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All pedals suck

6K views 56 replies 38 participants last post by  53119 
#1 ·
I've been riding freeride, "All Mountain", and racing cross country for the past 12 years and I am absolutely sick of wearing out my pedals in less than a year, and in most cases less than 6 or 8 months. I ride clipped in on all bikes, for all riding styles, no matter what i'm doing. I moved away from eggbeaters after I flattened my 3rd pair by hitting them on rocks, within 6 months last year and went back to SPDs. Eggbeaters never were tight enoguh anyways. I seem to have the opposite problem as most other people, in that I am yet to find a pedal of any sort that will hold my foot on the pedal as tight as I want it. My last pair, some Xpedo m-force, worked quite well ( at full tension ) for about 2 months, and now they aren't worth 2 shits. Does anyone have any suggestions? should i just duct tape my feet to the pedals? What is the all time highest spring tension found in a clipless pedal? HELP!
 
#41 ·
it sounds like you have two distinct problems, durability and hold. i know time pedals have a crazy tension when you flip the cleats to pro. so much so that i could not get used to it and switched back to acids. as far as durability cant say, never used them that much but they seem pretty strong to me.
 
#45 ·
Used SPD's since 1996, switched to eggbeaters because they came with a bike, and they sucked IMHO (too sloppy), switched back to SPDs, screwed up my knee during a few impromptu showers causing my pedals to clog, switched to Time, will never ride another type of clipless.

That being said, 2 years on flats, and my clipless have been collecting dust, or on road bikes. Get a pair of flats, learn how to pedal properly and minimize pedal strikes, then consider trying clipless again. It sounds like your pedaling resembles rock kicking.
 
#47 ·
If you need lots of spring tension to keep your feet clipped to your pedals, it is a technique problem. Keep your feet from flopping around, and you won't go springing out of your pedals.
As far as durability, Shimano's last a long time, as long as they are not newer xtr's.
 
#48 ·
Not all pedals suck if i could afford to run Suntour XCII's on all my bikes i would, there old school but i can't find a better pedal that has more grip and control than them. there light and spins so nice and if you can find the grease guard pedals you'll have them for the rest of your life.
 
#52 ·
if you cant go fast enough in flats that they are boring; I think theres a few problems. one maybe technique. your upstroke is all over the place and your probably twisting all over the place wearing out cleats. are you always unseated lifting high knees and mashing?

second, what % grade are your trails that you cant go fast enough in flats? are you having to manufacture the speed on low grade trails?

how did sam hill crush the field on flats setting a new standard on how to ride downhill? in the latest interview I saw of sam sill; he said he starting to use clipless for tracks that have extended pedaling but hes still on flats for the good tracks.

but you know what, if your rippin and having fun, and wearing out pedals, , just keep on wearing em out, I cant tell you how to ride, and I really have to recant saying you have bad technique. cuz it sounds like your aggressive and having fun and that's what its about.
 
#55 ·
My forks keep breaking when I run into trees.

Not to toot my own horn here, but I'm almost positive it is not a "technique problem".
Since this thread is titled: "All pedals suck", I think you need to start a thread titled "All forks suck" to really do justice to your subject here. Who knows. It might resonate.
 
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