Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - What pedals do you use?

I have two different spd's I use. Both work fine. I use 520's on my Jamis Nova which is setup as a road bike drop bars et al, & M324's (combo pedals) on my knock around upright bike -Trek 750. The 520's have never given me any issues. The 324's are handy when I don't use bike shoes, & my wife, who's just starting out likes them since she can unclip long before intersections or bad sections where shes' nervous about bein clipped in.

Ran with SPDs for about 400 mi and changed to Speedplay. I like the SpeedPlay more. It's easier to get into and out of. I also really like the "float".

I'm 6' 1", 240 pounds. I ride Speedplay X5's with Sidi Zeta shoes. Work great for me.

Sidi Mega Mesh with Look Sprint Pedals.

I am 6', 270 pounds, and am training for a century ride around Lake Tahoe with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. I need new clipless pedals. I like the Spedplay because of the generous knee float, but have been warned away because of their small size.

The word on the street is that big guys need bigger pedals, especially for hill climbing.

Is this true? Sounds a bit like hogwash to me, but I thought I would check the collective on this.

Thanks,

Brian
When you pedal, your foot flexes and tries to wrap itself around the pedal. Various systems for dealing with this problem have evolved over the years. Most of the good ones involve shoes with stiffer than normal soles. At the extreme, you have carbon-fiber soled road shoes whose soles are stiff enough to make walking awkward. MTB shoe soles aren't as stiff, which makes them easier to walk in, but they don't give quite as good support.

The other part of the system is the pedal/cleat. The cleat attaches the shoe to the pedal, improving efficiency and providing a secure, slip-proof interface between shoe and pedal. MTB pedals use small cleats that are recessed into the shoe tread. Road cleats use larger cleats that are fully exposed. The larger cleats spread the pedaling forces over more area, which makes for more comfort, especially on long rides. However, they make the shoes harder to walk in.

Bull S--T!

Im 250 and Ive used cheap SPD for a long time and currently on my commute Bike I use Speedplay FROGS

Frogs (stainless axle) are My favorite pedal to date. Ive had spd, looks ,time in the past


havnt broke the frogs yet and I climb some real big hills to get home after work.

My problem is the $#@&&^%$@@#$ auto shifting from frame flex.

"John"

I'm 6'4", 310lbs. I recently switched to Shimano SPDs. I put a set of 520's on my fixie, and wellgo knock-off's on my road bike. I wear Specialized shoes, 13w.

I always had problems with my foot not fitting the cages of clips very well. I used spacers and longer bolts to extend them, but they always were problematic. I always had to deal with numbness and discomfort.

I found once I switched to clipless, my problems were drastically reduced. And I discovered that I can ride better, since when I get tired from pressing vertically, I can change the angle of where on the pedal stroke I add force, all the way from pushing to pulling. On the fixie, it's been crucial for trackstanding, skidding, and general manouverability. On my road bike, I've found that I can spin faster, and ride longer since I'm more comfortable.

I'm using the SPD multi-release cleats, and I have the retainer tension set really low - which allows me to pull out pretty much by yanking my foot out, or twisting it to the side. I was worried about feeling confident on the pedals, but it took me literally about 1/2 hr to get the hang of it.

Basically there's no going back for me. :)

I'm more comfortable riding with LOOK pedals on the road bikes. They stink for walking around.
SPD are much better for walking around w/MTB shoes but I"ve gotten hot spots when riding over 20 miles. I once used SPD with road shoes - I don't remember any issues with them.

Bull S--T!



My problem is the $#@&&^%$@@#$ auto shifting from frame flex.

"John"

Try flushing and lubricating your cable guide under the bottom bracket and your gear cables in general! I had this problem and that solved it!

Switched everything over to eggbeaters and have had nothing but a wonderful experience. Since I have the same system on all my bikes it makes clipping in and out a simple experience. It is the same form bike to bike. I have Candys on my Cyclocross, Malletts on my ATB, and I am in the process of putting Quattros on my Road Bike.