Platform pedals

[sandra]

After my fall from my bike yesterday, I want to go to platform pedals for a while. I need to become more skilled at riding and get used to the bike before I consider clipless. These pedals with straps have got to go!

Are all platform pedals basically alike? Can someone give me a link to a good recommendation?

My LBS is closed on Monday, but I'm going in tomorrow. Trying to get ideas before I go.

[Pedal Wench]

There's not much to platforms. Your shop probably only has one brand, and that will be fine - you'll only be on them for a month or two There are some that are designed for downhilling, with spikes to keep your feet from slipping, but I don't think you need anything like that. Just get the basic ones to get you through this time until you're back on the clipless.

Edit! Just read that you have pedals with straps. You can just take the straps off! Easy!

[sandra]

I can't find how to get the straps off! I thought they would come off, but they have reflectors and there must be screws under the reflectors that hold the straps on. I can't figure out how to get to the reflectors off to get to the screws. I can't see any screw heads.

(can you tell I'm a new rider? But, I'm pumped and having so much fun!!)

[Pedal Wench]

I had the same problem. I think the reflectors popped off, or slid to one side to reveal the screws. I'll look at mine tonight and see if I can recall how to do it. They do come right off, once you figure out the secret/

[sandra]

Thank you. I'll keep trying too!

[VeloVT]

Would it help to just loosen the straps up a lot so it's really easy to slide your foot into/out of the toeclips?

The last time I was test riding bikes (granted, this was after almost a year with clipless pedals) I rode some with platforms and some with clips/straps, and found that while I really missed my clipless pedals either way, the toeclips were much nicer than the platforms for going up hills -- they made it much easier. For me the biggest pain was having to turn them over (in order to slide my foot in) each time I got started at a stoplight.

Also when I bought my commute bike last winter, they had to order shoes for me (took a super long time for them to come in for some reason), so I left the test pedals with toeclips on for a month, until the shoes came in (I had bought eggbeaters, which are not very easy to ride on with normal shoes). I just left the straps pretty loose and it was ok. Especially in the winter, I preferred them to platforms, both for the added security even a loose strap provides, and because they really help on hills, for the same reasons clipless pedals help (though to a lesser extent).