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Pedals

12K views 146 replies 36 participants last post by  A2rider 
#1 ·
I think the first thing I want to upgrade on my bike will be the pedals. I was looking at some Shimano A530s. I was wondering it anyone can give me some advice. I'm wanting some that will be good for regular shoes, but also will have the ability to use clips since that will also be in my upgrade list for me. Thanks for any help.
 
#3 ·
I have some A-530's on my road bike because i like the regular SPD Cleat for road riding. I like the pedals but i dont think i would want them on a mountain bike. Its hard enough sometimes to clip in hitting roots and rocks let alone find the correct side. Shimano 520 pedals are what many people including myself started on. Adjustable tension and durability make them one of the best pedals around as well as being dual entry. Since someone convinced me to ride TIME ATAC i havent looked back though. Best pedals on the market in my opinion.
 
#4 ·
I just got a Diamondback Response XE. So far I've just been riding it on the road to build up my stamina and get in shape, but I'm really wanting to get on some single track. I guess my best way to go would be to wait and save up for some shoes and pedals at the same time.
 
#5 ·
If you want to ride singletrack, go ride singletrack. Just pace yourself or take breaks or whatever. But there's no reason not to start after work this evening, or at least this weekend.

Cycling shoes are not a good place to save money. IME, the one that retail under $100 or so aren't worth buying. Is it really worth $150 to you to be clipped in? Plenty of riders choose to ride flats. Having better pedals still makes a big difference, but you can spend a lot less.

The gear can really detract from this sport if you let it. If you need to save for something, question whether you really need it.

Can you post a pic of your stock pedals?
 
#6 ·
When i started out i felt i had to go clipless. All my friends rode like that so naturally i felt the faster i go to them the better i will be. After the first few falls of getting used to them i was ok for riding them. Then i had my first wreck in them and i didnt come all the way unclipped until the bike was above me and i was on my face. After that i was so scared of wrecking because i couldnt unclip fast enough. Because of that i took the easy routes down hills or walked my bike across rock gardens because i didnt want to my laid up again and miss work with an injury like i had before. I decided at this point i was going to ride flats for the rest of the year and really learn to ride and to tackle harder terrain. Knowing that i could put my foot down immediately if i needed to enabled me to tackle those rock gardens where i was walking and it allowed me to become a better rider.

Now i ride clipless once again but i dont find myself thinking about it. Its natural enough to me now that i can dab my foot just as if im on flats and i can clip in and out without thinking of it, but i really think going back to flats while beginning helped my confidence tremendously.
 
#7 ·
Here is my bike, a Diamondback Response XE 26. I got it at a ***** Sporting Goods so some of the components are lower spec. Which is o.k. with me because I couldn't and didn't want to drop a load of money on my first bike. And the pics are from getting home from my 4.5 mile loop that I've been doing three out of the four days I've owned it. Oh and here are the pedals too. I'm just really wanting to upgrade to something more durable than the stock plastic ones.
 

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#8 ·
Some bikes ship with credible pedals lately. Though I think you'll enjoy the difference if you get something nicer.

At the low end, Redline Alloy pedals cost under $20 and have concave faces. I used a set to practice technique without a clipless mechanism to let me cheat, then lent them to a friend who may still be riding with them.

Moving up in price gets you adjustable, replaceable pins and better bearings. I'm sure someone who likes clipless better will chime in with a recommendation.
 
#10 ·
As I said earlier I ride clipless but that doesn't mean you have too. You need to ride what makes you confident. Not what others tell you to ride.

Also your bike is perfectly capable for starting out on. A $3000+ full suspension may make you feel better but certainly won't make you a better rider. In fact if you read listen to some people who have been doing this awhile you will see a lot of people recommend starting off on a hard tail. This way you learn to ride the bike. You learn to keep the rear on the ground using technique instead of suspension. I know a few guys who started out on a lower end hard tail and rode for years with it. They could out ride many people on high end full suspensions. Once they could afford a high end FS they were straight up blowing by people.
 
#11 ·
Don't get me wrong I love my bike. I've got two weekends that I'm tied close to home but after that I'm planning on getting out on some trails. I felt like a hard tail would be a better choice starting off. I don't think I will change much until I have to, but I would like to have some metal (of some sort) pedals.
 
#12 ·
Racing = Yes Clipless
Light Trails = Yes Clipless
Agressive Trail Riding = Flat Pedals and 510 shoes.
You can try the half and half but it's a slippery slope for most riders end up going one way or the other when they become experianced enough to know what works best for their trails and bike and personal pref.
Most do not usually keeping the 50/50 pedals in play though.
 
#13 ·
Chainlove.com has 510 shes on sale for 50% off every week. Keep an eye out and snag some.

I used to ride clipless but when I started riding more aggressively it just wouldn't work now I use really good pedals and five ten shoes and my feet feel like they are glued on to the bike. Not left wanting for clipless for trail riding.

For long road rides it makes complete sence to use clipless.
But I need/want more maneuverability on trail riding.
 
#22 ·
I traded flat pedals with pointy spikes to some with flat head spikes. The flat head spikes grip my shoes better actually while not being so deadly to skin.
I have fallen on them several times with no skin breaks. My old pedals would make me bleed just standing next to the bike didn't have to fall on them to hurt ya. LoL

Old spikes were Canfield Crampons.
New ones with flatter spike are Deity brand.
 
#26 ·
^ except being clipped in, which has THE most grip physically possible since you are connected to the pedal. 510's and pinned flats are nice, but NOTHING offers more grip than being clipped in. It isn't for everyone, but lets call it like it is.
 
#30 ·
I am a very new biker in general and extremely new to Mountain biking specifically, and have suffered through this question. My neighbor who is one of those rediculous people that could pedal up the side of a redwood and competes in races literally all over the world uses Shimano style clipless pedals. Naturally I decided to use him as an example and went that route to and purchased a set of the Shimano pedals that clip on one side and have a flat on the other. This is a terrible design as the flat is slicker than waxed floor and it takes forever to flip over to it when starting out. It also suffers from USB syndome in that regardless of which you need flat or clipped it is never the side you try by feel meaning you will be looking down trying to figure out if the clip is up or down....After my first introduction to a (from what I am told) pretty easy rock garden I learned clipped pedals can be a bit hazardous to us newbies.
I then went to the Bike store and purchased a pair of Saints, as the store only stocks that brand it seems. They were okay I guess, but word of advice remove the washers from the screws and it works much better. I found this out after I replaced them with a much stickier and lighter pedal.
I have since ended up with a pair of Atlas pedals, expensive but I am really happy with them. I also will recommend a pair of 510's, they just work.
I will say there are definate benefits to clipless, especially when climbing. This being said, the flats are better to learn on.
Just the perspective of someone else who recently went through this.
 
#31 ·
This is great information for me, who like the OP, has just gotten into the sport. I was going back and forth over clipless or flats and I literally just ordered a pair of 5.10 Freerider VXis after reading your post. I will see how these do with the stock composite platforms that came on my Crave, before I order any pedals. If I find I need them sooner rather than later, do have any recommendations for a pedal a little more moderately priced than the Atlas?
 
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