Strengths: Solid, durable, and shed mud well. Oh yeah price..
Weaknesses: A little ugly
Bottom Line:
I haven't had any problems throughout my hard rides. They aren't as nice looking as the Shimano pedals with the same design, but were a bit cheaper. Nice clip in and out and are adjustable to fit your needs as far as tightness goes.
Submitted by
Nicolas G
a Weekend Warrior
from Grenoble, France
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2006
Strengths: Inexpensive Very easy to clip/unclip even in sticky mud No unwanted release so far
Weaknesses: Cone/cup bearing not very easy to adjust (you pay for what you get regarding this)
Bottom Line:
A real bargain! The new SPD-520-like design remain very efficient in mud, a very good surprise compared to the former flat SPD design (515-like). A bit of angular freedom is allowed, makes good compromise between easiness to unclip & riding comfort.
OTOH, bearings were a bit too tight out of the box, adjusting bolts are not very neatly made with screw and counter-screw both of the same size and recessed in the pedal - managed to do it anyway, and so far so good.
Similar Products Used: Cheapo old-SPD-like (do not stand any mud), road Time TXT Equipe Pro Mg (much harder to clip/unclip but that's road stuff anyway)
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Submitted by
Hieysk
a Weekend Warrior
from Birmingham, AL
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006
Strengths: Cheap...
Weaknesses: Durability
Bottom Line:
I was very pleased with how smooth these pedals operate. I can’t say that I ever crashed do to them sticking. On my last right one of the spring “fingers” came off of the tension plate/screw and now that side holds the clip very lightly. I attempted to fix the problem but could not get the spring back on the plate. Since I only paid <40 bucks for them I opted to buy new. They worked great for about a season.
Submitted by
Shawn
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio, Tx, USA
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2006
Strengths: Easy to clip in and out of
Weaknesses: none yet
Bottom Line:
I would recommend these to anybody thinking about purchasing clipless pedals. As a first time user of clipless pedals I had a couple of spills not being able to clip out until I got used to them, but only on the first day.
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Conover
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2005
Strengths: Easy entry and release, reasonably durable pedal body, shed mud pretty well. A good beginner pedal, IMO.
Weaknesses: Tension adjuster screw can dislodge. Though they claim to be serviceable, I have yet to actually find a place to get parts. Ritchie’s email support is unresponsive.
Bottom Line:
I loved these pedals for the two years that they lasted, but recently lost one of the tension adjuster screws on a ride and can’t seem to find anyone with the parts. As stated in the weaknesses, Ritchie’s email customer support has been completely unresponsive thus far. I have emailed them several times over the past several weeks, inquiring as to where I can buy the parts… with no reply.
If you can find a pair at a decent price, they are definitely nice pedals (while they last). However, I’ve since given up on Ritchie and moved on to a brand with a better reputation for customer service. If I could have found the parts, I’d definitely still be riding with them.
Similar Products Used: Very old Look mtn pedals, Crank Bros. Egg Beaters chrome.
Bike Setup: 1999 GT Ricochet: drive-train upgraded to mostly Shimano XT components and wheels upgraded to Mavic X-717’s
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Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from Crested Butte, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2005
Strengths: Light, Looks Good, Clears Mud, Easy to Clip In, Durable.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
In my opinion these are the perfect pedal for the price. You can find them easily on ebay and the are the best bang for the buck anywhere. I've tried most shimano pedals, and I would put these against any of them. A bit heavier than egg beaters, but much more durable. They are light and function perfectly. Easy to clip in and out, but they stay on when you need them to. Good adjustment. Haven't needed service after over a year of hard riding. Perfect for the weekend rider or a hard core racer.
Similar Products Used: Shimano, Coda, Ritchey V2, Crank Bros
Bike Setup: Bontrager Privateer S, Marz MX Comp Fork
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Submitted by
aj in ma
a Cross Country Rider
from massachusetts
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2005
Strengths: Easy in, easy out. Work great in mud. Very durable
Weaknesses: Hard to find bearings for rebuilding.
Bottom Line:
I bought my first set at LBS for $50 three years ago and they still work like new. Recently bought another set from Nashbar for a second bike for$25 and after the second ride thet started to leak grease. I loosened them up to re-grease them and lost a couple of bearings only to find out that I couldn't get replacement bearings anywhere. I finally found the size I needed at a local hobby shop. It seems the seal was faulty and I voided the warranty by opening them up. I think the problem was just an odd thing that happened and not something common to the product though. These are great x-country pedals and work great in all kinds of conditions.
Bike Setup: GF Tassajara w/Hayes dics, Mavic 219 rims, Titec stem and flat bar, Panaracers, Bontrager saddle and Ritchey clipless pedals
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Submitted by
Nathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Lincoln, NE
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2005
Strengths: Easy to get in and out of, good mud clearing (which I got to try yesterday) seem durable, look good with my truvaiv/titec stuff
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
Sweet pedals, better than the 520 (imho), better deal too. None too light but I'm a bigger guy so I don't really care. Obviously I ride a chromoly fs. Good engagement, just the right amount of float, easy in easy out. I ride mud a lot and these are just the ticket. Buy some
Similar Products Used: m515, m520, specialized clipless
Bike Setup: 1999 KHS FXT PRO, xt group, truvativ stylo cranks, risse racing rear shock, marzocchi z2 superfly, shimano wheelset, panaracer fire 1.95, everything else titec
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Submitted by
Russ
a Cross Country Rider
from Corvallis, OR USA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2005
Strengths: Predictable ins and outs, pretty sturdy Sheds mud very well for an SPD
Weaknesses: Heavy--it's steel Spring can pop off--see below
Bottom Line:
Great pedal for the money. On my first ride, I left one foot in the pedal as I half-walked the bike over a log. Pedal hit the log, my body weight compressed the spring, and part of the pedal shot off into the undergrowth, never to be seen again. Had to ride half the McKenzie River Trail with 1.5 pedals.
Ritchey sent replacement part fast, no hassles. Took about two minutes to install. Said they hadn't heard of anyone else having that problem. So if you're hobbling over a log, be intelligent and get all the way off the bike and the pedals will be fine.
I like these way better than the pedals they replaced, they're great in mud, and we have a lot of that around here.
5 value chiles for great price and customer service. 4 chiles overall because they are a bit heavy, gotta spend more if you want less weight. For what they are, they rock!
Similar Products Used: Coda SPDs-decent, but they suck in mud
Bike Setup: Mag hardtail, v-brakes, 8-speed, 80mm Duke XC Air
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Submitted by
michael clancy
a Cross Country Rider
from louisville ky
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2004
Strengths: tough, easy to engage and disengage
Weaknesses: disengages accidentally, can be hazardous
Bottom Line:
i would buy this product again, they seem to come unclipped if you really yank up on em or as your skill level increases, so just tighten them up alot. be careful out there! just kidding. they get four recently used dildos.
Bike Setup: gary fisher tassajara, panaracer firexc pro tires, yeti grips, ritchey wcs stem, titec ithys seat, xt rear hub, mavic xc717's, ritchey comp pedals
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Submitted by
Brandon
a Cross Country Rider
from Johnson City, TN
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2004
Strengths: Price, build quality, easy of use
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
These are my first clipless pedals and I couldn't be happier with them. I've heard lots of people talking about how hard clipless pedals are to learn to use. They clearly weren't talking about these. I had the hang of them in no time. I saw a sweet deal on these at Nashbar and figured I couldn't pass them up for $20. I'm very happy I made the purchase.
Similar Products Used: First clipless pedals, have been using cages with toe clips and straps.
Bike Setup: Raleigh M60
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Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakeville, MN
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2004
Strengths: solid, smooth action, maintainable (so I have read)
Weaknesses: tend to squeak a lot, even after lubing up the cleats and pedal mechs
Bottom Line:
Another top quality Ritchey component. I have sworn by Ritchey componentry for many years, and this product is no exception. They shed mud extremely well, clip in/out easily, have a nice amount of float and work well with xc riding. I am very impressed with how solidly built they are, I have smashed them many a times on rocks and logs with no incident. These pedals were definetly worth the money.
Submitted by
G.K.
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: September 25, 2004
Strengths: Very little float, looks good, and easy adjustment.
Weaknesses: If you are a weight weenie, look elsewhere.
Bottom Line:
As far as performance goes, these are just as good as pedals that cost three times more. The only thing is that they are not "cross-country race weight." But, most us of are not entering pro level races where every little bit counts. Some people realy like the Egg Beaters, but they have a lot of float (feels like you are standing in a fresh pile of dog crap - squishy). If you don't have really bad knees and like the feeling of being firmly locked into your pedal, you'll like these.
These are just a great all 'round performer for a great price. My only suggestion for improvement is to give them an adjustment for float.
Similar Products Used: Older Shimano 737's and Crank Bros Egg Beaters
Bike Setup: Marin XC FRS - Minute 3, X-0 shifters, X-9 rear and XT front, Avid mech discs, Mavic Crosslands....
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Submitted by
Guy
a Weekend Warrior
from Hamden, CT
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2004
Strengths: Easy to get in and out of, which saved my behind on a few occasions.
Weaknesses: none so far.
Bottom Line:
I bought these pedals because they were on sale for only $30, and I didn't want to spend too much money. I had them on my bike for about two months before I was enticed into buying the Mallets. They were super easy to get into and out of. The only problem, for me, was that my shoe was squishing over the top. A platform type pedal gives me more support and leverage. The Ritcheys are now on my girlfriend's bike, and she loves them. They are her first clipless pedals. She was afraid of clipless until trying these out. Now she is sold.
I would say these pedals are excellent for a beginner or someone who is just looking for a cheap replacement set. You can't go wrong with the Ritcheys.
Similar Products Used: Shimano 737s, Crank Bro's Mallet
Bike Setup: Kona Hoss Dee-Lux with all sorts of goodies.
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Submitted by
Jayson Hanelius
a Weekend Warrior
from Avon, CT, USA
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2004
Strengths: Shed mud well
Weaknesses: Stiff
Bottom Line:
While these pedals did shed mud well, better than the Shimano's that I had on the bike, I did not enjoy these pedals. Clipping in was not always smooth and came out way to easy no matter how much I cranked down on the adjustment. Some of it may be my fault... I tend to move my foot/heel around when I ride and whenever I moved a little, I would pop out. Going uphill this was extrememly aggrevating... Eggbeaters solved all that but thats another review... If you are very stationary with your feet, you may find these to be great... if you move around a little for comfort or to avoid rocks and roots, these will not suit you.
