Thinking about making the switch to platform pedals. Any advice?

all the answers tend to be hidden in plain sight..

..see post #22, second paragraph

..see post #22, third paragraph

 

Well, I ordered some shoes and platforms. Jenson has the Marzocchi Bomber Shoe (made by 5.10 with same Stealth Rubber sole) on close out so I ordered a set of those and some Wellgo MG-1's which were also on sale. Figured I'd buy some cheaper pedals first to make sure I really like riding platforms. Maybe later I'll plunk down the coin for some NYC Race Lites or Straitline's. It works out though cuz from the pics I think I like the look of the Bomber Shoe over the standard 5.10 impacts.
Anyway, thanks again for everyone's input!

Btw...who in the US sells Straitline Products? They're not on any of the usual online bike vendors' sites...

Alvin Caragay
Hermosa Beach, CA

 

I liked the Wellgo's, but shattered one on my second ride. Granted, it was Northstar, but probably wouldn't plunk down again for them. Should be perfect to see if you like the whole flat setup though.

http://www.go-ride.com/SPD/straitline-sc-pedals--80002558-1207422942.jsp

http://www.beyondbikes.com/itemMatrix.asp?GroupCode=PG-5151&eq=&MatrixType=1&Av=

 

Flybikes Fly Bikes Ruben Pedals

BMX Flats are a option... These are light with seal bearings.

 

Thanks for the links Kazlx...great for future reference.:bang:

Berringer...thanks for the additional recommendation. Was kinda wondering...what differentiates an MTB platform from a BMX one?

Anyway, I got the Marzocchi Bomber shoes yesterday (Damn is Jenson's shipping pretty fast!) and I like em. They look kinda like a cross between a skate shoe and a hiking shoe. Here's some pics (crappy ones from my phone, anyway):







Haven't actually been able to take em for a trail ride yet, but I mounted up the MG-1's and brought my bike with me to work today so I could tool around on my lunch break. Gotta say, I am pretty surprised with how grippy the shoes feel with the platforms. Looking forward to getting out there and getting used to them. I already forsee that i'm gonna like using the platforms...thanks again for the advice everyone!:bang:

Alvin Caragay
Hermosa Beach, CA

 

i have 50/50 pedals they are reallt nice for me any ways

 

odyssey bmx pedals
http://www.danscomp.com/465133.php

 

Thanks for the additional recommendations redbullrick and downhiller23. The Wellgo's should do for now...until i'm positive that I want to stick with platforms.

I can say though, that in the little bit of playing around i've done with this shoe/pedal combo i'm pretty impressed/amazed with the grip provided. Can't pull up on the pedals anymore (which is a BAD habit I developed from running clipless), but i'm very much enjoying running the platforms and 5.10's...err...Marzocchi's so far. I suspect that i'll most likely be sticking with em.
Going on my first real trail ride on the new setup tomorrow morning so we'll see how it goes. Got some TLD knee/shins ready to get strapped on...mainly for shinburger protection. I'll update with my impressions after the first real ride tomorrow...

 

Wellgo magnesium or any platform with Allenhead type Screw..paired with 510's will make your feet stick like glue. Literally

 

Just thought i'd post an update. I've gotten to go on a few good rides since I switched to the Marzocchi shoes and platforms and my impressions thus far are.....

I LOVE IT! I'm completely SOLD on platforms with 5.10's. The combo of the Stealth Rubber and pins does stick amazingly well. Took me a little bit of time to re-learn to *properly* bunnyhop without pulling up on the pedals (a bad habit I developed after a long history of clipless use), but i'm totally loving it. I did also occasionally find myself inadvertently pulling a foot off while pedaling hard thinking I could still use the upward pull to increase pedaling efficiency (like you can with clipless), but those were minor adjustments I had to make.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who replied and gave input. STR Rocks! Guess i'll ride these Wellgo MG-1's till they die, then will plunk down the coin for some Straitlines. The gunmetal ones make me drool...

 

clipless is a fad. Glad you've seen the light. Pedals take a beating and look like hammered sh!t after a year. $100 + pedals don't make any sense, they don't work any better then a well designed $60 pair.

 

You got a point there Geronimo...a $100 pedal prolly doesn't work that much better than a cheaper pedal. I dunno...who runs the Straitlines? Are they really good enough to warrant the price tag?
As for clipless...I wouldn't necessarily call it a fad. It has it's place in the MTB world. Depends on the type of riding you're doing, IMHO. For XC it makes a LOT of sense for the added pedaling efficiency. For the gravity crowd...no sense at all...
I'll keep my clipless shoes and pedals in case I ever feel the need to go back and forth depending on the type of riding, but honestly I don't see myself going back much...if ever at all...

 

I run the Straitlines and love them. I have a pair on my Demo and have a set on order for my Knolly build. I am sold on them and will run them on all my bikes. I have made numerous trips to Nothstar and they are still in great shape. I tried a pair of Wellgo mags and shattered on my first trip before I tried the Straitlines.

 

I have a set of Wellgo MG1's for down hill and things like that. Crank Brothers Mallets are good as well if you want a pedal that can be dual purpose. I don't like flats if I am going to be climbing a decent amount. They're just not efficient enough for my lazy ass.

 

Theres a store on ebay that sells the mg-1s for about 35 bucks shipped from NY. for that price i'd just continue breaking the mg-1 and getting another set. I bought 2 last time and still on my first pair, they're still a lot tougher than i expected.

 

+1 on Straitlines and -1 on Wellgo MG-1 or any magnesium ones. My Staitlines took some serious hits at Northstar and no problems. I had to replace at least 6 pins on my MG-1's. Not a big fan of Crank Brothers either, as they don't grip well.

 

Hey hey, I also run the Sunline V-1's. LOVE 'EM! Thing I noticed is that it's less the pedals and more your shoe choice. Old school Vans hook up nicely and cost far less than the 510's. Light weight, breathe well, and dry fairly quickly. Good call on leg armor too, pedals WILL indeed chew your legs up. Not just the fronts but backs too if/when ya slip a pedal or even at rests just yappin. Something to consider. Welcome back to the trails bro! If you're near Ventura County, I have a backup pair of black Azonics in perfect condition you can try. Hit me up we can figure something out.

 

I love the Straitlines too! Great quality, decent weight, lots of pins and available in lots of different colors: http://www.straitlinecomponents.com/products/pedals.php