Untrammeled Tightwad (or, Cheap is Good)

  
      “Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than       anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.” 
     - Susan B. Anthony

    I was going to title this blog post, "We're Gonna Party Like it's 1899".  It seemed fitting, given the New Year and general giddiness, and then I remembered chamber pots, no penicillin, and the word, "Pinkerton", and sobered up a little.  However, the 1890's and early 1900's were absolutely fabulous when it came to The Bicycle.  Here was an outdoor activity that both men and women could do, either together or alone, it was socially acceptable, there was no "livery" required, a person could travel kind of far if she wanted, and it was fun.  No wonder the Women's Suffrage Movement adopted the bicycle wholeheartedly, and dubbed it the "Freedom Machine"! And we got bloomers out of the deal.  This was clearly a win-win situation.
   Here in Buffalo, NY, there was nothing short of a Renaissance going on.  We had the Pan American Exposition, the breathtaking Olmstead Park design, and Pierce Cycles, the bicycle company started by George N. Pierce (who later began manufacturing the luxury car, the Pierce Arrow - boo!  Well, ok, those cars were pretty cool, actually).  The 1901 Pierce Cycles Cushion Frame came in both men's and women's frame styles, and appear equally scary by today's standards of comfort and handling.

Here's a recent photo of a restored men's version:

An acutely forward-mounted metal seat that looks like it weighs 40 pounds (ouch), and wooden rims (double ouch) might have made this bike a bit of a wacky ride, but then there is the nice diamond frame, springer fork, and shaft drive (chainless!) that probably put this model in the forefront of technologically advanced designs - a nice show-off for the Pan Am. Fixing this bicycle, however, might have proved a challenge, even for the boldest Suffragette.
   Which brings us to the present day....When it comes to the gear that is most appropriate for an individual and how she wants to ride, and installing that gear, things can get intimidating, especially for newer riders.  Part of the problem is that even though the bicycle is the Freedom Machine, cycling itself is still considered by many to be a "men's sport", with all of the accompanying attitude, jargon, and (sometimes) outright hostility.  Perspectives are changing fast when it comes to cycling, and for the better!  Until we're on an even keel, however, women have to dig a little deeper to find what they need to make their ride as special as it can be.
   One of the first things to do is find a trusted "LBS" (Local Bike Shop).  This will be the place you will probably find a good bike, get a good fit, find the components that are best suited to your needs, and have your questions answered honestly and devoid of snark.  The next thing to do (besides ride with like-minded people!) is find an online forum - one that is hopefully active and diverse.  My personal favorite is http://forums.teamestrogen.com/forum.php.  There are women from all over the world on this forum, who engage in all styles and levels of bike riding.  I've learned a lot just scrolling through topics, and my sometimes silly questions are answered without judgment.

If only there was a pedal for that....

    The more you ride, the more you will discover what's missing (and needed) and what's extraneous.  The top-of-the-line, horrifyingly expensive shorts with the fabrics designed by NASA in an undisclosed underground research facility?  Extraneous.  The pedals that I can get my feet in and out of without experiencing clinical levels of anxiety?  Missing.
   Depending on who you are and what your needs are, these examples could be easily reversed.  But for me, pedals were an issue that required a solution.  I ended up finding pedals that are sometimes called, "sport/touring", or "dual-use".  They have a platform on one side, for normal street shoes, and an SPD (stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) system on the other, for shoes with cleats to lock into.  SPD pedals are usually recommended for new riders, as they are very common, the cleats that come with the pedals aren't too complicated, a rider can get a full pedal stroke without too much wasted energy, and the tension can usually be adjusted to fit anyone's comfort level (more on that later).
   My needs were:  I wanted to be able to walk if I had to, get in and out of the pedals very easily, and  be able to pedal the bike for an extended length of time if for some reason I couldn't or wouldn't lock my feet in.  This meant not only getting a pedal that had both a platform and SPD, but getting shoes where the cleats would be recessed when installed, like this:

I bought mountain bike shoes, which are designed always for the cleat to be recessed, and for the pedals, I decided to buy from a trusted manufacturer, and the company that originally designed the SPD-type - Shimano.  I've since used these, a type made by Wellgo, and a store-brand model from Nashbar.  For those of you who are interested in using this type of pedal, I am now going to review and compare the two I use the most, the Shimano A530, and Nashbar's version of the A530, the Soho.  The result, I believe, is that the cheaper (in price) pedals (Nashbar) are actually better.  Let's take a look at Shimano's pedals first.

Side view of the A530 (L) (black) with SPD side facing up, platform side down.  The pedals are weighted so that the SPD side rotates upward for your foot.  You have to flip the pedal with your foot to use the platform side.  Materials are steel and aluminum.

The platform viewed from above.  Note the worn paint.  This is from using a file to roughen the surface for better grip.

The SPD side viewed from above.

Here is where the pedal attaches to the crank arm (left pedal).  An 8mm pedal wrench is required for installation.

The tension adjustment, found at one end.  Using a hex key, turning left will loosen, turning right will tighten the tension.  This will make it easier or harder to clip in/release your foot, respectively.  The tension loosened all the way (turned to the left as far as it would go) was still incredibly tight, and seems to be a common complaint in reviews.  I solved the issue by purchasing Shimano SH56 cleats, and stopped using the cleats that came with the pedals.  SH56 cleats are multidirectional, meaning you can twist your foot in either direction to release it.  Remember, if you purchase cleats separately from pedals, make sure they are compatible with the pedals first.

This is a little hard to see, but the platforms are 9 cm in length.

Platform width is 7.5 cm.

Now the Nashbar Soho pedals:

Side view of the pedal with platform side facing down, SPD side facing up.  These pedals are also weighted to flip up the SPD side for the foot to find easily.  Materials are steel, aluminum and nylon.

Top view of the platform side.  These pedals are newer than the Shimanos, but the nylon also provides better grip for the foot, so there were no ugly alterations needed.

Top view of the pedal with SPD side facing up.  These are compatible with the cleats that come with them, and most Shimano SPD cleats as well.  My SH56 cleats work with these, and therefore I don't have to switch cleats on my shoes when switching bikes, which is really nice.

The Nashbar Soho pedals are installed with a 3mm hex (allen) key on the opposite side of the crank arm to the pedal.  This is an added bonus to an already stellar design, because a rider is more likely to have an allen wrench set on a ride, and is therefore more able to tighten a pedal that comes loose.  That is a nice assurance to have when you're 60 miles from home.

The tension adjustment, also found on one end, and also turned using (1mm) hex key.  The huge difference here is that it can be loosened much farther than the A530 can, making it very easy to get in and out of the pedals.  I have these pretty loose, as I don't weigh a lot and don't put a lot of pressure on the pedals, and my feet have never released accidentally.  These pedals also provide several degrees of float, while the A530s do not (more about this later).

Platform is 8 cm in length.  This is a full centimeter shorter than the A530s.

Platform width is 7.5 cm, same as the A530 pedal.

So....so far here's the comparison:

Nashbar Soho Pedal (Black)                            Shimano A530 (L) Pedal (Black)

         Installed using 3mm hex                                      Installed using 8mm pedal wrench

          8 cm long                                                               9 cm long

          7.5 cm wide                                                           7.5 cm wide

          Large variety in cleat tension                                Not much variety in cleat tension

          Platforms have good grip                                      Platforms can be slippery

New information:

   

          325g in weight per pair                                         383g in weight per pair

          100% store guarantee                                            2 year warranty

          6° of float                                                               no float

To address these last two - I had an online "chat" with "Gary" from Nashbar, and this is how their 100% guarantee is defined:

"At Nashbar, we guarantee your 100% satisfaction with every product we sell.  If an item does not meet your expectations, just send it back and we will promptly send you a replacement, a refund or credit your account - whichever you prefer.  No time limit (emphasis mine). If you are not happy with anything you buy from us, send it back."

Now that's a pretty nice guarantee!  The two year warranty on the Shimano pedals covers mainly the spindle.  There was no guarantee of replacement listed on their website, that I could find.

   Now, to explain pedal float - this is a matter of preference, like how high or low you want your tension, but in the long run, it could mean the difference between a long season of enjoyment and chronic knee injury.  Float is how far you can twist your foot in either direction before it disengages from the pedal.

Elite road cyclists tend to like high tension in their pedals, with little float.

This combination keeps their feet rigidly in position for maximum power transfer to their pedals.  These are also people who ride an average of 4-5 hours every single day, are in ridiculous shape, and have perfect form when they ride.  For the average person who gets maybe 3 long rides in a week, with shorter rides predominating, who lives in the real world with traffic stops and baby buggies and potholes, high tension and no float could be a recipe for disaster.  Getting in and out of pedals quickly in city traffic is a must, and lower tension in one's pedals enables that to happen.  Having some degree of float, correspondingly, helps a rider position their feet for sudden weight transfer, and on longer rides, to help ease tension on the knees.  "But my form is very good!" you say.  Even after the fourth hour of riding?  Even in a paceline that might be pushing your limits a little?  I know that after about 2 hours of riding, my knees start poking out like Alfred E. Neuman's ears, and it's essential that I move my toes in on the pedals to correct this.  Pedals that come with the float option are a smart choice, I believe.

   Which brings me to the conclusion - the Nashbar Soho pedals either match or exceed all of the attributes of the Shimano A530 pedals, and they cost half the price, on average.  The only con might be the shorter length of the platform causing an issue with bigger feet, but that seems minimal.

So there!  That's the end!  (If you have any questions about pedals, please leave them in the comments section, and I will try to answer them.)

Another site with excellent reviews (with a focus on triathlon) is http://tribomb.com/