Going to have a go with these on one of my bikes instead of the spd’s to see how I get on so not looking to spend loads.
Seen some pedals around £20 – £30 on crc would these be ok?
Wellgo
dmr
Gusset

Looking for some grippy shoes to use with them, seen some Shimano MP90’s would these be ok or anything else recommended on the cheaper end of the scale?
Heard that Five Tens are good but more than I want to spend really.

Thanks in advance

Probably worth factoring in a set of shin pads too, as pedal ‘pegs’ make a real mess of your leg.

good point cheers!

DMR V8’s and any old set of Vans with the ‘waffle’ sole would do, bet you could get a pair off ebay for f-all.
Shin pads, yeah, but then scabs are fun to pick! 😛

Have a look at http://www.readytoridecycles.co.uk/ for pedals…
As for shoes??? 5:10s all the way IMHO.. 🙂

The DMRs aren’t good value… Not bad pedals but not particularily good either.

What sort of use is it for? Sometimes it’s worth getting stronger, heavier pedals. Other times better to go for lighter. Wellgo’s MG1 is an excellent light flat, similiar to the V8 etc but better platform size and a lot lighter. Or slightly above your pricerange the HT Components ones from Ready To Ride (exact same as Superstar Nanos) are also great- thin and tough and not massively heavy.

Oh and shoes, don’t get too hung up about it, with a decent pedal you can ride in most shoes with a halfway flat sole. I like Shimano, others will recommend 5 10, but my old Vans are good too and I bet I could be perfectly happy on a £20 pair of Airwalks or similiar.

A good option if you don’t mind them being hideous is the Shimano MP90s that CRC are selling off cheap.

v8, or v12 pedals….. yep five tens are grippy but expensive…. if you can find some shoes with a ‘vibram sole’ then there are also great !! 😉

Shin pads: You can get shinnies from cheapo sports shops that will do the same job as the expensive ones for under a tenner.

Thanks.
Just for general trail riding really nothing rad!
Want to try and learn how to do things properly without relying on the spds…..if i can 🙂

Will have a look at the pedals mentioned, have seen the MP90s….will prob go with those but will have look on ebay for some others as well.

those MP90s are great value with the same sole as their AM40. Five tens are expensive and many people think the shimano shoes are better made.

I use old waffle-soled Vans, but suspect Santa is bringing me some AM40s which will be kept for summer riding. Wellgo MG1 pedals are cheap and extremely light, the superstar nano/readytoride HT pedal is cheap, has a large platform and is well liked. How big are your feet-DMRs arent particularly large and the SS/HT looks to have a larger platform that will suit the larger foot.

I was recently given some Easton Flatboys which are grippier and more stable/supportive than either DMR or wellgos (the only others Ive owned) but are heavy and expensive. If I was buying a pair of flatties from scratch it’d prob be the HTs.

You will notice a significant improvement in in grip with 5.10’s compared to Vans, especially in downhill/bumpy stuff.

mojo- I seem to be in the minority but any improvement in grip was theoretical as the sole on 5.10s was so stiff I had no feel for the pedal. Maybe as Im a noob with flatties after 18yrs of spd riding but I felt more comfortable and confident with Vans than 5.10s as I could actually feel the pedal under foot.

I notice the Shimano AM40 shoe comes with a sole insert so you can control the stiffness.

The main difference I felt between my vans and my 5.10’s was when descending fast over rocky, bouncy stuff. My feet were bounced off a let less in my 5.10’s than when I wore vans (same track, same bike).

HTs sold out and I cant get on to CRC at the mo for some reason!

Nike 6.0 mogans with the plus minus sole work well too.

Only £29 in the evans sale on DMR v12 with selected terror pins.

mojo5pro – Member

“You will notice a significant improvement in in grip with 5.10’s compared to Vans, especially in downhill/bumpy stuff.”

If you have decent footwork you don’t need much grip at all. I can honestly say I don’t have any problems with grip in my 5 10s, my Vans or my AM40s- the 5 10s have the most but they all have more than enough. With any of the 3 my feet slip if I screw up and don’t slip if I don’t. The extra grip can be handy if I’m on my limits or tired and I can use the skills compensator but that’s about it.

Cycling-specific shoes can have other benefits of course but grip isn’t hard to come by.

Norhtwind – these were merely my observations. However I bow down to your superior footwork and shall now go and practice in my slippers.

Got a pair of them yellow Wellgos on my bike, they are great. Depends on how much you want to spend, they are just going to look battered after a short while.

I just wear any trainers really, wear what’s comfortable for you.

DMR V8s and a pair of Airwalks for £25 from a SportsDirect shop. Been using them for 18 months and the soles are gubbed now and feel rather flexy, but they were a good way for me to try flatties without shelling out much.

I’ve got a pair of 5.10s to replace them and am planning on some Superstar Nano flat pedals too.

And a definate +1 for some shinguards!

Unless you have small feet there are much more suitable alternatives to v8’s and v12’s which i think have been left way behind in the pedal market by the kona wah wah/nukeproof/ht/superstar style pedal.
As for shoes i have shimano am40’s and five ten freeriders which i can equally recommend, shimano being cheaper. If its just to test the water some waffle vans or nike 6.0’s would be plenty grippy enough with the right pedal choice.

I switched from trail shoes to AM40s – very impressed. I have the stiffer midsole in them. V12 pedals but I gather there are lighter/cheaper options – I don’t care as long as they’re still working in a few years’ time. Rode Cwmcarn on my HT at the weekend, attacked all the rocky downhill bits fairly aggressively and never had a foot come loose – however I’m sure 90% of that is down to decent technique – I’d rather ride with my old pedals and shoes than with my old skillz!

I wear 661 Filters on DMR V8s.

I love the shoes and wouldn’t change them for anything else but I would like to upgrade the V8s to something a bit thinner and lighter like the Superstars, the V8s work fine they’re just a bit on the bulky side.

get to yer local tk maxx the have vans,etnies and dc’s and duffs for about 20quid,

Thanks again I’ve ordered some MP90s so will see how they fit, if no joy will check out tk max and the like.
Still not sure which pedals yet.

V12’s are a good pedal or Shimao Dx with the long pins, and I have used 5.10’s for a few years the are great, not shinned my self for over two years, now I’ve said that I can feel the pins coming.. 🙂

I use Shimano DX flats with long pins and Nike 6.0. Grippy enough and the shoes don’t look daft on my tiny little feet (size 40 or so). I’d try Nike, Vans or similar, 5.10’s are too expensive for my liking.

mojo5pro – Member

“However I bow down to your superior footwork and shall now go and practice in my slippers.”

It was riding in a pair of steel-toed Caterpillars on my way to a trailbuilding session that made me realise that grip isn’t the be-all and end-all for me, once upon a time that would have been certain death but I’ve inadvertantly aquired a minor skill. Hopefully I’ll get another before it dies of loneliness.

I think slippers might be a bit prickly on the old soles though 😉