I was over at BikeCarson.com yesterday and Jeff has a really good write up on the new Ergon PC2 pedals. Here's a piece of Jeff's article, if you want to read the real review head over to BikeCarson.com.
As part of the Ergon Commuter Team, I’ve had the opportunity to ride the Ergon PC2 pedals. The PC2s are Ergon’s ergonomic pedals, combining the convenience of a flat pedal with the efficiency and power of a clipless pedal. While I often commute to work using clipless pedals, I only do so because I’ll be using my bike at lunch for mountain biking on the local trails. For commuting and riding around town though, I much prefer wearing my regular shoes, and flat pedals allow me to use whatever shoes I happen to be wearing that particular day.
I'm not in the market for new pedals right now, but it did get me thinking about the pedal choices that are out there and why we pick what we do.
So what's out there? Let's go with the pictorial review, shall we.
Traditional flats (shin biters)
MKS Lambdas....my personal choice for commuting. Less bloody shins more surface area.
Optional toe clips for your flats.
Clip ins - Shimano SPD (the most popular)
Clip in with a platform (versatile, but HEAVY)
Clip ins - Crank brothers egg beaters (Easy in and out and light weight)
Clip in with platform (Egg beater style)
So why choose a particular type? Mostly it revolves around what you want to do. Flats are like the Ergon PC2, the MKS Lambda, or traditional flats are the most common and give you the ability to ride in any type of footwear. The PC2 and MKS in particular are nice because they are larger format pedals that allow you to ride in anything from sandals to Sorrels. They also align to the ball of your foot giving a more positive contact and foot position rivaling the efficiency of clip in pedals. If you have to use one bike for everything (and/or you don't like to "locked" onto your bike) this is probably where your at!
If you want ultimate performance from your bikes drive train and your pedal strokes, then the minimal clip ins are the way to go. The down side is they require special shoes with very firm soles and cleats that aren't always made for walking once you get to your destination. However, for the weight weenies out there who are looking forward to their next training ride, this is your best choice.
If you want clip in performance and the ability to walk when you get downtown (e.g. somewhere in between Sorrels and weight weeny performance), you're probably going to look at a clip in with an integrated platform. These can be ridden with almost any shoe although you may feel the clip in if your riding with a softer sole (like a sandal). It's not uncomfortable for short to moderate trips....just noticeable. You can also grab your stiff soled racing shoes and still clip in to this system for the days when your late for the office and the commute is akin to a stage of the Tour de France! And lately, if either sandals or race shoes aren't your style, the market is offering more traditional shoes (even leather office type shoes) with recessed cleats that will work with this style of pedal.
The real answer is choose the option that works best for you or the particular bike your using.
