In praise of platform pedals...
 

I started commuting full time a little over a year ago, my commute is relatively short, about 7-8 miles round trip. I have been using clipless pedals and shoes (walkable mountain types). It never really bothered me to change shoes at the office, but it was a minor annoyance from time to time when going to other destinations where I didn't have back-up shoes waiting (and had to spend any long period of time on my feet).

I recently injured my foot somehow... still waiting to see a specialist to determine how it happened. I'm not sure if it is a repetitive stress injury from the clipless, or unrelated to cycling. Regardless, not wanting to aggravate the injury, I put platforms back on my Breezer for the duration, as I seem to be able to ride them without it getting worse (in fact the pain has all but gone away since).

MAN! I love platform pedals. For my short distances, I don't really see any serious advantages to the clipless setup. It's wonderful to hop on and off my bike and be in comfortable shoes all day. Walking around the store, downtown, shops, restaurants, ect.

I'm one of those gear heads who can get caught up in bike gadgets... but I'm so glad I rediscovered my platforms! Now I'm looking to take the clipless of my commuter fixie and go back to toe cages or power grips so I can enjoy the same kind of freedom on that bike too! :)

I love my platforms for just that reason - versatility. I would like to go clipless but due to injury can't. But in any case, the platforms are perfect for my varied lifestyle on the bike :beer:

I think I found a pretty good middle ground. The problem with platforms was that I would sometimes slip out of the pedal (when cranking hard, or standing up, or when there was moisture in the air). Anyway, I now use Power Grips. I can wear regular shoes and get out of them easily, but I have the benefit of being secured in the pedals when it would be dangerous to slip off.

You can get platform pedals that are clipless. I use the Crank Brother Mallet C pedal. There are others out there too.

BMX platforms..
Primo Tenderizers
:beer: x 1000 !!

The only way to roll !

Hey, KnoxBreezer! :) I got MKS sylvan touring pedals with Powergrips. I'm very happy with the set up.

I use platforms only in the dead of winter when I want to wear insulated hunting boots to keep my toes from freezing.

For all other times there's Shimano MO21 mountain shoes. SPD, but I can leave them on at work and I honestly forget that I'm wearing them, they feel like comfy sneakers.

I may think about getting dual-use ones; sometimes I just want to pedal down to the corner store, and having to go inside and get my cleated shoes on is a PITA. But OTOH, I don't like the idea of having to worry about which side of the pedal to use.

Hey, I just bought some MKS tourers as well! So I guess you'd recommend the power grips eh? I never knew about those, I kind of gave up on toeclips because I ride with hiking boots. Maybe those would work...

Anyone know if those are common over here in Yuurp?

I like all of the above. :D

I currently have BMX platforms and low gearing on my bad weather SS commuter. This bike also doubles as a lazy day errand bike.

I have SPD pedals on my geared bikes for the ambitious "go fast" rides.

I have used and enjoyed PowerGrips. They are the best of both worlds. I think they are a little less durable than the other options, but not too bad. I'm thinking of putting some on the fixed gear training bike I'm going to build this summer.

Have you worn out a pair of PowerGrips? I've got some on my fixie right now, they've got about 2000 hard brakeless miles on them, and show little sign of wear (except on the tip of the arc, where they occasionally drag the ground). I thought they looked a little more fragile (coming from steel toeclips...), but I've been surprised pleasantly thus far.

Platforms certainly have their place, my cruiser has 'em. For anything I pedal over 90rpm, though, I feel more comfortable with something holding my feet down.

Get the extralong powergrips if you are going to use hiking boots. At least for me the stock straps are too short to go over my boots easily and my shoe size is only a size 8 - a little wide though.

They still work, but aren't as rigid as they were when new. They kind of lean over to the side and droop a bit. Takes a little more toe wiggling to get into them. I still like them.

Ahg... those MKS's are for tourists. The GR-9's, now there's a real platform pedal. They are basically GR-8's, plus one more. Put Power Grips on them and it could very well take it up to 11.

Yep.. I am a lover of flats as well, especially as I use an old pair of hiking boots in winter, I need something big to support them.

Wellgo MG-1 Magnesium Flat Pedals

They did cost a bit, but they are almost maintenance free, and the pins give good grip.

I like the look of those Powergrips however.

I use powergrips on all my bike pedals now, and am into it =)

I use ATB strapless clips on my touring bike as I use hiking shoes when touring or commuting.
Strapless clips keep you from slipping off your platform pedals, allow use of any type of shoe of boot, you can get your foot off the pedal preventing falling over and hitting the ground, and surprisingly close to the efficiency of strap in clips.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...ou/fenders.jpg

Nice, a little retro with a new school spin. :)

How about campus pedals? I love mine.

I have... a few weeks ago I was pedalling along and my foot came flying off the pedal -- turns out the strap had pulled out from the bolt thing that sort of pinches it in place. When I tried to put it back, the bolt seized up and then snapped off.

I've been running regular toe clips since then... still debating whether to give the Power Grips another try. I didn't crash but it was a bit scary when it failed.

Cheers, I was wondering whether I'd need the long ones. With UK size 10 boots, I think the answer's clear :)

I think you all have me convinced. I'm going to try this exact same setup on the fixie and see how it treats me. I gotta use the extra long straps for my size 12s... so the wider touring pedals are probably good too.

I wear comfortable SPD shoes all day long everyday so clipless works out just fine. Even for short distances Im glad its there

Clipless? I've never tried clipless. Probably never will, unless I'm going to race, or train for a race, either :D

In every bike I've ever ridden or test-ridden in my entire life, I've only used plain platforms, whether those be the "rat-cage" type pedals on old 10-speeds, plastic Wal-Mart bike platforms, beach cruiser platforms, or BMX platforms.

Just leave me be with my platforms without bombing me about how much power/efficiency/etc. that I'm supposedly missing out on with no clip-in systems. All those "I need my clipless on any ride over 10 miles" folks just sound downright silly to me. For one thing, I've done 40+ mile rides on plain jane platforms (no clips to speak of), and my feet were just fine! Honest! :p

I will try Power Grips on my next bike, however, though after reading Kent Peterson's arguments against the use of clipless pedals, I once again reiterate--don't think I'd be using clipless unless I will be racing. Road racing or triathlons. Just another area of maintenance (to avoid difficult clip-ins/enormously hard clip-outs) and proper set-up (to avoid foot hot-spots and float-related injuries) to worry about for a bike nut that's as lazy about maintenance as I am. Plus, I would have to buy a new pair of shoes that would fit the cleats for whichever clipless system I end up with, not to mention the fact that I'm too poor to buy an expensive pair of clipless pedals AND expensive shoes.

I'm too used to just hopping off my bike whenever I please to have to learn a specific way of jumping off the pedals.

You do realise that you're defending yourself in a pro-platform pedal thread right?

Back in 1997, I was not able to unclip in time due to sticky cleats. I crashed my MTB down on my left side, fracturing my left femoral neck. I still have three stainless steel screws in my hip. Since that time, I have gone to platforms on all five bicycles. The novelty of one major orthopedic injury was quite enough.