage arouns mine: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Cheap and reliable!
I use caged ones as well, I think the ones up from these in the link. They are much more versatile if you want a quick ride without clipping in you can just use normal shoes with them.

Pablo16v

2,921 posts

227 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
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Apart from a pair of Onza HO’s back in ‘91/92 I’ve always used Shimano SPD’s. Tough, reliable, and they seem to last forever. I’m currently using a pair of XTR race, and bottom of the range M530 platform ‘Trail’ pedals, both of which are excellent. TBH I’m amazed at the quality of the M530’s considering I only paid £30 for them last year, and I think you can pick them up for around £25 these days, bargain! As for shoes I’m a fan of Shimano Goretex boots for winter, and I’ve just bought a pair of Spuik Risko summer shoes to try out, as my mate stocks them in his shop. I’ve not worn them on the bike yet but they felt great walking about in the shop.

Fluffsri

3,413 posts

226 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
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Struggled for years for comfy shoes. All the Shimano ones Ive had I found to be tooo tight on the toes apart from my roadie shoes. For MTB I now have Northwave winter boots and a set of Spesh BG sports, comfiest shoes Ive ever had.

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

212 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
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How do you ride the flat side of the pedal if you're wearing SPD shoes though? They have about as much grip on a flat pedal as a wellington boot.

Fluffsri

3,413 posts

226 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
quotequote all
HereBeMonsters said:
How do you ride the flat side of the pedal if you're wearing SPD shoes though? They have about as much grip on a flat pedal as a wellington boot.
Confused me here....you wouldnt ride the flat side as you would be clipped into the other side (or have I totally misunderstood this comment)

yellowjack

18,460 posts

196 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
quotequote all
Fluffsri said:
HereBeMonsters said:
How do you ride the flat side of the pedal if you're wearing SPD shoes though? They have about as much grip on a flat pedal as a wellington boot.
Confused me here....you wouldnt ride the flat side as you would be clipped into the other side (or have I totally misunderstood this comment)
I think the question is aimed at those MTBers who speak of 'clipping out' and riding 'loose' on the flat side of a pedal for particularly "gnarly" sections, but clipping in for the bulk of a ride.

MTB SPD shoes have the cleat recessed into the tread, so you CAN walk in them, and ride a flat pedal. HereBeMonsters may be thinking of the SPD-SL pedal/shoe, where it would be nigh on impossible to pull off the same trick due to the huge shiny plastic cleat sticking out of the shiny (resin/carbon fibre?) sole of a dedicated road shoe.

Or I may have got it completely wrong?

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

212 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
quotequote all
yellowjack said:
Fluffsri said:
HereBeMonsters said:
How do you ride the flat side of the pedal if you're wearing SPD shoes though? They have about as much grip on a flat pedal as a wellington boot.
Confused me here....you wouldnt ride the flat side as you would be clipped into the other side (or have I totally misunderstood this comment)
I think the question is aimed at those MTBers who speak of 'clipping out' and riding 'loose' on the flat side of a pedal for particularly "gnarly" sections, but clipping in for the bulk of a ride.

MTB SPD shoes have the cleat recessed into the tread, so you CAN walk in them, and ride a flat pedal. HereBeMonsters may be thinking of the SPD-SL pedal/shoe, where it would be nigh on impossible to pull off the same trick due to the huge shiny plastic cleat sticking out of the shiny (resin/carbon fibre?) sole of a dedicated road shoe.

Or I may have got it completely wrong?
That's kind of what I'm talking about, but most SPD shoes, even though the cleat is recessed, are still heavily treaded and offer no grip whatsoever on a flat pedal. I have these for example:



Which have zero grip unless clipped in. Certainly not enough to tackle a tricky section of singletrack.