[massmang]

I am pretty new at mountainbiking, and I don't want to be one of the people who says I wish I would have gone clipless years ago, so I have decided to give clipless a shot..

I do mostly light free riding, and cross country type riding... I live in the north east so lots of rock gardens, roots etc...

the two that I have been looking at are Shimano PD-M520, and Crank Bros. Egg Beaters in Chrome... other suggestions are welcome too...

which would best suit my riding style.. or has anyone here tried them both, and can tell me what they think would be best for a beginner..

thanks in advance for your answers...

 

[perttime]

I would add Time to your list of brands.

Time ATAC XS is the only clipless I have used and I am very happy with them: easy to use, do not collect mud, survive some rock strikes. the XE model might be quite as good (does not have the possibility to increase tension) and the Z is worth a look if you want a platform.

I have the impression that Eggbeaters are a bit fragile.

 

[massmang]

I would add Time to your list of brands.

Time ATAC XS is the only clipless I have used and I am very happy with them: easy to use, do not collect mud, survive some rock strikes. the XE model might be quite as good (does not have the possibility to increase tension) and the Z is worth a look if you want a platform.

I have the impression that Eggbeaters are a bit fragile.

those do look a lot more solid than the eggbeaters, but the price is a little more than I was looking to pay for my first set of clipless...

I am always hitting my pedals on rocks so eggbeaters will probably not be my best bet....

the Shimano PD-M520 look pretty sturdy as well, though not as sturdy as the time...

 

[fred3]

Well then look at the older model Times like the Aliums.

 

[massmang]

Well then look at the older model Times like the Aliums.

I was just looking at them.... those look pretty good too.....

Have you used them?

 

[perttime]

Alium user reviews: http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pedal/product_22432.shtml

 

[massmang]

Alium user reviews: http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pedal/product_22432.shtml

LOL.. I was just checking that out too.....

ok I think I am leaning towards them now.. one question I have is.. I see people saying these pedals are not SPD's.. what does that mean.. I thought spd was the type of cleat...

most of the shoes I see say they are SPD compatible.. does that mean I can't use some shoes with the time?????

 

[Martin.au]

Check out the Exustars. Shimano compatible and super light. They look pretty nice too. I've got some pics of mine here http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/ I've got the PM25's. They cost me $60 Australian (about $45US) and weigh 135gm per pedal.

 

[perttime]

The cleats come with the pedals. As far as I can tell, all cleats are compatible with all cycling shoes.

The place where I bought my shoes was also selling them as sets with Shimano (or cheap clone) pedals. I knew I wanted the Time pedals, so I went to a real bike shop for that...

 

[willtsmith_nwi]

Spd ....

The cleats come with the pedals. As far as I can tell, all cleats are compatible with all cycling shoes.

The place where I bought my shoes was also selling them as sets with Shimano (or cheap clone) pedals. I knew I wanted the Time pedals, so I went to a real bike shop for that...

When something says "SPD compatible" it means the bolt pattern is compatible with SPD.

There are exactly two hole patterns, 2 holes for mountain shoes and 3 holes for road shoes. So as long as you stick with mountain biking equipment, you'll be fine.

 

[Offrampmotel]

I've been using the Aliums for about a month now and love them. Unlike the Shimano's they replaced, I haven't had any problems with these getting clogged up with mud, and despite not having adjustable tension, they unclip very easily

 

[massmang]

When something says "SPD compatible" it means the bolt pattern is compatible with SPD.

There are exactly two hole patterns, 2 holes for mountain shoes and 3 holes for road shoes. So as long as you stick with mountain biking equipment, you'll be fine.

Thanks for the explanation....

are you guys sure the Aliums are better than shimano??? I can get a good deal on the PD-520s $37.99 they have a higher rating than the times, and the cheapest I can find the times for are $54.95

 

[Offrampmotel]

I guess it's a matter of personal preference, and what kind of riding you'll be doing. My rides usually end with my bike covered in mud, so the Times work better for me than the Shimanos did. As always YMMV

 

[massmang]

I've been using the Aliums for about a month now and love them. Unlike the Shimano's they replaced, I haven't had any problems with these getting clogged up with mud, and despite not having adjustable tension, they unclip very easily

which shimano's did you have, and what didn't you like about them???

 

[BruceBrown]

Thanks for the explanation....

are you guys sure the Aliums are better than shimano??? I can get a good deal on the PD-520s $37.99 they have a higher rating than the times, and the cheapest I can find the times for are $54.95

You can't go wrong with the Shimano 520's. They are easy to service and maintain. The more you pay, the lighter the pedals become (grams). The 520's are fairly "standard" in weight (414 grams) and quality and at $38 for the pair is a pretty good entry level price for you.

BB

 

[massmang]

You can't go wrong with the Shimano 520's. They are easy to service and maintain. The more you pay, the lighter the pedals become (grams). The 520's are fairly "standard" in weight (414 grams) and quality and at $38 for the pair is a pretty good entry level price for you.

BB

I am going to go with the 520s.. If I like clipless I will pick up a pair of the times, and try them out as well.. for the money I think you are right I can't really pass up on the 520s cause they are rated very good... If I decide I don't like clipless I only spent $38 finding that out....

 

[perttime]

A lot of people do OK with the 520s.
Also, Shimano parts and service are available everywhere, which might be handy sometimes.

I am trying to keep a policy of upgrading only when something is broken or I am not happy with it at all. If they work for you, ride them as long as they do

 

[Offrampmotel]

The only problem I had with the Shimanos was them clogging up in the mud. That was a big issue for me, but if you don't get muddy, they may serve you just fine. The unclipping on the Time pedals seems to be much smoother for me though. Try out both pedals and go with whatever you like best

 

[Ronnie]

I am going to go with the 520s.. If I like clipless I will pick up a pair of the times, and try them out as well.. for the money I think you are right I can't really pass up on the 520s cause they are rated very good... If I decide I don't like clipless I only spent $38 finding that out....

Good decision! Only just read this thread now or I would have recommended them right away. The 520s are almost like the top of the line Shimano 959 in shape and operation, except the 959 are titanium. Lighter and perhaps stronger but at a price. I've been using a pair of 959s for about four years now and they have been flawless, taking severe pedal strikes in their stride.

By the way, SPD stands for "Shimano Pedal Dynamics"!:lol:

Ronnie.

 

[fred3]

I have the Time Carbon ATACS (exactly like the Aliums but a different body material) and more expensive at the time. Been using them since about '01 and am still using them. Great pedal. The release force is supposedly just a bit more than the Crank Bros. Eggbeaters, but I've never used those. All I can say is that I started off with Shimano spd's and found the Times to take a bit more twist to release than the Spd's at their lowest setting for release.