powderpiggy

So I am curious if anyone here has toured with platform pedals? How did they perform? would you do it again?

I have never used platform pedals (only clipless) but am considering them for a new commuter/touring bike.

wrobertdavis

I use rivendell grip king pedals on my touring/commuter. They are very comfortable but get slippery in the rain. I installed some pedal spikes (sold by rivendell) and that pretty well cured the problem with slipping in the rain. I like having the freedom to wear just about kind of shoe for riding. I've never had any problem with hot foot using these pedals. Note that my positive experience is for commuting/touring where my speeds will range from 10-16 mph. I still use clipless pedals on my light road bike for club rides where the speeds are 18-20 mph.

staehpj1 

I use some platforms on my folding bike and after that experience am definitely not going to tour on them. They are nice for short rides around town doing errands though.

Some people like the pedals that are a cage on one side and spd on the other.

balto charlie

I've used both for commuting and touring. While I lean towards clip-less(performance) I also find simplicity and versatility with platforms. I use Tioga Spyder D(widest platform). If you get a wide platform(D) then it will have similar feel of wearing a stiff road shoe but you'll be waring comfortable work or hiking shoes. These are lighter than most with excellent gripping. They have pins that you can use as flat or spikes. I use the flat side. I've ridden a metric century w/ them date and wouldn't worry about doing a normal century in them. If you're trying to reduce weight use these with 1 pair of shoes for the entire trip. Here's a link to check them out.
https://www.ebikestop.com/pedal_pedals%29%29598.php

JeanM

What haven't I tried?
As platform goes the Grip King were very good and the Touring, by MKS almost as much. Yet I reinstalled my old M520 clipless: I got tired of always repositioning my feet on the pedals and not being able to pull on accelerations/climbing but, then again, it was a problem mostly during brevets. Next I may try either the A530 or preferably the M324 (if I can solve the 90$ servicing tool question) which feels a lot like the MKS Touring on the platform side.

jdom

Just changed from mks touring pedals to bmx style pedals.The mks pedals were good with the shoes I had at the time.Unfortunately those shoes wore out and I had to get new ones.

The new shoes didn't do so well with those pedals.
So I got some bmx style pedals with the pins in them.
I couldn't believe the differance.the bmx pedals were nearly as grippy as clipless pedals,you couldn't pull up on a powerstroke but you could pull up at a stop light.

I used to use clipless pedals but I think I'm hooked with bmx pedals now.
I no longer need to carry extra shoes or sandles,I can go with whatever I want now.

powderpiggy

Hey thanks for the info. I think I may give a pair a try. I mean what the harm If I don't like them I can always put clipless back on.

Weasel9

I've never toured on platforms, but will on my next tour so I can wear sandals. I really enjoy clipless for long rides, but I want to try platforms and see if it makes that much of a difference. I really like sandals, and hate having to have so many friggin socks on tour.

And no, I probably won't get SPD sandals until some show up in the local thrift store.

quester

But you should! Shimano's (the open-toe version) are very nice sandals.

I have candy's on my bikes, but just got a pair of mallet 1's. They still have eggbeater clips, but large platforms. I biked to work in crocs the other day w/ no issues. However, they are made for downhills, and as such weigh a half a pound each.

rodar y rodar

Pinned BMX for me, too. I like clickety click pedals for some things, but I find that my feet hurt after a lot of hours with all the weight concentrated on the ball of my foot, so I started using BMX for touring and my foot pain went away. Better quality bike shoes might have fixed my sore feet too, but no guarantees and the pedals were a much cheaper experiment. The same bike is also my commuter and I find that the easy on and off works well around town because of all the stops and also lets me wear whatever shoes or boots I want to from my closet with zero adjustments. My touring bike is also my commuter and I find that the easy on and off works well around town because of all the stops, and lets me wear any shoes or boots I want to with zero adjustments.

martianone

Consider the Shimano MX30 flat/bmx style pedal.
Have commuted and toured thousands of km with my set, like to wear any shoe or boot I need.

Garthr

Yep BMX style pedals with the pins have awesome grip and support for the largest of feet. I use Wellgo's MG-1 magnesium pedals, very light, wide platform both for and aft.

Neil_B

Nashbar's Land Cruiser pedals for me.

VT_Speed_TR

I used CrankBrother's 5050X pedals for over a year on my Surly LHT for touring, but switched back to clipless CrankBrother Eggbeaters. I have too many years of riding clipped into the pedal and didn't like the loose feeling of a platform pedal for long rides. A few years ago I switched from shoes to bike sandals. I find sandals much more comfortable then shoes. My latest sandals are Keen Commuters which I find very comfortable both riding and walking.

BigBlueToe

I've always toured on platforms with no problems. My feet don't slip and feel fine on a long ride. One advantage is that I only bring one pair of shoes on tour - lightweight running shoes - which saves some weight, especially with my size 14's. It works for me. I'm certainly in the minority.

mattlavallee

I only use clipless when mtn biking or riding hard on the road. For commuting and touring, it's platform all the way, usually in crocs. Although a little more flexible than optimal, my feet don't reek at the end of the day and I just wear them in the shower. In the rain, I'd rather just have wet toes than have stinky wet shoes & socks to deal with at the end of the day. I use both grip kings and the MKS touring. If you're not sure if it's right for you, I'd recommend the MKS touring as they're much cheaper and work fine.

chipcom 

I always hated clips and straps and I didn't adopt clipless pedals until 5 or 6 years ago, so the vast majority of my tours have been on platform pedals. These days I'd certainly prefer clipless, but I wouldn't let the lack of them stop me from going at all.

blaise_f

< Janky wood / steel (no bearings) platforms!

gcasillo

I also have big feet (size 13) that have had problems with SPD pedals in the past. I'm mostly a roadie, so I'm used to clipless pedals. Look-style pedals have treated me well, but I'm not keen on using them for touring because of the protruding cleats that make walking around harder. I'm considering platform pedals to accomodate my big feet, but I have a spare pair of SPD pedals that I'd like to try to get the benefits of clipless pedals.

When I commuted to/from a job a few years ago, I used Shimano SPD-style sandals, and they were okay except for the small fit of the sandal. I'm thinking of trying another pair of sandals again for touring. Probably the Nashbar Ragster II sandals. Anybody have these sandals, and if so, what do you think?

AdamDZ

I did centuries using platform pedals. I use BMX style pedals with studs on my commuter and touring bike. I did a few 60+ mile rides so far and I plan to do my first 2-3 week tour with the same platform pedals. I have zero need for clipless pedals. I tried them them several times over the last few years and every time I went back to platforms.

bwgride

Agreed -- I have the Nasbar version on my touring bike and my commuting bike. These are excellent, sealed-bearing pedals for the price. Here's a link:

https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...2_175246_-1___

I've tried Rivedell's Grip King pedals, but found that my feet rolled to the outside (pronated) because the Grip Kings, while long, are not particularly wide. A benefit of BMX style pedals, like the Nashbar land cruiser, is that it is wide.

lshobo

Had Shimano dual platform/SPD pedals (A530 I think) on my first tour, with two pairs of shoes. The starting and stopping nature of the ride meant that I ended up using my running shoes and the platform more often.

Will use Wellgo platform pedals (similar to Nashbar) for my upcoming tour. Wellgos have done well for me in the past - I use them on my mtn bike, commuter, trials bike, etc.

As far as shoes are concerned, does anyone tour with cross-training shoes? A little stiffer and more rugged than regular running shoes. Wondering if these characteristics will limit me in any way as far as pedaling is concerned.

bwgride

Yes, I have Solomon trail shoes that seem to work well for me when touring.

Dahon.Steve

I injured both my feet over the years of wearing clipless. I guess age caught up to me and it took thousands to recover. I find the knee, ankle and foot pain are pretty much gone now that I wear platforms.

divtag

I use Kona Wah Wahs, though I haven't done a real tour, yet. I use them on both my CrossCheck (commuting, weekend rides, etc.) and my El Mariachi mtb,