bike2math, the bearings on the Nashbar pedals ARE quite rough as shipped, basically they just need to be loosened... whoever's assembling them is incompetent (probably a machine ). I've been told elsewhere on the forums that Nashbar may do this because the races aren't of a very good quality, but after they've been used for a while they're supposed to "wear in" and be smoother.

The bearings definitely are the MAJOR disappointment of the Nashbar pedals, which are otherwise of a good quality and design.