Anyone Ride with Plain Ol' Platform Pedals, No Clips or Nothin'?

[KnottedYet]

I love BMX pedals.

All three of my bikes have them:

Waterford has elegant sexy MKS Lambda pedals http://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup....179083&TID=367

Surly Cross Check has brutal burly Crank Brothers 5050 pedals, with adjustable spikes, which I really love http://www.crankbrothers.com/pedals_5050.php

Giant "Resurrectio" has basic MKS fixed-spikes pedals which are very similar to the Kona Jacksh*t pedals http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.a...m=051435000203 (I can't find a page of my pedals, but these are close)

I have a pair of Speedplay Frogs that I can pop onto any of my bikes at will, because I also have a PEDAL WRENCH (every woman should have one) with an extra long handle, and I know how to use it! Stand back, I'm going to use LEVERAGE!

But by far I prefer my BMX pedals. (Mind you, the farthest I've gone in one day on BMX pedals is only 84 miles, so don't take my enthusiasm as a ringing endorsement for BMX pedals for long distances.)

[blackhillsbiker]

I have the MKS Lambda (aka Grip KIngs) pedals on my commuter, mtb and road bike. I love them. I've ridden in a variety of shoes with no slipping. I guess I'm too old to worry about what people think. I love to ride, and am a skilled rider. I just don't want to feel clipped in. I can keep up with my clipped in roadie friend, so I guess it's all good.

Deb

[Velocivixen]

@blackhillsbiker, do your shoes slip when those pedals get really wet? I saw a couple of reviews of them at Universalcycles website (they're in Portland and I could go pick them up in person). They look great, but being in a rainy part of the world it would be good to know about slippage. Also, if I wanted to wear sandals for a half mile ride to coffee or something how do you think these pedals would feel through softer sole shoes?
Thanks.

[KnottedYet]

I ride the same pedals here in the rainy northwest, and I don't find them slippery at all in the rain. Riv has instructions for adding BMX spikes if you find they slip on you. (I buy my BMX spikes at the LBS for something like $10-15 for a box with more spikes than I'll ever need) They are not as grippy as my spike-y Crank Bro 5050, but they are a long way from slippery for me.

Keen and Chaco sandals have no problem on my MKS Lambda pedals.

[Kerry1976]

Ditto on loving the MKS Lambda/Grip Kings. Have them on my Trek Pure and will have them on my Bike Friday NWT (when I can ever get the order moving forward - waiting for my bike consultant, Dave, to email back).

I should add, it was so dewy this morning on my ride to the office that it was as if it had rained. Those pedals were not remotely slick. In fact, I didn't even realize how fabulously wonderfully unslick (is that a word?) they were until reading this thread and seeing the question about rain.

I ride with my Ecco sandals and have no problems at all.

[blackhillsbiker]

I haven't had any slipping problems, wet or snowy. I've worn them with a variety of footwear without any discomfort, from canvas sneakers to hiking boots. They are long, making them comfortable. They are not as wide as the rattrap pedals I had before, making them better for cornering (they don't hit the pavement). I haven't tried them with flipflops because I don't wear them, but I think even those would work. I got them because I was having a hotfoot problem at the balls of my feet. I don't have any desire to clip in. I wanted to find efficient, comfortable, well-built pedals. I've been very pleased. This is just one person's opinion, though, and YMMV.

Deb

[Velocivixen]

@Knotted, Kerry & Deb, thanks for the clarification. They look like very functional and cool pedals.

[kimikaw]

So glad for this thread. I've been struggling since Friday with my decision to remove the clipless pedals from my commuter. Thoughts of not being a real cyclists without being clicked in, trying to decide if I should impose a deadline to put them back on. All silly, ridiculous thoughts, really.

This thread plus today's commute on flat pedals made it all so clear. This is the right decision for me, on this bike, for this route. So nice to not be constantly worrying about my feet, or balancing one unclipped foot on a pedal. No problems with the hills - even where on Friday I stopped at one place and pushed bike up - mainly due to being afraid I'd lose momentum and tip over unable to get foot out while standing and mashing.

I'll continue to use the clipless on the road bike, and work towards them on the mountain bike. I know someday I will get more instinctual. But for my commute with lots of starts and stops, lots of traffic. I feel better in flats.

But am going to check out some of these recommended pedals. Was looking at BMX type - do the little spikes tear up soles of shoes? Seems like they would.

[Velocivixen]

@Kimikaw - here's my .02 cents worth. If you are riding a bike for any reason, then you are a "real cyclist". You're not on foot, not on roller skates, not in a car or on horseback. You're on a bike. I think, despite what you are riding for, it should be fun. You might be riding to work, or grocery shopping or whatever, but if it's not fun then I'm less likely to ride.
So, yes, you are a real cyclist pedals and all.

[sundial]

I'll continue to use the clipless on the road bike, and work towards them on the mountain bike. Was looking at BMX type - do the little spikes tear up soles of shoes? Seems like they would.

Cycling is sort of an evolution in itself. You go through several seasons refining what you like or dislike and you make changes accordingly. There's no pressure in the decisions you have to make today. It may not be on the radar by next season.

As for the BMX pedals and shoes--none of my soles have been affected by the pins on the pedals--whether it's cycling shoes or Keen sandals. If you want really super sticky soles that self heal so to speak, 5.10 shoes paired with BMX pedals are great together.