clipless

I'm with you there. I've been clipped in since the first SPD's came out around 1990. I don't care for flats at all. I tried them foe only a short period of time though. I won't ride a skinny that is high up. Too much exposure for me. I only run XTR/XT style pedals. I had the DX for a year and the cage didn't do anything for me. I tried the DX shoes but I prefer something with a very stiff sole and it seemed like a regular 230 shoe wasn't so hot on the cage unless clipped in. The cleat on the DX shoe seemed to skate scross the DX pedal too making them less secure than xc pedals. I often end up standing on the XTR pedal not clipped in and it's fine. I don't ride very far unclipped and I don't unclip and then ride something on purpose.

That was good advice to start with low tension and do it up as a response to inadvertant releases. Kind of like ski bindings. If the binding releases when you didn't want it to, you go up a DIN number until you elliminate unwanted release.

Good advice. If you have a super stiff soled XC racing shoe the cage is not really needed. I find with skate style SPD shoes the sole can easily flex side to side and you can roll off the side of the pedal, even under max tension.

I run Shimano M540 on my road bike for commuting:

And I run Shimano M647 on my MTB, I find the resin cage sheds mud really well, makes it a bit easier to clip in and seems to handle rock impacts very well.

I find the local prices on these pedals to be really high compared to the prices in the UK: last time I looked the M647 was $180+ without tax locally and $70 inc tax [HTML_REMOVED] postage in UK.

i find the larger platform works really well if you have soft soled shoes, then not being clipped in for a few pedals doesn't matter.

where as the hard plastic shoes don't need the extra cage around the pedal, since the plastic will slide around. when i had those harder shoes in the past, one way i could get a good pedal in when unclipped was to have the pedal on the arch of the shoe, which acted like a cup.

My new found love for clipless did not prevent me from having an embarrassing low speed topple on my driveway last night. :clap:

Ive never had a problem clipping out when I really needed it. That being said, I have had stupid embarassing falls at stop lights, parking lots and while checking out chicks on the trail.

Ive never had a problem clipping out when I really needed it. That being said, I have had stupid embarassing falls at stop lights, parking lots and while checking out chicks on the trail.

What he said…

I started riding clips when they first came onto the market, before that I was using specialized toe clips (it was best if you boiled them and then formed them to your shoes…lol). That was when I lived in Oregon way back in the day…then I moved to BC and riding clips freaked me out when on stunts…so I went to flats. Till about two years ago, I made the switch back to clipless and I friggin love it…I just feel like I have way more control and I use my upstroke when pedaling more.

I should probably grease up my pedal again. Where on the spd pedal should I be applying the grease? I recall last time I just wiped the whole pedal clean with a rag and put a bit of grease on the front part of the clip but nothing on the back part that actually locks down. Sorry for all the hi-tech jargon.
;)

get one of those large yogurt containers. fill it with grease. put the pedal in it. put the top on. then shake, shake, shake. done. repeat with the other.

These are the evolution of my old DX's - excellent option.

welcome to 2002.

M647's are the way to go. Only snow and ice causes problems, but that's under the cleats, not in the pedals. And the plastic cage is bombproof. I think I'm still running the same pedals I got in 2003 with my new Heckler.

I should probably grease up my pedal again. Where on the spd pedal should I be applying the grease? I recall last time I just wiped the whole pedal clean with a rag and put a bit of grease on the front part of the clip but nothing on the back part that actually locks down. Sorry for all the hi-tech jargon.
;)

When you're putting oil on your chain, put a little on the pedal where the cleat interfaces with the pedal. Usually pedals only get sticky when it is really dry and dusty or when the cleat and/or is very worn. Down in Moab in the dust and sand it is a daily ritual of lubrication of the pedal. Wear causes the shoe to be a little more loose on the pedal where the sole should be sitting on the pedal body and combined with a worn loose fitting cleat allows the whole thing to tip and a tipped cleat can jam. The 858 pedals were really great for getting jammed. That was a failed attempt to make a light pedal that was not easily clogged with mud.

I like clips but the cleats move my feet a little further forward from the spot where they'd naturally sit with flats on a descent

get one of those large yogurt containers. fill it with grease. put the pedal in it. put the top on. then shake, shake, shake. done. repeat with the other.

:hurt: [HTML_REMOVED]-last guy who tried that.

Sven(ny cakes) was the first guy I ever saw shred the gnar clipped in. On Cypress no less.

welcome to 2002.

M647's are the way to go. Only snow and ice causes problems, but that's under the cleats, not in the pedals. And the plastic cage is bombproof. I think I'm still running the same pedals I got in 2003 with my new Heckler.

Clipless are great on the hills since they allow you to pedal "squares"

i gotta see the cranks you runnin :lol:

mine go in circles

I use flats in the park, and my spd (caged) when I normally ride - primarily because I find it easier on my knees (likely if I rode with flats all the time, I would have better placement, but with clipless it is always spot on).

I'd still like to try the NRG Baker Street (spd on one side, pins on the flip), but always sold out at Cove et al.