Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 155
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    2,902

    What clipless pedals

    Already have flats (DMR Vaults and PI Catalysts), but I want to run a clipless pedal. Use will be longer trail pedaling days 20-40 miles on a long-travel bike in dusty and rocky Tahoe/NorCal. Why? To go a little faster, the rare race, a bit more efficiency...and just for some variety. I'll use the Vaults most days pedaling, including at the bike park and jumpy trails. Looking for flat-pedalesque wide body support. Figure it's a cheaper speed-oriented upgrade than new wheels.

    Leaning toward Nukeproof Horizon CS trail. Anyone ride these and have comments?

    Other options that seem good:
    - Shimano Saints - but very heavy and I'll probably stick with the Vaults for DH riding
    - HT Components T1
    - Crank Brothers Mallets

    I know shoe interface matters, but my local bike shops don't have much variety at this time of year, so I can't really test. I'm on 5.10 Kestrels.
    Last edited by meter-man; 10-04-2019 at 12:26 PM.
    sproing!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    1,173
    I would recommend Time/Mavic pedals. You can find Mavic Crossride XL fairly cheap and see how you like it. If that's your cup you can upgrade to Time Speciale 8 or 12 later.

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    SLCizzy
    Posts
    3,553
    Shimano XT Trail

    /end thread


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Couloirfornia
    Posts
    8,871
    Quote Originally Posted by joetron View Post
    Shimano XT Trail

    /end thread


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    This.

    I've ridden Mallets, Time ATACs, and now XT Trails. Long times on all three. The XTs are easily the best. Smoothest, most-reliable release. Easiest to click back in and find the interface when you need it.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ernest_Hemingway View Post
    I realize there is not much hope for a bullfighting forum. I understand that most of you would prefer to discuss the ingredients of jacket fabrics than the ingredients of a brave man. I know nothing of the former. But the latter is made of courage, and skill, and grace in the presence of the possibility of death. If someone could make a jacket of those three things it would no doubt be the most popular and prized item in all of your closets.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    2,902
    Before switching to flats, I had Shimano XT Trails. I didn't like them because the "platform" seemed useless. Felt like I was just standing on a road SPD pedal. Then again, I had some shitty shoes, so maybe that was the problem.

    Do you feel like it has widebody-like support, i.e., flat-esque?
    sproing!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Couloirfornia
    Posts
    8,871
    Quote Originally Posted by meter-man View Post
    Before switching to flats, I had Shimano XT Trails. I didn't like them because the "platform" seemed useless. Felt like I was just standing on a road SPD pedal. Then again, I had some shitty shoes, so maybe that was the problem.

    Do you feel like it has widebody-like support, i.e., flat-esque?
    Definitely feels more supportive than the pair of Eggbeaters I have that I occasionally throw on something. And more supportive than ATACs. Less supportive than Mallets, but the cleat interface is so much smoother that I think it's easily worth the tradeoff.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ernest_Hemingway View Post
    I realize there is not much hope for a bullfighting forum. I understand that most of you would prefer to discuss the ingredients of jacket fabrics than the ingredients of a brave man. I know nothing of the former. But the latter is made of courage, and skill, and grace in the presence of the possibility of death. If someone could make a jacket of those three things it would no doubt be the most popular and prized item in all of your closets.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    SLC burbs
    Posts
    4,186
    Quote Originally Posted by LightRanger View Post
    Definitely feels more supportive than the pair of Eggbeaters I have that I occasionally throw on something. And more supportive than ATACs. Less supportive than Mallets, but the cleat interface is so much smoother that I think it's easily worth the tradeoff.
    This. The platform isn't huge but it works well enough if you have to handle a rough section of down and you're not clipped in. I'm coming from eggbeaters with which you were clipped or you died, no in between, and now that I'm used to the XT trails I don't freak out if I'm getting into something techy and I'm not in the clip yet.
    Durability is also impressive. Mine have taken some brutal strikes at speed, enough to stop the bike and eject me, and there hasn't been a hint of a change in how well they work.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Central VT
    Posts
    4,806
    x3 on the XT trails. I have 2 pairs I beat the shit out of and they work like they day I got them.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Land of Brine Shrimp and Magic Underwear
    Posts
    6,760
    I like TIME MX8s. Lighter than XTR trail, still have a steel spindle, decent platform, durable. Can be found for $85 on Euro sites.
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    Quote Originally Posted by meter-man View Post
    Do you feel like it has widebody-like support, i.e., flat-esque?
    I have cageless SPDs on my road and touring bike, on my trail bike I have had a 535 on one side and a 434 on the other ( same cage one plastic one aluminium ) side for about 15 yars so the longevity of a shimano spd is unquestionable.

    IME with SPD the difference between cage or not is that all the cages do is give you a little more to stand on till you get clipped in but once you are clipped in I don't think there is any difference between a caged or not spd

    IME where egg beaters are way better than spd is at around 0 C in the snow cuz the pedals/cleats don't clog, that or switch to flats
    Last edited by XXX-er; 10-04-2019 at 01:54 PM.
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Mid-tomahawk
    Posts
    1,712
    I hate CrankBrothers pedals. Shitty retention, you can open them by hitting the bottom of the pedal, suspect durability, etc.

    HT X2 is a good option if you want a big platform at a lighter weight than Saint (which I also like, apart from the weight). XT Trails, or the HT T1 if you want to cut some weight and go to a smaller platform.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    People's Republic of OB
    Posts
    4,406
    The Crankbrothers will inevitably break.

    If you want a good platform try to find an old pair of Shimano 636 dh pedals. They last forever, so I'm sure you'll be able to find a pair somewhere.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    1,169
    HT feel amazing, but they do not last at all and rebuild kits are not easy to come by. If you can chronically check things, I'd recommend them, strong positive feel, like you clip into a ski binding.

    Shimano were great but I found I clipped out too often while jibbing around.

    CB are nice but hated how easily you clip out. Shouldn't be smashing pedals into rocks, but sometimes it happens and flying off a pedal is real bad.

    Time's were great, I think this is where I'm headed to next season.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    2,902
    All good stuff - thanks people.

    Is anyone riding Saints or those Nukeproofs?

    HAB, sounds like you have Saints - does that huge platform help when you're clipped in? Or am I chasing a phantom - ie., platform doesn't matter once you're clipped in.



    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
    sproing!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Mid-tomahawk
    Posts
    1,712
    Yeah, I've got a pair. How much you can tell the difference depends a lot on the shoe you have, and how well it mates up with the platform. With Shimano AM9s, the difference in support between the Saint and an XTR Trail is very noticeable. With more XC oriented shoes, not much.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Down In A Hole, Up in the Sky
    Posts
    35,358
    Interesting thread, I have been seeing some more folks going back to SPUDS lately.
    Can't say if it's a trend yet, though.
    Forum Cross Pollinator, gratuitously strident

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    6,643
    Yeah I run Times, but the old school ATACs. I have about 12 pairs I'm slowly working through. Loved their ability to shed mud on cyclocross courses and never changed. I like the knee float they have also. If the cleats wear down they are too easy to pull out of the pedals when hopping shit, however. Have to watch for that. I had a pair of XSs that I totally destroyed also - gave them up the the trash this summer.

    I was going to get some of new ones but not sure based on reviews.

    FWIW

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    2,902
    Quote Originally Posted by rideit View Post
    Interesting thread, I have been seeing some more folks going back to SPUDS lately.
    Can't say if it's a trend yet, though.
    It might be. I am SO glad I've been riding flats the last couple years, as it really upped my skills and riding speed on all kinds of terrain. I even go faster uphill with flats than I did with clipless. But maybe, now that I'm a better rider because of my time riding flats, I'll be even faster with clipless. That's kinda the experiment. Worth a shot.

    I saw some pro rider recently ranting at length that top-level riding basically requires clipping in, Sam Hill notwithstanding. Pro guy admitted that flats are almost mandatory for learning skills (and are also way more funner), but clipping in provides extra speed, efficiency, and control in gnar. Got me thinking it would be worth trying clipless again.
    sproing!

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Snowmass
    Posts
    572
    I recently went from XT trails to XT race, I just didn't feel like the cage did anything and I still don't think I can tell the difference w/o looking. I run Specialized 2fo shoes, which are stiff enough that the don't contact the cages. I get the cage as a fallback if you miss clipping in, but that's pretty rare for me. Either way, I like the shimano mechanism over Time ATACS, which i ran for a long time. Can't stand the eggbeater/mallet mechanism,.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    back in the day I seen lotsa kids doin crazy freeride shit on flat pedals wearing skate shoes worn slip on style so they would tuck the laces in and just slip them off/on which means it wasn't that unusual for them to lose a shoe while freeriding

    those same riders are now 15 yars older have real jobs and stuff

    are riding clipless and have learned to tie their shoelaces
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    6,643
    Quote Originally Posted by meter-man View Post
    I saw some pro rider recently ranting at length that top-level riding basically requires clipping in, Sam Hill notwithstanding. Pro guy admitted that flats are almost mandatory for learning skills (and are also way more funner), but clipping in provides extra speed, efficiency, and control in gnar. Got me thinking it would be worth trying clipless again.
    In my opinion this isn't even a question. If you are trying to go fast you need to secure the bike to your feet. Begin clipped in allows for all kinds of moves that are impossible if you aren't clipped in. However, many folks don't need that level of connection, and you can of course ride a bike very well with flats. Additionally, the downside of fucking up is far lower with flats. There's nothing like cranking up something so steep you slowly start to endo backwards and not being able to get out of the pedals, or being on a 6" plank way up in the air and starting to lose the bike off the side while clipped in. That'll wake your ass up.

    At this point, I don't love riding serious consequence features clipped in. The downside is too big. No longer sponsored, no longer so competitive, no longer value the conquest over my health. Once upon a time though, when I had nads, we stayed locked in for everything, the more technical the better. Yes, that often left a mark. But I still feel naked not clipped.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    11,145
    Another vote for shimano. I have pedals from 1998 still going strong. Have probably bought half a dozen sets since then - never had a set fail on me. I’ve never done any maintenance to any of them. CrankBro riders often can’t say that.

    I have the XT trails on my bigger bike and like the security of the cage for when you find yourself starting from standing on top of a series of techy moves.

    Other than knee issues requiring float I don’t know why anyone would ride egg beaters. Don’t believe mud clearance is a valid reason - It’s never been an issue with Shimano pedals in PNW riding. Anecdotal but 2 decades of experience has me convinced.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Montrose, CO
    Posts
    4,618
    I like time myself. They just work, take a beating, and last a long time.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    1,489
    Surprised at the number of TIME people on here. I've had good luck with my cheap ATACs. Came from Crank bros, never ridden an SPD.
    ATACs have good float, bombproof, but heavy. Other downside is that I don't know a single other person that rides TIME so bike swaps can't happen easily.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Whistler
    Posts
    440
    Quote Originally Posted by meter-man View Post
    All good stuff - thanks people.

    Is anyone riding Saints or those Nukeproofs?

    HAB, sounds like you have Saints - does that huge platform help when you're clipped in? Or am I chasing a phantom - ie., platform doesn't matter once you're clipped in.



    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
    I have saints, I think my old worn out am9 shoes could contact the platform, fresh new ride concepts transition shoes less so. With the shimano am9s it kinda made it harder to get out as I was trying to twist out the shoe with the pins gripping the sole, thought of removing the rear pins and seeing how that went but didn't bother. Fresh new RC shoes don't seem held up. The big platform is nice when something weird happens and you need to ride it out unclipped. Have these on DH bike and xt on trail bike.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •