I’m sure I remember someone asking a while back about how much your foot contacts the platform on the bike and the general response being that it doesn’t? If that’s so, what’s the point of the platform?
Basically I need new pedals and don’t know whether to bother with a platform or not.

Answer is it depends…
For xc and road I use stiffer shoes so the platform is irrelevant and clipping is not a frequent event and rarely under stress.
For gravity stuff like that there n duro stuff I’ve missed a clip or ridden the platform for a bit. For that I use softer shoes and Mallet dh pedals. Can’t see the point of the shimano ones so much.

On the trail pedals the platform I think is just to help guide the foot into the clipping position.

Shimano were working on some proper platform clips last year (like the CB mallets) but they haven’t seen the light of day yet. A lot of downhill and enduro riders are now also riding the HT pedals clip/platform hybrid.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/recomend-me-some-grippy-spd-shoes-for-xt-pedals

Mine give me hotspots under the rear of the cage, even with pretty stiff shoes /boots and when not clipped in the ‘platform’ is pretty much useless, no better than just a pedal body. I wouldn’t get them again TBH.

It really depends on the type of shoe / pedal combo your using – in my xc shoes I don’t notice the difference, but in some softer soled ‘enduro’ shoes on a long ride I don’t get the aches and pain in my feet if I were using a smaller platform spd.

my Shimano platform spds certainly contacted my Shimano MTB shoes, reducing the amount of free float.

after a few months the top of the SPD platforms were worn down with a polish surface and no contact, and back to normal free float.

you can see this in the photo above with the silver strip either side of the mechanism

I ditched them and got some SPD-540s cheap because in hindsight it seemed pointless having a SPD pedal with platform for XC riding

I always felt the platform pedals were at their best in CX races,when you were on and off a lot,there was a bigger target to hit when you were clipping back in and you could still pedal while faffing about.

My bike, second hand, came with XTR Trail pedals. Nice pedals, but I can’t see the point in the platform.

Can you remove them, I haven’t looked

I can definitely feel the platform under my shoes on my shim and pedals . Esther shore your chain guide looks high?

Pointless, I’ve got them on my bike and wish they weren’t there, all they do is stop you clipping in because unless you get it bang on you end up stood over the clip rather than in it. Without the platform I could pretty much just jump onto shimano pedals.

i may be wrong but my thoughts on the trail style xt/xtr shimano pedals are that the ‘cage’ protects the actual pedal more that providing an extra platform (unlike mallets etc).

i ended up with the race xt versions just because pedal strikes isn’t a major problem.

like a said, i might be wrong…

i find the platform a good thing.

my shoes (spec 2fo`s) definately touch the pedal (the shoes are worn a bit) but not huge amounts clipped in.

i can feel the differance in support if i go from my mallets to my candys I`m also less likely to unclip in candys as getting back in is harder and more vague and missing a clip is way more alarming!

I also find my cleats ware out much faster if i use the candy’s i guess i’m putting more pressure through the cleat and relying on the cleat more.

The platform (polished sections) give lateral support. The cages front and rear are to protect the binding mechanism, and to help find the pedal for faster engagement.

From your description sillyoldman the shoes should give you the lateral stiffness. If they are not offering grip etc your probably better off without them and some stuff soled shows.

I run a set of these, pretty good with a recessed shoe

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51dmed1DMyL._SY355_.jpg

I run a set of these, pretty good with a recessed shoe

I find the platform useful if you end up dabbing as you can stand on the cage if you miss the clip

Mikewsmith – not everyone wants grip, nor to have to use XC race shoes.

This is a “trail” pedal – they also do XC race pedals better suited to stiff shoes, and DH pedals which offer more support still, and some traction.

Not right for everyone which is why they offer different versions.