Review: Shimano GR7 vs GR9 Flat Pedal Shoes | Carbon Fahrrad Umwerfer Installationssatz

Nice roundup! I have to give a shoutout to the Specialized 2Fo Flat 1.0. I went to these from some FiveTens and I was blown away. Phenomenal grip, in fact I found myself twisting my foot subconsciously as I dismounted from my bike (my feet thought they clipped in, I suppose). They are also super lightweight, and the neoprene sleeve keeps crap out.

There are two types of clipless pedal. Pedals for road racing follow the original concept introduced by Look in 1984. The cleat stands proud of the sole and is attached by three bolts. This allows an uncomplicated, very rigid sole, but is awkward to walk in. The pedals only have a mechanism on one side, so to clip in you have to catch the nose of the pedal just right, which takes a while to learn.

For the upcoming issue of Singletrack Magazine, we’ve been testing eight of these new-school platform clip-in pedals, including options from Crank Brothers, HT Components, DMR and Shimano. Each one uses a clip mechanism that locks onto a cleat that bolts onto your shoe – the idea being that when you’re clipped in, your foot is located in the same position every time, so you can optimise your saddle height to provide the most efficient position possible. And for riding rough terrain, the clip helps you to stay stuck to the bike.

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

Mavic Deemax Pro Similar to the Deemax Elite, with added height around the ankle for increased protection. €170.

Vaude Moab AM The toe and heel portions of the sole are cut to provide ample traction for hike-a-bike sections and the midsole is appropriately padded for impact. Claimed weight 360g. €126.

Hope Flats with fiveTen impacts. Made the change after a lifetime of toe clips then spds. It’s dramatically changed the way I ride for the better

With a closed toe, the perforated synthetic leather upper is breathable, but not at all breezy. Arguably this is nice to keep your toes dry through stream crossings and puddles, but you’ll quickly get clammy socks on a hot summer’s day.

Our official grumpy Northerner, John has been riding bikes for over 30 years since discovering as an uncoordinated teen that a sport could be fun if it didn’t require you to catch a ball or get in the way of a hulking prop forward.

HT’s PA03A pedals might not have the snappiest of names, but when it comes to getting boatloads of grip from a durable and comfortable platform at a bargain price, it’s a name worth remembering as they’re the ones to beat. They are pretty cheap and fairly light too at 351g for the pair. That makes it eminently easy to overlook any small flaws and if you’re into the whole colour matching thing, there’s a huge palette of finishes to choose from.

Ostensibly, this allows riders to engage more naturally, pushing the foot forward with the pedal stroke and engaging at the same time.

It may not have some of the fancier features like colour mapping or a touch screen. But what the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt does do, it does really well. The menus and buttons are intuitive and easy to use. The mapping is incredibly simple to read and understand on the fly, and it pairs super easily with heart rate monitors and power meters.