I recently clipped a large rock hidden in long grass and damaged my right side pedal. For the rest of the day my right foot pointed out as I was riding. It felt really weird and made pedaling awkward. The repair job is pretty simple, I purchase a replacement spindle ($14) and install it. However the required spindle is currently out of stock and won’t be available for a few months. And so this week I ordered a new set of Crank Brothers Mallet DH Race II Pedals – the Super Bruni LE model. I’ve used Mallet DH’s before and they were awesome. I’m stoked to try the new Loic Bruni named models. (https://www.pushys.com.au/crank-brothers-mallet-dh-race-ii-pedals-super-bruni-le.html).While on the subject of pedals I thought I would explore the ongoing argument of comparing Clips vs Flat Pedals. There are numerous articles online that provide a comprehensive comparison. They all say basically the same things. With Clips you can handle bumps, rocks and roots better by being connected to the bike. You also have greater control over the bike, especially the back wheel. You also have improved pedaling being able to power in the up stroke as well as the down stroke. The disadvantages are that you cannot easily place your foot on the ground on a loose corner. And there are also those embarrassing crashes when you slow down and forget you are clipped in. And for some people, being locked to the bike can feel wrong. For Flats you can easily put your foot down for stability and you can wear any shoes that you want. However a pedal strike to the shin is very painful and you have less drive when pedaling.
From a personal standpoint and in a gravity setting I prefer to wear clips. I like having my feet clipped to the pedal and I like that my feet cannot move around on the pedal. It is always locked in and my feet do not bounce off the pedal when riding rough sections. I like feeling connected to the bike. Also when I’m in the air I can easily maneuver the bike in preparation for the landing. I can lift the back wheel and skip over chattery sections. However it is difficult to pull your foot out if you need to in a hurry.
Getting the clip set up correctly to begin with is critical. You want the set up to be tight enough to prevent accidental unclipping, however open enough to enable a quick release if required. Finding that setting takes time and many adjustments. The Mallet DH pedals come with brass cleats that are soft enough to enable this kind of setup. The downside is that these cleats can wear quickly.
I hope this article was interesting and helpful. I’ll provide an update on the new pedals in the coming months after I’ve had a chance to test them fully.
By Pushys sponsored athlete – Jordan Holzworth