oboeguy

We just had a pedal fall apart this morning. It was, I believe, a Wellgo M30 I was lucky enough to find in a store long ago. "Lucky" because it was cleat-compatible with all the other-SPD clone pedals in our stable of bikes (a couple of bikes with Performance pedals).

Ideally I could find a set of the same pedals as a replacement. They worked well on a folding bike because one could permanently remove the cage (for smaller profile with the bike folded) and still have a reasonable platform leftover. I don't believe that trick would work as well with the Performance "Campus Pedal" which we have on another bike.

BFers thoughts and assistance in tracking down a replacement would be greatly appreciated!

While on the topic, just how cleat-compatible are Shimano and Wellgo styles of pedals? (I've asked before and been left somewhat unsatisfied) Thanks.

alan s 

Have you looked at Shimano M324s?

oboeguy

I have but without some solid reassurance that the cleats would be compatible enough with the rest of our pedals, I can't make a move.

alan s 

You lost me . . . Shimano SPD and clone SPD pedals are all compatible with one another.

neil

I use Wellgo WPD-95B pedals to serve the same function. I got mine at MEC, but it looks like they can be ordered through Amazon, too. And I imagine many bike shops carry Wellgo products and if they don't have that specific pedal, could still order it in for you.

I'm sure the Shimanos would work fine, too. The whole idea behind SPD clones is that they are indeed compatible with true SPD-branded pedals.

oboeguy

Thanks! How's the flat side of the pedal? The picture at Amazon suggest that taking the cage off would make for a less than stellar platform experience.

Somehow I have the idea that there are non-trivial differences. Apparently everyone else says otherwise. Good news, then.

alan s 

The only "true SPD-branded pedals" are Shimano. SPD stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics. Everything else is a clone. Does that help?

DallasSoxFan

my forte campus pedals are fine with SPD and the platform is more than adequate and doesn't have a cage.

Mr IGH

Performance Bike has the Wellgo platform/SPD pedal (Forte Campus) on sale for $30 right now.

oboeguy

Good to know. They've been solid pedals on another bike. Maybe I will give-up on the cage-removing stuff. (I took a look today and there's no way it would be a good platform without the cage)

JimF22003

I bought the pedals with a platform one one side and clips on the other. In practice I never used the platforms, since I never ride the bike without bike shoes. It was more trouble than it was worth when taking off at traffic lights or whatever. Half the time I'd start off in the platform side, and end up fiddling to flip them around to the clip side. I ended up switching back to dual-clip pedals. If I ever rode in street shoes it might be a nice feature.

oboeguy

I'm not a big user of them myself, as I almost always wear bike-specific shoes. However, my better half often wears regular shoes when riding so the option is quite useful and used.

DallasSoxFan

I only use the plaforms about 10% of the time, and never on my commute. My usual use for them is this: 4 year old wants to go on a ride, but has no interest in the trailer or trail-a-bike. He wants to ride himself. I'm in jeans and tennis shoes. Rather than go get changed or even change shoes, I just hop on and go. The other case is when we are in the middle of cooking a recipe and are missing an ingredient - just hop on and go.

alan s 

I use them for winter riding only. I can clip in for clear stretches, but on ice or snow, I use the platform side in case I need to put a foot down quickly. The rest of the year, I use the dual-sided SPDs, and don't have a problem for the occasional short ride in street shoes.

oboeguy

I saw the Shimano M545 pedals the other day while waiting for the Governor's Island Ferry. Anybody ever try these?

AndrewP

I had a pair of shoes with Wellgo "SPD" cleats on themand. They worked on Shimano pedals but didnt unclip quite as cleanly. Both myself and my son had failures of the larching mechanism of Wellgo pedals about a year of riding. He switched to Eggbeaters and I went to Shimano A520s.

CAJohn

I've got these Shimano M324 pedals on my commuter. Since going clipless with them, I haven't used the platform side more than once or twice. The combination works, the pedal works, but I haven't got a ton of experience with other pedals or knockoff SPD-compatible cleats.

tjspiel

I have the Shimano A530s. I replaced them with some Crank Bros pedals but I kind of miss the ability to use regular shoes though I don't do it often. I may switch back.

f1xedgear

Don't know that this is something you'd consider, but to improve cornering clearance on the fg I used a hacksaw for a quick, but effective, modification. Apologies for the picture quality.

Mr IGH

I have a set. Not really platforms, more like a cage to protect the pedal. I can ride them with street shoes, not very well.

How are the A520s platforms with street shoes?

looie

I saw these on a bike recently
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...2_506612_-1___

and I thought they might be good for what you're talking about. There's an even better-looking model called X ROC that I can't find on the web much.

oboeguy

I'll bet they use Time cleats which makes them ineligible. Nice looking pedals, though!

Interesting, I'll keep that in mind.

I ended-up ordering another set of the "Campus" pedals because well, my better half said she liked them on her other bike so that's that.

mtalinm

i have the m324 as well. they are wonderful. i clip in most of the time for obvious reasons, but when I'm in the city I flip the pedals over so I can stop quickly and get a grip on the ground without worry. also great for starting quickly at an intersection without clipping in.

I don't know how they did it, but the pedals are just perfectly weighted so that the side I want is always there for me. couldn't be happier

BarracksSi

IMO, the cleats are less important than the shoes. If the cleats fit the shoes you already like, then just change 'em.

I would have also recommended taking a look at Crank Brothers pedals, particularly the Mallet and their other big platforms. I also ride my road bike and its Time RXS pedals on the short ride to work while wearing regular shoes; they're small, but they're effectively flat on both sides.

tjspiel

The Crank Bros Mallets might be OK for use with regular shoes. The Quattros and Acids aren't in my opinion. Not that it couldn't be done (I have), but I'd be more comfortable, and feel safer with just a spindle. The wings on the pedals stick up well past the platform and can roll forward sliding your shoe right off the pedal.

Candies have even smaller platforms.