We expect to get a nice, used Cannondale next week, and we need some pedals.



I have some Performance Forté ATB Comp pedals that I mostly like. They are light, the bearings are good, and depending on Performance's marketing schedule, you can get them for under $20. The problem is that one side of the pedal is different than the other, with one side being good and the other not so good. I think I have seen the same pedals labelled with other brand names, too.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for platform pedals that are the same on both sides. Of course, I would like them to be light, with good bearings, and not too expensive, too!

Thanks


PS to my OC Rebels friends... the kid stoker kit and racks will probably be gone by the time you see the bike in person!

Velo Orange carries some very nice, light, platform pedals, although they will set you back about $60. They also carry some heavier MKS pedals (for less) that should also be of very good quality.

The pedals you describe are typically used for BMX or that style bike. They are also used for DH MTB and even by many MTB folks that do a lot of jumping.

The style you have shown is different sided on account of them being for toe clips / straps.

Depending upon how light and grippy you want will determine how much you spend.

PK

The Velo Orange Touring Pedals look like they would work very well for us. With some quick searching I found them for a little less at another online retailer.

I also checked the Velo Orange City Pedals. They are much more widely available online for a little less money than the Touring Pedals. However, I worry that they might dig into our legs if we were to make a less-than-graceful stop.

Wellgo puts out a reasonably priced platform (LU-964). Toeclip compatible.
Stoker Kay likes 'em as she needs lotsa float. Re-did bearings a couple times in about 30,000 miles.

Although long-time cyclists, we're new to tandeming. We chose these https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...35_-1___202531 for several reasons

- two-sided, cleats and a "flat pedal" side when we want to hop onto the bike for a beach/beer run
- takes a SPD cleat, recessed into the sole of mountain bike style shoe for walk around comfort
- price!

I ride my single 8,000 to 10,000 miles per year with SPD SL's and find that the SPD's are less than "engaging".

One thing to be aware of, if the captain prefers a high cycling cadence, it may be difficult for the stoker to keep his/her feet attached to the pedals without being clipped in. I tried to ride with my kid and had to stop pedaling all the time so he could put his feet back on the pedals after they flew off.

tsgrab:
That's where toeclips or Powergrips come into play!

Yes I always like to have my strokers clipped or straped in some how wife' kids who ever it is, it can be dangerous for them if they loose the pedal and you don't know it! They really have no reason to put their feet down while riding at stop signs unless you are going to get off.

If you are going to use toeclips (Which I strongly recommend) then the pedals you have are fine.

Thanks for the information! We are thinking about getting a pair of Wellgo M138 pedals.



Body : Magnesium
Spindle : Chromoly spindle, CNC Machined.
Bearing: Sealed / DU
Size : 9/16"
Dimensions : 102mm x 68mm x 29mm
Weight : 238 g (pair)
Cost: $39 on eBay, including shipping from Taiwan
The pedals have the same shape on both sides.

We have ridden with platform pedals and no toe clips for several years with no issues, and we are pretty enthusiastic riders. I call out shifts and bumps, and I start and stop pedaling gradually. Maybe that's how we get away with it.

My wife likes to put her feet on the ground when we stop. I know that is not the normal technique for tandem teams, but that's what she likes.

I only found one set of reviews for the Wellgo M138 pedals. The reviews were on ChainReactionCycles.com, and they were favorable.

I am a little concerned that each pedal apparently has one sealed bearing and one "DU" bearing. That is apparently a teflon-impregnated metal bushing. Should I worry about this?

Thanks again!

Congrats on getting the tandem, please let me know if you guys would like to get rid of the racks on the fork. I have been looking to get them for my Cnnondale tandem.

Thanks for your interest, but the racks on the fork were not part of the sale, and they were removed before the bike was shipped to us.

There is a rack on the back of the bike that I will be interested in selling. Please let me know (private message?) if you are interested.

I'm big fan of the Wellgo MG-52 pedals, which are similar to these but more aggressive. I rode BMX a lot as a kid and still prefer that type of shoes and pedals for road cycling. These look pretty good -- now I'm considering them for our tandem (which has junk pedals on it right now)...

I'm not a huge fan of the bushing design on these Wellgo pedals, but it's OK. You can disassemble the pedal each season to clean and grease the bushing, and it seems to be more smooth-spinning and durable than the non-rebuildable ball bearings in cheap pedals. I've got about 2000 miles on mine and they're fine.

I think the bushing is part of an engineering compromise... Fitting a real bearing on the proximal side of the pedal would require either a super-thick platform or a fairly thin spindle. Since these pedals need to be strong enough for dirt-jumping, BMX, and other abusive uses, they seem to have decided to forgo the bearing to get a thick spindle to fit inside a thin platform. Thinking about it that way, I'm more willing to accept the bushing.

My advice is "go for it!"

The Forte pedals are not 'platform' pedals. They are a style traditionally referred to as quill pedals and are designed to work best with toe clips (and straps). Note the slots on each end of the cage for the strap to go through. These pedals work correctly with the foot on only one side and have tabs on one side to help flip the pedal around.
True platform pedals have flat surfaces for the foot to rest one; I used a pair of these Lyotard platforms about 30 years ago - they don't work without toe clips.

I have also used BMX-style platforms which are useful in many circumstances and work well for many.
Of course, people now commonly refer to plain cage/quill pedals/rat traps of various sorts as platforms. I'm not going to stop that, obviously. Language is constantly changing.
Hope you find pedals that do the job for you.

May want to look directly at Wellgo's site.....there are a LOT of options/designs that look interesting, some in the road section, some in the BMX section, some in the city/touring section, platform pedals are scattered throughout the different sections.

https://www.wellgo.com.tw/product.asp?category=road

Once you find one that looks interesting, you can Google search it's model number as 'welgo xxxx' to see who might sell it. I've found specific ones I'm interested in on eBay, Amazon, REI, several of the US centric web retailers, and then several of the European centric web retailers (these normally have many of the models in stock).