The strapless mini-clips work very well for what you describe.

Wife has those on her bike and I have to admit that they work.

Enough already. These are not platform pedals. And the MKS Classic "Platform" Pedals are not platform pedals. Those are both fine, functional examples of pedals with plain cages. Nothing wrong with them, if they work for you.

Be expressive with Nashbar.

If you REALLY want grip, I recommend the Syncros Mental pedals:

http://www.syncros.com/images/pedal_..._alloy_blk.jpg

I've run the Alloys (pictured above) for two or three seasons and am now running the Mags. They are hands-down the grippiest platforms out. Each pin is v-grooved at the top for extra bite. Be careful though: they are angry, hungry-for-meat things. Here are the Mags on my new ride:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...e/IMG_0893.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...e/IMG_0896.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...e/IMG_0898.jpg

Faint of heart need not apply.......................Oh, you were talking about the pedals.

Nice bike D.......:)

I saw those Nashbar gizmos the other day when I was looking around. The guitar doesn't look too bad, and it is on sale. If I had a nice lookin' cruiser for riding around town, I might be tempted.

I almost gave up on clipless pedals until I stumbled onto the combination of Shimano SPD pedals and the silver, multi-release cleat. Once I found the combination that works for me I've been afraid to try anything else.

But..but.. don't you understand that clipless means you NEED to have NEW SHOES?
How can that be a bad thing?


I keep forgetting you guys are all...guys

I bought the grip kings, have only about 300 miles on them but they are the best platforms I've used, good grip and they look nice also

The Specialized platforms that I stole from the 15yr old that eats my food work just fine. They look like the third and last images in the OP. Regular bike, not a 'bent.

Why do you like the concave shape? The bottoms of my shoes are flat.

Why not put PowerGrips on it. They seem like a good pedal.

I like the Rivendell MKS "sneaker" pedal which is a $20 platform pedal. It is light weight and doesn't bark up the shins as badly as some of the other, heavier, more aggressively spiked metal pedals.

Maureen

I'd prefer something I can get into quicker than PowerGrips. It always takes me a few revolutions to get my feet fully inserted into them, I have to "worm" them in. And that's with the PG setup to their maximum opening. I think it is because I wear wide shoes.

On my bent, I'd need my shoes to go right into them, because it's less stable when one is putzing around with the pedals. On my hybrid, where they are installed now, it doesn't matter if it takes longer.

My feet do come out of the PG much faster than they go in.

I like the sneaker type pedals too, have a set something like them on my city cruiser. But on my recumbent I need something my shoe stick to better.

I keep reading posts about pedals tearing up shins. Do people experience this a lot? I can't remember my pedals ever raking across my shins. Is this a mountain biking thing?

Just curious what kind of shoes do you waer with all these different brands of platform pedals?

I understand I felt the same way with toe clips. That's why I went clipless.

Ok Tom let me show my ignorance some more. If you have some clipless pedals which have metal cleats, would it be possible to grind the cleats down so that they really don't hold your feet to the pedals but just align your feet to the correct position and keep your feet from sliding off the pedal?

With my platform pedals I have found that it is more important to chose the right shoe to ride with that to pick the right platform pedal. With my atb competitor pedals, some sneakers have the groves on the bottom at just the right place to work with the pedals and some shoes have a sole pattern which will not engage the pedal in anyway to help stabilize the two.

We need to know what the gravity game riders are using on their bikes. I can't ever see myself doing what they do unless I am having the worst accident that I have ever had.

Just look at the pictures of Dminors downhill bike above. Freeriders (gravity games etc) and downhillers pretty much use the same pedal and a lot of the other equipment on the bike is similar. They are not as interested in weight as in downright brutal strength. In both types of riding it can ruin your day to have something break.

Just get Shimano SPD (genuine Shimano, not copies), the "mountain" bike type, and make sure you get the Shimano *multi-release* cleat for them, and touring or mtn bike shoes, and then back off the tension almost all the way. I guarantee that you will get just what you want. Your feet will stay in when pedaling, but they will release easily and instantly the minute you move your heel sideways (in either direction). If I was standing in front of you, I would give you my personal guarantee on that.

Just do it and stop thinking about it endlessly. I can't imagine anyone regretting this, except that if riding a road bike for long distances later on, you might eventually want a road clipless pedal system. But you will still have gotten your money's worth. If you are nervous about clipless, then just get the Shimano SPD pedal that is regular pedal on one side so you can use regular shoes or ride unclipped whenever you want (even some very experienced road bike riders like these sometimes because of the versatility for touring or just riding in built-up areas). But it's not like it's a lifetime investment, so just do it. The people who preach about being satisfied with no foot restraint on their pedals just don't know what they're talking about. There's a huge difference in power and just better overall pedaling technique - but it's not something you would need that much on neighbourhood rides.

Clipless wasn't invented to replace "platform pedals". It was invented to be a better alternative than toe clips and straps. If you're not doing enough spirited riding to warrant a toe clip, then you probably don't need clipless either. Cyclists use toe clips or clipless because they know the advantages of it, people on bikes just use whatever ordinary pedals came on their bike.

Are downhillers and freeriders not cyclists? (isn't that spirited enough for you) I think that you can make a much broader case for the use of many different types of pedals for different types of bikes. Each application and rider is unique. Like saddles, there is no specific fit for everyone.

Yesterday a salesperson, whom I respect, at a LBS said almost exactly the same thing to me. And he did personally guarantee it.

But I'm not inclined to take him on it yet. I like riding in my hiking shoes. When I take a 30-40 mile ride, I'm walking almost as much as I'm riding, in terms of time. In fact, there have been many rides where I walked more than I rode.

I would love to give this a try, just to have the first hand experience.

And I will return your ignorance with my own. I have no idea!

Have you given a thought to Power Grips straps? Although not as efficient a clipless, they're by far more positive than toe clips, have good release and allow you to wear regular shoes. Once you have them set up properly they work suprisingly well. I moved my old set to my 'beater' road bike and they've been a good, convenient compromise.

Actually, I've already stated in three earlier posts in this thread that I have PowerGrips on one of my other bikes. I find them awkward to get into, effective to use, and easy to get out of.

Oops! I somehow KNEW that'd bite me in the rear by not plowing through all three pages before I asked that. Sorry! :o :o :o

I just put a set of big old Surly BMX platform pedals on my Mt bike. The pros are that they work well and I don't need to put on cycling shoes like with the old SPD's I had. No trying to jam a big shoe or pair of sandals into toe clip. cons are they do not work well when riding through fields where I discovered I used to pull up to keep balance and go slow. Overall they are great for utility type cycling and make it all the easier to use my bike as basic transportation

I have these and love them. Platform side in town riding; clipless for training rides. It's the best of both worlds.

And it's true--clipless really makes a difference once you get used to it.

After walking around like a duck last weekend on my first clipless ride and almost slipping more than once when we walked into a cafe to eat, I really like the idea of pedals that allow you to ride with both kinds of shoes. One thing, my feet are usually sore after riding in my regular shoes, but weren't sore after my ride wearing my Sidi's. A lot more support with those rigid soles.