View Full Version : MTB pedal that doesn't feel mushy?
FastforaSlowGuy
10-09-2014, 09:08 PM
After years of road riding, using primarily Speedplay pedals plus a smattering of others, every MTB pedal I have tried feels "mushy" by comparison. I can't "feel" when I click in, until I pull up on the pedals. I'm using Eggbeaters now, but have tried Frogs (worse) and Shimano SPDs (slightly better, but only slightly). Do any of the offroad pedals give you that crisp "CLICK" that you get with road pedals, and also clear mud well (they'll be used for CX)?
Gummee
10-09-2014, 09:16 PM
IME the most 'click' you'll find is the SPD.
HTH
M
cekte
10-09-2014, 09:25 PM
1990's Time ATAC's. Not for weight weenies, but some of the best mtb pedals out there atmo
Kirk Pacenti
10-09-2014, 09:33 PM
Time ATAC.
thirdgenbird
10-09-2014, 09:35 PM
After a number of years on eggbeaters, I forgot how positive the engagement on spd was. Are you sure the tread on your shoes or something is not interfering with the pedal? I though they were noticeably better.
Ken Robb
10-09-2014, 10:08 PM
Eggbeater cleats wear faster (by design) than others so change them frequently for the least mushy feel.
Steve in SLO
10-09-2014, 10:10 PM
Another vote for Times.
christian
10-09-2014, 10:20 PM
Time ATAC definitely best.
XT SPDs are fine, IMHO.
likebikes
10-09-2014, 10:35 PM
atacs or xt spd. (the xt spds are a helluva value imo)
(check the classifieds for a set of atacs that i'm selling!)
TimAZ
10-09-2014, 10:39 PM
Shimano XT, or XTR have a super crisp engagement. Are your cleats too tall on your shoes?
jtakeda
10-09-2014, 10:52 PM
Time atac.
The best.
ceolwulf
10-09-2014, 10:55 PM
ATACs are very positive, but I find them harder to get into than SPDs. I never really had to feel around for SPDs. Maybe I'm still just not used to them but a full season should be sufficient I'd have thought.
donevwil
10-10-2014, 12:39 AM
Shimano M785 XT. Large platform with all the good SPD characteristics. XTR has larger platform, but hollow spindle is known to fail. Lower tier pedals have smaller platform. All without the cage have platforms that are smaller still. How anyone could think that ATACs are less mushy than any SPD is beyond me.
1697887987
Daveyk
10-10-2014, 06:32 AM
My XTs have a solid click.
By comparison, the less expensive 520s I have slide on and off without the click.
macaroon
10-10-2014, 06:51 AM
If you're using shoes with soft soles, the click won't be as positive as if you were using a stiff carbon race shoe.
christian
10-10-2014, 07:34 AM
Shimano M785 XT. Large platform with all the good SPD characteristics. XTR has larger platform, but hollow spindle is known to fail. Lower tier pedals have smaller platform. All without the cage have platforms that are smaller still. How anyone could think that ATACs are less mushy than any SPD is beyond me.
1697887987
This is the pedal is use on my MTB. I think it engages nice and solid and has a pretty crisp click. (Also, it's totally wonderful in all other aspects). I do think Time ATAC are even clickier, but I wouldn't trade this pedal for that one.
Lewis Moon
10-10-2014, 07:53 AM
After years of road riding, using primarily Speedplay pedals plus a smattering of others, every MTB pedal I have tried feels "mushy" by comparison. I can't "feel" when I click in, until I pull up on the pedals. I'm using Eggbeaters now, but have tried Frogs (worse) and Shimano SPDs (slightly better, but only slightly). Do any of the offroad pedals give you that crisp "CLICK" that you get with road pedals, and also clear mud well (they'll be used for CX)?
I hear what you're saying. I took my first ride on the Kelly 'Cross last night and got the same impression from the Crank Brothers Candy 3s. I couldn't tell if I was in until I pulled up or otherwise tested the connection. On the plus side, it was extremely easy to get into those pedals. Completely the opposite of having to fish around on the SPDs.
FastforaSlowGuy
10-10-2014, 07:57 AM
Did some dismount/remount practice last night, and the other thing I'm noticing (that you just don't have with a road shoe/pedal) is that it's harder to feel when you're foot is positioned properly over the pedal because of the shoe lugs. I know that will just come with practice, but combined with not knowing if I'm in or not, it doesn't make for very confident first pedal strokes.
Maybe a stiffer shoe would help. I'm using some extremely budget Sidis with a nylon sole. All my road shoes have a carbon sole, so that could be part of the difference. I'll keep an eye open for a wide pair of Lakes or Shimanos.
thirdgenbird
10-10-2014, 08:15 AM
I hear what you're saying. I took my first ride on the Kelly 'Cross last night and got the same impression from the Crank Brothers Candy 3s. I couldn't tell if I was in until I pulled up or otherwise tested the connection. On the plus side, it was extremely easy to get into those pedals. Completely the opposite of having to fish around on the SPDs.
Funny, I found myself fishing around way more with eggbeaters that I am with spds. I think the lugs caught worse on the eggbeaters and rolled the pedals.
Gummee
10-10-2014, 08:21 AM
Re: the lugs on the shoes. My Lakes have a thick sole that I need to compress a bit to get in to the pedal. My M315s don't have quite the sole thickness and go right in.
...so it all depends on your shoe/pedal interface whether things snick into place of feel gummy
I switched to SPDs from ATACs for CX because of the nice click in and out. You KNOW you're in or out. The ATACs work better for mtn biking with the float and two springs but I had issues knowing whether my left foot was out or not and ate it a few times.
If they made something that cleared mud like an ATAC and acted like an SPD I'd try em. :nod
M
Lewis Moon
10-10-2014, 08:26 AM
Did some dismount/remount practice last night, and the other thing I'm noticing (that you just don't have with a road shoe/pedal) is that it's harder to feel when you're foot is positioned properly over the pedal because of the shoe lugs. I know that will just come with practice, but combined with not knowing if I'm in or not, it doesn't make for very confident first pedal strokes.
Maybe a stiffer shoe would help. I'm using some extremely budget Sidis with a nylon sole. All my road shoes have a carbon sole, so that could be part of the difference. I'll keep an eye open for a wide pair of Lakes or Shimanos.
My thought is that one of the things I need to cultivate in 'cross is "just riding the damn thing". After a remount the first order of business is getting the bike moving again. Clipping in is somewhat secondary and often happens by accident. It seems that Crank Brothers cleats and pedals cannot exist in the same place at the same time for long w/o becoming a attached. Spending time and and attention to clipping in just slows you down. Ride like you're being chased by a large, bicycle hatin' Tea Party logger with a chainsaw.
Clipping in should become second nature after a while (at least that's what I hope).
Take this all with a grain of salt. I'm just a beginner.
Kirk Pacenti
10-10-2014, 08:26 AM
How anyone could think that ATACs are less mushy than any SPD is beyond me.
1697887987
I feel the same way about ice cream. How anyone might prefer vanilla over the obviously superior choice, chocolate, defies all reason and logic! ;)
Lewis Moon
10-10-2014, 08:27 AM
Funny, I found myself fishing around way more with eggbeaters that I am with spds. I think the lugs caught worse on the eggbeaters and rolled the pedals.
I have eggbeaters on my MTB and I'm with you there. The Candy 3s have a body that seems to make it much easier.
pakora
10-10-2014, 12:48 PM
My thought is that one of the things I need to cultivate in 'cross is "just riding the damn thing". After a remount the first order of business is getting the bike moving again. Clipping in is somewhat secondary and often happens by accident.
Yes. A local racer who used to be a promoter and is the course designer for a local series teaches in his clinic two things specifically about remounts that are related:
Look straight ahead.
Just pedal.
It really works. Mtn shoes aren't like road shoes - unless you have really racey shoes (very minimal lugging on the soles) with most pedals even if you totally miss the cleat, you'll catch the pedal with your midfoot or the front of the shoe, and it will "stick". Looking at your feet doesn't help you clip in, and clipping in when you're going slower than you could have been doesn't help.
I never even think about clipping in on a start or a remount, and the odd time I miss, I'm still able to go full on while my foot figures out where the cleat is (heh I never have the hole shot, but in practice starts this year I won two starts without being clipped in yet).
(Caveats: I consider myself a noob still in my 4th cross season, and I've ridden ATACs for more than 10 years)
Lewis Moon
10-10-2014, 01:05 PM
Just a useless anecdote: I have never practiced getting my foot into (onto) speedplay pedals. 90% of the time I'm in and locked first stroke without any hesitation. The ONLY time I seem to bobble is when I'm actively trying to clip in fast.
Kirk Pacenti
10-10-2014, 02:06 PM
From a MTB'ers perspective - imo, proper technique is to mash the pedal with the mid-sole to get the bike moving and then clip in... maybe would work fine for CX too.
d_douglas
10-10-2014, 02:26 PM
Time ATAC.
Agreed. I switched to Shimanos for the great reputation, but the TIMEs felt more solid for sure.
Shimanos are great, but I loved the sound and feel of stomping on the TIMEs. I always used cheapish, older style or the DH ones, so no experience with the high-tech titanium axles/carbon ones.
bewheels
10-11-2014, 05:44 AM
I would agree with the technique/practice/shoe comments.
Spend enough time on MTB or CX bikes on terrain where you need to re-clip a lot, this will all be second nature. If the terrain does not dictate this then you can just un-clip/clip while riding. Practice, practice, practice. After a while you will not even think about it...it will just happen.
As mentioned, shoes also make a big difference in all of this not just the pedal.
BTW - practice clipping in also gives you practice of un-clipping. For MTB and CX this skill definitely saves flesh.
binxnyrwarrsoul
10-11-2014, 07:06 AM
Shimano XT, or XTR have a super crisp engagement. Are your cleats too tall on your shoes?
Sidi Dominators (or any of their MTB shoes) are notorious for interfering with SPD pedal/cleat engagement. Every pair I've had/have, I need to "file" the sole down a bit. I use XT or the just as good, slightly heavier, much cheaper PDM540's on all MTBs/CXs.
bewheels
10-11-2014, 01:37 PM
Sidi Dominators (or any of their MTB shoes) are notorious for interfering with SPD pedal/cleat engagement. Every pair I've had/have, I need to "file" the sole down a bit. I use XT or the just as good, slightly heavier, much cheaper PDM540's on all MTBs/CXs.
I guess this is a 'your mileage will vary" item. Been using Sidis for 20+ years and never had an issue with Shimano pedals.
mtechnica
10-11-2014, 01:39 PM
Crank up the retention on the SPD...
aaronka
10-11-2014, 03:32 PM
I really like my xtr's, solid click in and strong engagement. I like them more than my dura aces.
donevwil
10-11-2014, 04:10 PM
I feel the same way about ice cream. How anyone might prefer vanilla over the obviously superior choice, chocolate, defies all reason and logic! ;)
Hmm, I prefer half chocolate and half vanilla, similarly I prefer ATACs for the most aggressive off-roading and SPDs for road, dirt and gravel. M785 SPD yield the most road-like, stable platform when engaged, but ATACs are the "please-don't-disengage-under-extreme-output" pedal.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.