Gravel Pedals

[Lewis Moon]

I'm a dyed in the wool roadie. In the past I've owned six 'cross bikes and always used Crank Bros Candy 3s, but I've had (much) less than stellar results when getting into the pedals at stop lights or after carries. Oft times they just seem to roll out from under my foot. This is opposed to my regular road pedals, Speedplay Zeros, where I RARELY miss a clip.
I don't know if I actually want to run road pedals...if I'm forced to walk, Speedplays don't play nice with mud, but it would be nice not to have my nethers sacrificed on the altar of the top tube because my foot slipped off the pedal. Are SPD pedals any better? I had a set for a while and I remember always having to fish for the clip, much more so than the Candies...I just didn't roll off.

[sandyrs]

S
P
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[FlashUNC]

Time ATACs.

[572cv]

After a number of years, I'm still a fan of Time Atacs. I had candies, spds and they were ok. The ATACs have been terrific. ATM2cts.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Aside from the Xpedo Spry flats on my MTB, ALL bikes get Shimano PD-A600 or A520 and I wear Lake MX237s.

[Lewis Moon]

Aside from the Xpedo Spry flats on my MTB, ALL bikes get Shimano PD-A600 or A520 and I wear Lake MX237s.

Those look great. How big are they? Double sided? Can you wear flats on them to the grocery store?

[weiwentg]

Not what you asked, but personally, I've been able to clip into and out of Eggbeaters all right, albeit after a learning curve. But yeah, the cage is pretty small, so I can see how someone primarily riding road would miss it. That said, I did ride a road season with my Eggs to get used to clipping in and out, plus I commute on them. They have about the same stack height as Speedplays. I think that did help with learning to acquire the pedal on remounting. Now, my remounts themselves need work, but that's another story.

I went with Eggbeaters as they had a reputation for clearing mud well plus low weight. This was before the longer-term durability problems emerged. Truth be told, if you maintain them well - tighten the end caps regularly, wipe and grease internals annually - I believe they should be OK, plus the newer pedals should have even more improvements. I'm also interested in what others say about a durable, easy to maintain pedal that works for CX and gravel, though.

[Ken Robb]

Try nice flat pedals and moderately sturdy walking shoes with rubber soles that do not have big lugs. You may be happier riding gravel without being clipped in.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Those look great. How big are they? Double sided? Can you wear flats on them to the grocery store?

They are pretty well regarded.

A little smaller than an SPD-SL pedal.

Single*.

Not really, no.




*I've used A530s, which are double sided, and they're nice if that's important to you. They are much heavier, though and a little more difficult to flip and clip into. I sold them and everything that doesn't have flats has A600 (Ultegra) or A520 (105).

[Heisenberg]

Speedplay Pave is exactly what you want, followed by a nice pair of Shimano SPD pedals. You'll **** up road shoes walking around, but they clip in no matter what - I've mountain biked in them before.

Avoid the Speedplay SYZR. Dot period.

[Lewis Moon]

Try nice flat pedals and moderately sturdy walking shoes with rubber soles that do not have big lugs. You may be happier riding gravel without being clipped in.

I've ridden clip pedals exclusively since 1975, I even rode with cinched down toe straps on mountain bikes back before the clipless pedals came out. If I go to flats it feels incredibly weird. Like I just lost two points of control.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I've ridden clip pedals exclusively since 1975, I even rode with cinched down toe straps on mountain bikes back before the clipless pedals came out. If I go to flats it feels incredibly weird. Like I just lost two points of control.

I feel you. But, I just started MTBing and everything here is rooty and rutty. I use flats and Five Ten shoes. I'm pretty certain that if I'd have been clipped in I'd have eaten a lot of **** in a very short amount of time. I mean, I'm a noob, but still. That said, I'm clipped in everywhere else.

[Lewis Moon]

Not what you asked, but personally, I've been able to clip into and out of Eggbeaters all right, albeit after a learning curve. But yeah, the cage is pretty small, so I can see how someone primarily riding road would miss it. That said, I did ride a road season with my Eggs to get used to clipping in and out, plus I commute on them. They have about the same stack height as Speedplays. I think that did help with learning to acquire the pedal on remounting. Now, my remounts themselves need work, but that's another story.

I went with Eggbeaters as they had a reputation for clearing mud well plus low weight. This was before the longer-term durability problems emerged. Truth be told, if you maintain them well - tighten the end caps regularly, wipe and grease internals annually - I believe they should be OK, plus the newer pedals should have even more improvements. I'm also interested in what others say about a durable, easy to maintain pedal that works for CX and gravel, though.

I've ridden cross bikes a bunch and I still can't get the hang of clipping into the Candies as well as the Speedplays. Maybe I'm spoiled, but the stomp and go entry of my Zeros is tough to beat. On the Candies, if I miss the initial catch and don't have the option of coasting and fishing (up hill starts and remounts), if I begin to pedal without being attached, the rotating spring unit can roll under my foot and send it shooting off. Nuts meet top tube.

[Lewis Moon]

I feel you. But, I just started MTBing and everything here is rooty and rutty. I use flats and Five Ten shoes. I'm pretty certain that if I'd have been clipped in I'd have eaten a lot of **** in a very short amount of time. I mean, I'm a noob, but still. That said, I'm clipped in everywhere else.

Most of my riding will be on gravel roads with the occasional stream crossing, wash out or 30% grade. I can see the utility of flats for gnarly technical sections, but those don't really flip my burger.

[mgordon]

I recently switched back to SPDs after years on Time ATACs. I much prefer the SPDs.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Most of my riding will be on gravel roads with the occasional stream crossing, wash out or 30% grade. I can see the utility of flats for gnarly technical sections, but those don't really flip my burger.

That's why I like SPD. I like the float and ease of "oh ****" unclips coupled with the 2 bolt shoes that permit portage and what not. Those A600 and A520 offer a larger area of support over MTB SPD pedals so hot spots are less likely.

[Lewis Moon]

Aside from the Xpedo Spry flats on my MTB, ALL bikes get Shimano PD-A600 or A520 and I wear Lake MX237s.

I think I'm going to try the PD-A600s. It looks like they'll meet most of my needs and might not be horrible for the occasional ride to the market in running shoes. Thanks Colonel!

[p nut]

For what it's worth, I ride SPD's (XTR) on all of my bikes, including road, cross, and gravel. I don't see the need to get anything else.

I had those platform SPD's. To me, they don't do anything but add weight. Unless you're headed down steep tech trails regularly, and need to ride on top of the pedals unclipped, I see no use for them. Get some good, stiff, carbon sole'd shoes, and hot spots won't happen and extra support will not be needed.

[MesiJezi]

I went with Eggbeaters as they had a reputation for clearing mud well plus low weight. This was before the longer-term durability problems emerged. Truth be told, if you maintain them well - tighten the end caps regularly, wipe and grease internals annually - I believe they should be OK, plus the newer pedals should have even more improvements. I'm also interested in what others say about a durable, easy to maintain pedal that works for CX and gravel, though.

I've been using egg beaters for several years without issues. I also have a pair of the original candies that are indeed more difficult to clip in to, though they offer a little more rigidity with my somewhat soft soled cx shoes. I prefer the egg beaters for the ease of clipping in. On the other hand... the only other pedals I use are Time RXS (road only), so everything else feels pretty easy to get in to!

[donevwil]

I ride A600s as well and they've trickled down to all my bikes. A600s were a significant improvement over XT trail pedals which were an improvement over XT race pedals, each with a larger platform than the former. A600s are the only SPD I can now tolerate for extended road riding, the float is smoother, the stack lower and, as already stated, the platform larger.

[MagicHour]

Love my A520s - have Zeros on my other bike, and have ridden Speedplays since early 00s. No issues clipping in at lights with the A520s and I really appreciate rubber soles when walking on less than smooth paved surfaces, going into stores etc.

I think I'm going to try the PD-A600s. It looks like they'll meet most of my needs and might not be horrible for the occasional ride to the market in running shoes. Thanks Colonel!

[jruhlen1980]

Running M520 spds for 2+ years now. Don't really have problems with hot spots until about 150+ miles, which only comes up about once a year.

[Tandem Rider]

I use the basic double sided SPD's, 520, 540 or whatever is cheap because nothing lasts on gravel. I normally ride 3-5k per year on gravels and they hold up as well as anything, maybe a year out of a set with all the creek and river crossings, grit, etc. Easy in and out, easy to walk in the shoes too for bushwhacking when necessary. I don't worry about weight differences from one model to another because it's all moot with 3 lbs of muck on your bike.