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My son and I share the use of a hardtail. I use time atac pedals and shoes but he wants to use flats and doesn't get enough grip on top of the MX6's. So ideally we need a pedal that enables both types of riding.
The Time Link commuter looks too spindly for mtb.
Has anyone used the time speciale with flat shoes as it has pins? But maybe looks like the atak bar sticks up too much?
Ideally something like the DMR versa but with atac. I've a few pairs of shoes and multiple bikes set up with Time, which I like, so rather not change to shimano cleats if I can help it.
Changing pedals takes a couple of minutes, i'd do that instead of looking at a halfway house that'll end up costing money and not solving anything. Cheap set of flats for your boy and a bit of grease.
I did do that for a while but you must live in a calmer household....it always ends up with me being late for a ride and having to go out on flats which I don't enjoy or laddy asking me to change pedals when I'm busy with work or something.
If there's no time compatible solution then I'll have to think about things more but just wondered if there was a 3rd party doing a solution that I've not found yet, like there seems to be with the Shimano mechanism
Have you considered something like these Flat Pedal Adaptors?
Not used them myself but they look like a good compromise and you could swap them from bike to bike a lot cheaper than buying new pedals.
The Commuter looks OK but doesn't seem to have much grip for flat pedals and the cross-sectional profile of the Speciale looks like it would be quite uncomfortable with flat shoes for anything more than a quick blast to the corner shop.
change pedals - I have MX6 and they are not grippy even with 5:10's
if you are being late or going out without flats I suggest better time management.
laddy asking me to change pedals when I’m busy with work or something.
Eh? If he's old and big enough to ride your bike he's old enough to change the pedals himself!
So I think I know the answer now on the Speciale pedals from STW's on review:
"I’ve always found clipless pedals to be sketchy as hell when unclipped, and these are no better or worse than anything else I’ve ridden. Sure, there are two adjustable pins at the front of each pedal, but because of the way your shoe sits on the pedal when unclipped, they may as well not be there at all."
Yes you're right I could get him changing the pedals, but he's a hamfisted young teenager so I'd rather avoid the cross threading "conversation" atm.
Pinkster those clipless adapters look a possibility - have you used them? - any chance of unplanned release if twisting on the pins? I guess you need an extra set of atac cleats?
Time Z Control are ok as provide a decent size platform but I wouldn't do anything but a bit of light commuting on them or any other Time pedals.
The adaptors a bit like those posted above would be a better bet.
Never used them sorry, but I'm tempted for one of my bikes for pub/takeaway runs and lending duties.
I would have thought it would take quite a bit of effort for a flat pedal to twist it out of an Atac pedal as I always find mine grip my shoes really well until I really want to get out, but that might jut be the tension settings I have on mine.
Yeah, you'd need to buy an extra set of cleats to fit them.
Ok thanks all I have some spare cleats so for £8 worth a try
Used to have z control which were nice and wide but still not as wide as a proper flat pedal. MX's are narrower so will be no better. A mate has Speciales but they don't seem any wider than MX's and certainly not as wide as Z-controls. I don't have a problem if I don't clip in as the cleat still manages to hang up on the pedal even if it doesn't engage right away. Think you're best bet is to swap pedals really.
+1 for never let a teenager near a pedal spanner! My younger son stripped my crank threads because he wanted to change pedals for a sneaky ride on my bike when I was away. A riding mate's son once put the pedal on the inside of the crank - needless to say he soon spotted his error.
So I think I know the answer now on the Speciale pedals from STW’s on review:
“I’ve always found clipless pedals to be sketchy as hell when unclipped, and these are no better or worse than anything else I’ve ridden. Sure, there are two adjustable pins at the front of each pedal, but because of the way your shoe sits on the pedal when unclipped, they may as well not be there at all.”
I've got the Speciale 8's and can confirm that the pins and platform are nowhere near your shoe, they sit about 5mm below your shoe.
+1 for never let a teenager near a pedal spanner!
But you don’t use a pedal spanner for fitting them. You fit them with fingers. The pedal spanner has two uses: firstly to just nip the last quarter turn, and secondly to hit someone round the head if they use the spanner earlier in the process.
I’d be very firmly in the pedal swapping camp. Trying to use any sort of cleated pedal without cleats is a great way to keep coming off a bike.
Somebody needs to start using flatties on their hardtail.
But saying that, Mrs BigJohn uses Time Atacs and the other year, when we were holidaying in the south of France and rode into the town in the evening she managed ok with her stilettos. The only problem was hopping up and down kerbs and catching a heel on the ground.
There really isn't a solution to this other than changing pedals. I tried a few things over the years and none worked. I suspect anything that clips in is going to be weaker than the Time Link.
Ride flats on the hardtail?
Have got the £8 convertor things (in red) on ATACs and they're ok. Secure enough for riding to the shops anyway! Don't twist out easily, but if you're careful where your fingers are you'll get the knack. Haven't tried them much off road mind...
Thanks for comments.
What about something like these?
DMR’s or these Shimano’s
Yes they are absolutely perfect, but not Atac. I'd need to change either my other bike's pedals to SPD or have a dedicated pair of shoes......which could be the way forwards.
After 20+ years of riding mtb and road clipped in I just don't like the lack of connection on flats.
Converters are on the way so we'll soon see. It is for son to do MTB but not particularly gnar. He's still growing so suspect we will need a full replacement bike for him when new/2nd hand supply sorts itself out next year.
Hi,
Mx8 on my pub/ town bike. While I can ride in flats it’s no fun for 20min into town. There is no way I’d do an mtb ride like that.
Speciale 8’s On my hardtail. They would be even worse
Time control z in the spares box. They would be better than the others,
I had the older version of the time single sided ones on the pub bike for years. They were ok with shoes into town but there wasn’t much grip.
I’d still make the time to swap pedals for first choice.
Why can’t he learn to ride in times?
I may have missed it but surely the completely obvious answer is to buy yourself a hardtail and let your son keep the other one.