Recommend a clipless pedal
 

I wanna go clipless. I really like my toe clips and straps. I tried playing with them the other day with tightening the strap all the way, and really like the feeling of being connected to my pedal. I wanna go a step further so I don't have to keep fiddling with the darn strap.

However, I still must need to be able to use my bike for quick trips to the store without wearing clipless shoes. Its my only bike and we don't have room to keep a second bike (actually third, if you count my girlfriend's).

Was looking at some of the half-platform half-clipless pedals. How are your impressions on these things?

Was also reading some old threads about pedals like the CB Mallet with giant platforms, however the consensus was that the platform was for stability with the clip, and not for riding with regular street shoes.

Advice? Opinions? Discuss.

Actually I'm looking to upgrade my pedals, mostly because I'm buying a new rig and the pedals on my commuter are beat to hell. That said, talking with the owner of my preferred LBS, I think I'm going with Crank Bros. Candy C pedals on both. He had nothing but nice things to say about them, and they're what he uses both on his commuter and on his mt bike. The true test is in whether or not he uses the product he endorses, in this case, he does.

SPD/platform combination, time atac alium, CB mallets...

basically clipless with huge platform.

Depends how much you expect to be riding in your street shoes. If a lot, then Mallets or something like AEO says; if only a little (say 90% of your riding clipped in) then I totally recommend Candy C's. I've not used the half-and-halves but I can see them being annoying having to find the right side to clip in.

SPD plus mtn shoes ...

That's what I have, too. I go into stores with them on all the time. They're not hard to walk in, just crunch a bit on concrete. I wouldn't wear them all day, but for short errands, it's fine.

Ditto - SPD/Shimano clipless with Mtn shoes. Zero problems walking on quick trips.

SPD 520s with mountain shoes. Problem solved.

Obviously not the first to say this, but SPD/w mountain shoes. I just made the "switch" (thats one bike clipless-2 bikes clips and straps still) and I must say that I am very happy with them. they really make much more sense for commuting than say, Looks, which I have a pair of as well. The looks pedaled great, but one sided pedals are a pain in the A when you are in stop and go traffic, and you would NOT want to walk around a grocery store looking like a duck in them. With "old school" specialized mtn shoes, which look almost cool in my street clothes, I could almost forget I was wearing Bike shoes while running errands.

If you only have one bike, and most of your riding is going to be in proper shoes go with 2 sided, no platform SPD pedals, and use your spd shoes for "errands" You can buy cheap clip-in platforms for when you are taking your bike somewhere where you cant just wear the spd shoes, or just put 2 minutes aside to switch them out for some platform pedals.

time atacs/specialized mtb shoes (i use the current sport model)

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time atacs/specialized mtb shoes (i use the current sport model)

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+1 for spd/mountain shoes.

I'm using Shimano PD-M520's right now, which are way too small to ride comfortably without bike shoes, but I always wear my bike shoes when on the bike, so its not an issue for me.

Another option are the spd pedals with a platforms so you have the best of both worlds. I'm considering one of these on my soon to be ordered touring bike.

The Shimano PD-M545 is dual sided, with clips on both sides.
Attachment 134711

The Shimano PD-M324 has the clip on one side, and the platform on the other.
Attachment 134712

I've been riding clipless for over 10 years now, and can't imagine riding without them!

Brawny

I run Shimano's M324 and am really impressed. I have logged close to 6,000 miles since I went to these pedals and I haven't done a single bit of maintenance to them, even with out craptastic Iowa winter weather. I have also had a couple of crashes that slammed the non-drive-side pedal into the pavement pretty harshly with no signs of impact damage.

Although the connection is getting a little sloppy because I walk in my mountain shoes quite a bit, so I have warn part of the clips off the bottom of my shoes.

I have two sets of pedals for one of my bikes one set is platform and one is clipless that can be used with MBT shoes for walking when off the bike. The pedals are made by MKS and the thing I like about them is they are quick release pedals. I just pull back a ring and the pedal comes right off. I can switch between pedal types instantly or remove the pedals all together when I leave the bike locked outside a store.

Interesting... How is the durability of the mechanism? how long have you been using them and how often do you switch pedals?

I've been using them for three or four years on my most used bike. I take the pedals off a few times a week to leave the bike a bit more theft proof, I switch pedals a couple times a month or a couple times a week depending upon rides (this bike gets used for commuting, travel and errands). The QR release mechanism works just like the QR for for a compressor hose. You need to keep grease on the pedal shaft, otherwise I don't give them much thought.

Time has a new half platform/half atac pedal out, the Allroad Gripper. http://www.ebikestop.com/prodimages/PD2343_medium.jpg

I like these:

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...bm.512.384.gif

With these shoes:
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...bm.512.384.gif

I like the ability to use clipless while maintaining a casual look. Plus, when I don't want to search around for the shoes, I can just jump on with my street shoes.

It can be a little tricky getting the pedal flipped the right way to clip in when you're trying to clear a green light, but even if you don't get to the clips you can pedal just fine.

Crank Bros. Mallets or Shimano M545s. Both have big cages so you can wear regular shoes. I've used both and currently have the Mallets. SPDs require setting a tension screw while CB's use a spring to increase tension as you pull up, but unclip easily if you twist out. If you over do it on the SPD tension screw, twisting out can be difficult. Too lose and you'll unclip unexpectedly.

OK, Another qualified vote for Time ATACs here. I have them because they play nice with my knees. I have some carbon ATAC on the mtb, Aliums on the fixie, Z-controls on the commuter, and the single-sided "road" version on the tandem.

I got the Zs because I thought they'd serve well as a platform pedal when I'm not in bike shoes. Turns out that the best platform pedals are actually platform pedals. Who knew? I would not go that route again. They are also the heaviest pedals you can possibly buy, so they've got that going for them.

I picked up the one-sided version b/c they were on super sale and I figured, what the heck. Funny enough, if you can get these wrong side up, they make a decent platform. Really though, I don't see the point, they're not really lighter than the double sided which I would go with if available at comparable price. Live and learn.

One other consideration: My wife somehow wound up preferring Shimano spd. Life would be a bit simpler if we could harmonize this choice. We have lots of bikes and lots of pedals, but there always seems to be one bike looking for pedals and a spare set of the wrong kind floating around. I think we're in too deep to turn back but there are days... especially when I realized the Shimano make a rather nice spd with a little bear-trap surround that actually does a good job of what I was hoping to get out of the Time Zs, it is ok as a platform in a pinch. My wife has a pair on her extracycle and she likes them.

I also have 2007 Shimano Dura Ace proper road pedals on a fancy road bike. They rock. Road shoes are no fun to walk around in, except for those watching you.

+1000

I do the same, even on my Titanium race bike I use MTB SPDs. I prefer the walkability over any tiny performance gain with road cleats and shoes. I spent the 70's and 80's in un-walkable cleated shoes, not goin' back.

Oh, and I use double sided Shimano SPDs on all our bikes except the tandem, single sided 323's (like the 324 above) on that one in case somebody wants to give it a try with regular shoes.

Check out the Crank Bros line. Road and MTB pedals withe same cleat. Prices on the lower end pedals are pretty reasonable and they take a bunch of abuse.

Well, I made the same mistake as you did, so I kind of regretted buying my Time Z-controls, but they turned out to be really nice for winter riding since they work well when you want to ride un-clipped a stretch were you need to put down you foot down fast because of ice and ruts.

Time have now made a pedal series called "Allroad" with a platform side and an ATAC side.

--
Regards

I just doggedly continue to use he Zs on my commuter. Too expensive to admit failure. Beside the commuter is so heavy that the 15 or 18 pounds of pedals (they are made of depleted uranium right?) hardly seems to matter.

Using them on the snow bike is probably a good choice actually. I'll give it a try. Thanks.