Some people claim to prefer the plastic gripless pedals. I ride with a group of people mostly over 70. It’s a social ride. A lot of highly educated people. Mostly ebikes now. About half of them have proper shoes nd pedals but the other half "prefer" the plastic pedals because they are afraid of the steel pins. I’ve been telling them that with proper shoes, (not spd shoes with the cleat cover plate in place) and proper pedals you’ll have the grip that will allow you to stay on the pedals. Their fear overcomes their ability to reason. A few have changed over and they can’t believe the difference.
I don’t think any high end bike comes with pedals. Nor should they. I don’t think there is any legal requirement for a shop to install any reflectors on bikes they sell. I’ve never had them on any bike I’ve bought over the years. A lot of people buying low end bikes will ride pretty easy stuff or only on the road and the odd gravel path for commuting or the six rides a year that they do. For them the plastic pedals are acceptable. We enthusiast riders have a very different perspective. Back in the day, many people insisted on having Gumby levers installed on their low end road bikes. I had customers that rode in only one gear ever.
June 20, 2022, 8:44 a.m. - Andy Eunson
Some people claim to prefer the plastic gripless pedals. I ride with a group of people mostly over 70. It’s a social ride. A lot of highly educated people. Mostly ebikes now. About half of them have proper shoes nd pedals but the other half "prefer" the plastic pedals because they are afraid of the steel pins. I’ve been telling them that with proper shoes, (not spd shoes with the cleat cover plate in place) and proper pedals you’ll have the grip that will allow you to stay on the pedals. Their fear overcomes their ability to reason. A few have changed over and they can’t believe the difference. I don’t think any high end bike comes with pedals. Nor should they. I don’t think there is any legal requirement for a shop to install any reflectors on bikes they sell. I’ve never had them on any bike I’ve bought over the years. A lot of people buying low end bikes will ride pretty easy stuff or only on the road and the odd gravel path for commuting or the six rides a year that they do. For them the plastic pedals are acceptable. We enthusiast riders have a very different perspective. Back in the day, many people insisted on having Gumby levers installed on their low end road bikes. I had customers that rode in only one gear ever.