Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Best Pedals for a Fixie?

So I've been running Shimano's MTB SPD pedals on my fixie, but I've had a few incidents where my foot has popped out while attempting to skid. So I was wondering what the best kind of clipless pedals to use on a fixie are. So far I've seen people going with either Time ATACs or Egg Beaters, but I don't know which would be better to use.

P.S. I don't have breaks on my fixie, so I need secure pedals, and I can never seem to get my feet in toe clips.

Time ATACs or higher-end Crank Bros. They are fairly equal in quality and performance, depends if you want/need 4-sided entry or not.

i've used spds on a FG before and they were fine. no problems with pulling out of the pedals.

have you checked the cleat tension?
are the cleats worn and need to be replaced?
did you crank down on the bolts that attached the cleats to the shoes? i've heard of people doing that and not getting the most secure attachment to the pedals.

i can't see egg beaters being much better than spds. they both have pretty small cleats. if you want something really secure and reasonably priced, go with some road pedals like the ultegras.

but I've had a few incidents where my foot has popped out while attempting to skid.


this is the primary reason i dont ride clipless. Even if you switch to another brand/style your inevitably gonna have this problem.


P.S. I don't have breaks on my fixie, so I need secure pedals, and I can never seem to get my feet in toe clips.

this happens to everyone at first, but after a couple of days youll get it.

as for a pedal setup, you really cant go wrong with MKS. I just got some sylvans for my budget bike, and ive got some royal nuevo's on my other bike.

as for toe clips, i would also recommend MKS, make sure you get the steel ones not the aluminums. Dont mess around with the soma's i didnt like them, i found them really annoying and uncomfortable.

As for straps, if you can afford it, splurge on some proper double straps, they will last alot longer, and if set up properly, will feel as/more secure then your clipless shoes. I'd recommend the Errebi sprint doubles (70$) which come with a matching doublizer. But toshi, mks, and kashimax all make sweet double straps.

but if you dont want to spend the money on those doubles, i would just get nylons and run them with a doublizer. I actually made a set out of an old blackberry cellphone case for one of my bikes and they work pretty good.

here is my setup

http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=28681f7ee5&attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=11b7b12f47f1099c

P.S. I don't have breaks on my fixie, so I need secure pedals, and I can never seem to get my feet in toe clips.

You don't have breaks eh?

If you don't want to pop out of ****, consider something that isn't walkable like the SPD-SL's latest gen.

this is the primary reason i dont ride clipless. Even if you switch to another brand/style your inevitably gonna have this problem.


100% wrong.

Give me a ****ing break.

My problem is I can never clip out of clipless when I need to it.

I like Look Keo's, you can set the retention spring really high, but I use em on the track, so would not be good for walking about urban style.

I need something that I can walk around in easily, because I use this bike a my campus commuter bike, so I ride it to all my classes then, then have to walk around. So road SPDs won't work for me.

Someone said that I would get used to clips after a week or two, but I had toe clips on a regular road bike for about two months and never was able to get my second foot in without coasting.

I really just want to know which is better, Egg Beaters or Time ATACs.

Good quality pedals from either company are about equal in performance, especially in terms of not accidentally unclipping. The "good" pedals both go for about the same price ($80-100) new from either company, it really doesn't matter that much. That said you will see more track racers and other clipless FG riders using Time ATACs. If you get a good shoe with a large, deep, well-designed recess like a SIDI Dominator 5 that fits you properly you can walk around all day on campus. I wear them at school all day and get about 6 months for a set of cleats.

i didnt like SPD's the cleats wore out too fast for me and i had problems with accidental pull out (thats what SHE said). The one nice thing they had going for them though is that the cleats can be moved side to side (i like riding with a narrower stance). Ive been using atacs for everything for the last year or so and been quite happy.

ya, SPDs are mediocre for walking in (cleat wear was alright considering SPD cleats are generic and only cost like $12) but even with ridiculous tension they will pull out while stopping. They were never designed for pedaling backwards with resistance.

CB pedals are made of fail until you start getting really high end ($150 or more). Get the TIMEs.

I don't do tricks and stuff like that, but I do skid stop. I use Crankbros Malletts with Shimano mountain bike shoes. Works real nice and I can ride with just my tennis shoes if I need to.

I just bought the time attak and for the moment i love it, i got toeclip before, **** i hate those :P

My problem is I can never clip out of clipless when I need to it.

Speedplay frogs are REALLY easy to get in and out of

honing your atacs and crank bros can be a process, i like the ease of mks gr9s and a doublizer for the street.

i would vote anything time, i just got some aliums and i havn't had any problems clippin out... time is just awesome.

i can skip and skid with no problem on looks. however, they are a pain to walk on and a bigger pain to get into. since they're one sided, you have to be very particular about how you clip in; if you mess up and happen to be on an incline, you'll end up pushing with your cleat against the underside of the pedal. this is only an issue when you're learning, but happens occasionally even after you've been riding for weeks.
you can skip the hell out of them without ever coming out, but they're a pain to deal with.

i just put some nice MKS pedals with mks metal toe clips and i got the nylon christophe straps. i didn't want to go clip ins, but thats just me.

http://www.cooking.com/images/products/shprodde/102934.jpg

i love the MKS GR-9s.

http://www.pixelparlor.com/images/bikeforums/pedals.jpg

for the record, no, i didn't really read most of this thread -- i think the guy wants clipless, so these options are out.

i love the MKS GR-9s.

http://www.pixelparlor.com/images/bikeforums/pedals.jpg

for the record, no, i didn't really read most of this thread -- i think the guy wants clipless, so these options are out.

But oooh they are shiny!

ya, SPDs are mediocre for walking in (cleat wear was alright considering SPD cleats are generic and only cost like $12) but even with ridiculous tension they will pull out while stopping. They were never designed for pedaling backwards with resistance.

I'm not sure how cleat type = difficulty/ease of walking... It's the shoe that makes the difference.

I've used SPDs before I got my Eggbeaters (SLs) - and I've got two pairs of shoes, one are Cannondale Roams which have a recessed cleat area and *rarely* clip-clop and are very comfortable every day shoes... my other shoes are definitely clip-clop tap shoes (Diadora Bike Patrol) but both work just fine.

I've never had an issue with an accidental unclip on my eggbeaters, they're solid and just work - I've used them through all seasons and I'd recommend them hands down... never an issue to get in (4-sided entry FTW) and like other clipless systems, unclipping becomes second nature real quick. SPDs get fouled up fairly easily with snow/mud/crap - if that happens with an eggbeater you just **** your foot on it and it'll just go in.

My vote would be eggbeaters, I'm biased and I've never used Time ATACs.

Edit: yay for a US-language-centric swear filter :D

Anyone use these shimano shoes? http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SH500B01-Shimano+Sh-Mp66+Mtb+Shoes.aspx

Anyone use these shimano shoes? http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SH500B01-Shimano+Sh-Mp66+Mtb+Shoes.aspx

They're great. I'm on my second pair. Comfortable enough for walking (mostly because they're flat-soled and fairly wide). Stiff enough for a good ride. Lace cover makes them slightly water "resistant". And they don't look like dorky cycling shoes... just slightly sci-fi, perhaps. :)

Cool. Thanks.

time atac mountain or egg beaters ftw.

ive had SPD and they were crap once the cleat worn out just a bit, i would pop out when i pulled up not even just for skipping but when climbing also i have the tension on it like woah. though i still have em for my road bike. but for fixed gear riding i have my ATACs.

time atac mountain or egg beaters ftw.

ive had SPD and they were crap once the cleat worn out just a bit, i would pop out when i pulled up not even just for skipping but when climbing also i have the tension on it like woah. though i still have em for my road bike. but for fixed gear riding i have my ATACs.
give me some eggbeaters and MTB shoes ftw!

I'm not sure how cleat type = difficulty/ease of walking... It's the shoe that makes the difference.

Haven't you seen that style where the "cleats" are the pedals and the shoes have GIANT metal bits on the bottom? Like maybe the KEO style does that. Of course its not easy to walk in those.

They're great. I'm on my second pair. Comfortable enough for walking (mostly because they're flat-soled and fairly wide). Stiff enough for a good ride. Lace cover makes them slightly water "resistant". And they don't look like dorky cycling shoes... just slightly sci-fi, perhaps. :)

Those look and sound awesome, I think I'll try them out!

i had ultegra spd-sl's on for a while, but it would just hurt too much while standing and walking in them. the foot retension was amazing, though. i had it cranked all the way. last week i bought some sidi bullet 2s with shimano m540s and i fcking love em. i have the tension cranked down as tight as i think they can go and, even though i almost never skid, the times that i have had to i have never had a problem.

clipless > pedals/clips/straps

i will probably never go back. i might buy a set of these though, for short trips to the bar or whatever when i don't want to be walking around in the sidis.

http://store.airbomb.com/mmAirbomb/Images/large/q/PD1126.jpg http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/250/62-2126-NCL-ANGLE.jpg

I tried those clipless = clips thing as the images posted above. One thing I didn't realize when I bought the cheap plastic gadgets is that on a clipless pedal, that plastic cage and platform is the heavy side. Thus, before getting your foot in there, they are COMPLETELY upside down. Plus, they have a really useless toe flicking edge, the tiny nubs are nearly smooth and do not stick out very far. All told its nearly impossible to get your foot in there when the pedal is moving! And when it is not moving, its very difficult. To make matters even worse, the "quick switch" appeal is completely ruined by the fact that getting the platforms on and off is way more difficult than getting your clipless shoes on and off the cleats. It was actually faster for me to grab a pedal wrench and change the pedals than get those things off the clipless pedals. Go figure!

I tried more than a few pairs of Shimano MTB shoes as I wanted a casual looking shoe that I could walk in, really didnt like any of them, really flexy and very uncomfortable :( I tried these from Performance and they are ****ing great! :love: They are stiff, VERY easy to walk in, and are fairly low priced! ($60.00 on sale!) I gave up the "casual look" for comfort and performance, best move Ive ever made :thumb: I added a pic of my Ritchey pedals as they have been very, very good to me :)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/pedalsnshoes004.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/pedalsnshoes003.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/pedalsnshoes002.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/pedalsnshoes001.jpg

I have such a ***** for the Ritchey Ti V4 pedals. The price tag, however, leaves me limp.

Time ATACs

I have such a ***** for the Ritchey Ti V4 pedals. The price tag, however, leaves me limp.

Toronto, ON...Degrassi... ;) Great show!

If you want better retention dont touch egg beaters. They are really easy to get out of.

I havent used them personally, but Ive heard a lot of good stuff about Time ATAC. Id def go with them.

http://store.airbomb.com/mmAirbomb/Images/large/q/PD1126.jpg http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/250/62-2126-NCL-ANGLE.jpg


**** just blew my mind,

If you want to skid use clips. with clips anything works.

If you want better retention dont touch egg beaters. They are really easy to get out of.

I havent used them personally, but Ive heard a lot of good stuff about Time ATAC. Id def go with them.
if you havent used them, dont say they are easy to get out of! i use them, i skid, blah blah. they are awesome! i haven't EVER had a foot come unlocked when i didnt want it to.

Does anyone know if the current line-up of Time pedals and cleats would be compatible with the oldest Time pedals and cleats. I found an old pair of shoes that I would like to pair with a new set of ATACs.

Old Times used a 4 bolt system. New times use the look style 3 bolt. So no.

But the OP should really try the Cinelli M-71's. They are impossible to clip out accidently :)

Eggbeaters: blew a spring on one set, and a bearing on a second.
Time ATAC: heavy; slop in the retention allowed the shoe to lift a millimeter or so off of the pedal when fully clipped-in; knees hated the re-centering float.

Now riding VP One Bebop pedals (http://beboppedals.com/old%20web%20text/pages/specs.html):

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p15/suntoryjim/pedal1.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p15/suntoryjim/pedal2.jpg

Like SpeedPlay pedals, but without the bulky road-shoe-only cleat.