robatsu

VO has had a new set of road pedals for a few months now. Wondering if anyone has any experience or comments on these they would like to share. Picture looks real artsy and all, but wondering about the rest of the story.

mkeller234

I have never used the pedals, but the finish looks nice. Have you considered the MKS sylvans? They are inexpensive and look pretty decent. I'm sure the VO pedals have a nicer finish, maybe lighter?

I used the MKS pedals on my Professional:

Grand Bois

The V.O. pedals look nicer than the T.A. pedals he was selling for $150 a while back.

robatsu

Actually, I'd go for the Sylvans except for the little prong sticking up at the end, which doesn't work too well with my feet in street shoes. I'm a pretty big MKS fan, have the touring pedals on a lot of my bikes. The VO ones look like the little prong is bent over.

I suppose I could do that to the Sylvans, or just file it down. Anyone done that?

Grand Bois

Yes, to $150 T.A. pedals.

Sirrus Rider

The prongs are for flipping the pedal over when using toeclips. I suppose if you were going to use them as two sideded and open pedals you could file it off.

robatsu

Not that one, the one on the outboard end of the pedal cage. These are always a problem, for me, in using classic road pedals w/street shoes.

SweetLou

I believe he is talking about the prong on the outside of the pedal, not the tab for flipping the pedal.

If you don't like that prong, try the MKS AR-2. They are very similar but without that tall prong. Harris Cyclery has an image of them at: https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/pedals.html

SingeDebile

the build quality may be 'better' then T.A. pedals but design wise the T.A. pedals are much nicer in my opinion. The cage of the VO pedals is chunky in proportion and the cutouts look clumsy. The chromed alluminum may wear better then the way T.A. leaves it, but I dont like how it clash's with the pedal body. Lastly the body itslef looks too chunky for my taste.. even compared with the suntour superbe pedals which are very similar, the proportions just look off.

JohnDThompson 

Why not just go for the track pedals?

qualla

I can't speak to the VO Road pedals, but I have had a set of the VO Touring pedals for a while now and I like them very much. I use them without clips and, in comparison with the MKS that I have on another bike, they are more comfortable and grip better dry or wet, ice or snow. The VO road pedals, though, look quite different from the Touring pedals -- more of a classic look and more like the MKS or the TA so take this for what it is worth

Grand Bois

If you're going to wear street shoes, only the MKS touring pedals will be wide enough. That's why I own so many sets and I'm about to order another. I use Power Grips with them, but clips and straps also work well.

The V.O touring pedals might be wide enough for me, but they cost double what I've been paying and they don't look like they belong on an early seventies bike.

robatsu

I've got the MKS touring pedals on a couple of bikes, I love them, but I wanted something a little sexier on current project. I agree w/the comments about the VO cages look a little clunky. The MKS track pedals may be the deal, certainly are at the price.

Grand Bois

Just keep in mind that the Sylvan track pedals are much narrower than both the Sylvan road and Sylvan touring.

JohnDThompson 

The Sylvan track pedals use the same axle and body as the Sylvan road pedals; the only difference is that they lack the upturned quill on the end.

robatsu

I ended up going w/the MKS Sylvan Road. The only thing that was really holding me back on recent Sylvans, and this is completely superficial, is that I never liked the finish on the axles, the matte silver finish always looks like zinc plated steel. I love nice shiny pedal axles. Superficial, but true nonetheless.

But I decided I'd put this aside, picked up some Road Sylvans this afternoon at the LBS. Got home, the matte axles still a bee buzzing around in my bonnet. I start messing around with a little polish, and it looks like they could polish up nicely. So I got down to business, and polished the axles and the bodies (cages won't polish, they are anodized). Not a full bore job, really just about 10-20 minutes, and in person they scratch the shiny itch as much as the VO ones do. I'm terrible at taking pictures of shiny things, but here is one that doesn't do them justice - they actually sparkle now:



Next time I'm feeling really superficial, maybe I'll get out the oven cleaner, deanodize the cages, and some sand paper to take down some casting marks. The axles actually do polish up pretty nicely w/out a whole lot of effort, much to my empty-headed glee.

mkeller234

Do the bearings on your sylvans seem a little dry to you? First thing I did was add a little more grease to mine straight from the box.

The polish job looks nice

robatsu

Various stuff I've read states that MKS Sylvans (Road, Touring, whatever) come with their bearings adjusted rather tight, giving it a dry feel, but you don't have to adjust them looser. New ones I've bought always feel that way, I've always used them as they came, haven't had any problems. But it couldn't hurt to adjust/grease them, either.

ScottRyder 

I use the MKS Touring pedal on most of my bikes. The first pair I bought I was a little tight and dry at first. After a week or so, maybe less, they were as smooth as silk. All my others have been the same.

Scott

wahoonc

My experience too. But I usually take the end cap off an add a bit of grease anyway.

Aaron

ok_commuter

I use the MKS Touring and love them.

cudak888 

Every pair I've purchased has been too tight, and one set had a tad of grit in the left pedal.

-Kurt

cyclotoine

I know in theory these overtight pedals are supposed to break in but I have my doubts. As a mechanic I assemble hundred of cheep hybrids with too tight axle bearings. I often adjust them if they are really tight but will let other pass if they feel only kind of tight. It's clear to me that quality control is poor because of the varying degrees of tightness and when I service one that has been on the road for a year and the bearings are totally shot I can't help but think that is because they weren't properly adjusted in the first place. So i believe it is better to adjust them to as smooth as possible with no play... if they develop play over time, just readjust.

cudak888 

That they will. The bearings will score a deep crevice in the raceways, and the bearings will be ground down until out of round.

-Kurt

Grand Bois

As I said, the Sylvan track pedals are much narrower than the Sylvan road and touring pedals.