commuters: what pedals are you using?

[AngryScientist]

for the last two years when i occasionally commute to work with my bike (i need to use a combination of the bike and train to get to work...) i've used crank brothers candy pedals.

all of my road bikes use speedplay zeros. i am thinking of switching to frogs for the commuter. any thoughts.

i need to stay with a mtb pedal so i can walk on the train, into the office, etc.

btw: i commute on a fixed gear, so foot retention is really a must-have. One way commute is about 12 miles.

[akelman]

Are you unhappy with the pedals you're currently running? I ask because I run Crank Brothers on all my bikes. And other than the platform being a bit small, I quite like them: light, relatively inexpensive to buy and repair, user-friendly, etc.

[Likes2ridefar]

I've not used the Frogs, but the cleat is where the action is, so it may be an issue with lots of walking. hopefully others will chime in.

I used to use crank brothers but for the past 2 years have used shimano xt pedals rain or shine nearly every day of the year. they appear to be impervious to the nastiness that NYC can offer, and I'm still on the original cleats that show no signs of wearing down - thousands of miles commuting/training plus racing cyclocross.

cheap, solid, a no brainer, if you ask me. I always tried something else because shimano weigh more, but I regret all the wasted $'s now on shoddy systems that don't hold up to heavy riding.

[Fixed]

crank bros here egg beaters my two fix gears quattros on my geared bike
cheers

[fiamme red]

MKS touring pedals with toe clips (padded with leather in front). I can ride in dress shoes or sneakers. No need for clunky MTB shoes.

[cp43]

I don't have any experience with the Frogs, so I can't help you there.

I run Shimano M520s on both of my commuters. No problems with them in the last 3-4 years.

Chris

[zott28]

I use Shimano Campus pedals, because my commuter is also my around town bike.

[WeakRider]

I use Time ATACs, and I will likely be getting myself a pair of Time ATAC Allroad Grippers sometime soon.

http://images.jensonusa.com/large/pe/pe275b09_new.jpg

[alexstar]

I use Time ATACs. Great pedal, very walkable with mountain shoes.

[Lewym]

In the winter I use Shimano A530s which accomodate my boots with a recessed cleat and have a handy platform side as well.

In the summer I use Speedplay X-series like my other road bikes.

I've been thinking about switching to Frogs to get some float, but for winter commuting, the SPDs work fine.

[AngryScientist]

I use Time ATACs, and I will likely be getting myself a pair of Time ATAC Allroad Grippers sometime soon.

http://images.jensonusa.com/large/pe/pe275b09_new.jpg


these i like, looks like the idea is to leave the option to ride in street shoes open? i like this.

[chad_k]

Tioga surefoot 8 with a few pins. I wear the same shoes I use for work. Commute is a flat 3 miles one way.

[oldpotatoe]

for the last two years when i occasionally commute to work with my bike (i need to use a combination of the bike and train to get to work...) i've used crank brothers candy pedals.

all of my road bikes use speedplay zeros. i am thinking of switching to frogs for the commuter. any thoughts.

i need to stay with a mtb pedal so i can walk on the train, into the office, etc.

btw: i commute on a fixed gear, so foot retention is really a must-have. One way commute is about 12 miles.

This

http://www.blueskycycling.com/product5953_44_-Wellgo_C002B_Sealed_Bearing_Pedals.htm

Platform and SPD side. inexpensive, work well.

[climbgdh]

I use Time ATACs. Great pedal, very walkable with mountain shoes.

these are what i use as well. 7 years and probably over 40,000 kms of commuting these haven't let me down yet. very walkable with mtn shoes.

[swithouski]

+1 to the TIME Atac (find a used pair if its for commuting)

I too ride Speedplay Zeros on the roadie & Time Atacs on the track bike.

[monkeypants]

Shimano A520 works for me.
One minor annoyance is having to turn the pedal cleat side up every light/stop... well not at every stop but it happens more often than not.

[etu]

Frogs work great. I switched them to all my bikes. Recessed cleats not a problem and the free float is nice.
Can't really see a downside to them other than they are a bit more expensive.

[jacques_anqueti]

I love the simplicity... I have Campy pedals for road shoe and Eggbeaters for winter boots.

[tfunkin]

I put big fat plastic platform pedals and Hold Fast straps on my (fixed) commuter bike a few months back, and I've been super happy with them so far. They work equally well with boots or flat-soled shoes and grip much better than any toe clips I've ever tried (not as well as clipless, as you might imagine, but surprisingly close). They look sort of ridiculous, and I wish the Hold Fasts didn't say "made in brooklyn" on the side, but eh, I look ridiculous anyhow.

[gasman]

I've used eggbeaters (broke after 1 month), ATACs( a bit hard to get out of at times but just didn't like them) and frogs( I used these for a long time but found myself liking the float on speedplays less over the years). They have all been OK. For the last 4 years I have been using Shimano XTRs for commuting and cross and love 'em. Easy to get in and out of----adjustable release tension. I keep them loose for commuting and tighten them up for cross racing-not that it makes me any faster, it doesn't. Totally bombproof.

[Monthly Payment]

My commuter is a single speed fixed gear I use to train sometimes or for coffee rides. I wanted pedals good for sneakers, dress shoes, or cleated cycling shoes.

I bought Shimano A530s. I was debating between the A530 and the M324. Wish I got the M324s. The platform for the A530 is larger but the M324 has sharper edges to grip into shoes and provide bite. Its possible that the platform for the A530 will scuff and get grippier over time. The Wellgo pedals oldpotatoe linked should work well too for not too much cost.

[monkeywobble]

I commute around 3k miles per year both geared and fixed and am completely happy on a variety of Crank Brothers. I believe i have one pair of acids, one set of quattros and several eggbeaters. I'd say stick with the SL models or better and you'll be happy. i haven't, but a few guys I ride with have managed to break the low end "C" model and in one case an SL but Crank brothers happily replaced them all.

-s

[Bob Ross]

all of my road bikes use speedplay zeros. i am thinking of switching to frogs for the commuter. any thoughts.

My commuter bike has Speedplay Frogs.

In fact, all of my road bikes have Speedplay Frogs.

They work well, and they work well consistently. They're easy to maintain. They last a long time. In my ~6 years of using Frogs I've never unintentionally clipped out even during hard efforts (except for once when I was experimenting with the locking mechanism & had it misadjusted...and that wasn't even a hard effort, just user error) and I've only once not been able to clip out (i.e., did a horizontal trackstand the first week I had 'em).

I like 'em, I'd recommend 'em...especially if you're already accustomed to Speedplay's "unrestricted free float".

[d_douglas]

These are the overbuilt DH pedals that weigh a ton, but they have that great TIME reliability, big platform and dual sided. And they are cheap.

Not exactly hi tech, but indestructible and stable...

[WeakRider]

these i like, looks like the idea is to leave the option to ride in street shoes open? i like this.

Yep, there have been platform/SPD combo pedals for some time now. But I think these are the first platform/ATAC pedals (aside from the Z Controls, which are very different).

[Dekonick]

Atac's on all of my bikes. Love 'em... especially with D2 shoes!

[xjoex]

Crank Bros candy's.

-Joe

[johnnymossville]

using speedplays. cause that's all I got.

What I really want to do is set up a fast single speed with flat pedals and pretty fat tires, and coaster brakes. One of these days.

[drewski]

I like being to wear any kind of shoes when I commute.
I have first generation of dura ace pedals with toe clips without the straps on
my rain/beater 1981 Peugeot PFN10. They have a really nice long piece you
can flip with our toe if you are at a full stop and need to place your foot back in.


Like these:

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170580377388

[JStonebarger]

Specifically, the MKS Sylvan Touring Pedal. No straps.

Not being attached seemed strange for about ten minutes. After that I successfully commuted on a fixed gear for almost three years through every New England rain and snow storm. Riding in whatever shoe happened to be on my feet was liberating. Platforms. Naked.

[fiamme red]

Specifically, the MKS Sylvan Touring Pedal. No straps.

Not being attached seemed strange for about ten minutes. After that I successfully commuted on a fixed gear for almost three years through every New England rain and snow storm. Riding in whatever shoe happened to be on my feet was liberating. Platforms. Naked.My beater is set up the same way (my other commuter bike has the same pedals, but with toe clips). No need to spend money on winter cycling shoes.

Unless your commute is very long, the benefit of being able to ride in any shoes that you have on shouldn't be ignored.

[Nooch]

Look Keo II max...

but then again I commute in a full kit and get changed at work -- I just prefer to be comfortable on the bike, and I'm just more comfortable in a kit.

and I also turn one way of the commute into intervals, so it's at least a 20 mile ride in to the office. need to see how the commute is from my new apartment, might have to find a way to make it longer..

[phlash23]

I too am on Speedplay (Zero) on my road sleds and Crank Bros. (Candy C and SL) on my CX/commuter bike as well as my fixed gear and MTB.

I know many have had issues in the past with the Crank Bros, but in over 3 years of use on two sets of pedals, one on the fixed gear and the other on the CX/commuter bike, I have had zero issues. I train about 100 miles a month on the fixed and put the same on the CX bike between racing and commuting. I wish the cleats lasted a bit longer, but I really have no complaint beyond that. If it's not broke, I'm not fixing it. I do love my zeros on my road bikes though.

[AngryScientist]

thank you for all of the advice everyone. i think for now there is no need to switch, i took a good look at my pedals tonight, and they are in fine shape, and picked up a new set of cleats today at the lbs. i'll be sticking with CB's for the time being. :beer:

[jeduardo]

Crank Bros can be a hit or miss prospect. I have had issues with eggbeaters on my cross bike BUT with that said, I've been using the $60 Smarty pedals (which I picked up for $25) on both my semi-distance (20mi each way) commuter and my town fixed cruiser. Both sets of pedals have worked w/out issue for one season, but since they are almost totally plastic I have no true idea how they will hold up as the miles/daily abuses pile up.

I too am on Speedplay (Zero) on my road sleds and Crank Bros. (Candy C and SL) on my CX/commuter bike as well as my fixed gear and MTB.

I know many have had issues in the past with the Crank Bros, but in over 3 years of use on two sets of pedals, one on the fixed gear and the other on the CX/commuter bike, I have had zero issues. I train about 100 miles a month on the fixed and put the same on the CX bike between racing and commuting. I wish the cleats lasted a bit longer, but I really have no complaint beyond that. If it's not broke, I'm not fixing it. I do love my zeros on my road bikes though.