Y'all are making this hard. Is the 'what kind of pedals to use' the bicycle equivalent of 'what oil should I use' for motorcycles?
Yes, the Crankbros are not "good" pedals. As a temporary pedal to get used to SPD? Good enough. You can't kill a Shimano pedal.
Hey, mountain bike fanatics. You guys are talking way above my head, I know nothing about these things other than they're expensive as shit. I'm looking for one to trail ride on BLM rutted roads in NV. Hilly, sandy, rocky. Not mountain bike trails, just shit out in the wild. I am interested because there are a ton of tracks to ride and I want to do something that can be a little easier on my knees (have had meniscus surgery) and get in better shape. I don't care about Prince bling, will certainly buy used. I'd like something lightish, fully suspended, a little fatter tires. Durable. Do not have a budget, it's just whatever gets the job done, utilitarian. Any particular brand that I should look for used? Any better place to shop? Brands to stay away from?
I mean... search "Crank Brothers quality" or "Crank Brothers breaking" on google and you'll see a million threads. Or read any pinkbike article comments about anything to do with Crank Brothers, and you'll see. I had some once. They're cheap pieces of shit that get ano'd and packaged real nicely. my spring exploded after barely touching a root. also, IF your pedal breaks, there's something to be said about having some sort of platform to put your foot on instead of a spindle to at least finish the ride or get back to your car. yes, Mallets exist from Crank Bros that have platforms, and yes i've snapped a spindle clean in half on a flat pedal resulting in a rediculous one footed pedal/coast for 2 miles to get home... anything can break, but seriously I'd pass. caveat emptor and all that...
Yeah, basically everyone ends up with Shimano pedals at the end of the day, pro or amateur, whether it's mountain, cyclocross, gravel, or road, that's why I don't really even consider the other as options when people ask. I have the XT pedals, the extra 1/4 lb of the Saint pedals are worthwhile if you're more DH oriented.
I have two sets of Ritchey clipless pedals that I've been running for years. One with the titanium spindle and one cro-mo. They are both bulletproof and have taken plenty of abuse. The equivalent current model appears to be the Ritchey WCX XC pedal.
Giant makes an Anthem 2 29er... msrp is ~$2500 but can be purchased for less. A solid entry bike. The biggest issue with used bikes is the warranty. Unless you get a steal of a deal on a higher spec used model...
After nearly a year, I was finally able to get a new bike about 3 months ago. Small Banshee Spitfire V3 in raw Fox 36 Factory fork SRAM AXS Eagle drivetrain Hayes Dominion A4 brakes Industry 9 Enduro S wheels One of the photos attached is from New Bike Day; freshly assembled out of the box. The other is the bike finally getting a wash a couple of weekends ago. My 3-year-old son - don't let the long hair fool you - likes to wash his bike whenever dad does.
Wow, I have had great luck with their pedals haha! I am a big fan of Shimano for everything else but I prefer the feel of the engagement and release of the CB pedals. And I've been riding clipless since the very first M737 pedals in the early 90's. I haven't ridden any of the latest Shimano pedals though so maybe I need to give them a try.
Haven’t done any research to know the difference, but I got a Giant Stance 1 29 for about $2200. Didn’t feel like waiting on the Trek Fuel EX5 which would have been about $300 more.
How you liking those Hayes brakes? Between Remy's vlog and a few other dudes they've got my curiosity.
They're universally loved, and they're my favorite brakes I've ever used. The modulation and feel is excellent, and that's probably my favorite part about them. I'm in Southern California, and the terrain is all rocky / sandy / loose. It's important to have some good feel in the brakes so you aren't constantly locking the front. The all-out stopping power is great. I'm not a heavy rider, so it's only a factor on some of the really steep stuff. It's also got some cool features that I haven't used, yet: screws on outside to center the caliper over the disc, and it has a unique bleeding procedure that I need to educate myself more on once I actually go to bleed them.
The stance has a more relaxed geometry. You could always swap the fork out for a better model for a notable feel upgrade. Thats really the biggest difference in cost... the components.
I've switched to EggBeaters on my three bikes. I like that I can unclip quicker out of them, compared to SPD's. They're light weight and do require a little maintenance once in awhile, if you're hard on them. Pedal strikes is more of a technique you learn with practice. Some bikes have lower bottom brackets, which make it easier to strike, but it's a learned technique like anything else.
Good info, thanks gents. From that info, I found the Giant TRance 29 3, 30 lbs, just a little more $.
I spent the extra coin for a Trek Top Fuel 7 a few months ago. Mostly because it was available... A better bike than I am a rider now, but I'm working on that. Splurged on a Check Point 6 gravel bike recently, also.