Hi Manimal, this may sound like a very simple question but there are some things you just don't know until you ask. I have just bought my 1st XC bike but the pedals that came with it are not to my liking and I am looking at purchasing a new pair. I have narrowed my choice down to a couple of pairs within my budget but I have been stumped - slightly - on one aspect of buying them. Some are 9/16 inch and others are 1/2 inch. Here's the 'stupid' bit; is this the thread that attaches to the crank arm or is it referring to something else within the construction? If you can take the time to answer I would be very grateful. Regards, Rod, Bristol UK. Rod.. hello.. thanx for your inquiry.. that is a good question and not 100% sure of the two measurements - however, I believe that all the pedals are standardized in their thread size for all mountainbikes, so they should all thread into the crank arms ok. Remember that their is a right and left specific pedal, and that one side is reverse threaded. I think the 1/2" and 9/16" size refers to the size pedal wrench you need to install the pedals - usually a pedal wrench is double ended with 1/2" on one end and 9/16" on the other end. question for you.. I just bought some clipless pedals, but before i could install them, i have to remove the old pedals. The problem is, it seems like they are frozen in the crankshaft. Any ideas for removing them? Help! Pete Pete, Hello... about getting the pedals off... first you should have the proper pedal wrench, which is usually double ended and slim to fit in the space properly. Use the proper sized end. Next, you may want to use a little penetrating oil or chain lube to loosen things up a bit. Then, you must make sure you are turning the pedal in the proper direction!!! The right side pedal unscrews COUNTERCLOCKWISE when viewed from that side. The left side pedal is reverse threaded, however, and is unscrewed in a CLOCKWISE direction when viewed from that side. Please remember this!! This seems to go against the laws of physics. Once loosened, each pedal can be unscrewed quickly by turning the crank with the wrench engaged on the pedal spindle. good luck... sometimes you need to use quite a bit of force! ride on stan Hello, I have had toe clips on my bike for the 2 years I have owned it. I like them a lot for general rail trail riding, but now that I am into riding more technical trails, they are becoming unhandy. I took them off to experiment today, and was riding around my yard only to find that my feet are constantly slipping off the pedals, and I have trouble keeping my toes on the pedals. This felt very disappointing, and I feel I am not getting as efficient of a ride. Your articles sound like you are not totally sold on clipless pedals except for racing. Do I need a different pedals, or should I wear shoes with cleats, such as baseball shoes?? Evan in WV. Evan, There are a few solutions to your problem, and you just have to experiment.... Anytime you make a major change with your pedaling system, some adjustments are necessary. The majority of riders use clipless pedals, and toe-clips are rarely seen these days on a mtb. Some riders, like myself, prefer to use a nice platform pedal with teeth on the top & bottom. Each system has it's pros and cons... The toe clips should probably be abandoned, as they are difficult to get in and out off on the trail (usually the pedal flips over with the clip side down) & they have pretty much been outdated. I would suggest that you either go to platform pedals with teeth and a nice hiking boot or stiff sole shoe, or try the clipless. Most riders on the trail that I see use clipless, and have good results. I do not use them because I have gotten used to platforms and can come off of them easily in case of wipeouts, and with hiking boots can walk many sections of the trail where it is impossible to ride when exploring off the trail or difficult terrain - mud, rocks, clif areas, etc... I have never been injured in a wipeout, and rely on my foot coming off the pedal quickly, and always can land on my feet! Our trainer uses clipless with excellent results. After you get used to them, they provide a good ride. You can stay on the pedal when things get dicey, can bunny hop easily over small logs without losing speed, and can use the upstroke to pedal as well. On the downside, if you go over the handlebars, your foot may not come out quick enough, and you could land on your hand (broken wrist) or shoulder (broken collarbone).... most downhillers use a platform pedal, and XC riders use clipless. I have heard of quite a few injuries with clipless pedals, so getting used to them for a few weeks is a good idea before riding difficult stuff. Practice getting in and out. There is some expense, fitting, and maintenance with the clipless also... I think you should try riding a few days without the toe-clips & a stiff sole treaded hiking boot, and if it is too difficult, then try the clipless, maybe a friend's or at the bike store before you commit to them.... there are a lot to select from, and get help in the fitting from someone who knows about them... Hope this helps! Let me know what you decide. *hello, I just received my first pair of clipless shoes for the new pedals (Shimano636), and the only thing included were the two cleats. Should I have received mounting hardware of some sort, and is there a place that offers instructions for installation? Do I put in small nuts and bolts, or drill the cleats into the sole where the indentations are? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Rob Fischer ps- great site. Rob, Hello! Thanx for visitn' webmountainbike. Unfortunately, I don't know a lot about the shimano cleats, as I do not use clipless when I ride :) However, I know enuf to say that if you are first mounting and installing them, you may want the expertise of your local bike shop. They are not really hard to do, but it is helpful to have someone with a little experience to set them up. Even if you didn't get them at the bike store, most shops would be glad to help you & set them up. If this is not an option for you, just call our trainer - Mike - at 1 301 869-4664. He is quite knowledgeable about the shimano cleats and will be happy to assist you. All you should really need to do is remove the pre cut rubber over the mounting area on the shoe (if you have this) - use a screwdriver or pliers - and then position the cleat in the shoe so that the ball of your foot is over the pedal spindle, and then use the 4mm allen screws to tighten the cleats to the shoe or backing plate. Make sure it faces the proper direction - look for the forward arrow. You should have received the mounting screws, maybe a backing plate, and instructions! It helps to have someone knowledgeable to get the final adjustments and settings!! Hope this has helped a little for you... good luck with them~ BE careful learning to use them! Ride on ~~Stan~~ Rob's Reply:Thank you so much for replying to my email- your advice was very helpful. I received no screws, backing plates, instructions, or anything, so these shoes are going right back to BikeNashbar. They have yet to answer one of my many emails asking for help, while several other companies have been more than happy to advise me. I will follow your advice and check out my local bike shop- I forgot there is a great one on the other side of town (the close ones are chains that specialize in Huffy's and overpriced service charges). At least my pedals (in the mail from Ebay) are 636 duals that I can ride until I get the shoes squared away. *Hey Guys, First of all, your sight is really great. I have a question, I have been mountain biking for years casually. Now I'm thinking about racing a little, but I still use toe strap pedals. Everyone says that I need to buy clips, but there are so many out there, where do I start. What type of pedal do you recommend I buy for racing, and what type of shoe. Thanks Shaun C. Shaun, Our specialty is to go on EPIC, or long, rides. We also do a lot of hiking and carrying the bike. For this reason, we ride mostly in hiking type boots and do not recommend toe straps, and we are not clipped in with cleats. These can restrict your foot position on the pedal, and clog up with debris easily. They are also not designed for walking, and can make walking difficult in rigorous terrain. We realize that most racers and serious riders will use clipless pedals, however, which is great if you stay mounted on your bike 100% of the time, or if you race. Keep in mind that DOWNHILL racers will use BMX platform pedals and skateboarding shoes with proper soles, and are not clipped in. Certainly, get rid of the toe straps. If you decide to go clipless, try to find a pedal size appropriate for your foot size and make sure the shoes fit well and are comfortable. To recommend a system, please give us a call at 1 877 YOU-BIKE and we will put you in touch with MYKE our mechanic, who rides clipless and is up to date with the current technology! He can let you know what system will work best for your style of riding... You can also check out more info in our section on pedals. *What if my bike is hard to ride because of too much resistance when pedaling or coasting? You may have insufficient tire pressure or an incipient flat tire on one or both wheels. The tire or wheels may be rubbing on the brake, fork, chainstay, or rack if you have one. Check by lifting bike and spinning wheel to see if it spins free. You may also need to check out your hub bearings. *What if my bike is hard to pedal? You may have a dirty chain, chain ring, freewheel sprocket, or gears. There may be insufficient lubrication on your chain or derailleur. The bottom bracket or crank arms not sufficiently lubricated, or may be damaged or locked up. One or both tires may be rubbing against the brakes or be low on air pressure. *What if there is irregular pedal movement, or looseness when I peddle my bike? You may have a loose pedal where it is threaded to the crank arm, or the pedal cage may be bent or loose. Also, you may have a loose or worn bottom bracket bearing. Make sure your pedal axle or chainring is not bent. *I have bought my first mountain bike which is a Trek 6500. This bike came with toe straps which you say in your safety tips is not a good idea to have. Can you tell me why? Should I take take them off and go with an open pedal? Toe clips on a mountainbike are generally not a good idea, and probably should be removed. We feel an open pedal is better and safer. Here's why>>>> ~~~You cannot remove your foot quickly in case you need to touch down for balance or to prevent a fall. ~~~When you start up, you have to flip the pedal so that the strap is up in order to put your foot in - this is a pain, and cumbersome in mountainbiking terrain. It also makes it difficult to start on an uphill section. ~~~Your foot is "locked" into a position dictated by the strap. Sometimes you may want to change your foot position fore or aft on the pedal, and the strap will hinder this. |
