The four things I dislike about the typical BMX pedal solution are, in decending order of importance:
1. You can't easily modify them. Whatever the size and shape of the platform is, that's all it will ever be. If it's perfect, then you're set. If it's not, put them in the parts box and try again. I like being able to modify my own stuff to make it just right. I'm a former mechanic, a mechanical engineer, and an avid DIY guy, so fabricating, personalizing and otherwise modifying my own stuff is something that I enjoy doing and that I think about often. In my brain I have at least a half-dozen concepts for things that I'll change, build or design in my mind. Sometimes I admit it's just to see if I can make something that maybe is 'good-enough' to be just a little bit better. In particular with Freeride pedals, if they are too wide, there is no way to make them less wide. 2. Cost. I like the $27 price point of the sneaker. I don't think it's a good value to spend $80 to $100 for something that I can't modify. Tioga Spyders for example, seem to narrow side to side, and there is no easy way to change that. The Grip Kings at $55 were easy to change. 3. Looks. It's vain, I know, but the BMX/freeride pedals just don't look good to me. 4. Riv doesn't sell them. This is the least important one, but as somebody who has rarely paid retail for bike parts, I try to divert as many of my retail bike dollars towards Riv as possible. I helped run a small bike shop that was the barely sustainable living wage for about 20 people and I remember how stressful and financially challenging that was, so I try to do my part to figure out as many ways as possible to spend the dollars at Riv. Don't get me wrong. If I know I want part X and they only have part D and G, I'll go buy part X wherever I have to buy it. On Nov 15, 7:48 am, Travis <travisbreitenb...@gmail.com> wrote: > +1 on Wellgo MG-1's. They are sort of the go to, best value, lightish > bmx/mtb pedal. I just got a pair a couple of days ago. > > My concerns were similar to the OP's. The MG-1's are plenty grippy, > but you could file down or remove extra grip pegs if you get hot > spots, without permanently altering the pedal. > > As far as cornering clearance goes, you may not want to use these on a > fixed gear bike, but I haven't had any problems with my freewheel bike > - and I should mention the reason I went to platforms and then wider > platforms was because my frame has such a low bottom bracket that > using clips and straps was intolerable in city traffic (terrible > grinding on every first stroke after starting from a stop) - I built > the frame myself and did not anticipate this. Anyway, even though > you'd think cornering clearance would be a big problem for me, it is > not. I also own a modern racing bike with which I love to pedal > through tight turns and push my luck, but on my comfy steel ride I > have no problem coasting through sharp turns. > > I think the main reason BMX style pedals are not considered more often > is because they just don't look as elegant on our bikes as we'd like - > but hey, find some big, silver platforms that look halfway decent and > I bet you're distaste will melt away with the comfort and ease of use. > > Best, > Travis in NYC > > On Nov 14, 8:34 pm, EricP <ericpl...@aol.com> wrote: > > > Right now, my winter bike has the MKS sneaker pedals which work, but > > will probably switch to one of the BMX pedals sitting around for > > better grip with winter boots. The RMX can get slippery in wet/snowy > > conditions. However, do like the reflectors for riding after dark. > > > Agree with George, BMX pedals can be all over the board. Happen to > > know that Jim Thill has recently built a bike with Tioga Spider pedals > > that look promising for weight and cornering clearance. > > > BTW, the Wellgo pedals look like the old Shimano MX pedals. One of > > the early great mountain bike pedals. They are available in a modern > > version, although the price is not cheap. > > > Now, a modern version of the old Suntour "Beartrap" would be about > > perfect. Cartridge bearing, very grippy surface. Then again, my wife > > has scars on her leg from an ill-timed pedal slip. So maybe not the > > best? (At least they were safer than the Cook Bros. Those were > > sharp. Literally.) > > > Eric Platt > > St. Paul, MN > > > On Nov 14, 6:53 pm, George Schick <bhim...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > I like BMX pedals, too, and have converted all of my bikes over to 'em > > > - mainly because of foot pain issues, though, associated with cleated > > > shoes. But as far as quality is concerned (and maybe Jim over at > > > Hiawatha can jump in here to confirm) BMX pedals are all across the > > > board. Cheaper ones do have cheap and rougher feeling bearings. But > > > you can pay over a hundred dollars for some that are very light > > > weight, made from alloy, with much more refined bearings - and with > > > smaller, less protruding pins, too. > > > > On Nov 14, 11:52 am, RonaTD <teddur...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > > > > Because a lot of Riv discussion seems to focus on pedaling free and > > > > > finding the perfect pedal for doing so, is there some reason BMX-style > > > > > pedals aren't more frequently considered? > > > > > The biggest issues I think people have with BMX pedals are weight and > > > > cornering clearance. Obviously, the wider the pedal, the less the > > > > cornering clearance. Grant tries to address that with the shape of the > > > > GripKing, but inevitably a pedal with "sufficient" corner clearance > > > > will feel narrow to someone who's ridden on something wider. > > > > > The "right" pedal width depends very much on the shoes you are > > > > wearing. For example, I have some Tioga pedals that are fairly narrow > > > > (and lovely light). They work great with my Allen Edmonds "Mitchell" > > > > business casual shoes, pretty well with my Salomon trail runners, but > > > > no so great with Tevas. Teva sandals tend to have a very wide forefoot > > > > that requires you to move your feet farther away from the crank arm, > > > > so they require a pretty wide pedal. > > > > > An issue I have with MKS pedals in general is that the bearing bulges > > > > are too prominent and ruin the shoe-pedal interface. The lovely Sidi > > > > touring shoes I have, for example, are useless on MKS touring pedals. > > > > The RMX sneaker pedals are a notable exception and are fabulous with > > > > Tevas. > > > > > Bottom line for me is that you need to consider both the shoe and the > > > > pedal together. Wider pedals will work with a broader range of shoes, > > > > but at the cost of corner clearance and weight. This being the RBW > > > > list, those might not be such big issues for you. However, if you ride > > > > a fixed gear, corner clearance should be a concern. > > > > > td- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
