FGF 392: Sticky shoes from Giro, flat pedals from Shimano, and a weird expanding tubeless foam thingamabob | Carbon Fahrrad Umwerfer Installationssatz

By the way, I’d suggest adding the Deore XT PD-T780 or PD-T8000 pedals – they’re top dog as far as trekking SPD+FLAT pedals are concerned. My pair of T780s has been excellent since day one.

In terms of price and functionality, these pedals sit in between Shimano’s entry-level GR500 flat pedal (£59), and the high-end Saint M828 flat pedal (£129).

Despite the general trend for racer types to use clip-in pedals, we’re noticing that more and more everyday trail riders are trying out flat pedals – perhaps after years of using the clip-in variety. Flat pedal users cite the added flexibility as the main advantage of using flats, plus you can easily pop a foot off in the turns if you’ve pushed your talent too far. In theory, flats should also teach better technique – you can’t bunnyhop just by tugging your feet on the pedals to lift the whole bike upwards.

“I have had a few weird squeaks coming from the worn metal faceplate, but a drop of chain lube quietens them down for a few months.”

Our guides include links to websites where you can buy the featured products. Like most sites we make a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on one of those links. We want you to be happy with what you buy, so we only include a product in a if we think it’s one of the best of its kind.

Adidas Terrex Trail Cross Protect “They are built with D3O® foam around the ankles to soften blows and keep you riding. A breathable upper is secured with laces and a strap for a snug, supportive fit.” These kicks bring padding and protection much higher than most of the competition. €130.

Lauren Castle, a Republic reporter, faced a few hiccups as she tried a carless commute from her place in Scottsdale to downtown Phoenix.

Boa dials are massively popular on high-end road and MTB shoes and Fizik has used a pair of IP1-B dials on each shoe as part of the “Infinito Closure System” that gives the shoes their name. The main point is the lower dial pulls a wire laced in a figure of eight loop that is intended to provide forefoot volume control. The secondary dial pulls over a large flap at the top of the foot. It’s all about distributing pressure evenly and providing maximum fit adjustability.

I think If you have lights front and rear and clothing with some refelctive trim you are extremely unlikely to be stopped for not having reflective pedals, even though they are a legal requirement technically.

Now in my 3rd year of Di2 ownership and it is running as sweet as the day it left the bike shop. Never missed a gear, absolutely hassle free, once ran out of power because I failed to check. Only irritating aspect is remembering where I put the charging cable for safe keeping.

The only slight issue that has shown up recently is the lower Boa dials becoming a little sticky and stubborn to release. Boa dials can be serviced however so it’s likely I need to have a look at the service guide on the Boa website and give them some TLC. https://www.boafit.com/repair

I installed the tyres the same way I install tubeless mountain bike tyres: install one bead fully and then the second one most of the way around. This leaves a small gap into which the sealant can be poured without having to squeeze it through the valve stem (with the valve removed). I am glad I did it this way because the Mavic sealant is aggressive at blocking leakages. I couldn’t get much sealant out of the bottle before the sealant sealed the bottle. With around 30ml of sealant in the tyre, I carefully installed the remaining bead – which is much easier without a tube inside.