What Is Better Clipless Pedals Or Platform Pedals?

what is better clipless pedals or platform pedals,mountain pedals, and why,also what shoes would you reccomend, i do XC mountain biking
thanks in advance

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mt75689 said:

Use clipless pedals for XC mountain biking.
You’ll become a much better rider when you can use all the muscles in your legs instead of just mashing down on the pedals. There are situations where you’ll need to stay in the saddle while climbing so that your rear wheel doesn’t break loose and lose traction. If you’re riding clipless, you can push down and pull back on the pedals at the same time ~ which gives you constant power to the rear wheel.
Clipless pedals also keep your feet engaged on rough and rocky terrain. You’ll want to get mountain bike specific pedals. They are designed for entry from either side of the pedal, and they still work in dirty and muddy conditions.
I ride with the Crank Brothers Mallet pedal. They seem to have more float ( the amount of shoe movement allowed before releasing ) than the shimano pedals I’ve ridden with in the past, and I have an easier time finding the clips in the pedals with the cleats on the bottom of my shoes. I also like the Mallet because it is as large as a platform pedal. In really technical situations ~ I like to leave one foot clipped in, while leaving the other unclipped. This allows me to put a foot down on the ground in a hurry if I need to. It’s harder to do that with a smaller pedal. The Mallet also allows you to be able to casully ride your bike in regular shoes. If you’ve ever tried doing that with the typically smaller clipless pedals, you’ll know how impractical that is.
You’ll want to get mountain bike shoes as well ~ They have an agressive tread designed for rugged terrain ~ the bottoms of road bike shoes are slick. The choices are endless. You can spend anywhere from $50 to over $200 for a pair. Keep in mind that they come in European sizes.

# 9 February 2010 at 3:54 am

Boneman said:

This is real preference issue. I’ve used Speedplay Frog pedals for the past 10 years without a hitch. I love the fact that they allow your knee freedom to move on its path, not the one the pedal forces you into.
Platforms work some people. I’ve been hearing that the newer ones with screws work much better that the old cage style, aka “bearclaw” pedals.
I can vouch, or rather my shin scars can, stay away from the cage style. They provide less support, don’t hold your shoe, and leave interesting road patterns across your shins.
Shoes, well, go with what fits best. A good cycling shoe should have a stiff sole to transfer the power to the pedal. I actually have an old pair of both Specialized and Shimano shoes that both fit extremely well for me. I actually think that cycling shoes fit better than many street shoes.

# 9 February 2010 at 6:22 am

Bob A said:

Clipless pedals are the best you want the SPD style. You can get faster by utilizing the muscles in your legs that aren’t doing anything otherwise.http://www.epinions.com/otdr-review-4A82…http://www.dirtworld.com/TipsAndTricks/T…

# 9 February 2010 at 8:34 am

bantam said:

clip-less pedals would be great for you because that is the main purpose they were made for. with clip-less pedals you can keep more momentum because you can pull the pedal up as you push the other down and vise versa.

# 9 February 2010 at 10:41 am

Carl_the said:

Your more serious riders use clipless…They have them made just for mountain bikes.

# 9 February 2010 at 12:47 pm