Five Ten Freerider Pro Sale | Bike Flat Pedals

Dual-sided pedals certainly offer more convenience, but the single-sided format allows for a wider platform, better cornering, less weight, and lower cost.

But even now, after a good couple of hours, we’re not done. Trails through regions with names like ‘Old Simm’s Copse” and “Colekitchen Hole” have us whooping with delight; the nearby Effingham Forest’s “Dick Focks Common” leaves the less mature of us chortling for other reasons.

It normally takes her about 15 minutes to drive to work. Her adventure from bus to light rail took her 75 minutes.

DMR’s Vault flat pedal is hugely popular with both trail and gravity riders and with good reason. It’s super grippy and offers masses of support from a tough and reasonably lightweight platform, though you do need to keep an eye on the pins getting loose as they can rattle out. At full retail, they’re fairly pricey, but if you shop around they can be had for much less. Even at full whack they still make sense, with an all-around combination of grip, support and durability, putting the DMR Vaults up there with the best. They also come in a staggering array of colours, plus pro-rider special editions if you’re into the whole matching vibe.

Love your clipless pedals? Then by all means keep using them. After all, there’s no denying the thrill of that first "click" as you roll out on a cycling adventure. At the same time, don’t lose sight of what they can and can’t do. Clipless pedals won’t eliminate the dead spot from your pedal stroke, but flat pedals will eliminate the dead spot from your cycling enjoyment.

• The number of bike commuters seen during my one-way, 35-minute commute is up, from low single digits to not-as-low single digits.

Today has been a salutary lesson in a variety of things – but key among them is that mountain bikes are brilliant, ace trails are ace even if they’re not massively technical, and friends, new and old, are even acer – even if occasionally the weather isn’t.

The flipside of this wider Q-factor is that the XT flats do add noticeable stability by placing your feet further apart – kind of like using a wider handlebar. This is ideal for gravity-type riding, and those newer to the sport will also benefit from the improved stability. Riders with bigger and/or wider feet will also appreciate the big platform.

 Clearly you’re triggered by my positive reaction and descended into some maddened state ranting about damascene, puns and post-purchase-rationalisations. 

“Sixpack Racing makes a lot of its own CNCed components in house. The Skywalker is the brands flagship pedal, and as such packs in a lot of features with a premium price. The most distinctive feature is the exposed axle, with a sealed compartment at each end for bearings. Those cutouts on the centre of the axle help…” Read the full review here.

It’s a shift that Jonathan Maus, publisher and editor of BikePortland.org, has been watching unfold for awhile.

SH-56 – multi-release cleats that allow your shoe to be disengaged by rolling or twisting the foot in any direction and even release with sufficiently hard (and considerable) upward force. Good for beginners and supplied with some pedals.