Pedal Suggestions

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Hi All,

I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and strong.
Any suggestions on makes/models will be appreciated.

Thanks.

rnurse@cudbytech.net (Robert Nurse) wrote in news:a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71
@posting.google.com:
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.

Crank Brothers pedals have very good performance and low
weight for the price.

Robert Nurse wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

Look PP396. An outstanding pair of pro-quality road pedals
that can be had for less than $100 at several stores. They
work fabulously well, are reasonable light, have a large
platform, and are easy to get into and out of. Plus, they
have adjustable float and adjustable release tension.

Unless you are looking for a touring type of shoe, Look's
are your best bet for 'pure' road riding. I use them
everyday, and having tried many different types/brands of
pedals, I always come back to Look's on my road bikes. (I
use Crank Bro's 'Mallets' on my MTB.)

Stay away from SPD and other similar 'small cleat' setups
(like Crank Bros, Wellgo, Ritchey, etc.) unless you are
specifically going with a touring type of setup and must
have something reasonably walkable.

IMHO, of course.

Regards,
H.

"maxo" <maxo@NOSPAMhome.se> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.06.29.21.46.07.785115@NOSPAMhome.se...
> On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 13:39:42 -0700, Robert Nurse wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want
> > to get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want
> > to spend oodles of cash.

Depends if you want a recessed cleat or not. I've never been
disappointed by Performance's house brand stuff, and they
make both Look and SPD style pedals. Should be the price
you're looking for....

Speedplay X3 Cro-Mo's are under a hundred, are light weight,
and offer tons of knee saving float.

"Robert Nurse" <rnurse@cudbytech.net> wrote in message
news:a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71@posting.google.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

rnurse@cudbytech.net (Robert Nurse) wrote in message news:<a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71@posting.google.com>...
> Hi All,
>
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

Hi, not sure what you mean by oodles. If you don't consider
around $140 list, too much, then check out the Shimano SPD-
SL Ultegra model the PD-R600. They now offer the same style
of pedal in a 105 version, the PD-R540, list is $90, I
believe. Both of these models can be found on sale. They are
based on the DA version that Lance uses. That isn't a good
reason to buy them, but there are others. Such as a good
large platform, can be adjusted for easy entry and exit. The
Look pedals have a reputation of squeeking and the cleats
are very slippery. The Shimano SPD-SL cleats don't squeek
and are supposed to be easier to walk on. I own a pair of
the PD-R600 and used them for over 2200 miles, with no
problems. I choose them partially based on the number of
positive reviews on Roadbike Review.

Life is Good! Jeff

"Robert Nurse" <rnurse@cudbytech.net> wrote in message
news:a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71@posting.google.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.

Get a double-sided pair of SPD pedals. SPD is the most
popular system, is available in very economical cloned
versions, has long-wearing, recessed cleats, and has a
simple, compact and durable design with good
entry/exit characteristics. I wouldn't worry about the
"float" and "small platform size" issues, they're not
a problem for most.

rnurse@cudbytech.net (Robert Nurse) wrote in message news:<a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71@posting.google.com>...
> Hi All,
>
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

I bought Forte Team SPD pedals (the Performance house brand)
about a month ago for $33 on sale and I am pretty happy with
them. No problems unclipping and the amount of play seems
right. A bit tricky to get into (they are quite small), but
they are my first clipless. I don't like the idea of not
being able to walk around on the cleats all which is why I
got the SPD. You click when you walk but you feel more or
less stable.

Jeff

Does this stay-away warning include Shimano SPD-SL Pedal -
PD-R600? That's one I was looking at.

"HardwareLust" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:<pQlEc.15623$x9.3742@nwrddc02.gnilink.net>...
> Robert Nurse wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want
> > to get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want
> > to spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> > strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> > appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks.
>
> Look PP396. An outstanding pair of pro-quality road pedals
> that can be had for less than $100 at several stores. They
> work fabulously well, are reasonable light, have a large
> platform, and are easy to get into and out of. Plus, they
> have adjustable float and adjustable release tension.
>
> Unless you are looking for a touring type of shoe, Look's
> are your best bet for 'pure' road riding. I use them
> everyday, and having tried many different types/brands of
> pedals, I always come back to Look's on my road bikes. (I
> use Crank Bro's 'Mallets' on my MTB.)
>
> Stay away from SPD and other similar 'small cleat' setups
> (like Crank Bros, Wellgo, Ritchey, etc.) unless you are
> specifically going with a touring type of setup and must
> have something reasonably walkable.
>
> IMHO, of course.
>
> Regards,
> H.

Robert Nurse wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> appreciated.

One of my cheap Look pedals developed bearing play within
a few months, and the Trek (Not So) Super-store refused
to warranty them. (Bought the pedals same time as bike,
along with shoes, accessories, etc; well over $2K just
that one day.)

Since I already had two pairs of road shoes with Look
cleats, I bought the Performance "Mag Ti" pedals on sale for
around $70. Very light at ~260 grams; look decent, too.

Sure enough, one of THEM developed bearing play quite
quickly. Took 'em to the store; guy handed me a brand
new pair no questions asked. (And so far no play, knock
on crank.)

Since mail order can be a pain, *IF* you live near one of
their retail stores then I'd recommend these pedals.

Bill "or just get Eggbeaters and go ride" S.

On 29 Jun 2004 13:39:42 -0700, rnurse@cudbytech.net (Robert Nurse)
wrote in message <a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71@posting.google.com>:

>I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
>get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
>spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
>strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
>appreciated.

As said elsewhere: it depends of you want a recessed cleat.
If not, then I endorse the recomendation for Look; much
better power transfer, no hotspots on the feet. If youwant
to be able to walk around much in the shoes, or if you want
to use clipless with shopping and utility bikes as well
without running multiple pairs of shoes, then SPD is the way
to go. But for out and out road performance, Look is far
better than SPD, IMO. With Look you can get zero-float
cleats, which are good for racing, and pull-outs are much
rarer than with SPD..

Not that I've tried the Shimano Look-alikes.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk (http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/)

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

"S o r n i" wrote: .(clip) Took 'em to the store; guy handed
me a brand new pair no questions asked. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^ My
experience with Performance has been like that too.

Leo Lichtman wrote:
> "S o r n i" wrote: .(clip) Took 'em to the store; guy
> handed me a brand new pair no questions asked. (clip)
> ^^^^^^^^^ My experience with Performance has been like
> that too.

And we'll pretend you didn't make a "clip" joke about the
pedals, too!

Bill "niiice" S.

Robert Nurse wrote:
> Does this stay-away warning include Shimano SPD-SL Pedal -
> PD-R600? That's one I was looking at.

Actually, I think that would probably be a pretty good
choice.

Regards,
H.

> As said elsewhere: it depends of you want a recessed
> cleat. If not, then I endorse the recomendation for Look;
> much better power transfer, no hotspots on the feet. If
> youwant to be able to walk around much in the shoes, or if
> you want to use clipless with shopping and utility bikes
> as well without running multiple pairs of shoes, then SPD
> is the way to go. But for out and out road performance,
> Look is far better than SPD, IMO. With Look you can get
> zero-float cleats, which are good for racing, and pull-
> outs are much rarer than with SPD..
>
> Not that I've tried the Shimano Look-alikes.
>
> Guy

I got the rubber covers for the Look cleats and keep them in
my back pocket. That eliminates the slipperiness while
walking and keeps the edges of the cleats sharp. If I get a
squeak, I take a small knife and scrape the edges of the
cleats until they are nice and clean and sharp again. I have
had SPD, Eggbeater and Look and I prefer Look--- far and
away the best.

Pat
> --
> May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle
> after posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk (http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/)
>
> 88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
> Washington University

Robert Nurse wrote:
> Does this stay-away warning include Shimano SPD-SL Pedal -
> PD-R600? That's one I was looking at.
>

Of course, these are the same style and brand of pedal that
Lance himself uses. Can't really come up with a better
recommendation than that.

(Tyler uses Speedplay's I believe. I'm not sure what Iban
and Jan use. I will look now and see what I can find out.)

R,
H.

My main objective is for performance: long distances
sprinkled with testosterone laden sprints. I won't be using
the shoes on my other bike (mountain). That one will be for
shopping/utility. I was looking at the Look A5.1 or PP396. I
can get the PP396 for $99 @ nashbar.com and $129 @
Performance. I'm tempted to get the CX6's for $169 @
Performance because of its ability to adjust "the axle of
your pedals to the width of your pelvis". I'm getting up
there in years
(44). So anything I can do to increase comfort, I'll do.

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <outlook.bugs@microsoft.com> wrote
in message
news:<f3p5e0pga8bc7eqpq1b0268hn32omj4uq3@4ax.com>...
> On 29 Jun 2004 13:39:42 -0700, rnurse@cudbytech.net
> (Robert Nurse) wrote in message
> <a967f5b9.0406291239.8b86a71@posting.google.com>:
>
> >I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want to
> >get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't want to
> >spend oodles of cash. But I want something light and
> >strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will be
> >appreciated.
>
> As said elsewhere: it depends of you want a recessed
> cleat. If not, then I endorse the recomendation for Look;
> much better power transfer, no hotspots on the feet. If
> youwant to be able to walk around much in the shoes, or if
> you want to use clipless with shopping and utility bikes
> as well without running multiple pairs of shoes, then SPD
> is the way to go. But for out and out road performance,
> Look is far better than SPD, IMO. With Look you can get
> zero-float cleats, which are good for racing, and pull-
> outs are much rarer than with SPD..
>
> Not that I've tried the Shimano Look-alikes.
>
> Guy

> My main objective is for performance: long distances
> sprinkled with testosterone laden sprints. I won't be
> using the shoes on my other bike (mountain). That one will
> be for shopping/utility. I was looking at the Look A5.1 or
> PP396. I can get the PP396 for $99 @ nashbar.com and $129
> @ Performance. I'm tempted to get the CX6's for $169 @
> Performance because of its ability to adjust "the axle of
> your pedals to the width of your pelvis". I'm getting up
> there in years
> (44). So anything I can do to increase comfort, I'll do.

What about the Look PP247 that Performance has on sale? It's
cheaper than the PP396.

Pat

I bought my Shimano Ultegra PDR600's on sale for around
$100 and change. The PDR540's are available for around $70
if you look around. Beautiful pedal, can be cleated for
zero float if you like, nice low profile allows me to
corner hard, I rarely touch down, and the large footprint
feels more solid / less floaty than a lot of smaller
pedals. Well worth the $$$'s.

"Robert Nurse" <rnurse@cudbytech.net> wrote in message
news:a967f5b9.0406300743.2698c396@posting.google.com...
> Does this stay-away warning include Shimano SPD-SL Pedal -
> PD-R600? That's one I was looking at.
>
> "HardwareLust" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:<pQlEc.15623$x9.3742@nwrddc02.gnilink.net>...
> > Robert Nurse wrote:
> > > Hi All,
> > >
> > > I've chosen my new road bike and it's on order. I want
> > > to get a decent pair of pedals for it. But I don't
> > > want to spend oodles of cash. But I want something
> > > light and strong. Any suggestions on makes/models will
> > > be appreciated.
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> >
> > Look PP396. An outstanding pair of pro-quality road
> > pedals that can be
had
> > for less than $100 at several stores. They work
> > fabulously well, are reasonable light, have a large
> > platform, and are easy to get into and
out
> > of. Plus, they have adjustable float and adjustable
> > release tension.
> >
> > Unless you are looking for a touring type of shoe,
> > Look's are your best
bet
> > for 'pure' road riding. I use them everyday, and having
> > tried many different types/brands of pedals, I always
> > come back to Look's on my
road
> > bikes. (I use Crank Bro's 'Mallets' on my MTB.)
> >
> > Stay away from SPD and other similar 'small cleat'
> > setups (like Crank
Bros,
> > Wellgo, Ritchey, etc.) unless you are specifically going
> > with a touring
type
> > of setup and must have something reasonably walkable.
> >
> > IMHO, of course.
> >
> > Regards,
> > H.