Submitted by
Mario Javier
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakville, ON
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2011
Strengths: Reliability, Robust, Ease of entry and released
Weaknesses: Heavy, don't work well in muddy condition. Required constant maintenance.
Bottom Line:
I bought this pedal for my Gary Fisher X0 back in 1997 and to this day the pedal still works flawlessly. I am now using this on my fixed gear single speed bike.
This pedal works well for me all through the years and I will not hesitate to buy a similar product again. I am not sure if the replacement model is just as reliable as this one, but I will see.
People that are new to clipless so start with this type of pedals. This is also good for a fixed gear but a bit heavy.
Strengths: Disregard the weight penalty and these are simply the best pedals there are for serious MTB riding. Very easy to enter and exit, takes all forms of abuse and works in any condition.
Submitted by
corey mang
a Downhiller
from Hampton Bays, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2002
Strengths: Dynamite quality, and durability. For those who care about the red paint scratching off shouldn't have the pleasure of even riding, who cares! Easy to use. Weight doesn't matter much unless your a pro world cup racer.
Weaknesses: can get a bit creaky, but alittle lube will fix your problem.
Bottom Line:
Here it is. If your biking to enjoy like we all should be, and aren't easily distracted by the ridiculous image and yuppiness of the sport, than its a fine pedal,just like half the other pedals on the market. Ride it, beat it, use it, enjoy it! Nothing last forever.
Strengths: Very solid pedal, adjust to tightly grab or just hold in cleat. Comes apart easily for cleaning and maintenance. Takes hit after hit on rocks.
Weaknesses: The paint chips and rubs off but what pedal with paint doesn't. It can be hard to clip in fast before hitting a hidden jump.
Bottom Line:
I'd recommend these pedals without hesitation. Be prepared to repaint them to keep them looking new. Use locktight on the allen key bolts if you plan on coming in contact with rough trails. Take them apart twice a year and greased them and stay clipped if you don't know what's arround the corner. They do unclip easely if need be.
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington, WV
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2001
Strengths: Easy to clip in and out Easy to adjust tension Large platform for foot
Weaknesses: Weight
Bottom Line:
The 636 pedals have worked great so far, even in the mud. I like how the pedals are large enough for my foot to rest on while not clipped in when going through scary stuff. I'm still learning clipless, so this helps a lot. The large platform makes them quite heavy compared to other pedals on the market, but I think the added grams are well worth it. Since these are my first clipless pedals, I can't compare there function to anything else, but they work great for me. They clip in and out very easily and I have not killed myself trying. The first few times out I fell of coarse, but it was usually due to memory lapse while coming to a stop. This is a great pair of pedals definitely recommendeed for beginners.
Similar Products Used: These are my first clipless pedals
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher, Shimano, Bontrager, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
David Fambrough
a Cross Country Rider
from Plano, Texas
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2001
Strengths: Easy to clip in and out. Stable platform. Easy to adjust the tension to your liking. Inspires confidence riding in technical conditions.
Weaknesses: I've seen the enemy and his name is Mud.
Bottom Line:
I know, I know...what's an XC rider doing with this pedals? Well, one place I ride is extremely tight and technical through the trees and has a few steep, rooted ravines and creek crossings. I wanted the ability to continue riding and be able to occasionally tab down without being clipped in. These pedals let me do that with confidence. As far as shoes go, they work great with my Nike's Inyo. The only type of riding conditions I wouldn't recommend them in is extremely wet, muddy conditions. They can get packed with mud if you have to tab down and clip back in.
Submitted by
READ THIS
a Downhiller
from IMPORTANT
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2001
Strengths: stable platoform...but beware. READ THIS REVIEW
Weaknesses: TRY THESE PEDALS BEFORE YOU BUY. sOME SHOES FLEX AND GRIP THE PEDAL CAGE. TRY ROTATING YOUR FOOT WHILE ON PLATFORMS...YOU CAN'T. THE PEDAL CAGE BITES INTO YOUR SHOE LIMITING ROTAION. CAUTION! TEST THESE PEDAL WITH YOUR CYCLING SHOES BEFORE YOU BUY. I TEST RODE MY FRIENDS BIKE, MY SHOES STUCK TO THE CAGE AND I WAS TRAPPED! AFTER I RODE THE BIKE i inspected my shoes and i had actually torn some of the rubber away!!!!
Bottom Line:
NICE PEDALS, BAD IN MUD, F-ING SCARY WHEN YOU HAVE SHOES IT DOESN'T LIKE!
Submitted by
Clayton Holt
a Cross Country Rider
from Yuma, Az
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Strengths: Great pedals,I like the float,light weight,good quality on the pedals,the pedals look like they might last a couple years after 3700 miles in Two months and 10 days. the pedals are holding up good.As we have little mud in yuma I can't relate to being stuck in them.and unable to extracate myself,except once,and I believe that was due to excessive dust,on a dirt road,or a small rock.or worn out cleats. Set-up is simple and easy.though I had to carve up my shoes. In short I like them,my bike is a bit faster thanks to them.
Weaknesses: The cost,of the pedals.the cost of replacement cleats,as the cleats wear out very fast. I didn,t like the shoe carving.The cleats sometimes release when it is undesirible. (hammering at +30MPH)Didn't get hurt though) got stuck in them once. All of these things I blame on the cheaply-badly,designed cleats,I love the pedals,but the cleats could be a lot better.and still be simple and light for the cost.Perhaps stainless,or billet cut steel harder,or ??
Bottom Line:
If you ride a lot,expect to buy cleats,I ride a lot 3-5hrs per day.So my opinion might be bias toward long-lasting stuff the cleats do not fall into this catagory.but I love the pedals,simple,strong,light,lotsa float,but the cleats kinda suck,especially when well worn. But I ride a lot so I live in my cycling shoes. BUY EM if you can afford $35.00 every couple months or so the proformance is worth it to me I just hate buying expensive cleats that don't hold up. And as I mentioned earlier worn cleats can be dangerious
Similar Products Used: AR carbon,wellego,and diffrent platforms.
Bike Setup: Rigid Cad-1 Cannondale,all the goodies and really round wheels 19.25lbs (less w/o drink cages,Odometer,light bracket.) This is my ride to town fart around bike,mostly road,dirt-roads,soft stuff,I have a Gary-Fisher hard-tail for trails,and Outings that take me further off-road.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Anton S
a Weekend Warrior
from Bellevue, WA
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2001
Strengths: Nice platform
Weaknesses: heavy, poorly constructed, hard to clip in.
Bottom Line:
I bought these so I could ride my bike w/ normal shoes occasionally. After about a month thay started making noises, took me awhile to figure out it was my pedals, annoying but not a huge deal. After 5 months I was working on my bike and noticed the f-ing pedal was literally falling apart. I brought back to LBS, warrentied no problem. Then the guy had the nerve to say to me "You need to check your pedals at least once a week." F him! I've had my time atacs for 2 years, never touched them and they are still going strong. Yesterday I put them back on my bike...much easier to get in and out of then the shimano's.
Submitted by
Wayne G
a Cross Country Rider
from VA USA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2001
Weaknesses: Good Platform Pedal
Bottom Line:
I had to post on this product after the rating I saw it received. I rode with the pedals almost 6 months and they seemed to work well. I needed a platform pedal for Down Hilling and X-country riding. Then one4 pedal fell apart to the point that it wouldn’t stop creaking….it worked …but the creaking was so loud no one wanted to ride with me anymore. Ok pedal probably worth its price…..but it doesn’t last long. 4 on value 3 on rating.
Submitted by
Jessica
a Cross Country Rider
from Corning ,NY
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2001
Strengths: Platform cage - for when your tooling around town and just want to wear your sneakers. Durability - strong pedal, lasting through some tough terrain and still no creaks or squeaks!
Weaknesses: Heavy - I don't care. Bright red coating on the pedals wear off fast especially during serious trial riding because all sorts of debris kick up... eventually making the pedals look crappy. They should lose the color coding and just stick with natural metal look.
Bottom Line:
Good pair of SPD petals, great for beginners just learning how to clip in and out because if you get frustrated then you have the cage to fall back on. Lasted through all sorts of weather conditions, cleans up in a snap.... especially after a nasty muddy ride. Highly recommend product to anyone interested in a caged pedal and those who do not mind the extra grams.
Submitted by
Wayne Gilbert
a Cross Country Rider
from Sterling Va
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2001
Strengths: Good for dual purpose.
Weaknesses: Do not last long
Bottom Line:
Use this Downhill\XC product for a year. After 6 months it began to creak. I tried to rebuild it but it was already shot. Too much money to spend on something that only lasts 6 monthd.
I had alot of trouble with these pedals. I have the new grey colored set. Very tuff to unclip. I have them on the lightest seting and still lots of problems. In all fairness it was my first set of clipless. Since the many spills with this pedal I've switched to the 323. they release much easier without thinking. They are now for sale so E mail me.. brand new only used one day.
Strengths: Quality, action, support, grip when not clipped in, oh and they look ace with my black and red colour scheme :)
Weaknesses: heavy? I don't care.
Bottom Line:
I took this pedal apart last night for an inspection and it kind of restored a bit of lost faith in Shimano. Having ridden them through muddy water up to the BB I thought I'd better check on the bearings and lo and behold they were still clean and smooth. OK, they're a bit fiddly to take apart, the red paint comes off and they're heavy but these are surely the best pedal for anyone who likes to ride rough tracks, XC, DH and spin up the climbs. The 'unclipped' grip could be better, if I had access to the machinery I'd make some bolt on cages with bigger teeth - anyone done this? - but it's adequate in all but the slimiest mud. The new grey ones look nice too but I'll be using these until they turn no more.
I am trying to rebuild my pd-m636 pedals, and I cannot figure out how to remove the spindle from the body. I don't see any locknut under the inboard dust cap, and the pedal is com Read More »
