Are cleated pedals worth getting used to on a rigid SS?

I’m near complete ing my light weight rigid single speed 26er and need to decide on pedals. I’ve always used platform medals as I prefere them on the FR bikes I have . But as this is different I’ve been told by mates I should try using spd type pedals . I want to keep things light and had nealy settled on a set of 190g ti spindle flats but have seen some crank bros egg beater 11 ti’s and thought I might give them a go . I would have considered xtr trail sods but they are near 400g which seems alot .does make a big difference using cleated pedals sorry but I’ve never tried .

It is a case of what you prefer but when I switch my SS between flats and spds my experience is that the spds make a big difference to if you get up a climb or not.

My advice would be that any ss you should try them if you care about attempting the hills

Ps don’t get conned by the low weight of egg beaters etc, maintainace required is higher and engagement less crisp. Get xt or xtr without the platform IMO

maintainace required is higher and engagement less crisp

I’ve never ridden with Shimano but the engagement on my eggbeaters is very clear, you feel the clip engage. As for maintenance, I’ve never maintained a single pair of my CB pedals and I’ve had one set for 6 years.

As above, for me clips make a big difference when grunting up a hill as you can pull up quite a lot. Also, and i accept this may be down to technique, when things get rowdy on the rigid i find i don’t have to worry about my feet bouncing around on the pedals and can just concentrate on holding onto the bars.

I also found that eggbeaters disintegrated on me but i’m about 100kg so relatively heavy. Had no problems with shimano xt on both bikes.

Yeah, the only ‘spds’ I’ve ever seen broken have been eggbeaters.

I’d go for the XTRs. Well, personally I use Time’s, but whatever, I’d avoid the Eggbeaters.

I once tried to ride my SS on flat pedals. I wouldn’t want to do it again. It’s probably more down to the stiffer shoes than actually being clipped in, but I lost a LOT of power and had to push up hills I knew I could easily ride up before.

Yes. They are like having an extra gear!

been running eggbeaters on three bikes, inc a rigid SS, for many years and wouldnt have anything else. 🙂

been running eggbeaters on three bikes, inc a rigid SS, for many years and wouldnt have anything else.

Why’s that; ‘cos you’ve invested so much in spare parts for them? 😉

Single speed and spd’s make sense whichever brand you get. The hardest thing will be the first few rides until you get used to them, then you won’t know how you lived without them. I use shimano and crank bros, shimano are fit and forget, crank bros look much nicer but will require regreasing every six months as reccomended, both feel slightly different in use, but as you’ve never used them before you won’t notice the different feel between them.

Thanks guys for the input ,I’m going to get some .i did wonder if there was some ultra light platform spd’s that I could get so if I just wanted to do a local zip down the park I could use pumps rather than spd shoes . Can’t see anything under 300 g though maybe just get two sets of pedals 🙂

You can’t get ultra light but i think the more expensive crank brothers mallets are relatively light.

Or just have look at some dzr shoes if its for going to the pub etc. They look like normal trainers rather than typical spd disco slippers. I’ve never used a pair though so can’t comment quality.

Also – if you’re being all weight weenie then avoid something like the shimano am45 spd, think my pair weigh about 1.2kg!

Why’s that; ‘cos you’ve invested so much in spare parts for them

oh yes and indeed you can get spare parts, and service them, with eggbeaters unlike other SPD’s 😉

I started with 324 dual spd/flats. Clipped in for climbing is like having an extra gear. Unclipped on the flat side was for more technical parts. Once I’d got my confidence I switched to double sided 524 spds.

I don’t really think pedals is a place to save weight, to be honest.

Shimano XT pedals the plain and simple ones are the best i’ve used.

Each to their own but if you’re just going for a ‘local zip down the park’ do you really need ultra light/expensive flats?

EDIT, Sorry misread, you want a SPD platform on the odd occassion. As suggested above I’d go for an SPD comfy shoe. My wife uses Lakes (don’t know which model) and loves them.

Shimano DX M647’s every time.

The metal caged M545’s are ok, if a little heavy.

IIRC, the 647 has a metal spindle collar but the 545 has a plastic one that splits / strips easily.
(If your sad enough to service pedals like me that is). 🙂

Definitely recommend clipless for a single speed. It’s so much easier when you’re attached to the bike.

As for maintenance, I’ve never maintained a single pair of my CB pedals and I’ve had one set for 6 years.

I was lucky to get 6 months out of them.

This is what I did to mine.

Other people’s experience may vary, then again, it may not.

Yes, I use XTR Trail.

Hi I’ve missed the egg beaters so I am seriously considering xtr’s just not sure if I should go for the trail version

Over 2o odd year mountain biking I used a lot of Shimano SPD pedals and I got sick and tired of throwing them away every two years on average, when they failed they couldnt be fixed, so ended up in the bin. I now get about 4 /5 years out of eggbeaters if i service them occasionally. Suits me just fine and they dont clog with mud in the middle of nowhere and need twigs to un-mud them and work again. but this isnt a debate about which pedals, more about if OP should go clipless and we agree, peace on earth 🙂

Hi I’ve missed the egg beaters so I am seriously considering xtr’s just not sure if I should go for the trail version

I found the cage on the trail version handy in a race because I could get the cranks going before being clipped in.

Next time tho I’ll likely buy the XT version, my first set of XTRs (that were replaced under warranty) developed spindle wear within 3 months. Others on here had the same problem. Also as far as I can tell they are not user serviceable.

I used to have Egg Beater Candys but found they unclipped too easily, sometimes at just the ‘wrong’ moment. That was years ago tho, maybe they are fixed now.

Yep I’m going to take the plunge . Will try and find a suitable set on line tonite 🙂 cheers

@mtg your gratuitous showing off of SixC cranks is duly noted.

Maybe a trail type might help me ease my way into the transition from a life time of flats

mattjg, they’re not my cranks, that’s just a picture I found on the web. Only the top pedals, on the block of wood, are mine. I’ve actually snapped a third one, but didn’t bother taking a photo.
I use Truvativ Noir cranks and have had the threaded pedal inserts come loose at least three times and the splined BB insert come loose once. 🙄

don’t be shy if I could afford those cranks I’d show them off too! 😉