Eggbeaters & Trail Skill

This is a gear question, but also a mtb skill question, so I think I will post it here, vs gear...

For those of you that have/had eggbeaters, vs a different pedal system, do you feel like you could get clipped in and out faster on the trail due to their 4-sided entry?

I've been geeking out pedals for both my bikes (road and mtb). I've been thinking about getting eggbeaters on the mtb due to the multiple entry. I have a campus pedal on the mtb atm due to my ds mtb pedals being on my road bike. One side to clip in does not work so great on the single track. I have had the ds mtb on the trail with a pedal switch out, and that was MUCH better of course. But, I wonder... could it be even better with four sides vs two?

Now, I'm pretty humble atm, but trying to improve. Sometimes I find I can get through the obstacle with just one foot unclipped. However, if I can't get it jammed back in the pedal before I need it to go up, I end up dismounting with losing power pedaling only one foot securely clipped in (or crash).

One of the shop guys that said he loves his eggbeaters in that all he has to do is keep moving his foot and he knows it will roll right into one of the four sides. Another guy said he sees no difference (4 side vs 2 sides).

Btw, the mtb pedal I have now is the Shimano M505 w/multi-release spd cleat. I liked the eggbeaters on the shop floor. I'm just trying to decide if (for the $) the 4 sides will increase speed to get the foot back in... and ultimately give me more confidence on obstacles because I'm thinking less about working my pedals. Thanks! :)

I've never used eggbeaters, but I've used shimano SPDs and Speedplay frogs on my SS CX bike- the frogs are very, very easy to get into/out of. Only downside is that I've had a couple of un-intentional unclips when on very rooty portions of trail (bumpy & requiring a lot of pulling up on the pedals)

YES.

Eggbeaters are super, super, super easy to use. Great for riding trails. If you get your foot at all close, by just slamming it down you will click in.

If you would like a bit of platform, look at the Candy version. You will feel a bit more secure if you need to be unclipped for a bit. For instance, if I have to start at the top of a downhill, I just get my foot on the pedal, descend and then worry about whether I'm clipped in. You can do the same with the Eggbeater but the pedal may not feel as stable to you.

When you mount the cleat, pay attention to the angle of release. The cleats themselves set the angle of release. While there is no tension adjustment on the pedals, I've never felt at risk being able to unclip.

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Originally Posted by Andrea

I've never used eggbeaters, but I've used shimano SPDs and Speedplay frogs on my SS CX bike- the frogs are very, very easy to get into/out of. Only downside is that I've had a couple of un-intentional unclips when on very rooty portions of trail (bumpy & requiring a lot of pulling up on the pedals)

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Thx:)... With the multi-release spd cleat on the road I've never had the unclip problem. The closest has been while standing climbing. If I felt myself starting to twist my foot too much with the float and pulling up, I just made sure I didn't twist anymore to come out when I didn't want to. I think last harder trail I rode, my foot popped out once when I had my pedals switched out. Just like your root situation, it seems like I was doing something that I was twisting my bike and body to get through something flat, but rocky, and my twist happy foot came out. Mine are set super easy though.

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

YES.

Eggbeaters are super, super, super easy to use. Great for riding trails. If you get your foot at all close, by just slamming it down you will click in.

If you would like a bit of platform, look at the Candy version. You will feel a bit more secure if you need to be unclipped for a bit. For instance, if I have to start at the top of a downhill, I just get my foot on the pedal, descend and then worry about whether I'm clipped in. You can do the same with the Eggbeater but the pedal may not feel as stable to you.

When you mount the cleat, pay attention to the angle of release. The cleats themselves set the angle of release. While there is no tension adjustment on the pedals, I've never felt at risk being able to unclip.

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Thx :) for that feedback, and the thought about the candy pedals. I have read about it, and seen it on line, but how's it function compared to a traditional eggbeater? Does the platform get in the way of accessing all four sides of the eggbeater? :confused: When I ride my campus pedal (one side platform w/spd in middle, other side just platform) that's the only saving grace about it. If my foot is not on the correct side to clip in, I have a solid base to keep pedaling. It's just not consistent power, or as secure, with one foot in, and the other foot platform only. When I had the switch out to the spd only... if I missed, too bad, very little to stand on for support and balance to pedal. I put the campus pedal on the bike when I was really only using it for casual rides camping. Nice to have some extra ump being clipped in, but enough time to look down for the correct side to clip in. I quickly figured out on my first single track ride my eyes needed to be looking ahead at all times... not looking down to see what side of the pedal I was on:rolleyes:.

...yuck! I hate them! I know they should be the bomb, but I just can't get excited about using them. Funny how our tastes are so different.

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Originally Posted by sundial

...yuck! I hate them! I know they should be the bomb, but I just can't get excited about using them. Funny how our tastes are so different.

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Sundial... that is interesting, thx for chiming in:). That is exactly :rolleyes: how I felt when I went to chunk my money down for SpeedPlays for my road bike. I had heard nothing but "omg, these things are the best thing since cycling sliced bread, blah blah blah". Now, my tune may change when I go to "kick it over" with a ss pedal, vs my trusty ds mtbs on there now, but I just went "HUH??? I don't get it?". Soo... I felt really guilty for the shop folks, but I just couldn't buy them:o. I have such weak tissue in my joints, I really didn't think I could get out of the eggbeaters, but what a delight. The getting is in different (from spds) on how you have to "catch" your toe. But once caught, just as posted "slam it down" any which way and there ya have it:D.

I had a difficult time clipping in with Candies on my mtb with the second foot only, but I think that was more b/c I was wearing the clunkier "hiking boot" type of mtb shoes. I shaved the tread down some but still had a difficult time clipping in, and that made riding rooty, rocky trails really frustrating as I'd often have to ride for quite awhile with one foot clipped out.

Because of all the great recommendations here, I switched to Speedplay Frog pedals and find them much easier to get into from any position. Sure, they're only two-sided, but one side is always "up", so there's never any thought to it. I changed shoes at the same time, so it may have been that the Candies would have been just fine with the new shoes.

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Originally Posted by Miranda

Does the platform get in the way of accessing all four sides of the eggbeater?

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The platform spends independently of the eggbeater portion of the pedal. Honestly, I can't tell the difference other than having a little bit of platform when I don't want to be clipped in.

If you can tell the difference, it is probably because the lugs on the sole are interfering with the platform. A little grinding with a Dremel tool will fix that. Those of us with small feet are probably pretty used to a little sole remodeling for all recessed cleat pedals. At least I've never had a mtb pedal that didn't cause the need for a little sculpting of the lugs.

I love the Candies for mtb. The eggbeaters don't seem to have enough platform for when I need to find the pedal quickly. I've tried the Acids, too, but they didn't feel as good for me. Those have a huge platform.

Thx ladies for your additonal thoughts:). Still reading and pedal shopping yet. I'm on a shoe search too. So, these comments about footwear with the eggbeaters are helpful also. The deal is, if I switch up the pedals on both my bikes from the current all mtb spd set up, I need to get some diff shoes spd to wear to spin class. I'm at the gym enough normally that I don't want to switch cleats ever time. Spd cleats on the spin bike shoes would be worth it. I think the lbs guy set my release angle on trial at 15 degrees on the eggbeaters. He thought it would be better for me to be able to get out "sooner" vs later. It felt about right to me.

I use the egg beater SL on my cyclocross bike and the candy Ti on my mountain bike. I started with the egg beaters on my mtb but decided that having a platform would be better on the mtb, since I like to do long rides.

I love the SIDI dominator shoe, but I have a wide flat foot. The shoe has been durable and comfortable. After getting wet many times, they still are in good condition and they don't get stinky. :eek: