Review: The Shimano AM901 is good enough for Rachel Atherton, but is it good enough for regular trail riding? | Spd Pedals

Reporter Paulina Pineda said it took her about an hour using a Grid bike, in part because it took her a while to figure out how to undock and dock the bike and adjust it. And she said she rode it pretty slowly.

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

Giro Riddance Mid Riddance uses the same Vibram sole as many of the other Giro shoes, but in a high-top format with a large ankle-strap to keep them snug. Claimed weight 445g in size 43. €140.

The simplicity and double-sided nature also mean they’re easy to get into and they’re light, too.

In case you’re wondering why they’re called clipless pedals, it’s because pedals used to have metal cages, called toe clips, and leather straps to hold the show in place. Racing shoes had cleats that were slotted to fit the cage of the pedal. To get out, you had to loosen the strap. Falling over at traffic lights behind a busload of schoolkids was not unknown.

Actually, I needn’t have worried. The trails soon venture into the woods proper, and traction issues largely disappear. All that chalk is hidden under layer upon layer of leaf mulch, and as lacking in traction as it is, it’s much more of a known quantity for my delicate Northern sensibilities – and it’s no match for the tyres. It’s gratifying to be able to lean the bike over into corners and accelerate out the other side without worrying (too much). The trails are everything I’d imagined them to be – a happy flowing middle ground where there’s fun to be had riding them gently, and fun to be had riding them hard. Short, flattering climbs lead onto flowy, bermy descents. A short, steep chute gives a few of us pause, before we decide that our collective confidence is up to the task, and we ride it anyway. And, once again, grip was there in unexpected but welcome profusion.

Even if you find you don’t like flats, all of the things you’ll learn from them you’ll take back to clipless pedals as a better rider. The snobby ‘flats are for beginners’ insult is only true in the sense that we’re all beginners at something on a bike, and flat pedals are an absolutely great tool for learning and having fun with that.

The 10 adjustable pins provide ample traction, but I couldn’t feel any noticeable concavity at all. At times, the pedals felt like riding on giant square blocks. The large footprint also proved to be an issue when riding tight rocky trails.

This was on a cold day and he said he should have worn gloves and earmuffs, and brought tissues. And then there was one other problem.

John D’Anna, a Republic reporter, rode his bike 11 miles to the last light rail stop in Mesa and then took the light rail the rest of the way. 

There isn’t a triple option for EPS. In fact I don’t think there’s a triple option for any e-shifting system.

Personally, I’m in a similar boat. I used to swear by Look pedals, but the stability of earlier Keo versions would quickly degrade due to pedal body wear. This issue is now fixed, but Look’s bearing durability and serviceability doesn’t hold a candle to Shimano’s. Despite being a weight weenie at heart, I made the decision to have the weight penalty of Shimano and haven’t felt compelled to change since.