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Best Pedals for a Fixie?

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Old 08-06-08 | 04:58 PM
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Best Pedals for a Fixie?

So I've been running Shimano's MTB SPD pedals on my fixie, but I've had a few incidents where my foot has popped out while attempting to skid. So I was wondering what the best kind of clipless pedals to use on a fixie are. So far I've seen people going with either Time ATACs or Egg Beaters, but I don't know which would be better to use.

P.S. I don't have breaks on my fixie, so I need secure pedals, and I can never seem to get my feet in toe clips.
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Old 08-06-08 | 05:01 PM
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Time ATACs or higher-end Crank Bros. They are fairly equal in quality and performance, depends if you want/need 4-sided entry or not.
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Old 08-06-08 | 05:06 PM
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Bikes: 2000 Raleigh M50. 2006 Raleigh Rush Hour. 2008 Cannondale Synapse 6.

i've used spds on a FG before and they were fine. no problems with pulling out of the pedals.

have you checked the cleat tension?
are the cleats worn and need to be replaced?
did you crank down on the bolts that attached the cleats to the shoes? i've heard of people doing that and not getting the most secure attachment to the pedals.

i can't see egg beaters being much better than spds. they both have pretty small cleats. if you want something really secure and reasonably priced, go with some road pedals like the ultegras.
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Old 08-06-08 | 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Nosaj4268
but I've had a few incidents where my foot has popped out while attempting to skid.
this is the primary reason i dont ride clipless. Even if you switch to another brand/style your inevitably gonna have this problem.

Originally Posted by Nosaj4268
P.S. I don't have breaks on my fixie, so I need secure pedals, and I can never seem to get my feet in toe clips.
this happens to everyone at first, but after a couple of days youll get it.

as for a pedal setup, you really cant go wrong with MKS. I just got some sylvans for my budget bike, and ive got some royal nuevo's on my other bike.

as for toe clips, i would also recommend MKS, make sure you get the steel ones not the aluminums. Dont mess around with the soma's i didnt like them, i found them really annoying and uncomfortable.

As for straps, if you can afford it, splurge on some proper double straps, they will last alot longer, and if set up properly, will feel as/more secure then your clipless shoes. I'd recommend the Errebi sprint doubles (70$) which come with a matching doublizer. But toshi, mks, and kashimax all make sweet double straps.

but if you dont want to spend the money on those doubles, i would just get nylons and run them with a doublizer. I actually made a set out of an old blackberry cellphone case for one of my bikes and they work pretty good.

here is my setup

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Old 08-06-08 | 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Nosaj4268

P.S. I don't have breaks on my fixie, so I need secure pedals, and I can never seem to get my feet in toe clips.
You don't have breaks eh?

If you don't want to pop out of ****, consider something that isn't walkable like the SPD-SL's latest gen.
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Old 08-06-08 | 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by ksyrius
this is the primary reason i dont ride clipless. Even if you switch to another brand/style your inevitably gonna have this problem.
100% wrong.

Give me a ****ing break.
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Old 08-06-08 | 07:29 PM
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My problem is I can never clip out of clipless when I need to it.
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Old 08-06-08 | 08:35 PM
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I like Look Keo's, you can set the retention spring really high, but I use em on the track, so would not be good for walking about urban style.
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Old 08-09-08 | 11:25 AM
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I need something that I can walk around in easily, because I use this bike a my campus commuter bike, so I ride it to all my classes then, then have to walk around. So road SPDs won't work for me.

Someone said that I would get used to clips after a week or two, but I had toe clips on a regular road bike for about two months and never was able to get my second foot in without coasting.

I really just want to know which is better, Egg Beaters or Time ATACs.
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Old 08-09-08 | 11:36 AM
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Good quality pedals from either company are about equal in performance, especially in terms of not accidentally unclipping. The "good" pedals both go for about the same price ($80-100) new from either company, it really doesn't matter that much. That said you will see more track racers and other clipless FG riders using Time ATACs. If you get a good shoe with a large, deep, well-designed recess like a SIDI Dominator 5 that fits you properly you can walk around all day on campus. I wear them at school all day and get about 6 months for a set of cleats.
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Old 08-09-08 | 11:50 AM
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i didnt like SPD's the cleats wore out too fast for me and i had problems with accidental pull out (thats what SHE said). The one nice thing they had going for them though is that the cleats can be moved side to side (i like riding with a narrower stance). Ive been using atacs for everything for the last year or so and been quite happy.
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Old 08-09-08 | 11:54 AM
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ya, SPDs are mediocre for walking in (cleat wear was alright considering SPD cleats are generic and only cost like $12) but even with ridiculous tension they will pull out while stopping. They were never designed for pedaling backwards with resistance.
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Old 08-09-08 | 12:05 PM
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CB pedals are made of fail until you start getting really high end ($150 or more). Get the TIMEs.
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Old 08-09-08 | 01:13 PM
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I don't do tricks and stuff like that, but I do skid stop. I use Crankbros Malletts with Shimano mountain bike shoes. Works real nice and I can ride with just my tennis shoes if I need to.
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Old 08-09-08 | 02:05 PM
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Bikes: Old Spec Allez epic that i custom a bit, Old Velo Sport all custom and Rocky Mountain Switch sl 2004 for sale (like new):P

I just bought the time attak and for the moment i love it, i got toeclip before, **** i hate those
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Old 08-09-08 | 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by legstwelve
My problem is I can never clip out of clipless when I need to it.
Speedplay frogs are REALLY easy to get in and out of
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Old 08-09-08 | 02:17 PM
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honing your atacs and crank bros can be a process, i like the ease of mks gr9s and a doublizer for the street.
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Old 08-10-08 | 02:08 AM
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i would vote anything time, i just got some aliums and i havn't had any problems clippin out... time is just awesome.
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Old 08-10-08 | 07:13 AM
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i can skip and skid with no problem on looks. however, they are a pain to walk on and a bigger pain to get into. since they're one sided, you have to be very particular about how you clip in; if you mess up and happen to be on an incline, you'll end up pushing with your cleat against the underside of the pedal. this is only an issue when you're learning, but happens occasionally even after you've been riding for weeks.
you can skip the hell out of them without ever coming out, but they're a pain to deal with.
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Old 08-10-08 | 08:53 AM
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i just put some nice MKS pedals with mks metal toe clips and i got the nylon christophe straps. i didn't want to go clip ins, but thats just me.
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Old 08-10-08 | 08:58 AM
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Old 08-10-08 | 11:01 AM
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i love the MKS GR-9s.



for the record, no, i didn't really read most of this thread -- i think the guy wants clipless, so these options are out.
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Old 08-10-08 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by ZiP0082
i love the MKS GR-9s.



for the record, no, i didn't really read most of this thread -- i think the guy wants clipless, so these options are out.
But oooh they are shiny!
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Old 08-10-08 | 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by peabodypride
ya, SPDs are mediocre for walking in (cleat wear was alright considering SPD cleats are generic and only cost like $12) but even with ridiculous tension they will pull out while stopping. They were never designed for pedaling backwards with resistance.
I'm not sure how cleat type = difficulty/ease of walking... It's the shoe that makes the difference.

I've used SPDs before I got my Eggbeaters (SLs) - and I've got two pairs of shoes, one are Cannondale Roams which have a recessed cleat area and *rarely* clip-clop and are very comfortable every day shoes... my other shoes are definitely clip-clop tap shoes (Diadora Bike Patrol) but both work just fine.

I've never had an issue with an accidental unclip on my eggbeaters, they're solid and just work - I've used them through all seasons and I'd recommend them hands down... never an issue to get in (4-sided entry FTW) and like other clipless systems, unclipping becomes second nature real quick. SPDs get fouled up fairly easily with snow/mud/crap - if that happens with an eggbeater you just **** your foot on it and it'll just go in.

My vote would be eggbeaters, I'm biased and I've never used Time ATACs.

Edit: yay for a US-language-centric swear filter
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Old 08-10-08 | 07:30 PM
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Anyone use these shimano shoes? https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...Mtb+Shoes.aspx
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