Best Bang For Your Buck, Pedals and Crankset

[akaDanPaul]

So Im looking at getting a new Crankset and pedals, and obviously I don't want to break the bank when doing so and yet I want the best I can possibly get. Anyone have a good suggestions, I am pretty new to the scene so don't know to much. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[BikingBrian]

Not too difficult - nowadays, the "low-end" lines of Shimano, Sram and Campy are just as good as their top-tier stuff, just finish and weight are different. For Shimano, 105 is great stuff. And for Campy, Veloce or Centaur is excellent value for money. If you don't mind "old" technology, there are great deals to be had on new old stock square taper cranks, especially Dura Ace, Record and Chorus.
Pedals, personally I like Shimano SPD SLs Ultegra, as cleats are easy to find, they're much cheaper than Dura Ace, last forever, and weigh only a fraction more.

 

[alienator]

What he said.

Of course there are other crank manufacturers: FSA, Stronglight, TA, Bontrager, Control Tech, Extralite, KCNC, Token, PMP, Zipp,......and on and on and on.....You really don't gain anything, though, and sometimes you actually lose (quality of construction, customer service, PRICE).

You can't go wrong with a Campy (or Fulcrum, which is Campy) or Shimano crank.

 

[nbfman]

So Im looking at getting a new Crankset and pedals, and obviously I don't want to break the bank when doing so and yet I want the best I can possibly get.

Is this a road bike? If so, +1 on Shimano 105 for cranks. FYI, it's the third from the top for Shimano (Ultegra and Dura Ace are higher). Campagnolo is also a great choice of crank (Centaur would be my pick for cost-performance). My guess is that you will find a crank you like with Shimano or Campy.

For pedals, there are many brands with different features (double sided, single sided, .... assuming you want to ride with cleats). I like Look pedals. You might get some more useful tips if you shared the motivation for the change, as it might determine important features you want to consider, such as compact gearing, double or triple gears, etc.

 

[alienator]

Nbfman is right re; pedals. Which pedals you consider is factor of what sort of riding you do and any specific needs you might have.

None of the major pedal manufacturers--Look, Time, Shimano, Speedplay, Crank Bros, Keywin--make bad pedals.

So, what kind of riding do you do and expect to do in the future? Is there anything particular that you need from a pedal: double sided, sheds mud and dirt well, float, sings a cappella well..........?