The best exercise bikes: is indoor cycling an effective way to lose weight and avoid the gym? Telegraph logo Feed of articles Saved articles Save | Spd Pedals

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

“Heiruspecs is an unusual name for a flat pedal, as it seems to be entirely derived from a Minnesota hip hop band. What these pedals have to do with hip hop, I don’t know, but 45NRTH do also come from the same US state, and they get plenty of snow there, which these pedals are specifically designed for. Bearing that in mind, I gave the pedals a little…” Read the full review here.

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.

If you’d like to learn more about why this is true (or even if you don’t) I recommend reading Just Ride by Grant Petersen. He also dispels lots of other bike myths, like the one about how if you ride your bike while wearing underpants you’re not a real cyclist and you will die.

“The original DMR V8s, now referred to as the DMR V8 Classic, have been around for longer than some of us have been mountain biking. They are indeed a classic design, but nowadays with so much choice, and so many sleek pedals around for the choosing, perhaps that design is looking a little long in the tooth. Enter the DMR V8 V2, a revision for 2017, more on trend and more in line with its current V12 and Vault pedals…” Read the full review here.

The Time Xpresso 15 pedals are extremely light and clipping in/twisting out could hardly be easier. The downside is the price, and the cleats wear noticeably faster than those of other brands.

The Stamps definitely saw the most damage of any pedals tested. Weighing in at 455 grams, they are reasonably light for their size. As with most Crank Brothers pedals, they are available in several different color, weights, and price options. The Stamp 3 Large pedals are the most affordable in this group, priced at $99.

The tread pattern, called “Dotty,” is one that’s familiar to FiveTen fans. It’s basically big circles, and while the tread isn’t deep, the rubber more than makes up for it with good grip on solid surfaces.

The extra float and seamless engagement provide some of the freedom of a flat pedal with the added security of being clipped in. The only downside is that they’re more expensive than Shimano’s XTR Trail M9020 pedals, and nearly double the XT M8020 Trail platform pedals. And while they’re lighter than the Mallet DH pedals (480g) they’re still 41g heavier than the XTR pedals. 

‘Flat pedals are for beginners’, goes an insult I’ve only rarely heard. People can get staunchly tribal about it, pointing all the way up the leader boards to justify their stance. It used to be that downhill World Cup podiums were dominated by flat pedals, but, it seems, no longer, with more riders nowadays running clipless (Sam Hill being a notable exception). At the same time, bike geometry has become more aggressive, and cross-country courses, mostly dominated by clipless riders, have become more extreme than they used to be. In the midst of all that there seem to be plenty of recreational riders who prefer flats.

@whatyadoinsucka – I think ‘affordable’ is relative to Sixpack Racing’s own flat pedals, like the (admittedly very trick) €160 Skywalker pedals;

The traditional tyres for racing are tubulars. These hand-made tyres have the tube sewn (or vulcanised) inside the tyre body (hence their other names of sew-ups or singles). Punctures are difficult to repair. The tyre is glued to the rim with a liquid adhesive or a double-sided tape. So even replacing a tubular tyre is a lengthy exercise. Clinchers have lower rolling resistance than tubulars. This is primarily due to the energy absorbed by the glue in between the tubular tyre and rim. Clinchers, however, are unsafe to ride once punctured – the tyre almost always comes off the rim unless you ride very gently. Repairs can be done roadside in only a few moments, so there is little reason to continue riding a flattened clincher.