Chinertown
Other Resources => Component Deals & Selection => Topic started by: jwilds1 on May 05, 2015, 12:14:26 PM
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I'm looking at taking the leap into clipless. For a novice, what would you recommend?
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I used SPD for 2 years then switched to Crank Brothers. They both work fine. Kinda like the Crank Brothers better because they're lighter.
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I've used both Shimano and Crank Brothers. For me...I prefer the Crank Brothers. I like the ease of entry and exit. I also like the free float the pedal has. Quality-wise...the Crank Brothers seem to be hit or miss. I've been using CB pedals for the past 10 years and I've never had a problem. I use the Eggbeater 3 and my girlfriend has the Candy 3. I have another bike running the Mallet 3.
If you plan on running the Eggbeater pedal. I suggest getting shoes with nice stiff soles. The pedal is real narrow and doesn't have much support for the shoe lengthwise.
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I'm looking at taking the leap into clipless. For a novice, what would you recommend?
I ran the egg beaters for a while, and the biggest issue I had with them was when I'd hit a pedal on a rock, it would cause the pedal to open and eject my foot when I didn't want it to. Also, they've got a little side-to-side float, but only two release options which are based on heel angle, not so much release force. My wife's been running eggbeaters for her clipless pedals as long as she's been riding clipless, and loves them. Plus, they're among the lightest things out there, which is good because her bikes are always the weight weenie project bikes.
Oh, one other thing with older Crank Brothers designs, you have to keep up on the bearing maintenance or you can have issues. The newer pedals (especially the higher end 3 and 11 models) seem to have a better design there, but the bearings are not as protected from the elements as with other pedals.
I switched to SPD's a while back and have an assortment of mostly XT and XTR pedals, although I do have one set with the plastic platform cage around the pedal that look to be a 5-series pedal, about the equivalent of SLX or thereabouts. I have _zero_ complaints about my SPDs, although they are heavier, the bearings need zero maintenance (although it can be done) and they are adjustable for release tension, from a very beginner-friendly super-light release to a racer-level super-heavy release.
You can also tune the release on the SPD's with the cleats that you get - either the single release or the multi release. Single release only comes out by twisting your heel, whereas the multi-release gives you more options. For a complete beginner, hard to beat an SPD pedal set to the minimum tension and multi-release cleats.
Either way, pick one and you won't be disappointed. They're both really damn good.
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My wife, who is very new to clipless, does great with here SPD. It's been years since I rode SPD. We started here on SPD simply because I had the pedals sitting around.
I personally run crank bros and really enjoy the float that they have. I think it gives the feeling of being less constrained and allowing a bit more movement for your knees and hips. I recommend CB to most people who ask me. I've never found CB's design to be hard to disengage, but I've also never had a false release on a rock strike or anything else. The weight of the CB's is great too.
As was said, I think you will be OK with either design.
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Let's add Time pedals to the mix. Anybody have any experience with them?
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The only problem I got with CB pedals, is I had to sand paper the grips of my shoes sole, where the axle touches the sole.
The grips were a little to high compared to the cleats, and made the pedal hard to engage.
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CB has shims for their cleats. It spaces the cleat further away from the sole of the shoe.
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When I first started out moving to clipless pedals, I tried Shimano pedals but didn't feel comfortable on them. Then a friend, who owns a bike shop, recommended trying a set of Eggbeaters. When I got those installed I felt they just naturally worked better for me. They were easier to disengage, I didn't need to adjust spring tension, and I liked the ability to swap the cleats around to have more or less float. I've run Eggbeaters ever since, maybe 10 years now. I have not had any problems with any of my EB pedals until recently when I broke a spindle shaft, but CB is aware of the problem and is replacing the shafts on all my EB pedals. Older EB designs also had issues with not having good sealing around the bearing but the newer design as of 3 years ago, addressed that as well and now EB are more robust. I would not recommend going any cheaper than the EB 3 (~$75 street price) as the lower end 1 & 2 do not use needle bearings and the pedal body of the EB 1 has stamped steel instead of forged stainless steel. I really don't see why CB makes anything below the EB 3 as it just makes for a cheaper, low quality product that doesn't help their reputation.
I think everyone has their favorite pedal, and one brand or type isn't significantly better than another, if it were everyone would be using just one brand of pedal. I think the Shimano, Time, Eggbeater, and even the Speedplay pedals all have something good to offer.
You should see if there is someone at your LBS that can let you try out a few of the types, even if you just try it out in a static setup (not riding since you are new to clipless) and get a feel for how the cleat engages and disengages from the pedal, you will be able to get a feel for the differences.
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Based on feedback from here, as well as looking through an old MTBR post (about 60% SPD, 40% CB), I'm probably going to try SPDs.
Looking at pedals, the PD-M530 seems to be the most popular, but what about the PD-A530? Double-sided (platform/SPD), very light (Amazon says 383g), and only a few bucks more. Would be coupled with the different cleats for more release options.
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I have the PD-M530's on my bike. Only used them for a few months but so far I like them a lot. They are very solid and feel very bomb proof. I have smashed them against a few rocks and one time hard enough to lift the back wheel off the ground and they didn't release or break. You can adjust them to have a very light release so that is good if you are just learning clipless. Also the cage around the pedal really helps with stability and they are not bad to ride around with regular shoes if you just need to run around the block or something.
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Okay, so the recommendations are?
Begineer --> Shimano SPD
Intermediate/Advanced --> Eggbeater
8) 8) 8) 8)
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Get the Ritchey pedals works with SPD cleats, lighter and cheaper then Shimano comparisons.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/ritchey-pro-mountain-v5-paradigm-mtb-pedals/rp-prod54960
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Get the Ritchey pedals works with SPD cleats, lighter and cheaper then Shimano comparisons.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/ritchey-pro-mountain-v5-paradigm-mtb-pedals/rp-prod54960
Huh? The link you sent were $98 pedals, plus $10 shipping. I know CRC has codes/sales/etc, but both of the Shimano's I listed above are under $50...
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Okay, so the recommendations are?
Begineer --> Shimano SPD
Intermediate/Advanced --> Eggbeater
8) 8) 8) 8)
I would put it the other way around. 8)
The CB pedals are simply easier to get into and get out of. There are no tension screws to adjust. You just need to make sure that you put the correct cleat on the correct shoe to get the release angle you want.
When my girlfriend started riding clipless (you don't get any more noob than her). She had a really hard time with her road bike. So when she wanted to try clipless on dirt...lol...I was scared. I put her in the Candy 3's just due to the fact that they have a easy entry, release, and a wider platform so that you have some control even if you can't clip in right away.
I've tried other pedal systems...always went back to the CB pedals.
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So I think the question becomes, which pedal is the easiest to clip in/out for both beginner and advanced riders?
Given the EB have four sided entry, can clip in either rolling forward or backward onto the pedal, is a very open design that does not clog with mud, and has no adjustments to mess with other than swapping the cleat left or right to chose how much float you want, it could be easy to argue the EB's are a more elegant solution. Coincidentally, these are the same reasons that I continue to like this design. So far the only argument against EB's is the reliability, which I think Crank Brothers has worked to address in the design implemented about 3 years ago.
Reliability is a difficult measure when we are talking Shimano vs Crank Bros. Reports I've read about CB's reliability issues have been 3-4 years old, nothing recent. So from the limited research I've done, it's possible that the two designs are now similarly reliable. Which leaves usability, in that case I'd have to say CB wins our there.
Only some of us have tried both, and based on our experiences we have chosen one or the other, the good news is there are no bad choices out there. It's always nice to use the same pedal type as your friends so when they get a new bike, you can test ride it as well :).
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The entry and exit of a pedal probably won't matter for an advanced rider. They'll be able to adapt to whatever pedal system they choose. At that point it'll be the adaptation time to get used to them.
A beginner rider is the tricky part. As they will have no idea what to expect when it comes to being "locked" into the pedal. It takes time to get used to the mechanics of clipping in and out. If you are a complete newbie when it comes to clipless...I highly recommend having somebody set up the cleats, pedals, and a short tutorial on how to use them. Its been about a year...and my GF is finally getting to the point to where she can clip out of sketchy situations.
I've set up a lot of people on their clipless pedals (mostly Speedplay and mostly women). I'd put them on the trainer and have them pedal to get the feel of clipping in and out and then around the block to get an actual feel on the road.
When it comes to MTB pedals for beginners...I'll always recommend CB's. :)
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I'm talking gram per dollar. If you are buying crank bros cause of weight which was mentioned i assumed that was something you were interested in.
Get the Ritchey pedals works with SPD cleats, lighter and cheaper then Shimano comparisons.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/ritchey-pro-mountain-v5-paradigm-mtb-pedals/rp-prod54960
Huh? The link you sent were $98 pedals, plus $10 shipping. I know CRC has codes/sales/etc, but both of the Shimano's I listed above are under $50...
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Get the Ritchey pedals works with SPD cleats, lighter and cheaper then Shimano comparisons.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/ritchey-pro-mountain-v5-paradigm-mtb-pedals/rp-prod54960
For an SPD style pedal, the Ritchey Paradigm look very nice. I like the WCS Paradigm also, even though it's a bit more expensive it is a bit lighter. If things don't work out with my Eggbeater pedals, I may look into these. Thanks for posting.
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I'm talking gram per dollar. If you are buying crank bros cause of weight which was mentioned i assumed that was something you were interested in.
Good point.
Hmm, never looked into Ritchey pedals until now. Those WCS Paradigm look like the way to go for SPD style cleats. They get rave reviews, weigh 232 grams (whereas XT weighs 343 and XTR weigh 310, and Eggbeater 3 weighs 290), and they are quite a bit cheaper than XTR as well. The super light weight initially made me worried about durability but from reading reviews they seem good in that department as well.
I've rocking a plain old set of Shimano spd pedals for a few years now and decided it was time to upgrade. Have been considering something from Crank Brothers but if I stay spd I think I'll definitely try out these Ritcheys.
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i have used all but XTR pedals so xt and slx spds, The Ritchey's Perform no different only lighter. I guess thats what i wanted considering i am on a carbon bike forum looking for weight savings.
So if your looking to spend around 100-200 the Ritchey's would be my choice after using my for over 2k.
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Has anybody tried the Look S-Track? I was thinking about trying them out. Friend bought a pair and likes them.
I have a pair of the older Quartz pedals and didn't really like the way they released.
http://www.lookcycle.com/en/us/vtt/pedales.html
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Has anybody tried the Look S-Track? I was thinking about trying them out. Friend bought a pair and likes them.
I have a pair of the older Quartz pedals and didn't really like the way they released.
http://www.lookcycle.com/en/us/vtt/pedales.html
Looks like a two-sided Eggbeater pedal, or if you combined an Eggbeater with an SPD pedal. Reasonable weight and pricing for the mid-tier model. Their Look Race edition is the same weight as an EB (290g/pr) although the price is about double $80 for the EB, versus $165 for the Look Race.
Although, after looking at the LOOK pedals a bit more online and on Youtube, I am very intrigued by this design. Again, it's like an EB but only a 2-sided entry, however, and I'm not sure it makes that much of a difference with a carbon sole shoe, the additional contact area appears to be a nice thing that could make riding more comfortable.
The cleat design looks very good as well, not overly large like some clipless pedal designs. Wish I knew someone who had a pair of these so I could compare them to my EB3's.
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You can find the basic ones for about ~70 on eBay. I almost hit buy on a couple of occasions. I think I'll just wait for my buddy to get rid of his.
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Well, I took the leap. The girl at REI was great helping me out, and I joked with her that if my knee explodes or I die I will hold her accountable :)
Got these - http://smile.amazon.com/Shimano-2015-Recreational-Cycling-Shoes/dp/B00LWGS49K/ref=sr_1_24?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1431434068&sr=1-24 (http://smile.amazon.com/Shimano-2015-Recreational-Cycling-Shoes/dp/B00LWGS49K/ref=sr_1_24?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1431434068&sr=1-24), and the A530 double-sided pedals. Haven't put them on yet, but going to do a work session tonight on the bike to install them and bleed the brakes...
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Well, I took the leap. The girl at REI was great helping me out, and I joked with her that if my knee explodes or I die I will hold her accountable :)
Got these - http://smile.amazon.com/Shimano-2015-Recreational-Cycling-Shoes/dp/B00LWGS49K/ref=sr_1_24?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1431434068&sr=1-24 (http://smile.amazon.com/Shimano-2015-Recreational-Cycling-Shoes/dp/B00LWGS49K/ref=sr_1_24?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1431434068&sr=1-24), and the A530 double-sided pedals. Haven't put them on yet, but going to do a work session tonight on the bike to install them and bleed the brakes...
By your shoe and pedal selection I can tell you are not ready to go "all in" on clipless :), although I think my first clipless setup was similar to yours only I didn't like the SPD and exchanged them for Eggbeaters. I will say that it's always a smart idea to have the right shoe for the sport, getting any mountain biking shoe is a step in the right direction. Just ask the guy (me) who has broken three toes when he first started riding mountain bikes wearing athletic shoes. Those shoes should do a good job of protecting your feet.
Congrats on taking your first step onto the next level of biking. Now you will have more stability on those fast, bumpy downhill trail sections as well as the ability to "pull up" on your cranks when climbing for improved pedaling efficiency.
Remember to practice, practice, practice unclipping. Do it in a soft grassy area, don't get frustrated when you are on the trail, come to a stop, and fall over. Everyone does this when they are first starting out. When coming to a stop, clipout early so you are ready to put a foot down when you stop.
Good luck and happy biking!
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Hahahah, yeah, non-committing is my thing. My other commuter-style bike will get these handed down to it once I get used to them. I tend to use that bike riding around town a lot and sometimes it's my road workout bike so it makes a lot of sense.
Now, if I could only get the old pedals off my Chiner...
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Here is a tip, to remove pedals turn your wrench towards the back of the bike.
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And if the turn-to-the-back tip above still doesn't work.
Do not hesitate to offer some additional power to the wrench :)
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Well, the problem is I rounded the pedal over on the drive side, so my allen wrench slips now :( Possible I was going the wrong way (yeah, yeah)... Going to have to sacrifice the pedal and grind some flats into the pedal axle so I can get a proper wrench on it. Will do that first, then break out the blowtorch if needed :)
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Well, I took the leap. The girl at REI was great helping me out, and I joked with her that if my knee explodes or I die I will hold her accountable :)
Got these - http://smile.amazon.com/Shimano-2015-Recreational-Cycling-Shoes/dp/B00LWGS49K/ref=sr_1_24?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1431434068&sr=1-24 (http://smile.amazon.com/Shimano-2015-Recreational-Cycling-Shoes/dp/B00LWGS49K/ref=sr_1_24?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1431434068&sr=1-24), and the A530 double-sided pedals. Haven't put them on yet, but going to do a work session tonight on the bike to install them and bleed the brakes...
I have a very similar pair of Shimano shoes that I got to use as commuting shoes. Although they fit a little loose in the heel cup, I really like them, and frequently go with them instead of my high end fancy-ass SIDI mountain shoes, and not because I think I'll have to walk - I just like riding in them. I think you'll be very happy with them.