Recommended pedals that won't tear up shins

I've recently got the girlfriend into mtn biking. She's doing great so far, but sometimes loses the pedals which whacks her pretty good in the shin (today she hit herself hard enough to draw some blood).

Do you guys/gals have any recommendations for pedals that won't tear up shins and still provide decent grip?

 

you could get her shin guards. or even try clip-ins.

 

just about any pedal thats dropped like that could cause pedal bite...

Its only a matter of time.

 

Yeah, any halfway decent pedal will tear shins up. But, the more grip they have, the less likely you are to slip a pedal. Has she tried a good bike shoe? 5.10 is AWESOME! but i dunno if any of the designs would appeal to her.

 

Shin guards are an option, I'll look into it.

Clipless pedals are not an option, she's only been mountain biking for about 1.5 months and I don't think she's ready yet. Maybe with some more time in the saddle.

I know w/ any decent pedals, a good hit to the shins will tear you up, but I guess I'm looking for what that wear tear you up less than normal, haha.

Currently we have these on her bike. The point of contact w/ your shin is sort of sharp and tears up skin easier than normal.


I was thinking of getting her a pair of the platforms like below which should tear up skin less since the point of contact would be larger than the pedals she has now.


Any other suggestions you guys have?

 

.....or I wonder I can can find nylon screws to replace the metal screws on the platform/screw spike type of pedals.

 

I Would avoid those pedals. Just out of personal experience the less pins only means there is more force behind a few.

I got 12 staples in the shin running pedals almost identical to those. The metal pins are the worst part.

Heres a suggestion get some bmx pedals they have them with nylon or light plastics and those wont get as sharp. you could even take a dremel and take the edge off of them too...


http://www.danscomp.com/products.php?by=BASEPRICE&order=ASC&cat=PARTS&show=PEDALSPLATFORM

those may help.

 

Crank Bros 50/50 used to come with smooth cone type pins. You may want to hunt around for those. I agree with the earlier posts, get some 5.10 shoes and shin guards.

 

Those pedals are the reason she keeps slipping get a decent pair of pedals.

 

Thats not a bad idea. They seem pretty cheap to try also. Think those can handle the abuse of mountain biking? I would hate for them to shatter at sight of first rock.

 

I've been rocking these for a while. About 6months. had another set for my bmx bike that I beat to hell. and they lasted for a few years.

 

BMX plastics have tons of grip, but from my experiance, shred shin just as well. buuuut then again, i've never had a small case of pedal bite, including a few that needed stitches, (but i'm macho, and never got them )

eventually, pedal bite doesn't hurt enymore, and besides, pedal bite scars on a chick = a violently wagging imaginary tail for MTB guys

 

My thoughts exactly. My wife rode with pedals like that and was never confident with foot placement. Slipped off a lot. She switched to Kona Wah-Wahs and LOVES them. Granted, she reluctantly rides with shin guards now. She used to clip in, but her Rheumatoid Arthritis advanced to the point where she could not unclip.

 

Using crappy pedals is like using a dull knife: you're more likely to hurt yourself. Use a good pair of medals with sharp pins and a good pair of shoes. Her feet will never come off the pedals and they'll never hit her shins.

 

Plastic pedals are slippery when wet. You can buy cheap Soccer shin guards for her they work great.
Like the others suggested better shoes with more grip. Also toe clips with the straps loose or removed
worked for my wife.

 

I have had some platforms I think would be great for her, but can't seem to find the exact ones I am looking for. At any rate, here are some others that might help:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Marwi-Plastic-N...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c0bbdf630

http://cgi.ebay.com/Marwi-Childrens...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e0dc3284

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bicycle-Pedals-...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item439a276cc2

Worst comes to worst, she could always rock some of these if she's just riding relatively casually:

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/raleigh-touring-block-pedals-black-p138015

Also look at pedals that come on "comfort" and "lifestyle" type bikes.

 

Thanks for all the recommendations guys. We stopped at our local JAX since we ate lunch right next door. We came across these for only $17 and thought we'd give them a try. Hopefully these should give her more grip and hurt less if they bag her in the shins. We'll be testing these out on the trails tomorrow.

Happy July 4th Everybody!!

BLACK LABEL GRADUATE PLASTIC PEDALS
Polycarbonate (PC) or reinforced Nylon material,
Crmo axle
Loose ball bearings
Low profile design
Knurled central surface for grip
Molded pins
6.3 oz. / 180 grams per pedal

 

With the right shoes (skate shoes or 5.10s) those should work pretty well. Let us know how she does.

 

I have a pair of new pedals that have torn up my legs. Also I have two sets of stitches on my ankle from previous pedals. This thread has been very informative. I'll be looking into some true riding shoes and safer pedals.

Thanks!

 

Never too early to clip in and it makes riding easier from an energy standpoint and a confidence standpoint.

Plastic pedals are for barefoot beach cruising. Get something sharp and made of metal if you arent going to have her clip in. Vans work great...stylish to boot.