Definitely shoes > pedals, but high end pedals are definitely worth the price of admission. Another bonus to high end pedals is resale value and also being able to buy replacement parts. A $50 set of Wellgos is essentially a throw away pair since it will be nearly impossible to get wear parts when needed. A pair of high end pedals is not cheap to buy up front but you can buy rebuild kits for ~$20 so eventually they'll become a good investment if you use them long enough
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i just got to take my bike for a ride on some local trails with my new DMR vaults pedals. I also use the impact hi tops, the combination is amazing almost feels like my foot is glued to the pedals. once i can get out to highland ill be able to really use and put them to work but on local trails im pretty impressed.
I would tend to agree with this. I recently tried to go back to flats. I went a little more money and bought the Shimano Saint pedals for $80. I found them wanting to roll under my feet also. Maybe that will go away as I get used to them- not sure. I'm wishing now that I had just gone all in with thinner pedals. Now I have a pair of $80 pedals and I'm not sure if it the pedals or running flats that I don't like, so to know for sure I'll have to give these more time and if it doesn't get better, but thinner pedals to know for sure. It would have been cheaper to buy the thin ones and if it didn't work sell them to recoup a good portion of the money.
Originally Posted by big0mike
I started my switch back to flats with a set of $50 HT somethings (decoy knockoffs) and a pair of $30 Fox shoes off Chainlove. They worked OK and I got used to flats again fairly quickly. Then started working on some bigger drops and couldn't keep my damn feet on the pedals. Sprung for my 510 Freeriders and couldn't believe the difference they made. Then I eventually got a pair of Spank Spikes and the ride is even better. Not as big a difference moving to the new pedals as the new shoes made, though.
Originally Posted by DFYFZX
Definitely shoes > pedals, but high end pedals are definitely worth the price of admission. Another bonus to high end pedals is resale value and also being able to buy replacement parts. A $50 set of Wellgos is essentially a throw away pair since it will be nearly impossible to get wear parts when needed. A pair of high end pedals is not cheap to buy up front but you can buy rebuild kits for ~$20 so eventually they'll become a good investment if you use them long enough
What you guys are saying makes total sense to me. I take real good care of my gear and like everyone else don’t like doing things twice. Though they may get scuffed- up looking, at my level of riding these should last some years. I don’t want to be wishing I went with thinner pedals, don’t want to go the halfway route ($50 somethings) and I like the idea that the Spikes are re-buildable, so I’m sold.
One word of advice about the thin pedals is a lot of them utilize a single bearing on the spindle, with a one or a few DU bushings as well. Thicker pedals will generally use all bearings as opposed to the DU bushings, but this is how most pedals' achieve a thinner profile - DU bushings. The concern is that DU bushings wear faster and you may experience play on the spindle quicker. (My HT AE01's did this within a few hours of riding) Few thin pedal designs do use bearings throughout (Po1nt One's do)
Just wanted to make you aware of this. If the DU bushings are user-serviceable not a big deal to just swap out for new ones as necessary, but if you have to send the pedals out for service, that could kinda suck.
One word of advice about the thin pedals is a lot of them utilize a single bearing on the spindle, with a one or a few DU bushings as well. Thicker pedals will generally use all bearings as opposed to the DU bushings, but this is how most pedals' achieve a thinner profile - DU bushings. The concern is that DU bushings wear faster and you may experience play on the spindle quicker. (My HT AE01's did this within a few hours of riding) Few thin pedal designs do use bearings throughout (Po1nt One's do)
Just wanted to make you aware of this. If the DU bushings are user-serviceable not a big deal to just swap out for new ones as necessary, but if you have to send the pedals out for service, that could kinda suck.
it appears that it is a simple enough rebuild that can easily be done by anyone that can turn a hex-key. The complete kit (including new spindles) is $40 which unless they got bent or made out of lead I could not see ever needing replacement. Although both the inboard and outboard bearings are sealed-type, there is an "IGUS" bushing (what is IGUS, what is "DU") used on the outboard bearing. I'm not sure Spike sells this by itself as I can see that this could be the part requiring regular replacement. (one season? two season?)
SPIKE FLAT PEDAL
*12mm Thin - Massive Platform
*400g per pair
*Cold Forged Alloy Pedal Body
*Hollow Taper Scandium Enriched Steel Axle
*Chamfered Leading Edges for Improved Clearance and Reduced Impact Forces
*Chamfered Side Edges for Improved Cornering Clearance
*Oversized Sealed Full Compliment Inboard Industrial Bearing
*Sealed Outboard IGUS Bushing
*20 Adjustable Pins per Pedal
*Full Sized Hex Head Pins Improve Durability and Maintenence
*Inboard Friction Seal Prevents Contamination and Reduces Unwanted Pedal Spin
*Color: Zesty Orange / Ti-Grey / Black / Race Blue / Race Red
because they undergo metal fatigue, it's a good idea to replace spindles once in a while even if they look intact. A spindle can also be bent, ground down with grit particles, or rusted.
as for the IGUS vs DU difference, DU bushings are made of metal base with low-friction coating and are usually split and have cylindrical shape, whereas IGUS are full-polymer, not split and can have more complex (mushroom-like) shapes enabling them to carry some axial load.
I got my Red Baron shoes the other day and at first inspection I'd say they are a tad beefier than my Freeriders. I can't wait until the Freeriders wear out so I can give the new kicks a spin.
because they undergo metal fatigue, it's a good idea to replace spindles once in a while even if they look intact. A spindle can also be bent, ground down with grit particles, or rusted.
Maybe someone could bend a spindle through a big impact, but I doubt that fatigue is a big deal.
Loads of riders have been riding multi-years on the same set of pedals (one of my sets is 8 years old). I know a fair number of people who have circumnavigated the globe on the same set of usually cheap pedals.
Maybe someone could bend a spindle through a big impact, but I doubt that fatigue is a big deal.
Loads of riders have been riding multi-years on the same set of pedals (one of my sets is 8 years old). I know a fair number of people who have circumnavigated the globe on the same set of usually cheap pedals.
I should have mentioned that most cases of those axle failures that I pointed out (and that I had personal experience with) happened with modern thin pedals. The thinner the axle, the more significant are the effects of stress risers in it (from both shape and fluctuations in metal quality), and the more likey it is to fail from fatigue.
With titanium axles this is even more pronounced, even if you're well within their staied weight limit.
Edit: moreover, most of those cases happened on bikes where stand and mash is the dominant type of pedaling.
Last edited by J. Random Psycho; 01-11-2013 at 10:56 AM.
You'll love the Spanks for sure. I got my Red Baron shoes the other day and at first inspection I'd say they are a tad beefier than my Freeriders. I can't wait until the Freeriders wear out so I can give the new kicks a spin.
I like them better than I thought I would. They are more of a brick red than how the internet depicts them as "fire engine" red. I've been wanting a pair of sneakers ever since High School and never found any I liked these are real comfortable. You should wear yours around the house to break them in a little.
Hank
P.S. My Spanks are out for delivery UPS. I think they got held up but the high winds we had here in California yesterday. Hope tomorrow is a good riding day (been raining a lot lately)
I have been wearing vans while riding for a long time, how do the red baron / other freeride shoes compare to vans? they look pretty similar to me. Rubber stickier maybe?
I have been wearing vans while riding for a long time, how do the red baron / other freeride shoes compare to vans? they look pretty similar to me. Rubber stickier maybe?
The 5.10 Impacts I have leave the Vans back in the '80s BMX memories.
I was very surprised at the vast improvement the 5.10 shoes are over Vans.
Too bad they are all bulky and goofy looking as hell (same goes for Teva Links). I'm already hitting the chainstays sometimes with my size 12 Vans with run on the narrow side. I can't imagine riding with these joints. But I'm looking to try something new as I go through 2-3 pairs a season of Vans. The Point1 Podium just shred the waffle soles like no other. Grip is good, but the shoe could be stiffer a tad. Plus I'm so used to low cut shoes, well below the ankles like most Vans.
The Shimano AM41 is somewhat passable to me in the looks department, I'm might try those this season.
Too bad they are all bulky and goofy looking as hell (same goes for Teva Links). I'm already hitting the chainstays sometimes with my size 12 Vans with run on the narrow side. I can't imagine riding with these joints. But I'm looking to try something new as I go through 2-3 pairs a season of Vans. The Point1 Podium just shred the waffle soles like no other. Grip is good, but the shoe could be stiffer a tad. Plus I'm so used to low cut shoes, well below the ankles like most Vans.
The Shimano AM41 is somewhat passable to me in the looks department, I'm might try those this season.
I'm sure that's not all they got. I don't think my Red Barons are goofy looking but then again I may just be a goof.
Too bad they are all bulky and goofy looking as hell (same goes for Teva Links). I'm already hitting the chainstays sometimes with my size 12 Vans with run on the narrow side. I can't imagine riding with these joints. But I'm looking to try something new as I go through 2-3 pairs a season of Vans. The Point1 Podium just shred the waffle soles like no other. Grip is good, but the shoe could be stiffer a tad. Plus I'm so used to low cut shoes, well below the ankles like most Vans.
The Shimano AM41 is somewhat passable to me in the looks department, I'm might try those this season.
That is a pretty incredible attrition rate. This is what my Impacts look like after three seasons on Rallyes, Predators and Crampon Ultimates. They'll get replaced this year, but they've held up really well.
You might consider Sombrio. Their shoes are uncharacteristically subdued looking, and are narrower than 5.10s. I bought a pair of Loams for cheap from Backcountry. Fit is pretty true to size.
"Back off, man. I'm a scientist."
- Dr. Peter Venkman
That is a pretty incredible attrition rate. This is what my Impacts look like after three seasons on Rallyes, Predators and Crampon Ultimates. They'll get replaced this year, but they've held up really well.
You might consider Sombrio. Their shoes are uncharacteristically subdued looking, and are narrower than 5.10s. I bought a pair of Loams for cheap from Backcountry. Fit is pretty true to size.
Man, I wish I could snap a pic of my most recent Van Era/Authentics that I threw out not too long ago. That pair was literally missing chunks out of the gum waffle sole where it was shredded off by the long pins on the Podiums. Not worn away like your pic shows, I could literally poke the bottom of the insoles in that shoe with my finger.
The grip is good when they are new, but once the pins eat a groove into the waffle sole, they quickly go downhill afterwards. Plus not the stiffest soles around, and luckily not too many rock strikes on my trails as hitting something hard kinda hurts with the canvas uppers. And I'm used to the fit of them as Vans Authentics are my go to shoe off the bike as well.
This season I want to try something new: better grip, durability, stiffer soles, with a little more ankle protection as well (but they gotta look good, low key, and not bulky).
I've been reading stellar reviews about the 5.10 soles, but like I said, I just can't commit myself to buying a pair. They already look bulky in regular sizes, I can only imagine them in my size, especially being used to narrower shoes.
Ended up buying a pair of Shimano AM41 today from Backcountry for $60, been eying them for a while now (especially when they had a full spread of sizes for the same price lol) and only had a 46 in stock today, or super small 38-41. Hopefully they will fit me, size is equivalent to a US 11.5, if not they are going back and the search will continue.
eurospek,
I'm experiencing the same wear patterns with my 5-10s. Bought a Shimano AM40 from the same reasoning (also wanted lace flaps), but they are now worn like that too. Straitline AMP stock pins done them in.
I decided to go with less aggressive aluminum pins instead. So far so good, but it's been only below freezing rides for now, 5-10 soles get harder at these temperatures and there's no summer-like grip with any kind of pins.
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Originally Posted by slimphatty
