Do MTB riders use clipless pedals?
 

My son and I are both somewhat new to MTB riding... we have the same bikes, but he is doing jumps and more single track, while I tend to ride more trails.

I am a long time street cyclist and therefore equipped my bike with clipless pedals.

My son wanted platforms and thinks clipless are just asking for trouble.

What is the consensus in the user community... clipless or platform?

You're going to get a very disparate group of answers here. No hard and fast. Some do, some don't.

Inconclusive, non-scientific, and totally based on my own observations: clipless is in the majority for trail/xc, then more flat pedals start showing up when you start getting into fr/dh riding.

I use them for all my ridng. Ride what you like. No reason you and your son have to use the same pedal system. If you're coming from a long time road background and are used to clipping in and out, the transition to using them off road ought to be pretty mellow - I found it to be.

I use clipess. It was a little difficult to get used to at first, and I did fall some since I had never used clipless pedals before, but once I got used to them there was no going back. I love my M520s and Shimano shoes.

It depends...sometimes the trail bike has clipless, sometimes it has platforms. Same with the DH bike...depends on what, how, where, etc., I am riding.

In summary - I have more fun with the platforms but I am more efficient with the clipless.

After the ride I just got back from, I'm defiantly going to platforms. For now.

Clipless 10:1

Platform. I ride Primo BMX pedals on one bike, and Easton "Cully"s on the other. I will never, ever, ever ride clipless pedals off-road again. It's harder for me to hop logs with clipless, I don't feel comfortable riding on the edge of cliffs with clipless, and with platforms, I don't have to worry about whether I'm really clipped in or not.

That was pretty much my thinking... he is doing more dh/fr than I am... and he is tricking out his bike for that... with chain guards and tensioners and the like.

I on the other hand don't really plan on jumping much of anything... and am looking more for simple off road trail riding with maybe some technical single track. Something akin to road riding, but without the damn auto traffic. :D

I think I got him the wrong bike actually... he needs something with far beefier shocks... whereas I am doing quite well with mine... even though I am 60 lbs heavier...

Chainguards rule!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/98/38...0a799f.jpg?v=0

Platforms only. Too far entrenched from an old-school BMX background... :p

MTB PD-M520's
 

hi i just got some PD-M520 clipless and they came with the SM-PD22 clip-on platforms, so far they are great but i can't seem to get the platforms off them, the guy who sold them to me said they were easy to get on and off but i can't seem to be able.

can some one help me of give me some advise?

I use M520 SPD clipless on my hardtail MTB. See this thread for more detailed description, but short version is that I most do road biking with Look Keo clipless, decided to get into MTB as a training alternative, went for about 4 months with platforms on my MTB, got clipless on it for XMas and have not looked back.

Those who say that one type is definitively better than the other are either pvssies or headcases.

Loosen the release tension screws and twist them off by hand.

i did that but it still wont move
any other ideas?

hit it with a BFH

light it on fire and melt it off

put the platform in a vise and twist the bike

dremel

take it to your LBS but be prepared to be ridiculed

clipliform

Or just ride on them a couple of days; they will disintegrate on their own.

I used those platforms on a trail one time because I was still waiting for my clipless shoes and I didn't have any other pedals to use. Somehow I survived the ride. :lol:

I ride both, depends on the mood and season and purpose, but do prefer platforms. So, who cares.

Opps I meant chainring guards. It replaces his largest chainring with a rigid metal ring.

I ride XC (Drops and rollers generally no higher than 2-3 feet, lots of climbing, singletrack, etc). I do like to get credit card air on my rides, but everything is well within the "trail riding" realm. Sometimes I throw platforms on for goofing around/urban skills practice, but I just feel a lot more comfortable with clipless. This is partly due to my lack of skills with platforms, but meh. When I pick up a longer travel AM or light freeride rig I'll probably give platforms a fair try.

nice

F***in gnar indeed

Here you go... your first platform pedal lesson. :)

You don't need a longer travel AM or freeride bike, even a hard tail will do. Best done on a bike with short stem and lowered saddle. Don't forget to wear shin guards at first (soccer types will do, or even a notebook tucked inside your socks - trust me on this!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAem3L7Rlpk&NR=1

Have fun!! :thumb:

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