Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Recommend a Quality Fixie Pedal

Preferences:

Double strap compatible
Lightweight
Smooth Spinner
Black

Cheap would be nice, but I don't mind paying for quality.

Double strap like velcro, or leather?

MKS GR-9 (much flatter, but they don't grip as well as the others)
MKS Sylvan Track
Well-Go RO-25Beezies

Or shell out for them MKS Urban Plats. I haven't used mine yet, but they be spinnin (Chris Rock) they be spinnin!

I am curious about the mks urban pedal. Doesn't the spindle look super long? Seems like they would screw up your q factor. Could be just the perception of looking at the pic, but would love to see them next to the gr9, or sylvan tracks.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6846090966_befdeca63e_b.jpg

I can take pics if Scrod doesn't chime in first.

I think I like the MKS Sylan Stream better than those.

pics pics pics

spindle only looks slightly longer than my GR-9's, but i'd be curious. might as well throw some sylvan tracks in there for comparison is well if someone can, i always thought they seemed like a longer pedal compared to the GR-9's.

MKS Urban Platform vs. MKS GR-9 (spindles are lined up +/- 1mm):

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/leader-722-ts-6928_8.jpg

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/leader-722-ts-6928_7.jpg



Vs. MKS Sylvan Track

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/leader-722-ts-6928_9.jpg

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/leader-722-ts-6928_10.jpg

Thank you. I've been meaning to post comparison pics on the RG blog but it keeps slipping through the cracks.

Urban platforms seem amazing

I'm putting my Urban plats on my short distance bike, for comfort.

My GR-9's are more comfortable overall than the Sylvan Tracks or RO-25B's, but I feel like I also lose some of that grippyness. It's your basic tradeoff. Also, the GR-9's are much easier to flip, but also feel sharper when riding the bottoms.

Great thread here - I've been curiously contimplating between the GR-9's and Urban Platforms. One more comparison I would like to see is the Urbans and the Streams.

Streams feel exactly like Sylvan Tracks under my feet (which I don't like) and don't have a flip tab.

Comparing them to Urban Platforms is apples and oranges.

interesting, so how double strap compatible are the MKS Urbans?

+1 on MKS GR-9

interesting, so how double strap compatible are the MKS Urbans?

The same as GR-9s. There the have slots for singles, as seen here:

http://cache1.bigcartel.com/product_images/66497909/300.jpg

but the second strap can just be looped beneath the pedal and will stay secure.

but the second strap can just be looped beneath the pedal and will stay secure.
I saw the pictures at your storefront but that's the answer I was really looking for....I'm fairly happy with my V1.5's and BMX pedals at the moment but those Urbans have me interested...

Streams feel exactly like Sylvan Tracks under my feet (which I don't like) and don't have a flip tab.

Comparing them to Urban Platforms is apples and oranges.

Thanks, gotcha.

Urban platforms seem amazing

Yes, they appear to be a decent pedal at a more affordable price than the White Industry version.

I've been using the Lyotard "Marcel Berthet" pedals (http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=31ca38d4-b05e-4050-8b43-8e4bef89ad9a&Enum=109), on which both the MKS and White Industries urban pedals are based, for some time.

http://velobase.com/CompImages/Pedals/FCE91C55-9C2F-48E2-A1AA-83826FD65942.jpeg

This thread name had me lol'in

Big Ups to Biggly for the photo's, really shows the comparison width/length wise of all those pedals.

+1 on the GR-9s. They look quite a bit smaller, but have the most comfortable and solid platform I've found with my variety of size 11.5 skate shoes. As mentioned above, also the easiest to flip out of any pedal i've used. can't comment on comfort of riding them upside down though, because seriously, why would I ever do that. kind of defeats the purpose of strops and clips.

The Urban's platform looks quite comfy, but enough more to justify the greater risk of pedal strike compared to the GR-9's

I only ride the bottoms in like one-two block segments where there is a signal at every block (downtown L.A., hate it).

There's just no point in clipping in/out at every red light, and I ain't gonna track stand at every one either, so a lot of times I'll just leave one foot in/one foot out.

I saw the pictures at your storefront but that's the answer I was really looking for....I'm fairly happy with my V1.5's and BMX pedals at the moment but those Urbans have me interested...

You would use them with leather straps right? Just making sure, because I don't think velcro will work that well.

You would use them with leather straps right? Just making sure, because I don't think velcro will work that well.

oh I know, after the winter I am debating on trying clips again my last set were on Welgo track pedals and I soo didn't like how those felt. I really like the big flat nature of the Urbans though

I am seriously in love with the Urban Platforms and double straps I got from scrod. My feets are happy.

hairnet might be the only person that could help, but what pedals could someone with, ehh lets say sz 14 shoe use with retention?

I am seriously in love with the Urban Platforms and double straps I got from scrod. My feets are happy.

I think they are worth it.

hairnet might be the only person that could help, but what pedals could someone with, ehh lets say sz 14 shoe use with retention?
it's a curse. The Urban platforms seem nice and they look to be a bit wider than the GR-9s. I can't help that much because I ride clipless and have fat bmx pedals on my regular shoes bike. Scrod claims to have some wide feet

Sorry to bring this thread back up - but, it is obvious that the GR-9's have more pedal surface forward of the spindle than the Urban Platforms, and what looks like other pedals as well. Do you GR-9 users use a next size down toe clip with them to subtract the difference in the more forward platform? I use a size Large toe clip with Wellgo RO-25's and am looking at ordering some GR-9's. Just wondering if I should order a set of Medium toe clips along with the GR-9's... Thanks.

You should be fine with the same size. I don't think it would hurt to size down either. I find myself pulling my feet back from the end of the clips sometimes, and I really think I'd be okay with size small.

I was worried there would be some overlap as well, but I used the same mediums from my Well-Go's and they didn't touch the tire.

^^ Thanks. I think I'll add a pair of Mediums to the order as well.

I <3 the GR-9's

Hey guys.. I was trying to decide between the GR-9 and the urban platforms but the pics on the first page arent showing upi for me. I know that the urbans are a couple inches wider but how do they do as far as pedal strike? I've got the MKS touring pedals at the moment so either would be an improvement--not that i get pedal strikes as it is but just in case. Thanks!

Urban Platforms are only about 12mm wider than GR-9s at their widest point and contoured on the bottom so pedal strike isn't really any more of an issue.

I do like the GR-9's but as stated above they do not grip very well if at all.

And you can run doubles on them no prob. I do.

Urban Platforms are only about 12mm wider than GR-9s at their widest point and contoured on the bottom so pedal strike isn't really any more of an issue.

Thanks Scrod. It seems then the only difference between the two is that the urbans are wider and more expensive (due to better bearing?) and really comes down to preference in width.. would that be accurate? it seems like the GR-9 are super popular whereas the urbans are rarely used.. or at least rarely discussed. I'm assuming its the price difference.

Mind if I ask you on your thoughts on the two? I'd be using it on my fixed bike with retrogression's double strap and cage

(btw, thanks for making all the ordering of parts the past couple weeks so easy, especially considering the crazy weather over there).

The Urban Platform is pretty new and I think most people are unaware they even exist. I think the price difference has a lot to do with the bearings, which are the same found in MKS's higher end pedals like the Custom Nuevo.

You'll have no issues using double straps. There is no second slot to feed the front strap through but - as with GR-9s - all you need to so is loop the strap below the bottom of the pedal and let physics do the rest.

I recently got the Urbans. FWIW, they are wider than GR9s, but you can't really "center" them under your shoe since the inner edges are raised to hold your feet away from the crank arms; so your feet (at least my size 11.5-12s) hang off the edge anyway. Another thing is that if I skid or pull up on the straps, my feet often "lose their place" and need to be readjusted because those raised edges end up digging into my sole. Also, flipping into them was a bit odd at first, but I got used to it.

Other than that, the Urbans are super comfy. Someday, though, I think I'm gonna give the GR9s a try. Or maybe even the Sylvan Lites....

FWIW, they are wider than GR9s, but you can't really "center" them under your shoe since the inner edges are raised to hold your feet away from the crank arms; so your feet (at least my size 11.5-12s) hang off the edge anyway.

Why do so many people think bicycle pedals are supposed to be centered under your feet? Unless you have feet like a 10 year old girl, your shoe will always hang over the outer edge of any pedal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/yeargonzalez/IMG_3183.jpg