mad max

In the 1970s the MKS Sylvan was considered a "good campy copy", back when that was a thing. I got a used pair in 1980 from a friend, after he had raced on them for a couple years. For the next decade I toured extensively on that pair of pedals, faithfully repacking the bearings every year. In 1990 I decided I had had enough of that, and but them on a commuter with the intent of grinding them into dust with no further maintenance. From there they were passed through a series of commuters used year-round in snow country. By last year, 2019, they were showing signs of end-stage failure due to loss of an end cap and road grit.
I have a few other newer MKS pair. It is unlikely I will wear them out.

KDR

This has been my experience too. I bought mine from Rivendell and Grant posted that new MKS pedals feel a bit gritty when turned by hand. He went on to say that would not be noticed when pedaling and that they would break in to very smooth after some riding. Since he didn't say anything about the pedals being ADJUSTED tight on purpose I thought I would gild the lily and disassemble and adjust all of mine. When I opened them up I too thought there wasn't as much grease as I thought proper. I got the first one done with PLENTY of quality grease after a thorough cleansing of the old stuff. It was one of those satisfying little tasks that makes me feel like I did my bike a good turn. After learning a system on pedal #1 the rest of my supply went much quicker. Maybe I should have just left well enough alone but my work made them feel EXCELLENT right away and I haven't noticed any loosening since my initial servicing.

Bill in VA

Last year I fit MKS Sylvan Touring Next to my Bianchi as I decided to move back to toe clips and straps from SPD so I could gain shoe flexibility and use flat shoes for riding and even sneakers or hiking shoes for quick short rides. The Tourings were the widest pedal I could find for toe clips, and the Next variations have super smooth sealed bearings. I initially bought the Urban Platforms, but found them a bit too narrow. I was hooked on the long tongues for flipping the pedals that the platform feature, so I added the MKS Spin-2 tabs to the Tourings.

I also used MKS straps as they are Keirin approved (so strong) and longer (wider feet need longer straps) and if too long could be clipped off to the perfect length. They are nicely stiff for easy insertion of the foot. I liked the VO straps and never noticed they were stitched. I also added a set of the MKS toe clips in the XL Deep size as the easily fit a hiking shoe for canal towpath rides.

In retrospect, I probably would have bought the pedals with the EZY-Superior quick remove system, but as they did not have a suitable 2 bolt cleat system pedal I decided to save the expense. The MKS US-B NUEVO EZY Superior had unfortunately been discontinued. That QR feature would also make carrying the bike in the vehicle a bit easier.

For the too long VO straps, you could fold over the end and used a 'chicago screw' used in leather work fo hold buckles to form a small loop at the end for easy grabbing. That would mean that you would need to remove the screw to remove the straps.

slenten

I have enjoyed using MKS platform pedals but was spoiled by '80s Suntour XC Comps with sealed bearings.
Now using Wellgo M111 with aftermarket Ti spindles. They're fitted with an outboard bushing and inboard sealed bearings
but that's not a deal breaker.

Dylansbob 

I like those pedals too, but found they are a touch sensitive to gravel. I caught a rock hard enough to bend the toeclip mounting tab. Attempting to bend it back snapped it off. I'm sticking with full cages for anything that isn't pavement only.

dkatz1

I used to use both kinds of those....for many years.
I wanted to go clipless, but I couldn't for orthopedic reasons....from a long ago car wreck, my right leg wound up an 1 1/4" shorter than the left. I have a 1" build up on shoes. Don't know a cobbler who can build up cycling shoes, and the 1" is a lot...Plus: I have weirdly shaped feet, and have an almost impossible time buying shoes....8 6E! And most of them don't fit....by the time it fits over my hammer toes, my heel is swimming. Saw a place on lne that made custom molded cycling shoes. $750. They said they could add a half an inch.
So I did without....toe clips, with an extra inch on the sole of the shoe were a drag...knew a frame builder who took some metal toe clips, cut them apart, and solderred in flattened tubing to make the right clip better able to accomodate my shoes. Still wasnt' that great. Came across straps and wore different brands of them for 10 or 15 years (the best kind I found was wynot). Straps for me were much better than toe clips.
When I switched to the ynot straps had to switch pedals, they required a platform pedal
Last summer i went on a six day bike tour....last day it rained a lot, and my pedals and straps were a mess....when i got home, I wanted to ride and took off the straps to clean...and then thought, I'll just go without straps. It was in teh 90s that day, and I thought, now I can wear sandals.
After 20 years of riding with clips or straps, I got to neither in a day or two, and that's what I've done ever since, wearing sandals. This is probably against the rules of cycling, but I don't care. It might make me slower; I was slow anyway.

madpogue 

^^^^^ Have you considered crank arms of different lengths? That's about 32mm. A crankset made up of a 160mm arm and a 175mm arm would have an overall difference of 30mm in diameter. Same with one 165 and one 180, but 180 is harder to find. Somewhat more common is 177.5mm. Add a 2mm shim under one cleat, and you're in the ball park at least.

You may not even need that much of an adjustment, based on which part of the leg is shorter. I had a fitting done years ago, and the fellow found that my legs are the same length, but one knee is higher than the other, meaning that tibia (?) is longer. So he shimmed the cleat for the side with the shorter tibia. To adjust for that leg having a longer femur (?), he mounted the cleat so as to put that foot a few mm lorward of the other. Obviously you'd need a professional fitter to know just how much adaptation you'd need, but given the range of crank arm lengths available, I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

dkatz1

I don't see how crank arms of different lengths would help. I really cannot buy cycling shoes as ones that I can wear (that will fit on my deranged feet) don't exist. And all my shoes are built up because i walk in them (and having done lots of experimenting, I really need that buildup in the shoes). My legs really are different lengths...caused by femur being broken and shattered in three places and being in traction for 63 days.

madpogue 

Well my thinking was, people with shorter legs generally use shorter cranks. A shorter crank on the drive side, combined with shimming the cleat on that side, might even out your position on the saddle. I have to believe that people with different leg lengths have found ways to adapt the bike itself, rather than having to adapt their shoes. It's probably been researched/studied, anyway.