Cross people: What do you like for pedals? [Archive]

konstantkarma

12-01-2010, 09:16 AM

I have just purchased my first cross bike after a 2 year search through the classifieds; a Gunnar Crosshairs. The bike is really nice but did not come with pedals. I have used Speedplay X2s with Sidi shoes for years on my Serotta road bikes and thought about using these on the Gunnar, but I am sure I'll get them gummed up the first time I take the bike off road. I do not plan to race, but to ride on road, hard pack gravel, and the occasional dirt trail single track.

So what's good out there for pedals and shoes, for a reasonable sum?

AngryScientist

12-01-2010, 09:20 AM

eggbeaters are my favorite, or candys. great design for keeping everything functional when muddy/dirty.

forget about even looking at dirt with speedplay x/zero cleats, they get munged up with even a little mud/dirt.

protege55

12-01-2010, 09:43 AM

went from eggbeaters to the Look Quartz pedals. Like them both - the Eggbeaters are easier to launch in to after dismount, but I like the connection with the Look pedal base better (larger platform). More of a personal choice - giving up ease of entry (not that the Quartz are hard) for the platform...

d_man16

12-01-2010, 10:00 AM

Time ATAC or a pair of egg beaters

btulloch

12-01-2010, 10:16 AM

I like eggbeaters because they clear the mud really well when conditions are extreme. A lot of people I know have had problems with the crank brothers stuff falling apart, I had the pedal fall off one time during a race and had to finish the race with just the spindle on, but I had not been keeping up with the maintenance too well at that time. If it weren't for the great mud clearance, I would probably run something else.

XT and XTR pedals are supposedly really nice and durable.. maybe consider those

Jawn P

12-01-2010, 10:19 AM

I am currently running Eggbeaters because they're very light and shed mud well. The big problem is they're pretty much disposable. I've broken 3 pedals this year. In addition to that, the cleats wear out very quickly and I think the spring tension for the pedal is a little low.

There have been a few times where I've been railing a turn or in another situation where I really had to use some body english and my foot has come unclipped.

If you do go with Crank Bros, go with the equivalent of the SL models or up.

I'm switching to XTRs next year.

old fat man

12-01-2010, 10:24 AM

AngryScientist

12-01-2010, 10:44 AM

crank brothers and sram should have a competition for who has a higher percentage of broken products. great customer service from both but frankly i'd rather install my pedals and never have to think about them again.

i've been happily using time pedals on my cross and mtb for 13+ years with only one broken pedal (due to smashing it on a rock) during that time.

the newer shimano pedals seem nice too. i'd race cross on road pedals before i'd put crank brothers junk on my bike.

thats a little overboard IMO. cb has a pretty big variation in their product line, the cheap stuff is mostly junk, but the upper end stainless stuff is pretty good. i've had no problems with a higher end set of candys that have a ton of miles on them riding fixed.

John H.

12-01-2010, 10:54 AM

I have a couple extra pairs of Look Quartz if anyone has interest. Barely used pair of Quartz Carbon for $100, new pair regular Quartz $60- both are 2010 and include cleats.

jeo99

12-01-2010, 10:55 AM

Go to a Cross Race in your area and watch the dismounts. Here in the Midwest it is hands down Eggbeaters!

:bike:

djg

12-01-2010, 11:04 AM

Time ATACs

flickwet

12-01-2010, 11:17 AM

Spd's are what I prefer cuz I got'em on other bikes, for the mud, real mud, egg beaters can't be beat, based on your post though egg beaters aren't necessary but speedplays will not work, spd's are cheap, common and useful, not bad traits

Ryun

12-01-2010, 11:17 AM

I went to XTRs this year. Great pedals and so far have been very durable.
This is coming from a guy that hasnt owned anything from shimano since '94.
The performance was good enough to overcome my bias :)
Didnt care for the cbs FWIW
Frogs are just not great for cross although I love them on my mtb
I use x/2s on the road.

shinomaster

12-01-2010, 11:22 AM

Eggs and Candies can fall apart pretty easily, and they can ruin the bottoms of your shoes unless you use their $10 metal protective plate. I've raced cross on them for six years but I've gone through several pair. My LBS, a seriously pro shop which sponsors a bunch of elite racers, has all their riders on Shimano pedals. I've never tried them but I've only heard good things.

Likes2ridefar

12-01-2010, 11:32 AM

Used eggs for years, got tired of replacing the bearings and cleats and the pedals destroying my soles.

The new eggs appear to have better sealing so perhaps the bearings replacement will be a thing of the past.

my father just broke a spring on his twin ti version and he just rides them on the road. they are warranty replacing no questions.

i got XT pedals for commuting last year and like them more than the eggs in about every department besides the weight. They are super easy to get in and out of, have a larger, more secure platform I find very noticeable, and the cleats and pedals themselves are ultra-durable.

I put the XT on the cross bike for racing this year and don't regret it one bit.

xjoex

12-01-2010, 11:33 AM

I ride Crank Bros Candy 4Tis on my cross bike. Never had a quality issue . I have the 2 Ti's on my mtn bike, 2 years now, no issues and a 6 year old pair on my commuter with no problems.

-Joe

DRZRM

12-01-2010, 11:41 AM

Likes2ridefar

12-01-2010, 11:48 AM

I have eggbeaters on all my bikes except my road bike (MTB, SS, CX, and the old Fat Chance I pull my kid's Burley trailer on) all stainless steel or ti, I've had minimal wear and tear and no failures (even after bouncing off some ricks pretty solidly). I'm not sure I even understand this critique that they tear up the bottom of your shoes, I've not experienced this problem and I used the same Sidi's on all those bikes.

I've used at least 3-4 different brands of shoes, including sidi, and every single shoe got two grooves on either side of the cleat and eventually they were so deep the shoe sole cracked. Before they cracked they made an annoying creaking sound once the groove was deep enough.

I had to replace bearings at least once a year, usually twice, and had to replace the cleats 2-3 times a year on eggbeater SL.

Everyone is different and uses them for different sports. I'm probably harder on my stuff than most here. I used them on a single speed mtb and commuter and put LOTS of miles on them. Over the winter I commute daily a few hundred miles a week so they were exposed to nasty conditions pretty consistently.

The shimano bearings spin better than the day I got them with no play. The cleats do not show any signs of wearing down and have maybe 5 thousand miles on them.

after 3 months of winter commuting on the egg beaters the bearings would be completely ruined.

FGC

12-01-2010, 12:36 PM

Time ATAC are almost indestructible. They clear mud well enough and you don't have to think about them after you put them on your bike. For a cheaper alternative to the regular ATAC, check out the ATAC ROC. It's essentially the same design as the old ATAC, which means the retention bars wear longer than the new design.

The one downside I've found is that don't have real float and the angle of the cleat isn't adjustable. The float is spring loaded, bringing your foot back to the starting position. And because the cleat angle isn't adjustable, your knee might not like where it starts. That said, I don't have problems with them while racing, only when I do a really long road ride on my CX bike.

fourflys

12-01-2010, 12:41 PM

I've tried Shimano and an assortment of Crank Bros... I just can't get used to the eggbeater type of pedals... I always find it harder to clip in and then when I do, I feel like I have a few mm of up and down play... I tried all the tricks and tips and just couldn't get them to work for me...

every time I went back to Shimano pedals, it was like "Ahhhh..." I actually just scored a pair of XTR at Performance for under $100, very nice... I guess it depends how much mud you think you'll be in... I'm in SoCal and don't have to worry about it, so that might change your mind... although, I'm pretty sure there are lots of people on Shimano that ride in mud too...

of course, pedals are kind of like saddles... :D

xjoex

12-01-2010, 12:51 PM

I have used a pair of egg beater SLs to commute year round, for 4 years in the snow and salt of Pittsburgh. They work fine.

Everyone has a different experience.

-Joe

PETER REID

12-01-2010, 01:31 PM

I use Time Atac's and BeBops..... I like the Time's better when it gets really muddy..

peter

Dekonick

12-01-2010, 01:39 PM

No cross here, but I use ATAC's on all of my bikes. Great pedal design. Ever see what happens when an eggbeater fails? Ewwwwww!

fmbp

12-01-2010, 03:23 PM

I'm a TIME ATAC guy, and have been for 10 or 11 years. Not a single issue with the pedals to date, and I've had maybe 3 or 4 sets of 'em on various bikes.

572cv

12-01-2010, 03:31 PM

Time ATACs. I use sidi mountain shoes with the tread and the cleats fit nicely. I had the candy for a while, but the ATACs seem to hold the old legs in a better position and I don't have knee tweaks any more.

vpierce1

12-01-2010, 03:51 PM

I used Candys for a year before switching to XTs and can't imagine going back. XTs feel much more secure and like a road pedal compared to the Crank Bros. I've done races where the whole course was peanut butter and had no problems getting back in. Shimano pedals get my vote for both feel and durability.

konstantkarma

12-01-2010, 04:06 PM

Wow. Thanks for the overwhelming response. :hello: :hello:

I am not planning on too much mud so ATACs and XTRs are sounding good. As long as they clear the tread on my off road shoes.

fourflys

12-01-2010, 04:46 PM

Wow. Thanks for the overwhelming response. :hello: :hello:

I am not planning on too much mud so ATACs and XTRs are sounding good. As long as they clear the tread on my off road shoes.

I've used both Specialized and Diadora with Shimano with no problems...

SpeedyChix

12-01-2010, 05:23 PM

I've used Time ATAC for ages without an issues. Shimano SPDs would be a solid option as well.

mtb_frk

12-01-2010, 05:48 PM

I used eggbeaters for years, but recently have switched to xtr. I have had no problems with them, the egg beaters I always carried a extra set in case they broke, which happened a few times. The egg beaters do clear the mud and snow better, but so far I really like the xtr pedals.

Dekonick

12-01-2010, 06:30 PM

ATAC's clear mud just fine. Paptasco state park has enough mud to test most pedal systems. It gets wet and muddy with plenty of stream crossings etc... They also shed horse sh1t as well... :crap:

xjoex

12-01-2010, 07:40 PM

ATAC's clear mud just fine. Paptasco state park has enough mud to test most pedal systems. It gets wet and muddy with plenty of stream crossings etc... They also shed horse sh1t as well... :crap:
Oh man you are right! I went to college down there and used these horrible Ritchey Logic pedals. I swear I couldn't clip in between November and April... http://www.yellowjersey.org/RITCHPED.JPG

I bought a pair of XT pedals in 1997 and my world changed.

-Joe

Dekonick

12-01-2010, 07:53 PM

Oh man you are right! I went to college down there and used these horrible Ritchey Logic pedals. I swear I couldn't clip in between November and April... http://www.yellowjersey.org/RITCHPED.JPG

I bought a pair of XT pedals in 1997 and my world changed.

-Joe

UMBC?

FWIW my first foray in Paptasco was on 1st generation SPD's... I fell lots.

xjoex

12-01-2010, 07:57 PM

UMBC?

FWIW my first foray in Paptasco was on 1st generation SPD's... I fell lots.

UMCP, but before they built Schaeffer Farms our only choice was Patapsco or McKeldin.

Although we parked at the UMBC park and ride.

-Joe

fourflys

12-01-2010, 10:24 PM

the egg beaters I always carried a extra set in case they broke, which happened a few times.

while I never had an issue with eggbeaters breaking (didn't ride them that long), if someone has to carry an extra set of pedals.... that's saying something...

konstantkarma

12-01-2010, 11:12 PM

while I never had an issue with eggbeaters breaking (didn't ride them that long), if someone has to carry an extra set of pedals.... that's saying something...
:cool: I was thinking the same. :)

ThomasRZ

12-02-2010, 10:41 AM

Shimano SPD -- XT/XTR are awesome. You can dial in the retention you want and they clear mud/filth just fine. Plus, durable as all hell, even the basic models.

fourflys

12-02-2010, 11:46 AM

Shimano SPD -- XT/XTR are awesome. You can dial in the retention you want and they clear mud/filth just fine. Plus, durable as all hell, even the basic models.

true about the durability of the basic models... I've beat on a pair of the 520's for around 4 years now using then for everything from road to mountain to cross racing and have had zero problems and they still feel pretty fresh... I will the say the XTR's I got feel so nice... :D

mtb_frk

12-02-2010, 06:44 PM

while I never had an issue with eggbeaters breaking (didn't ride them that long), if someone has to carry an extra set of pedals.... that's saying something...

I had them break on me as I was warming up for a race once. From then on carried a extra set. I had them break another time also. The customer service was great and I got quite good at fixing them. :cool:
2 years now on my shimano pedals and no issues at all.

McQueen

12-02-2010, 08:32 PM

Time ATACs

Point Grey

12-02-2010, 09:21 PM

Have used Time pedals for years on the cross, touring and mountain bikes. No issue from mud to snow and amazing durability. Large platform for a good shoe to pedal contact.

pdmtong

12-03-2010, 12:11 AM

+1 Time ATACS

mxpdx

04-16-2011, 12:21 PM

I've used a bunch of different pedals and can echo a lot of what I've read so far.

That said, being about 280lbs, I get a somewhat unfair view of some pedals.

Time ATACS
Love these pedals. I have 2 pairs of XS and ride them almost everywhere. HATE HATE HATE ATACs at muddy Oregon cross races, though. Cake up and clog WAY faster than some others - but never had a single mechanical failure.

Shimano SPD
Cool pedal with decent use. Don't like them on the road, but they hold their own in cross. I've broken 2 different right side SPD pedals. Both were like $40-50 cheaper models.

Look Quartz
Look like they shed mud better than ATACs but have similar retention design. Never actually got to race them at 'cross because their lower Q-factor made my wide feet too tight on crank-arms.

Egg Beaters
Broke a pair of these 4 years ago, but new designs have WAY better weight ratings, esp stainless steel ones. Ride like crap for me on the road, but are PERFECT on the 'cross course. Always where my feet expect them to be and don't hold an ounce of mud. (one note, it takes work but getting the cleats shimmed to the right height will make or break your experience, so take 45min and get it right)

Couple notes.
I differentiate road and 'cross riding by the differences in un/clipping for lights vs dismounts/remounts - walking (cleat heights) - float - etc

salem

04-16-2011, 06:53 PM

thats a little overboard IMO. cb has a pretty big variation in their product line, the cheap stuff is mostly junk, but the upper end stainless stuff is pretty good. i've had no problems with a higher end set of candys that have a ton of miles on them riding fixed.

I'll second that. In fact, I've often wondered if CrankBrothers helps or hurts their market share by producing the cheap pedals that people hear don't last. Sort of like how I wonder if people never buy another GM product after their first car is a Daewoo built Aveo.

So, anyhow, I used SPDs since 1991, but switched to eggbeaters about 7 years ago and am hooked. Without the body to gum things up, I find the entry and exit character much more consistent is adverse conditions. I did finally fail a bearing on one of my original pairs this past summer with likely 10s of thousands of miles on it. One caveat: I weight 140 pounds, so I can't say how those small bearings hold up to bigger riders.

konstantkarma

04-17-2011, 08:17 AM

Revived thread! I ended up getting the XT spds for my cross rig, mostly because I have a pair of spds on my ATB (ancient Ritcheys) and I can use the same shoes. I don't plan on racing cross or riding in lots of mud, or hopping off and pushing my bike in the stuff, so mud clearance wont be an issue. BTW this is my first cross bike, a Gunnar, and I am loving the ride comfort and the flexibility in riding surfaces. I have several dirt roads i can incorporate into loops near home. It's nice to have these routes as a change of pace from the road.

alembical

04-19-2011, 04:50 PM

I race with Shimano XT pedals and have no complaints. I have them on 2 different cross bikes, plus my mountain bikes and have had no issues, problems, or complaints. Others might be lighter, better looking, or possibly do better in the real sticky mud (although I am not convinced), but all in all, they work well for me in the Pacific NW and seem to be real popular here. Eggs definitely have their fans as well though.