Choosing Pedals

ADKmike

ADKmike

Active Member
Considering going with a clipless pedal eventually

Noticed there are some clipless/platform combo pedals

Whats pros/cons to these, vs just a clipless? I like the idea of having a two in one depending on what/where I'm riding.

And finally, what are some good combo pedals and what are some good clipless pedals. Not looking to spend a ton, or buy a POS either.

Thanks
 
there aren't really any good dual purpose pedals
crank bros makes a platform and clipless, but without the nubbies not great except for street riding
I usually swap out pedals, at the moment both bikes are on flats

you really got to try out a bunch and see what you like
 
You really can't go wrong with Shimano clipless. XT level is fine, has adjustable release, is compatible with the most shoes, and they're dependable and virtually maintenance-free. Others may disagree, but I see no real purpose to the clipless/platform combo pedals.
 
I switch pedals too. If you go this route, get a pedal wrench. Your knuckles will love you.
Also, the left pedal us reverse thread.
 
I have been running the shimano 520's on all my mountain bikes for years with no issues this year I got a fattie and put the 434 type due the cleats getting full of snow and it is nice to have a platform. the XT's are a good step up but I am cheap 🙂
 
mike_243 said:
I have been running the shimano 520's on all my mountain bikes for years with no issues this year I got a fattie and put the 434 type due the cleats getting full of snow and it is nice to have a platform. the XT's are a good step up but I am cheap 🙂
Click to expand...

which cleat do the 520's use? new or old shimano style
 
Yeah I use the SPD xt's or 520's too. I can even use these pedals to tool around in town on the bike, there is just enough platform to pedal with sneakers on. No need to swap pedals.
 
Shimano anything really. 520's are solid for the price, the 540 is pretty much the same with a better spindle. Definitely can't go wrong with the XT if you have the money. If you're new to clipless, you can start with something like the 530 which has a bit of a cage/platform. It'll allow you to pedal a few revolutions without clipping in. A bit heavier, but who's counting.

I'm running XTR(980?) pedals on my main bike, 540's on my SS.
 
since everyone else here loves shimano pedals im going to throw in a different persepective, i hate them! with a passion, i will never own another pair (see story below), i ride on crank brothers pedals now and in 5 years since i switched from shimano i have yet to break a set, and the crank brothers pedals are rebuildable for less than a replacement set of shimanos.


when i bought my bike it came with a set of shimano 540s on it (not the greatest i know, but still) so i started riding clipless on them and all was well, good release (a little tough to get into sometimes but i was still new to clipless, that went away as i got used to them). about a year later i start to notice a grinding sound when im really pushing on the pedals, i take the bike to the shop and they check the usual stuff and clean it up, say 'looks good have fun', i take it back and the next time out the damn noise is still there, i went back and forth a bit with trying to track down the noise before the spring in one of the pedals broke so i took them off and put a different set of pedals on the bike. guess what? the grinding sound was gone, took the shimano pedals and found out the bears wore out, one season and less than 500 miles and the bears were gone. now maybe i got a bad set from the factory, but im just not interested in replacing my pedals on a yearly basis (or more now!) so i stay away from shimano.
 
the shimano saint platforms with 5.10 shoes are almost as good as clipless and you can ride them in penny loafers if you need to.

i have a pair of the XT trail pedals (the one with the cage around them) and they're the best clipless pedals i have ever owned (sort of, Time attacks are close). they're completely serviceable (as are the saint platforms)and have adjustable entry/release tension. I know you seem to know how to work on your own stuff so serviceability could be a selling point. the cages don't really make them rideable with sneakers on other than just around the block to test out shifting or something.

the only pedals i had that even compare to the XT's are a pair of Time Attacks i got back in like '96. rode those things for like 12 years before i lost one (no, they didn't break but they looked like hell after 12 years). only problem with them is that they're expensive and didn't have entry/release tension adjustment.

I had crank brothers candy 2's for a while and i literally replaced them every 1.5 seasons. to be honest, after owning CB pedals and dropper post, i'll never buy another CB product again; their stuff is junk imo. that being said, i have a couple of friends who swear by that shit, but not me.
 
I have a lead on a set of the Shimano XT Trails (PD-M785), USED - what would a used set of these be worth?
 
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I commuted to work on shimano 520's in sneakers through the wind and rain and ice with zero problems. The 520's have plenty of area to pedal without being clipped in and took all that the winter had to throw at them with no loss of function.
 
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