Platform Pedals for touring
 

Hi folks,
Any experience with platform pedals on long distance / multi day rides?
I developed hotspots on my feet using time atacs on my road bike. Loved the flexibility, but had to move to SIDI road shoes. These are ok, and I feel good on long rides of one day, but they are not as all around easy as the SPD shoes & pedals. So I'm thinking about moving top a platform pedal like the Azonics, which have support at front, middle and back. I'd trade being clipped in for multi-use shoes and variable foot position.
Your thoughts?

Chuck

I've always used a rat trap type pedal,toe clips and regular shoes.........skate shoes in the summer and boots in the winter.

I think you will like the Azonics. i used to use the rat traps and last year i tried these and i like them. Havent rode a lot on them but i think they will do well.

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/50...600x600Q85.jpg

those seem pretty much a Welgo made pedal with re branding..
a common practice.. use a Welgo-Redline pedal like that on my winter bike

Ergon contour pedals are my new favorite.. full support for normal shoes .

contour shape centers yourfoot without thinking about it ,

and big reflectors .. are integrated not easily broken add ons.

but the question, yes I've boxed up a few bikes after the ride,
they did a transcontinental ride , on platform pedals . many trans Con rides end here .

I love BMX platforms. Started with a used bike I got with some old GT pedals.

I've just got some cheap plastic Odyssey Twisted pedals and they're quite nice.

Them + Vans waffle sole = almost feels like you're clipped in most of the time.

FWIW, your problem was probably less about the pedal and more about the shoe and/or shoe fit.

I have no dog in this fight since I only use SPD's. But, the fine folks over at Path Less Pedaled use platforms and they know a thing or two about touring.
They use these.

^^ or the alternative: http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/pe2.htm

This has nothing to do with your shoe, or foot problem, but after reading (and buying into) Rivendells common sense information about flat pedals, I did a little experiment going across country. I bought MKS flat pedals from them and also carried spd's and Shimano sandals in my Bob trailer. I used the flat pedals exclusively across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and into New York. I then made the switch over to spd's, and after the first day mailed home the flat pedals. My experience is for anyone that can use a clipless setup, they transfer more power to the rear tire using the same amount of energy. Try it yourself. For going to the store or short rides or what ever floats your boat, flat pedals are very convinent, and I use mine around town. But for the open road, clipless are a noticeable improvement and well worth what little hassle they may cause when your off the bike. YMMV.

I for one am somewhat (and increasingly) skeptical of the benefits of clipless.

Pedals don't actually enhance performance the way people think they do. The common assumption is that with clips, you apply power on the upstroke; this is incorrect. All you're doing is lifting your leg. (Keep in mind your leg is not weightless; each leg is about 10% of your total weight.) Even the most powerful pro cyclists aren't adding power on the upstroke. (See http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...yclists_137556 for more details) I also have yet to see any power data that confirms the alleged performance benefits of clips / clipless.

My feeling more and more is that clipless is more about feel and preference than anything else.

So I'd say if you want to try touring on platforms, do it. Your feet and legs will be fine, as long as your saddle is adjusted properly. In the absolute utterly worst case scenario, you might be a tiny bit slower; in a touring context, BFD.

For me and clipless - it isn't the upstroke where I gain power, it is at the bottom of the stroke where I can pull my foot back. This has been referred to the "scraping mud off of your shoe" simulation. You just cannot pull your foot back as efficiently and as directly without being clipped to you pedal. You can to an extent with a tightly fit pair of toe clips and straps, but with regular platforms it is difficult. The only time I gained benefit from upstroke is when I am climbing standing, and even then very little. Keeping this into consideration, I still like using platforms for what they are - the ease to just get and go is nice.

I love bmx pedals for touring... I toured last year with just one pair of keen sandals. I find the pedals grip all the kinds of shoes I wear and I don't need to have bike-specific shoes anymore either. I also use the bmx pedals for winter riding, they work great with big sorel boots. They're pretty much available at any price point you'd want too.

Yes, that's good technique. However you aren't getting any power to the drivetrain in that part of the stroke. The power is almost all applied between 12:00 and 5:00.


Not really. At that part of the stroke, you should be pointing your foot down around 20º anyway. That should give you plenty of leverage if you're using platforms.

And again, in most touring contexts, that tiny percentage of power isn't as important as comfort and personal preference.

Agreed!

This may be of some interest for this thread:

http://biketouringnews.com/component...ouring-pedals/

I'm really thinking of picking up a pair of them RMX's... priced right too!

After learning to love clickety-click pedals on my mtb, I eventually put them on all my bikes. Then I started getting foot pain on longer rides, experimented with clips, Powergrips, and whatever else, and eventually arrived at pinned BMX pedals as the best solution for me. I do still get hot spots on occasion, but much more liveable for the most part. The PGs and clip/strap were pretty successful with that primary concern, but I find it also helps to move my feet side-to-side or fore-aft on the pedals as needed. YMMV.
Roger, your point is something I`ve considered. If I knew for a fact that "X" shoe and pedal combo would make my life rosy, I`d probably buy into it. Unfortunately, every expensive shoe I experimented with would be another blow to the wallet, and I can`t justify a lot of those when I already have it worked out by another method. I remember trying to find a saddle that my butt agreed with- don`t want to go through that process again with shoes.

Thanks for all your replies. FWIW, I have about 8 pairs of bike shoes of various lengths and widths, and found that the spd clip on the shoes - which are attached under a cutout of the insole, still apply pressure to my sole. The SIDI roadbike shoe and pedal made the pain go away because of the stiffer shoe sole and the larger surface. But I'll try out a platform, probably the Azonics, and see how that works. I looked at the Riv pedals and decided that the Azonics have a larger surface to spread the pressure out more.

I just finished my longest tour yet with hiking shoes, rat trap pedals and old toe straps and they worked great. I took off my SPDs and don't plan on using them again. All I'll add is that I put Superfeet inserts in my shoes and I think they added a little stiffness and didn't seem to hurt anything.

I'm glad to hear several others moved away from clipless, if only so I'm not the only one. I used them for years, and, at first, I thought I was generating more power. I came to be skeptical about that, though. I also just found myself with more aches, weird pains in my knee, and ITB trouble, which I had never had before. I know, fuss with shoes and pedals long enough, "float", etc., and the problems can be solved... but I did fuss for quite a while, and always something nagging seemed to pop up.

Then I went on a road ride with running shoes, flat pedals, and straps. Comfortable right away. I use the pedals below now. They're wide, and symmetrical, so one side can be strapped up and the other is perfectly usable. I've used them on my road bike and didn't go any slower-- though to the guys in the club I might as well have shown up with 3-speed hub and a basket.

For touring, this is what I use. Straps and running shoes, with Power Straps for boots in really cold weather.

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/pe3.htm

The wife had foot problems and so I bought her Odyssey Cielincki Pedal, Sealed Bearing Magnesium Blue with BMX shoes for her 50+ year old feet. This solved her issues with foot pain and could easily walk around when dismounting.

I use whatever flat "toothy" pedel I can find but I always use the Power Grip straps. Setup correctly these provide almost clipped in performance without the clip in issues. I think I have the Performance Campus pedal on the O-8 now. One side is SPD and the other has the Power Grip straps. Setup is to start out with them a little tight and go from there.

I like these http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=267624Shimano Spd/platforms.
They have the clips for SPD cleats on one side and
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=267625
a plain platform on the other. When I am on a county road or MUP I can clip in, when in traffic or I'm just plain tired of the clips, I can use the platforms. They also make it convenient for whatever shoe I am wearing.

Marc

Derik at Joyride Bikes in Olympia, WA told me he has good luck eliminating hotspots by putting cants or shims in the footbeds of rider's shoes. His explanation as to why this works made a lot of sense to me.

I've used clipless pedals for 8 years, Shimano SPD for the first 6 and then Time ATACs. The direct power feel is always nice, but I always had trouble with foot and knee pain, even with really floaty Time pedals. Then this year I sold my frameset to buy a new one (Surly Ogre), spending a couple of months riding a borrowed bike. That bike came with some old BMX/DH flat pedals, identical to the DMR V8. I was skeptical at first, but then I got used to those pedals. To my surprise no foot or knee pain, with any shoes I had on.
With my new bike ready I went ahead and purchased some last gen slim pedals, the Superstar Nano Thru Pin.

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/image...-konastyle.jpg

Man, this things are great. Really big confy platform and so thin and grippy that you can actually apply a nearly circular pedal stroke.

I'm not sure I'm ready yet to leave the power transfer feel of clipless, but these last generation of flat pedals are really really good, everyone should try them

You can do the same with a good pair of mountain bike platform pedals with the studs. I can easily do this with mine with running shoes and even did my last tour with Crocs and was able to do that. The only downside is the fact they can cause punctures on your shins when you hit them. :lol: