Beginner Pedals

[Spartan]

Hi,
First day out on MTB ever yesterday on very slippery and mucky conditions. I had intended to buy SPD pedals but I was off and on the bike so many times yesterday with slides and wheels spinning on hills im beginning to thing a set of ordinary pedals may be better for a while until I get up to speed with the technical aspects of MTB. Can anyone recomend a pedal thats fairly litght and would give me good grip on normal MTB shoes? I just have crappy stock pedals at the minute which came with the bike.

Perhaps I would be better going to SPDs anyhow. Help and thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Cubist]

DMR V8s are a good, grippy pedal, to be found at about 25 quid. They are strippable, have grease ports and are widely copied (but I don't know if the 12 quid wellgo copies are as good.....) Get the plain alloy ones as the paint flakes off the coloured ones very quickly.
Spend 43 and you could get a pair of Superstar Nano Techs, very grippy and in all sorts of colours.
Worth spending a bit more on a pair of flat pedals, as there are times when you won't want SPDs on, so they aren't a stop-gap 'til you pluck up courage, they're just another tool in the toolkit.

 

[Ticktockmy]

I use DMR V8s, when I have not got theSPD's fitted, they give very good grip on Normal mountaineering trainers.
But I do find I have to keep them topped up with grease, which is easy via the grease port.

 

[Spartan]

ive been reading about skin flaking off your shins as well as paint. How bad is this?

I have delicate shins

Mike

 

[Cubist]

Yeah, the pins can rip into your shins if you get it wrong!!!

However, if you spend your life being too risk averse you end up staying in bed 'cos it's safer.

I once crushed a vertebrae on a nice quiet afternoon ride along the canal with my children, so there you go!


Pedals that won't rip your shins when you come off won't do all that they should in terms of stopping your shoes from slipping. If you are seriously worried about the potential damage, why not get some shinguards? Kyle Straits are pretty good, and not too bulky. They'll also come in handy for ridingh off road in your SPDs when the time comes.

 

[xpc316e]

It's a kind of swings and roundabout situation: DMR V8s offer a very level of grip for the foot, but when you do slip off it'll probably be because you are putting a lot of effort into pedalling and consequently you'll take a large chunk out of a shin. It is unlikely that you will slip off them a lot, but when you do.... You could always buy yourself a pair of shinpads.

 

[veloman]

Just go for SPD, all the shimano work well. Fit them and then lean against a wall in the living room watching TV and practice clipping in and out, you get the hang very quickly. Once you use them you will never go back to conventional pedals and your shims stay scar free. It can't be too hard, my 9 year old daughter races with SPD's.

 

[Kestevan]

I use spd on the road bike and on the mtb 90% of the time, but when the going gets really slippy/rocky and I'm unsure of bring able to bail off the now at speed its nice to be able to go back to flats occasionaly.

+1 for the V8

 

[Salad Dodger]

Another +1 for DMR V8's.

And another +1 for the damage they do to your shins when shin and pedal make contact.

But even so, they have transformed my comfort/confidence when riding off road.

 

[aberal]

Just go for SPD, all the shimano work well. Fit them and then lean against a wall in the living room watching TV and practice clipping in and out, you get the hang very quickly. Once you use them you will never go back to conventional pedals and your shims stay scar free. It can't be too hard, my 9 year old daughter races with SPD's.

+1 Just go for SPD's. They are far easier to unclip from than you may think and the pedalling benefits that they give you far outway any downsides. In fact, I can't think of any downsides to SPD pedals.

 

[Dave5N]

+1 Just go for SPD's. They are far easier to unclip from than you may think and the pedalling benefits that they give you far outway any downsides. In fact, I can't think of any downsides to SPD pedals.

I can. Time Atacs are what you need.

 

[billflat12]

+1 for V8,s , Maybe invest in some decent shoes with high friction rubber soles http://fiveten.com/p...104-hellcat-spd,
I ride both but can be embarrassing if u forget about spd,s , i use shimano m520, inexpensive £18-20 easy to get out of and i like the extra power climbing in xc , Flats are silver DMR,s with longer "terror pins" used with the "5,tens" For rough stuff, sometimes i use leg armour as the pins (or rocks) can shred your shins etc. if you come off , ( but far better to dab a foot or dismount in a hurry)
There are also pedals that do both but i find they are a poor compromise, also with spd shoes the cleats can be noisy an slippery to walk-in on hard surfaces , don,t dismiss either system just opt for what your happier within your style of riding.

 

[BigSteev]

Just go for SPD. Once you use them you will never go back to conventional pedals.

Not always true.

 

[dellzeqq]

Not always true.

point taken. I have to say that hanging on to BiSteev's back wheel is an honour - if you can manage it - although the thrill is tinged with just a tad of resentment when one realises that he's wearing plimmys on flat pedals.

 

[Silver]

My first time on an SPD clad mtb led to an embarrassing fall at the 1st junction. I have toyed with them since but feel far more confident on flats when the going gets just a little sketchy.
For road and light use you will be fine with SPDs while your confidence grows.
I have seen other riders tipple over at trail centers while still attached to the love of their life when a flat would have allowed a tap down balance and pride rescue.
This is one of those debates that could run forever....