Anyone using MKS RX-1 pedals?

[ericspin]

I am going to be picking up my fixed project this weekend :banana: and trying to determine what I want to do about pedals.

When I was in the shop they had a pair of RX-1 pedals that I can't quit thinking about. They are just so damn smoooooooth. I can't say that I have ever used clips and straps but I am thinking I ought to try 'em just so I can have those beautiful pedals (funny the ***** that you obsess over).

Anyone have any thoughts?

Eric

[Ken Robb]

I have several sets of MKS Touring pedals. I took each set apart, cleaned out their hit/miss grease jobs, re-greased with my high-perfromance BMW Grease (no kidding), adjusted the bearings just so and they are even smoother than out-of-the-box. They make good stuff.

[mister]

they are kinda expensive. surely high quality, are you going to get the proper shoes and cleats or just ride in sneakers? if riding in sneakers why not just get the mks sylvans?

[ericspin]

Ken, do you use clips and straps or just use 'em as platforms?

[samcat]

Got them on a couple of bikes. Have Royal Neuvos on a couple of others.
Ti Designs quietly giggles when I ride over to W/Works...

MKS' higher end pedals are all terrific. Better and beter looking than Campy's best IMHO. Higher polish, cleaner finishiong, if that's possible.

I've at least 10,000 miles on one pair of Nuevos, on my Tourer/winter/rain bike. Still smoooth. Have not had to touch the bearings. All of the others are approaching similar usage, more or less.

All pedals carry MKS steel clips and laminated straps from EAI, Silva or Campy. Shoes are cleated Dettos or Sidi Touring. And, yes, I do have a lifetime of shoes and spares stashed...

PH, cronic late adopter.

[ericspin]

they are kinda expensive. surely high quality, are you going to get the proper shoes and cleats or just ride in sneakers? if riding in sneakers why not just get the mks sylvans?

I would like to use the _proper_ shoes but my searches are not turning up much. Any suggestions where to look?

[11.4]

RX-1 pedals are quite nice. Superb bearings, beautifully finished, light weight. You can get ceramic sealed bearing sets and titanium axles for them if you want to upgrade -- at that point they come to resemble perpetual motion machines.

If you get them and are using cleats (hope you are), definitely get the matching MKS cleats. They are designed so the nose of the cleat pops into the cutout in the front plate of the RX-1, which keeps them from clicking and prevents any sideways sliding. These are superb cleats which fit 3-hole Look drilling, and actually last well. Note that you can also get RX-1 pedals anodized in colors (I've seen gold, blue, and silver in addition to the standard black cages).

Personally for serious riding I'd just use clipless pedals, but if you want retro or you want to be using clips and straps, these are about the best out there today. The only thing better is to score a NOS pair of Suntour Superbe Pro track pedals. Those are absolutely delectable.

[fiamme red]

RX-1 pedals are quite nice. Superb bearings, beautifully finished, light weight. You can get ceramic sealed bearing sets and titanium axles for them if you want to upgrade -- at that point they come to resemble perpetual motion machines.

If you get them and are using cleats (hope you are), definitely get the matching MKS cleats. They are designed so the nose of the cleat pops into the cutout in the front plate of the RX-1, which keeps them from clicking and prevents any sideways sliding. These are superb cleats which fit 3-hole Look drilling, and actually last well. Note that you can also get RX-1 pedals anodized in colors (I've seen gold, blue, and silver in addition to the standard black cages).

Personally for serious riding I'd just use clipless pedals, but if you want retro or you want to be using clips and straps, these are about the best out there today. The only thing better is to score a NOS pair of Suntour Superbe Pro track pedals. Those are absolutely delectable.The problem with using the MKS cleat on modern shoes designed for clipless use is that they have bulky velcro straps that rub against the toe clip and make it hard to insert your foot into the pedal.

I used to ride with old-fashioned Duegi or Detto Pietro or Adidas shoes (the latter, I think called the Eddy Merckx model, were my favorite) with slotted cleats. Now I prefer to ride with touring shoes without cleats, or with sneakers, so that I'm actually able to walk around. I use Look clipless pedals now and then, but I don't feel much faster with them.

Suntour Superbe Pro pedals have great bearings. I used them very happily until a few months ago, when the spindle in my right pedal snapped. I wonder if there's a design flaw; is the spindle is sufficiently well-supported? Here is a picture of the body and spindle (only the cage differs in the track model): http://www.bikepro.com/arch_products/pedals/asuntour_pedal.html.

[Ken Robb]

Ken, do you use clips and straps or just use 'em as platforms?

I just ride them as flatties. I have some lovely old clip n' strap Suntours and others but I don't think I get much advantage being locked in over good non-skid platforms with rubber-soled shoes. Grant Petersen has written quite a bit about how surprisingly well one can ride without being locked in many situations. Rough mtn. biking requires my SPD or Crank Bro. pedals and cleats though. I can slip off the flatties in the bumps sometimes. Heck, sometimes I get bounced out of the "lock-in" pedals but not so often. :banana:

[sfhbike]

I'm hoping to get some RX-1s with black cages. Anyone have some extras lying around, used in decent condition, or new, that they would like to trade? Also looking for a Phil Wood 68x108 BB, Campy/ISO taper. I have a bunch of parts up that I"m trying to move here (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=40878) .

[rayms]

You can get ceramic sealed bearing sets and titanium axles for them if you want to upgrade -- at that point they come to resemble perpetual motion machines.



Where are the bearings and axles available?