Advice regarding mountain bike pedals for my road bike.



mark174ace

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May 8, 2012
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Hello all. Last Spring I bought a road bike and fell in love with road cycling. I logged 1,700 miles for the season and plan on logging a lot more in the 2013 season. I spent so much on the bike and accesories (along with it being golf season) that I decided to just ride with the regular pedals. Well now that winter is here I am ready to buy some nice pedals for 2013.

I have decided that I definitely prefer the mountain bike shoes so I will need mountain bike pedals. So here is my question for all of you that use mountain bike pedals on your road bike. I would like to know what pedals you like. It certainly looks like Shimano and Crank Brothers make some good stuff.

The Crank Bros Candy 3 looked good as did the Shimano PD-M770 Deore XT. My only real criteria is that they are double sided and easy to get in and out of course. I do not mind spending up to approx150USD. I would love to hear some suggestions! Cant wait for spring!
 
Hi mark174ace, if you will be walking around in mud and slush, then you should also consider the Crank Bros EggBeater pedals which have 4 way entry, excellent float (ie. very knee friendly) and are very light ...
 
Thanks. I just assumed the egg beaters were not mountain bike shoe friendly. I though those were only for road shoes. I will not be walking around in the dirt and mud. I prefer the mountain bikes shoes so I can walk around when I get off my road bike.
 
Egg Beaters shine as MTB pedals, their mud/snow clearing capacity is great. They stand up well to pedal strike too. But EBs can feel a bit wobbly, as there's virtually no platform. You may need fairly stiff shoes to be happy with them.
Compared to Shimano, Crank brothers cleats appears to be made of cheese. They'll still last you a season or two, but be aware that they're consumable items.
IME, Crank Brothers build quality is a bit so-so. I advise a precautionary teardown to check that there's lube present in the pedals, and that the seals are OK prior to installation. CB themselves recommend at least yearly disassembly and service.

It's never been an issue for me, but (one) reason roadies prefer the use of road pedals and shoes is the bigger shoe/pedal interface. The theory is that with a smaller contact patch, the sole of the shoe will flex over the pedal, causing discomfort for the foot. Sometimes referred to as hot spot.

But if that's not an issue for you, go ahead and enjoy the double pleasure of both a shoe retention system while pedalling, as well as a confident stride off the bike.
 
Originally Posted by mark174ace .

Thanks. I just assumed the egg beaters were not mountain bike shoe friendly. I though those were only for road shoes.....
No, CrankBrothers Egg Beaters and Candys are definitely sold as MTB pedals and their cleats use the standard two hole MTB mounting pattern not the 3 or 4 hole patterns found on most road specific shoes.

I use the Egg Beaters for cyclocross racing and for wet weather winter road riding. They're very nice pedals, very easy to get into and out of and it might not be of interest to you, but they're awesome in sloppy conditions in terms of staying clean and not getting fouled up with mud, sand, snow, whatever...

I've had very good luck with several pairs of Candy's and Eggbeaters on various bikes over the years and haven't had issues with the lubrication or build quality but do know folks who've snapped spindles or seized up bearings so some preventative maintenance is probably a good idea. For a first time clipless pedal I'd suggest the Candy's as their bit of extra platform makes it easier to find the pedals.


-Dave
 
I liked the Shimano A520 pedal combined with a recessed SPD cleat shoe (I used the Sidi Dominator shoe) for all around use. I even raced a couple of Cat5 races with the setup. Also the pedal had some nice platform real estate if just a quick ride on flip flops to the corner deli. Single sided though but nice cornering clearance on the road.
 
I have ridden the Look Quartz Carbon pedals (http://www.lookcycle.com/quartz/en/index.php?gamme=carbon ) for about 3-4 seasons on all of my bikes (road and XC). Have about 15,000 miles spread over mostly two sets (road bikes), but have four sets in service. No problems. The cleat/pedal engagement has always been crisp and secure. Cleats have lasted forever. Some users complained of unwanted disengagement in rough terrain, but I never experienced that. Bought a set for my wife and she found them too difficult to clip out. No adjustment. Good platform and light.

Quartz now discontinued - new model is the Look S-Track ( http://www.lookcycle.com/en/us/vtt/pedales/s-track-race.html ) with a removable cage. The contact patch is advertised to be larger (largest). Doesn't look as mud shedding, but ??? Haven't tried. Cleat mechanics appear to be similar to Quartz model. Slightly "heavier" than Quartz but appears to have a better cornering design - for road.

Similar idea to EB's/Candy.
 

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