Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Will my gf be ok with platform pedals and FG?

My gf wants to get a bike to tool around town but she doesn't like cages and doesn't want to run clipless. She'll definitely have a front brake. Assuming she's not like flying around traffic at insane speeds or skidding, does anyone see a problem if she just ran on platform pedals? I run clipless so its pretty easy to skid and brake, how is it with platforms?

I run clipless so its pretty easy to skid and brake, how is it with platforms?
impossible?

her feet could still be thrown and she could get smacked by the pedal

not fatal

all she needs is flipflops to complete the imgonnagethurtonthisthing look

edited for clarity

yeah, i mean running just platforms in obviously not ideal. And I think if i were building it up i'd put on front and back brakes.

Why not set her up with a singlespeed? No problem with platforms there. Maybe not as "cool" as fixed but you don't have to really worry about her flying off the bike.

Why not set her up with a singlespeed? No problem with platforms there. Maybe not as "cool" as fixed but you don't have to really worry about her flying off the bike.

i was going to say this but figured that maybe she wanted to trackstand or something

True, I guess I could always flip it and put a freewheel on the other side.

So the other question is, how in hell do these attach?
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=301&subcategory_ID=5240

True, I guess I could always flip it and put a freewheel on the other side.

So the other question is, how in hell do these attach?
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=301&subcategory_ID=5240

jb weld.

toe straps not included slvoider

toe straps not included slvoider

Explain how....


jb weld.

Christ man, this is a bicycle, not an engine block, I need something more reliable than that!

they come with screws and u screw them onto the pedals, u want to make sure u get pedals that have screw holes on the sides for the cages. aren't u an engineer, u can totally install cages. stop playin

they come with screws and u screw them onto the pedals, u want to make sure u get pedals that have screw holes on the sides for the cages. aren't u an engineer, u can totally install cages. stop playin

I have this uncanny ability to completely turn my brain off at home. (Often at work too).

She might like powerstraps.

I use platforms and I don't see a problem with safety. If i want to skid, i just put my right foot on the underside of the pedal and lock my legs, but who the f@ck needs to skid?

Not ideal, but by no means dangerous.

Yes! Hahaha.

Does your girlfriend actually want a fixed gear, or is that your idea? It's a option someone should choose with full understanding.

Does your girlfriend actually want a fixed gear, or is that your idea? It's a option someone should choose with full understanding.

I somehow managed to fit her onto my fixie (even though she's a good 7" shorter" and she loved the way it rode w/o a freewheel so she wanted to get one for the "fun" of it. Nothing seriously, mostly cruising around town and riding to prospect to jog (which is why she doesn't want clipless).


i was going to say this but figured that maybe she wanted to trackstand or something

And yeah, for fun, no real utility in that.

Thats awesome.

What about those MKS half-clip things? I mean, some clip is better than no clip in my opinion. I personally don't think it is is safe for anyone to go with platforms only.

What about a front and back brake, with platforms? That way she can treat it like an SS, but with the perpetual motion feeling of fixed.
On the other hand I know someone who uses platforms and only a front brake, and he's had some trouble with rain filled pot holes, but still prefers it to anything else.

one less fixed gear rider.

seriously, clipless is the best bet for beginners. Less intimidating, more secure (arguably, but plenty secure for most), easier to get in and out, and believe it or not, cheaper (at least for a decent setup).

I know one guy who's been riding for a year on platforms. Still can't skid, still can't trackstand. Bunk

But track standing is easier to learn with platforms. At least for me.

i learned to trackstand with my feet out of the straps......

But track standing is easier to learn with platforms. At least for me.

yeah, but doing it in traffic for the first time in clips n straps can be harrowing.

What about a front and back brake, with platforms? That way she can treat it like an SS, but with the perpetual motion feeling of fixed.
On the other hand I know someone who uses platforms and only a front brake, and he's had some trouble with rain filled pot holes, but still prefers it to anything else.

I think rain filled potholes will give anyone problems.

Those half clips look pretty interesting, as does the powerstraps. Anyone know a shop in NYC that carries em?

I know one guy who's been riding for a year on platforms. Still can't skid, still can't trackstand. Bunk

that's no fault of his platform pedals.

Nashbar has both, somwhere on here there's a thread discussing how sucky those half clips are.

Hmm... thanks garage chick, a quick search tells me the powerstraps are tons better than the half clips.

Yea powerstraps are the bizznatch. And more
.

If you think you can't skid with platforms, you're a sissy. If you can't trackstand with platforms, you have an inner ear condition.

Look, just tell her to get over her silly fear of being attached to a pedal - it's how you properly operate a bicycle.

If she doesn't listen, well...


...she should.


And if she further insists upon being a wuss, get her a flat-foot beach cruiser.


s'all.

When my girlfriend started riding fixed she rode with platforms and a front brake as well. She never had any issues. She now has clips and straps, and a front brake.

My girlfriend rides fixed with platforms without problems. She's also faster than quite a few people (and probably a good proportion of people on this board ;-)). We've also been fixed gear touring off road together.

I think people have a tendancy to think they *need* things that they really don't. I know that a more secure attachment system has benefits, but it is perfectly safe to run platforms with a brake. You can still leg brake fairly effectively and you can easily trackstand and skid if you want to, although these are not needed. Jamaican skids (one foot under the front pedal) have the name because people have been riding fixed in Jamaica on platforms for a long, long time.

oh dear lord!

why do platform pedals even effing exist!?!?!?!?
I mean, fixed or not, the platform is the single most inneficient way to ride a bicycle. I understand being afraid and all(or do i? what is the fear? its just a strap, you put your foot in to go, you pull it out to stop)
its like owning a gun without a trigger guard, a lamp without an on button(just screw the bulb in bro!), a condom with no resevoir tip or extra rubber at the bottom to keep it on, shoes without laces, teeth without incisors, etc, etc, etc.

ok, platform pedals work in some applications, but anything that has 700c or 27" tires that isnt a three speed cruiser needs a way to effeciently transfer power from the rider to the drivetrain.



and yes, ive seen toothless people eat apples, but ive always been faster in comparison

Look, just tell her to get over her silly fear of being attached to a pedal - it's how you properly operate a bicycle.

If she doesn't listen, well...


...she should.


And if she further insists upon being a wuss, get her a flat-foot beach cruiser.


s'all.

She's not gonna wear her carbon clipless shoes to run laps in the park, which is why I'm thinking of getting her some straps and not clipless pedals.

PowerGrips

obviously she needs to give up running

it is interfering with biking

I don't see what the problem is.

My girlfriend's bike is flip-flop with platforms and a front brake. I thought she might prefer the freewheel side, but she's never used it.

When I first started riding downtown, I was rocking platforms and a front brake. Sure, now that I am more comfortable skidding, I can't imagine life without pedal interface.

Nonetheless, assuming the bike is being used point a-point b, and it has a brake, everything should be fine. Some people are always going to be more comfortable on platforms, and a lot of people do not necessarily need the efficiency of clipless and/or toe-clips.

What about those MKS half-clip things? I mean, some clip is better than no clip in my opinion. I personally don't think it is is safe for anyone to go with platforms only.

+1 on the mini-clips and front+back brakes.

People who run clips and straps with normal shoes (ie relatively soft soled and without cleats) are getting very little extra power out of their bikes than people with platforms. For urban riding at least one of the straps has to be loose enough to get your foot out in a hurry and, without cleats, it is hard to use the back or up part of the pedal stroke very effectively. To be honest, a lot of people with clipless pedals (including me) don't have a very good pedal stroke and so the vast majority of the power is from thee downstroke.

I agree that clipless make a huge difference in power transfer if you have good pedalling technique. I agree that either clips and straps or clipless give you more ability to skid/skip. But neither of these are *needed* for riding around on your bike.

oh dear lord!

why do platform pedals even effing exist!?!?!?!?
I mean, fixed or not, the platform is the single most inneficient way to ride a bicycle. I understand being afraid and all(or do i? what is the fear? its just a strap, you put your foot in to go, you pull it out to stop)
its like owning a gun without a trigger guard, a lamp without an on button(just screw the bulb in bro!), a condom with no resevoir tip or extra rubber at the bottom to keep it on, shoes without laces, teeth without incisors, etc, etc, etc.

ok, platform pedals work in some applications, but anything that has 700c or 27" tires that isnt a three speed cruiser needs a way to effeciently transfer power from the rider to the drivetrain.



and yes, ive seen toothless people eat apples, but ive always been faster in comparison

Nice metaphors. Out of interest - do you have a brake on your bike?

Nice metaphors. Out of interest - do you have a brake on your bike?

Wow, who would fall for that trap? Try harder.

i mean if you have a front brake it shouldn't matter
but why not just have a single speed then?

tell your girlfriend to rock jamaican skids all day

Wow, who would fall for that trap? Try harder.

It's an honest question - I ride brakeless so I'm not trying to start an argument. It's just that the dude says that platforms are incredibly inefficient etc, whereas I think that not having handbrakes is also quite inefficient so i wondered whether he had one.

I think the metaphors are pretty rubbish though.

I run platform pedals for the time being and I can skid, its not a big deal to run platforms, Id reccomend it if you have a fear of being attached to the pedals. However I do see them at a disadvantage in some cases, such as going down a hill and you are pedaling at a high cadence, I would rather have toe clips and straps so I am able to pedal more efficiently instead of using unnecessary energy to get where I want to go.

this is way better than the Karl Rove Rap i was just watching...







or is it?

Nice metaphors. Out of interest - do you have a brake on your bike?



define this "brake" thing of which you speak.

I would not do it, but I ride more agressivly than she probably will, I assume. Considering she is new to the fixed gear deal, I would just say give her a brake and a helmet.

My girlfriend rides fixed with platforms and a front brake. It works fine for her, but she rides short distances very slowly.

I have gnarly BMX platform pedals (http://www.primo-usa.com/2007/dynamic_content/product/Pedals/print/Magnesium%20Tenderizer_Platinum.jpg) on my pista. No problems doing skids here... I can understand how clipless would be better, but I just don't care.

People who run clips and straps with normal shoes (ie relatively soft soled and without cleats) are getting very little extra power out of their bikes than people with platforms. For urban riding at least one of the straps has to be loose enough to get your foot out in a hurry and, without cleats, it is hard to use the back or up part of the pedal stroke very effectively. To be honest, a lot of people with clipless pedals (including me) don't have a very good pedal stroke and so the vast majority of the power is from thee downstroke.

I agree that clipless make a huge difference in power transfer if you have good pedalling technique. I agree that either clips and straps or clipless give you more ability to skid/skip. But neither of these are *needed* for riding around on your bike.

The main reason actually isn't for skidding or efficiency, it's just a little bit of security so she doesn't come flying off the pedals. It's basically a point a-b bike. For longer rides, she has an allez.