Pedals for commuting
 

Help a brother out.....I am looking for some good commuting pedals. do the fixie bmx pedals with velcro strap seem like a good idea?

No clipless as i commute and run errands in whatever shoes are on my feet when i walk out the door.

4 days a week i commute in my work clothes and work shoes, so would i have to rule out toe clips? as if you seen the trend in dress shoes they are getting a tad long and pointy now and the previous trend were the overly square toed things.

any good ideas for me? all help is much appreciated

I like campus pedals (platform one side, SPD the other) but since you said no clipless...I don't know how to respond.

I believe that most people in the world still use platform pedals and they work absolutely fine.

I've commuted a few time in my dress shoes using toe clips and never had a problem. Have you tried it yet, or are you just worried that it won't work with current shoe trends?

I use Forte pedals with plastic toe clips and Pake Space Straps. Works with any shoe, even Vibram Bikilas, does not stretch and holds real tight.

Simple and cheap.

any recommendation one some good ones?

never tried toe clips, just worried a point toed pair of shoes may be awkward. but i guess on those days i could just use the other side of the pedal.

My problem with pointed toes and toe clips is that I have long feet (size 13) and pointed toed shoes pushed my feet back so far (and the clips were so short) that I didn't have good foot positioning on the pedal.

I'm happy with the Odyssey Twisted pedals. Comfortable, durable and cheap. My shoes stay well planted on them without any auxiliary retention (e.g., clips, straps) even in the rain and snow. True, they don't hold your foot quite as well as a good BMX pedals with replaceable steel pins -- but the polycarbonate is much kinder to shins and to work pants. See http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=188_1018_233_1952

how do you like the forte's? are they shin shredders like my 80's road bike are?

No matter which pedals, I really like Power Grips for doing what you're doing. I think they're marketed for Mountain bikers who don't want clips but I've found them useful for urban riding. They are good with many types of shoes and really easy to get in/out.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=206123

I think these, which are about $15, should work pretty well for you: http://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-So...7978775&sr=8-3

Absolutely. People toured the world with platform pedals.

I like the Nashbar platform MTB pedals. Large, comfortable platform with lots of grip in any weather, including Winter. And they're built tough too. I also liked the Sinz platforms but the Nashbar pedals outlasted them. Bearings on the Sinz started grinding after less than 2 years of intermediate use versus something like 3 years of almost constant use for the Nashbar pedals.

If you don't want clipless pedals, then there really isn't much left to choose among.

the power straps look like they may be the ticket!

i found these online http://www.fyxation.com/shop/product.php?id_product=87 , would these be simpler than the power strap?

Either use clipless pedals or just flat pedals without any straps. All those kinds of straps take longer to get you foot out than unclipping from a good clipless pedal. There is also higher chance of your shoes getting caught up in those.

Really, majority of cyclists in the world use plain, flat pedals. The whole hoopla about "power when pulling" etc., is just that: "hoopla". Pedal retention may make sense for racers where every second counts, for track/fixed riders or MTB'ers who need to be able to bunny hop, but for riding a bike to work, running errands you really don't need any of that, it's just an unnecessary complication with no tangible benefits. Just stick to grippy flat pedals and you will be fine.

Do they have good bearings, so that they spin easily? Some platform pedals are junk: you can spin them with your hand and they stop spinning after a couple of turns. I have a pair of BMX pedals (Wellgo? I can't remember the brand!) that will spin for a long time. But they cost in the 30 dollar range, whereas Nashbars are more like 15.

I've never tried that brand but they look similar. I've used the power straps for years and really like 'em; I put them on all my round-town bikes.
Personally, I think most toe clip setups are a waste; they don't fit many shoes and are basically clunky.
I like the power straps because they do keep your foot in place, are comfortable, and can wear with any shoes. And, if you do flip the pedal to use the flat side, they don't drag much so there's not much overhead.

the velcro strap part does not matter, pedaling normally,
it's going to get you there, and back just fine.

And you can ride in any shoe you choose.

I have a Welgo with sealed bearings, SBS/Redline ordered enough
units, to have their brand name on them..

Sun-Ringele did similar..

Now this puts it into perspective, thanks adam. Why muck things up when its a simple short commute, just stick the the KISS method and all shall be wonderful.

so straps and toe clips are out, now looking for rec's for good grippy flat pedals.

So look for pedals with good bearings, how will i know?

thats a good question with the pedal flipped that may wear the strap out quicker? or are power straps real durable?

should i look for sealed bearings?

Re: the bearings: you'll know. The Nashbar brands, other ones listed in here will be fine. Cheapo ones won't turn well if the bearings are crappy but you usually won't find that problem on anything even close to a reputable brand.

Re: The Power Straps. No, you won't wear them out if you flip the pedal. In fact, I don't think you'll wear them out ever (I've a pair on one bike for over a decade). They are pretty tough and there is not much touching the ground (in most cases, they won't touch at all). I think they even sell a pre-installed pedal/strap combo for like $30. Hardly a big investment to try it out ...

I don't like the whole idea of clipless, so I always buy platform pedals. I seemed to go through a lot of pedals though, so now I only buy the really wide metal ones.

I still use toe clips and straps on my commute bikes so I can ride in regular shoes. Those platform straps look interesting too. Maybe I'll try a pair.

Sigh... ... ever since the Penny Farthing evolved into the Safety Bicycle there has been scant innovation... this thread is part of the reason... it may interest some to know that there are examples of turn of the century safety bicycles with toe clips and straps.

Maybe its just me but without some kind of foot location device my left foot in particular wanders away from properly centered on the pedal and slides outward. In rain its just about impossible to keep my feet on the pedals except with sneakers. For efficiencies sake if nothing else, it is hard to deny the utility of a pair of toe-clips and straps as an aid to foot placement. For placement purposes it is not necessary to cinch the straps. I never do. I also run PowerGrips and like them. We ride in a tandem club with teams that all have $5K+ Co-Motion and Santana tandems and everyone has clipless pedals with $300 road shoes. We field a $1K Raleigh Coupe and $40 Shimano MTB shoes. The PowerGrips do help keep us competitive in the shootout.

H