# Platform pedal love



## cbcbd (Aug 20, 2008)

Ever since finding the skills park downtown I've been watching many platformed folk do their thing and it just got me thinking about trying it out. 
I have done some pretty big air with my clipless, but its a compromise with the pedal tension - tight enough and you'll stay clipped in even if you want to shift the bike around in the air a bit - but much harder to unclip if stuff goes wrong.  Loose enough for you to unclip fast and you might unclip mid air as you toss the bike sideways or your foot moves in just the right way to do so - needless to say, very scary.

It has been a long time since I stepped on some platforms (converted to clipless pedals around '03) so I was naturally a little hesitant and just so used to and spoiled with the clipless - namely for bunny hopping or just bringing up the rear after a big step up. But in a way it was making me feel a little nervous on some skinnies, jumps, and other features - even if you are an expert unclipper, it is just a lot more nerve wracking and frustrating having to unclip 10 times in a row as you're trying to clear a feature or a long skinny. A lot simpler when you can just hop off when repeatedly working a line.

So I just recently ordered and received some Crankbrothers 5050 X platform pedals
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20732&subcategory_ID=10045






Put them on yesterday and went for a test ride at Collonnade... my impressions:

The first thing I noticed was how nice it was to have a burly, grippy, and wide surfaced pedal. This was nothing like the dinky stock pedals from my very old bike from years ago, which kinda look like this:




...and would generally crack with hard use and just felt flimsy underfoot.

The pedal has small hex screws that you can position where you want and really help with the grippiness. I did some messing around lifting the rear of the bike by scooping the pedals back and pointing the toes down and it worked well although I still have a lot to relearn, like bunny hopping. I'd probably want to use more of a flat soled shoe next time vs a treaded sole since the screws could land between the treads and not really catch sometimes. 

On the jumps it was a little scary at first and was hard to get into a rhythm and figure out exactly what I needed to do with the bike... I kinda left those alone for now and hit other stuff after a few tries.
On the drops it was even scarier since I'm used to having the bike locked to my feet and kept imagining that my feet would slip off and I'd land on the seat with my junk. Did the first 3 progressive drops - 1', 2', 3'  and did just fine. Different and will get some getting used to but I never felt like I was slipping off. It was actually nice landing and feeling like a lot of your foot is sitting on a flat surface.
On the technical uphills it felt almost no different. Didn't really miss the upstroke of the clipless.
On the skinnies, bridges, etc - this was where I liked it the most. Having a nice wide platform stance and the added confidence of being able to hop on/off was very nice. Add to that the fact that you could stop mid skinny/bridge and start again without those few scary seconds before reclipping your other pedal... it was pretty cool.
Falling attached to your bike hurts a lot more and is a lot more uncomfortable than falling detached from your bike.

So, I think everyone should give platforms a shot and add it to their quiver of MTB pedals. The newer platforms out there are light-years better than what most of us think of when we remember the pedals of old. Doesn't mean you have to be a freeride punk or gnarly DHer... it's just different and IMO, better for some things.

I haven't tried them out on any XC style stuff though, although I imagine if you're going to ride for speed and distance then clipless are still the way to go.


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## Greg (Aug 20, 2008)

I'm not a free rider; mostly XC for me. Not that I wouldn't give platforms a try, but I have no problem pulling out of my clipless, but there is indeed a sense of feeling trapped sometimes. Bridges for me, especially higher ones over rocky streams are still very scary. I try to focus on the start of the trail beyond them and just ride moderately quick over. Scary, yet thrilling and that's part of the appeal of mountain biking, I suppose. For FRers and DHers, platforms make a lot of sense.


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2008)

Lots of people seem to be going back to platforms these days.  For what I ride mostly I'm not convinced, I'm very happy with my clipless right now.  I never liked the gashes I would get in my legs from when my foot would slip off the pedal and bang right into my shin. :angry:  Maybe with better platforms that's less likely to happen, but I have to imagine it still happens.


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## Marc (Aug 20, 2008)

I love platforms, and I especially love not using them.


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## gorgonzola (Aug 20, 2008)

i;ve been trail riding with my 10yo son quite a bit lately and have been switching back and forth between the fs/clipless and ht/platforms - it definatley takes some getting used to for me and i feel less secure on the platforms for sure, although it gets better the more you do it. i wrecked on a 1'+ little drop in front of the family that i would have had no problem on the fs/clipless?!!?!? what kind of shoes are you using? i've used trail running and lightweight low top hikers - the hikers feeling better with more padding and support, i see the fr'ers riding with  skate type shoes...


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## cbcbd (Aug 20, 2008)

All right, where's MrEvil for some support here 



Greg said:


> For FRers and DHers, platforms make a lot of sense.





bvibert said:


> Lots of people seem to be going back to platforms these days.  For what I ride mostly I'm not convinced, I'm very happy with my clipless right now.  I never liked the gashes I would get in my legs from when my foot would slip off the pedal and bang right into my shin. :angry:  Maybe with better platforms that's less likely to happen, but I have to imagine it still happens.


Like I said, its nice to have them for a pedal quiver and I would not give up my clipless for a lot of other kind of riding. You're right about the bear claw... I just wear my shinguards... but honestly, I think the shin burger problem was more of an issue with crappy pedals and losing a grip on them more easily
I'm kinda posting this just to show that there is a difference between good/bad platform pedals and I think they're great for practicing some technical skills. 



Marc said:


> I love platforms, and I especially love not using them.


Maybe these suit your riding style better?


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## cbcbd (Aug 20, 2008)

gorgonzola said:


> what kind of shoes are you using? i've used trail running and lightweight low top hikers - the hikers feeling better with more padding and support, i see the fr'ers riding with  skate type shoes...


I was just using my trail runners. I'm not going to go out and buy some flat soled skate shoes but I think they would be better since they're have more surface area contact with the pedals.

How did you wreck on the 1' drop? foot slip, landed weird, too much weight forward?


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## gorgonzola (Aug 20, 2008)

cbcbd said:


> How did you wreck on the 1' drop? foot slip, landed weird, too much weight forward?



pretty much all of the above! it had as much to do with ht vs. fs as the pedals -i should have given some thought before i dropped. i'm used to preloading the suspension and just sort of tucking the bike under me and that certainly didn't work too well with platforms on the ht....it was probably close to 2' and over some landscaping and i came up short as well ...doh'p, at least it was good for a laugh, mrs snowbunski says " oh that's what it looks like when you fall?!?!"


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## cbcbd (Aug 20, 2008)

gorgonzola said:


> pretty much all of the above! it had as much to do with ht vs. fs as the pedals -i should have given some thought before i dropped. i'm used to preloading the suspension and just sort of tucking the bike under me and that certainly didn't work too well with platforms on the ht....it was probably close to 2' and over some landscaping and i came up short as well ...doh'p, at least it was good for a laugh, mrs snowbunski says " oh that's what it looks like when you fall?!?!"


Lol, hope you didn't land on the landscaping and have to fix it up


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

I am with you on the platforms! So far I really like using them. They have given me the balls to try things I just wouldn't do in clipless. Plus I just have more fun on them. My only issue with them is that becuase they are biggerm they tend to bang and scape rocks more than my clipless. Randi is also giving platforms a try.

Last weekend I rode down a really sketchy rock ledge, it was extremly steep and not very smooth. It took me a few tries to clean, but there is no way I would have done it in clipless. My 2 clipless riding partners had to walk down :wink:


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## severine (Aug 20, 2008)

You guys had to go and post this right after I bought shoes for my "new" clipless pedals, didn't you?  :dunce:

I really hemmed and hawed over that decision.  I guess there are pluses and minuses to all approaches.  You just have to find the one that works best for you. :beer:


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

One more thing...really sogt soled shoes work best for platform. Most guys were Van's skateboard shoes, Old school Converse sneakers, or 5/10 mountain bike shoes. They all have very soft grippy soles that the pins really dig into.


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> My 2 clipless riding partners had to walk down :wink:



That had nothing to do with being clipped in, I wouldn't have ridden that with platforms either.  Next time I'm definitely going to ride it though, just because.


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## Greg (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> Last weekend I rode down a really sketchy rock ledge, it was extremly steep and not very smooth. It took me a few tries to clean, but there is no way I would have done it in clipless. My 2 clipless riding partners had to walk down :wink:



How'd you make out on climbing that big log pile with the platforms? :razz:


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

Greg said:


> How'd you make out on climbing that big log pile with the platforms? :razz:



Don't blame the pedals for my poor line choice. I could have made it just like you if I took the easy line like you did :razz:


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

Greg said:


> How'd you make out on climbing that big log pile with the platforms? :razz:




and atleast I tried the log pile :razz:


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> and atleast I tried the log pile :razz:



I'm assuming that was aimed at me.  I _did_ try the log pile, I was just so far ahead of you I guess you didn't see me.  I made up to the top, but just couldn't get traction to get over the last part.


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

deleted...double post


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

bvibert said:


> I'm assuming that was aimed at me.  I _did_ try the log pile, I was just so far ahead of you I guess you didn't see me.  I made up to the top, but just couldn't get traction to get over the last part.



Actually it was a shot at Greg not trying the ledge


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## bvibert (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> Actually I was trying to point out that while I may have tried and failed that log pile, Atleast I tried........Greg didn't try the ledge.



Okay, gotcha now.


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## cbcbd (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> I am with you on the platforms! So far I really like using them. They have given me the balls to try things I just wouldn't do in clipless. Plus I just have more fun on them. My only issue with them is that becuase they are biggerm they tend to bang and scape rocks more than my clipless. Randi is also giving platforms a try.


Yeah, I did find that I hit the ground with them more since they're fatter.



MR. evil said:


> My 2 clipless riding partners had to walk down :wink:


Lol 



severine said:


> You guys had to go and post this right after I bought shoes for my "new" clipless pedals, didn't you?  :dunce:
> 
> I really hemmed and hawed over that decision.  I guess there are pluses and minuses to all approaches.  You just have to find the one that works best for you. :beer:


Nah, you should definitively go clipless. Its good to have and learn and I think it is better for overall XC stuff.  But so far I am liking the platforms for practicing stunts. It would've been nice to have them when I first started learning wheelies and fell on my back a few times while still clipped to the bike!


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## severine (Aug 20, 2008)

cbcbd said:


> Nah, you should definitively go clipless. Its good to have and learn and I think it is better for overall XC stuff.  But so far I am liking the platforms for practicing stunts. It would've been nice to have them when I first started learning wheelies and fell on my back a few times while still clipped to the bike!


Ouch!  

I've bought the shoes so I'm not going back now.  My biggest complaints should at least be addressed with the clipless pedals.  Though I can definitely see the advantage of practicing stunts with platforms.  Advantages to both in different ways, for sure.


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

I will probably go back to clipless eventually. It is just that for the time being I really like using the platforms while trying to push my riding boundries


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## JD (Aug 24, 2008)

I think riding the skate park (or around town) on flats makes you a really awesome bike handler, so you learn how to really control the bike, and not with your feet in the XC style bunny hop kinda way, but in that Brian Lopes smoothness kinda way.  Then when you're riding trail in your clippless you are smoother, and therefore fast over the long haul when fatigue starts kicking in.  Being comfortable with small airs at speed over rock gardens or root beds and being skilled enough to hit them smooth and fast can save you alot of abuse and pedal strokes.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> I'm not a free rider; mostly XC for me. Not that I wouldn't give platforms a try, but I have no problem pulling out of my clipless, but there is indeed a sense of feeling trapped sometimes. Bridges for me, especially higher ones over rocky streams are still very scary. I try to focus on the start of the trail beyond them and just ride moderately quick over. Scary, yet thrilling and that's part of the appeal of mountain biking, I suppose. For FRers and DHers, platforms make a lot of sense.



Might give them a try this season, mostly out of curiosity.



JD said:


> I think riding the skate park (or around town) on flats makes you a really awesome bike handler, so you learn how to really control the bike, and not with your feet in the XC style bunny hop kinda way, but in that Brian Lopes smoothness kinda way.  Then when you're riding trail in your clippless you are smoother, and therefore fast over the long haul when fatigue starts kicking in.  Being comfortable with small airs at speed over rock gardens or root beds and being skilled enough to hit them smooth and fast can save you alot of abuse and pedal strokes.



Interesting point. I think being willing to switch them up based on the expected type of ride is how I'm going to approach it. Question though on drops with platforms. And I'm talking baby small drops cuz I don't go big. :lol: Anyway, is it different on flat? With clipless I like feeling more connected with the bike heading into a drop. Slipping off as you pull up would suck, I'd imagine. Maybe I'm just overthinking it and they're really not ridden any different.


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## Jisch (Mar 30, 2009)

If you're trying out clipless for the first time and are using Shimano SPDs - make sure to get "multi-release" cleats, they will make the transition very easy - they release from multiple angles. I put my wife on SPDs last year - with the single release cleats she was totally freaked out and refused to ride them. We found the multi-release cleats and it was a whole lot less scary, she really hasn't had a lot of issues with early release, I suppose if she does we will go back to the single release cleats. 

John


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## MR. evil (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> Might give them a try this season, mostly out of curiosity.
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting point. I think being willing to switch them up based on the expected type of ride is how I'm going to approach it. Question though on drops with platforms. And I'm talking baby small drops cuz I don't go big. :lol: Anyway, is it different on flat? With clipless I like feeling more connected with the bike heading into a drop. Slipping off as you pull up would suck, I'd imagine. Maybe I'm just overthinking it and they're really not ridden any different.



Drops and jumps are really no different on platforms except for the fact that if things go wrong you are not attached to your bike. I have found that I have also become a much smoother rider since switching to platforms. Towards the end of last season I was getting a hang on pumping berms and the ups / downs. I am also hitting the DH's much faster due to increased confidence. Randi also got much more aggresive since her switch to platforms. Keep in mind that platforms are not better or worse, just something different.


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## JD (Apr 8, 2009)

If you are trying to pick the bike up with your feet, you will have some scarry moments in the beginning.  Wear shin guards, practice going up and down curbs on the street in a controlled enviornment.  (you can also practice rinding skinny logs by riding along the curb)  There is no real difference between a 6 inch drop and a 6 foot drop.  If you can come off of a curb flat and smooth, you can come off a 6 foot ledge flat and smooth.  Adjusting to the shape of the lip is where the technicality of a drop comes into play.  if it's a slightly uphill takeoff, you will have to compensate to keep the front wheel from diving down.  If it's a smooth slightly downhill lip, not so much.  Again, heading out around town with flats for quick after dinner rides when you don't have time or motivation to go trail riding and finding small drops like curbs, loading docks, retaining walls and practicing low speed control will greatly improve you trail riding.  Most of the technical MTBing is low speed, so ride around at low speed working on balance, wheelie drops, and going up curbs with a slow, deliberate, "front wheel-back wheel" technique will greatly improve your basic skills. Also, try and find a geat that propels you just over a blike length with one good pedal stroke.  This is the gear you want to be in for wheelie drops.  It will insure that you will pedal thru the lip w/o having to spin multiple stroke which throws off your balance.  AND, get used to standing up.  Lower you seat if you have to.  Think extend, absorb.  You can't do this whith your saddle jammed up you butt.  Like trying to bump ski sitting on a bar stool.
My $.02


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