atincos

I just bought my wife a new mountain bike. She will be riding it mostly on hard pack trails that will not necessarily be very technical. She also wants the convenience to hop on her bike to ride down the street to shop, get a coffee, visit a friend etc.

She wants the control that you get with clipless but the convenience of a platform. So we are looking at different kinds of platform combo pedals. She prefers the kinds that have the clip in option on both sides, not just one side.

Her concerns are on her ability to clip out of the pedals without too much effort, especially since she is very petite. She has on her bike now, Time Atacs, but is having a heck of a time clipping out. She has used SPD style Richey Pedals in the past and had no problem.

So, with the combined experience that we may find on here, what double sided platform combo pedals would you recommend that are easy to clip out of for a light weight petite female rider.

Thanks!

mtnbiker66

Shimano 647 or Crank Bros.Mallet. I've heard good things about the mallets.

phantomcow2

Malletts.

Raiyn

First time I've heard that complaint. Try switching the cleats from one shoe to the other, BEFORE you get new pedals

cryptid01

The Mallets don't have any release tension adjustablity, which may be a consideration for her, although they are more comfortable to ride in street shoes than, say, Shimano 636's or something like that.

The design is beautiful, but I find the float of the Mallets to be squirmy, and I would probably trade them for some Shimano 647's if I could.

iamthetas

the atacs get easier as they break in(cleat wear). Time makes a pedal that has a platform.I think its called "Z" that uses the same cleats. make sure the right cleat is on the right pedal(left on left) or that can make clipping out take more effort. my atacs take no effort to get out of anymore but were a little tight when new. also how long has she been using clipless? if not long, patience and practice will make a huge difference. ive gotten to the point where I feel like Im on platforms again since getting used to them and breaking in the cleats

Raiyn

The "Z" and "Z Control" are the pedals you're describing.
I have the Z control version

I'm also to the point where the clip out process is second nature. (Watch I'll eat it tomorrow)

royalflash

I am not very impressed with my Shimano SPD combined with platform type pedals (M646)- They do not seem to perform either function as well as a dedicated pedal - the platform bit makes them a bit harder to clip in than full SPD pedals. Also the SPD binding sticks up a bit and makes them a bit uncomfortable and less secure than platform pedals.

I am trying out a combination of proper SPD pedal (M520) with an Amoeba platform insert for the odd time when I need a bike with platforms (see attached pic) at the moment. Seems to work OK but I have not used it much yet. You just screw cleats into the amoeba insert and they clip in/out of the pedal like an SPD shoe. I saw them on ebay a couple of weeks ago and thought they looked like quite a good idea.

phantomcow2

MichaelW

This is going to sound heretical, but for a bike that you use for non-technical leisure riding and short distance utility jaunts, a set of platform pedals with toe clips will get you there just as well.

atincos

She has actually been riding clipless since 1996. He first pair were some Richeys that finally wore out about a year ago. We got her the Atacs because of the great reviews for the float (she has some knee issues). She has ridden with them a lot with the hopes as everyone says, that they will get easier as they wear. But after a year of riding with them and after a few bails and still being attached to the bike, she is rather bitter about them. We did try sawpping the cleats from one shoe to the other but that made things worse. I am usuing the Atacs now and have no problem, but I am 160 Lbs vesus her 98 Lbs.

As for riding, the trail riding we have been doing has been technical enough that she prefers the clipless (easier to clear the rear wheel going over obstacles).

In comparison, does anyone know if the eggbeaters are easier to get out of from the beginning than the Atacs?

Thanks!

Grasschopper

Which way do you have the cleats set up? If they are the same as mine they are asymetric and they release at different angles depending on which cleat you put on which foot. Maybe this is the release issue?

Edit: oh and if you want to sell the ATACs let me know I am going to need another set for a project bike so I may be interested depending on price. Thanks

MadMan2k

Definetly. I agree with that, much better to be able to ride in normal shoes if you're just doing it for fun.
I don't think I'd feel safe with clipless in anything other than road riding or really simple, smooth trails.

djcolorado

I have bikes with the Crank Bro. Candy C's and Mallets which both use the egg beater mechanism. From my experience the pedals don't actually get broken in, but the clips on the shoes wear a little after you walk around in them which makes both entry and exit easier. From the start the Mallets were easier to get in and out of. I think it may be because it forces the sole of the shoe to be closer to being on the right plane to engage or disengage the clip mechanism. I haven' ridden the bike with the Mallets with anything other than shoes with clips, but I frequently don't clip in for short periods. The platforms are definitely big enough to be very usable and the egg beater parts don't stand up above the platform to be very noticeable, at least on a short ride.

noisebeam

I use Shimano 520 pedals, double sided but not platform.
I have found platform/clipless pedals to be much more cubersome than platform alone or clipless alone.
As to the trip to the coffee shop - a pair of Shimano Sandals - very comfortable and easy to walk in a slip on for a ride to the shop. Then whatever shoes she wants for trails. Actually if the trip is less than 1/2mi and it is dry there is no reason one can't just use regular shoes resting on the 520s - no need to spin or go fast for that 1/2mi trip.

I actually ride on rough desert trails with the spd sandals, most folk who see it while I'm on the trail think its nuts, but I have never had a foot injury or even scrape of any type and have pounded the tips of the sandals on rocks I was going over - your toes are well recessed behind the tip. Not that I am at all recommending the sandals in general, but for simple trail riding it is not crazy.

Al

PWRDbyTRD

Mallets. I ride them, easy engagement and disengagement while holding the cleat firmly....I even ride to work 3 miles without riding shoes since I have to work once I get there...I just stuff my riding shoes in my backpack and change into them after I get off work.