And what a review!
I’ve shown your chopstick picture to more than one person… I’m that cool.
SPD FTW. 520s, 540s, it don’t matta.
I even hear the nashbar SPD knockoffs are plenty good too. Cheaper, just as light and available in colors!
this. used them for bmx. cleats didn’t last long, but of course i ended up walking around in them a lot. that being said, i did the same thing with spd and had no problem.
My pedal history goes like SPD → Crank Bros → back to SPD → Time
There wasn’t anything wrong with the SPDs, mine were just all wearing out so I eventually replaced them with a couple pairs of ATAC XS. The ATACs seem a little more sure footed than the SPDs, like pulling out isn’t a hair away and the platform isn’t like standing on ice.
The Crank Bros were short lived, I killed one pair on a rock (didn’t hit too hard, just apparently the right angle) and toasted the bearings on another.
I haven’t used Aliums but probably not for just street use, I don’t think the plastic body gouges like the aluminum of the Aluim if that makes a difference. The best price I’ve found is pricepoint if you want to try a pair.
[quote=TimArchy]ATAC Aliums are great, but they’re heavy as shit compared to a lot of other $50 pedals. They will handle anything you throw at them though. I’ve got a pair that have been ridden nearly every day since 2005. And they were OEM take-offs. Not even as nice as the aftermarket Aliums.
All that said, the only really negative things I’ve heard are about the egg beaters. I’m pretty sure that all the $50 pedals will have good and bad points.[/quote]
I have take off atac aliums. whats the difference between these and whats sold retail?
I’ve had Crank Bros Candies on my mountain bike and my fixie for a few years now. Only issue I ever had was breaking one of the “beaters” on the mountain bike during a race. Luckily, if you break one, you can still clip in. They also shipped me a whole new set of pedals for free.
I’ve heard good things about Time for sure, and most people I know who started on SPD’s end up switching to CB or Time before too long.
i can use any time pedal if i use shimano spd 540’s on my other bike right?
I’m not sure if I fully grasp what you’re asking, but time’s and SPD’s cleats are not compatible with pedals from the other manufacturer. If they claim time cleats are SPD compatible, it means that they use the same 2-bolt mounting pattern as SPD cleats, which means you can put both cleat types on the same shoe.
As long as you have two pairs of shoes with different cleats on them.
I weighed my 540s today - 440g! By comparison, my cheap Forté (emphasis mine) weighed a scant 320.
Neither the SPDs or ATACs can even be charitably called light.
[quote=daedelus]I use ATAC aliums on four bikes and have never had problems.
Has anyone used ATAC XS? Are they worth the extra $50? I understand they have actual bearings whereas the aliums just use a bushing.[/quote]
I got ATAC XS for $65 from Wiggle when the exchange rate was good. I’m really happy with them. If this is your first pair of clipless pedals spend some time clipping in and out somewhere safe. First time I tried them I’d ridden with clips so long that I started tipping over at a street corner and was trying to pull my foot out backwards. That doesn’t work.
But your Forte pedals don’t say SHIMANO really big on the side.
And I doubt I’d notice a 1/4 pound weight loss on my boat anchor Cross Check anyways.
I’ve ridden a lot of different pedals over the past couple of years(less actually I think) since I decided to try clipless. SPD’s have been the best so far for off road use, though the only other pedal I used for more than a ride or two (as in, pedals I actually own and didn’t just borrow) are the Speedplay Frogs, which I really fucking hated. I’d like to try out some more pedals using a two-bolt cleat, since I’d like to get some SIDI Dom’s and just wear them for all riding, rather than having different shoes for different purposes. But that means giving up my DA road pedals, and that kinda sucks…
/option anxiety
EDIT: this is Jim.
Jimanda
I had eggbeater cs until I snapped a retention spring on one. Then it took nearly four weeks to get them back from Crank Brothers. The extra-floaty feel of the eggbeaters wasn’t very nice, either. Times are heavy but they actually work. The times have a much more locked-in feel, and I have never once unclipped unintentionally on them, whereas it happened at least once a ride on my mtb.
What do you run on your MTB?
Oh, I messed that up. I meant to say I unclipped unintentionally all the time on eggbeaters but it hasn’t happened yet on my beat-up Aliums. I also find the atacs easier to clip in to.
in reading it again my question was vague at best. essentially i have specialized mtb shoes that use the 2 hole style cleat for my SPD’s. It sounds as though some Time pedals also use a two hole cleat which I assume will allow me to use these shoes with Time specific cleats.
The more I look around though I dont see many “SPD” 2 hole style pedals that weigh less than 300 grams for the pair
[quote=olo][quote=TimArchy]ATAC Aliums are great, but they’re heavy as shit compared to a lot of other $50 pedals. They will handle anything you throw at them though. I’ve got a pair that have been ridden nearly every day since 2005. And they were OEM take-offs. Not even as nice as the aftermarket Aliums.
All that said, the only really negative things I’ve heard are about the egg beaters. I’m pretty sure that all the $50 pedals will have good and bad points.[/quote]
I have take off atac aliums. whats the difference between these and whats sold retail?[/quote]
Mine are press-fit and I think they have bushings instead of bearings. Someone was saying that even the after market aliums are this way, but I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m just basing my assumption on the fact that some OEM parts (the ones that are probably going to be replaced like pedals, saddles and bars) are generally sloghtly lower quality than what is generally available to the public. Case in point, when sub-$1,000 bikes come stock with shimano SPD pedals, they’re generally 515’s instead of 520’s. It might be nothing more than a little weight savings or the use of better bearings or a higher quality spring, but there is generally something that makes them cheaper to produce.