Types of clipless MTB Pedals
There are a large amount of things to think about when selecting a set of clipless MTB pedals for your MTB. Today there are a selection of clipless pedals designed for many varieties of riders and riding. The advantages of riding with clipless pedals make them one of the finest investments you can make in your riding.
The 2 majors kinds of clipless off road pedals are what I call the conventional clipless and the platform type clipless. They traditional kind of clipless features a smallish pedal body and are really built to be ridden only while clipped in. This is the most common type and you have probably seen these many times. Crank Brothers Egg Beaters are probably the best example as they have nearly no platform and the rider must be clipped in at every point. Shimano, Time, Look, Ritchey, Speedplay, BeBop, etc all make traditional type clipless MTB pedals. The reward of traditional clipless are lighter weight, simple clean design, direct engagement of rider and pedal and better performance in mud. On the down side you will need a cycling shoe at all times for safety since the non existent platform provides no grip and can make a doubtless dangerous interface between rider and bike. In other words, your feet will slip off and you could get hurt!
In recent years makers have offered pedals which supply the solid engagement of being clipped in with a platform for those instances when you may not need to be clipped in. The Crank Brothers Candy is a nice example of a platform clipless design Initially designed with the downhill racer under consideration these varieties of pedals have become very popular with commuters and casual cyclist riders who like to unclip while navigating challenging sections of trail. The big platform does permit riders to back out of cycling express shoes when they’re just taking a fast spin to the store for example. There’s a weight penalty with platform type pedals but for the added confidence they give many riders this is of small concern.
So the inquiry is which type is best? Not to sound like an senator but it actually does depend on the rider. I run standard pedals on all my bikes. For the type of riding I do (XC MTB, cyclocross racing) being clipped in at all times is best. I’ve been clipped in since ’91 and back then platforms were not a choice.
I had little choice. If i were just making the move to clipless though I can see some real benefits in learning on a platform and then moving on to a traditional as my confidence grew or I changed into a racer. For most riders I believe platforms offer the very best of both worlds.
Art O’Connor has ridden clipless pedals since 1992. On his site he reviews many makes of pedals for all sorts of riding.
A Guide To Picking The Right Cycling Shoes And Pedals
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Shimano PD-M324 SPD Dual Platform Pedal It’s rare to see any pedal that does more than one thing. The M324 is that rarity. One side is a typical caged platform pedal, terms so old few probably understand what they mean. The other side is a SPD pedal. While it looks like a pedal that can’t make up its mind, it allows the rider to be of two minds. One is the round the corner spin to run errands, the other is the ten-miler to work. This wa… |
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Louis Garneau 2012 Men’s Monte Mountain Bike Shoes $119.99 You don’t have to be a totally radical bike messenger to appreciate the rugged urban and singletrack capabilities of the Louis Garneau MTB Shoe. Sure, the high-density nylon sole gives you plenty of power transfer as you mash through traffic, but it’s still compliant enough when it’s time to hustle around on foot. Your heels will stay locked in because of the micro-adjustable ratchet buckle and Lo… |
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Shimano 2013 Men’s All Mountain Bike Shoe – SH-AM45 $99.95 Shimano designed the SH-AM45 Mountain Bike Shoe so you could tackle a trail without the trail tackling you. The AM45 is built with a raised outsole that wraps around tough synthetic leather to offer added protection for rough sections of trail. The mid-top design protects your ankle while the no-mesh design keeps dirt and rocks out. A specially designed ultra-grip outsole stands up to trail debris… |