pedals for my first fixie
 

Hi guys,

I am building a fixie (my first).
I bought a
cinelli gazetta frame&fork
Velocity b43 wheels
Gran Compe hubs
Gatorskin
50cm Thomson
b-witch handle bars
Sugino Messenger Crank set (48x17)

I am now wondering what pedals to get.
Can someone give me some advice on the difference between plastc and metal?
For example the Odyssey twisted versus for instance a Wellgo metal one?

Thank you very much

Cinelli Gazetta? Neat. I wouldn't mind some picts.

You are in Tokyo, right? Why don't you get MKS GR-9 or Sylvan Track? Readily available for cheap. Platforms aren't the best for us, because toe-straps for platform aren't available in Tokyo (or if they are, they're expensive) for now.

I was waiting one of them, but I went on to clipless. I got free GR-9 in my box, but you should just get your own because mine's busted and need to tune the bearings. (Adjust balls, you know! :9 )

Go Gr-9. Even if you plan to run doubles. The huge kick plate makes it easy to get into clips no matter what you're wearing. If you run doubles, you'll notice there is only one built in set of slots for straps. No biggie. Just lace the front straps over top of the clip bolts and you'll be good to go. Oh, the GR-9 strap holes are big. This allows straps to slide right through which is great for set up but lousy for use because the strap will move. The way to solve this is to put twist in the strap. Slide the strap through the first (entry) hole. Pull all the strap through you need to set up the strap correctly. Then, put a twist in strap on the inside of the entry hole (in other words, hold the strap and twist it 360 degrees) then slide it through the the exit hole. You'll see how the twist holds the strap in place. The front one is cool floating. I never have a problem loosening or tightening either.

Edit: GR-9's tend to come to us both lacking grease and too tight on the bearings. The first thing you should do is repack and adjust them. 15 minutes work for both. Easy.

Double edit: GR-9's have a hateful plastic cap over the bearings on the outside. If you are lucky, they'll pop right off for you with a thin, flat head screwdriver. If not, do what OFG does - drill a big, fat hole right in the center of it, pry it off and then before putting it back take a piece of aluminum foil, stuff it on the inside (not too much. Just enough for it to hold inside) and push it back on. Don't worry. It actually looks good.

I got most of my parts from FIG bike in Harajuku, but they didn't have the frame in my size (58cm), so I ordered that one from Chari&Co in New York.
I got the grey one, but it hasn't arrived yet. It should come sometime this week. I'll post some pics when I get it.

Thanks for the comment on the pedals.
The MKS GR-9 look interesting. I just wonder if they are going to be heavy. Looks like they are heavier than the Sylvan Track pedals.
what would be the difference in riding them?

do you know where I can pick up a pair of MKS pedals in Tokyo?
I checked w-base's website, but they're not listed.

I own and like both. The Sylvan's are wider which is nice. But, I have duck feet and have no issue with the width of the GR-9's. But again, the Sylvan's are wider. The kickplate on the Sylvan's is less than half the size of the one on GR-9's. No problem if you regularly wear shoes with minimal tread. If you walk around in hiking boots or anything with a heavy tread you'll find yourself cursing sometimes as you'll fiddle around getting into the pedal. Not always but if a pretty girl is looking at you consider it a given.

I just switched from Sylvan Tracks to GR-9s on my Madison. I find them to be much more comfortable, especially considering that I usually wear slip-on Vans when I ride. I didn't weigh them because I don't really care about a gram or two but if they are heavier, I can't tell. The bigger kick-tab on the back of the GR-9s is nice.

I see, that is actually going to be an issue for me then. I have size 30cm or US 12 shoes.
So the wider pedal might just work out better.
I also usually wear running or basketball shoes, which have some sort of profile. Wonder if that's gonna bother me on the Sylvan's.

I wear size 12 Vans and find the GR9s much more comfortable.

Cool. Thanks a lot for the info.
Just found the MKS GR-9 on Amazon Japan for 1800yen.
I guess that sounds pretty fair. I'll just order them there.

I wish the GR-9's had a screw on cap like the Sylvan's. I even have the cute little wrench.

GR-9s weigh 300g for a pair, and I think Sylvans weigh like 340 or 350 for a pair.

I read some threads on velospace forums, and some guys recommend going for BMX pedals for people with bigger feet or people who like to ride their fixies with sneakers bigger than Vans.

What are the up and downsides of using BMX pedals on a fixie?

BMX pedals are wider than track pedals, hence increasing the chance of striking your pedals when cornering at speed. I used to have BMX pedals on my fixed gear and I've had close calls with pedal strike. I didn't like them, because it took awhile to get my other foot into the strap.

upsides: more/better footwear choices

downsides:
-clips are often out of the picture. you'll probably have to use an alternate foot retention, like powerstraps, or hold-fast straps.
-beefier/wider pedals increase risk of pedal strike. your frame/crank length will determine how big a risk it will be