Tech Tidbits: Polar Vantage Updates, Strava sorta removes ads, PowerTap P2 pedals | Bike Flat Pedals

Lots of riders struggle to get used to clipless pedals for fear they’ll fall because they won’t be able to get out of them. But there’s a secret that makes life much easier and safer for clipless beginners.

At just 140g for the pair, they’re phenomenally light thanks to carbon bodies, titanium axles, aluminium top plates and ceramic bearings. Clipping in is very easy thanks to a spring mechanism that stays open after you click out.

Sixpack Racing is known for its high-quality flat pedals, but earlier this year it released the affordably-priced Vertic Trail pedal to cater for clip-in riders too. We got a set out to Julia Hobson – an experienced mountain bike guide who churns out the miles riding technical, high alpine singletrack – to see how the Vertic pedals fared. Over to Julia!

Ride Concepts TNT Ride Concepts’ mid-height, flat pedal offering with an ankle strap for on the fly adjustments. $160 USD.

Clipless pedals have a spring-loaded mechanism that grabs a specially shaped stud, known as a cleat, on the sole of the shoe. You press the cleat down to click it into the mechanism, and twist out to release.

Just wondering how you set up the cleats with the new am9 because I can’t seem to get them to mesh nicely

The key difference is that the cleats and pedals are much broader, arguably offering greater power transfer.

I learned how to rely on flat pedal pins and concavity to power through steep climbs, technical features, and jumps. I chose my first set of flats based on price alone, and quickly found that there are huge differences amongst flat pedals. Here is my rundown of five of the best flat pedals out there!

Granted, there are caveats. That stability and rotation performance are heavily dependent on how well the shoes interface with the pedal, and perhaps not surprisingly, shoes designed for cross-country MTB racing work best in that situation given they’re usually made with fairly hard tread blocks and stiff carbon fiber soles that provide added support.

When it comes to choosing pedals, many people stick to what they know, but pedal technology, like everything else in the cycling industry, has evolved considerably, even if the aesthetics haven’t. Smoother float, larger pedal/cleat contact and reliability are all places that we notice the greatest improvement. That’s not to mention that the weight of both these systems is incredibly light as well. The French have led the clipless pedal business for decades with their designs, quality and attention to detail, but it’s their passion to deliver the highest-performance products that keeps both companies on the innovative edge.

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I don’t notice any difference in power transfer with road pedals, but they are just more annoying to clip in / out and for walking. Having the same pedals on all type of bicycles is also an advantage.