Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - nashbar soho pedals?

I'm about to make the jump from toe clips to clipless. I've been looking at pedals that are flat on one side, with the un-clip on the other, so that I can wear sneakers for a quick run into town.

I'm considering the Nashbar Rodeo and its twin over at Performance; I'm also looking at the Shimano A530 and its Nashbar knockoff, the Soho. My concern about the Soho is that it's part plastic -- I'm not sure it will hold up well under my 220 lbs.

Any recommendations or horror stories?

No recommendations, but I'll be watching with interest as I was considering the SoHo as well. Looks like a good pedal to me, much, much cheaper than the Shimano A530. It appears the plastic side is on the platform, where I doubt you'll be standing much anyway. I almost bought those but instead I bought Shimano MT32 shoes (http://www.rei.com/product/783235). That was partly motivated by the fact that all my bikes have Shimano M520 dual sided pedals and I wasn't sure just how SPD compatible the SoHos are.

Not a horror story, but when I decided to try clipless I bought theForte Campus Pedals (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1033468_-1_1501500_20000_400048) at Performance. I figured the same thing: for a quick ride I could wear sneaks without worrying about clipping in.

Funny thing...I never (not once) rode the bike in sneaks. It was no more trouble to put on my mtb shoes and clip in.

The next time I needed pedals, I went with the Shimano 540, and have no regrets. I have never wished that I had a platform side.

Just sayin'...

Part of my reason for wanting a clipless/platform pedal is so that I can wear "normal" shoes; the other is so that if I'm in stop-and-go traffic (I live in Philadelphia) I can pedal for a block or two without clipping in. My husband has the Nashbar Rodeo (their version of the Performance Campus/Shimano M324)) and has set them with clipless on one side, old-style clips (cages) on the other. It works for him... but I don't understand how he manages in traffic.

Decisions, decisions!

Where are you in Philly? I just moved from Delaware County to Arizona...here's one reason why:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c282/panhead74/100_1007.jpg

Taken on Feb 10, three days before I left...I waited a week too long ;)

Back on topic...I haven't ever had a problem unclipping for intersections or traffic; I unclipped in a hurry when an oncoming car decided to make a left into my path.

I had a set of the Nashbar Rodeo pedals for this very reason. Truth is I never used them without my bike shoes, I ended up giving them to a friend and I went with eggbeaters instead. Before sending them off to my buddy, I let my girlfriend use them and she didn't care for them, she's using eggbeaters now as well.

the other is so that if I'm in stop-and-go traffic (I live in Philadelphia) I can pedal for a block or two without clipping in.

That's what double sided clipless pedals are for. Seriously, it's about as easy to clip into a double sided SPD as it is to put your foot on a platform pedal. I imagine the egg beaters are even easier.

Yeah the eggbeaters clip in if you even look at them sideways...

...I'll put it this way, my GF can use them no problem!

Where are you in Philly? I just moved from Delaware County to Arizona....

I'm in Manayunk, which I think is the bicycling center of Philadelphia. I'm *still* trying to get up The Wall (a steep hill in the neighborhood) without stopping on the way.

Ah, Manayunk! I had a bike fit at Cadence Cycling last year.