# Beginner's question: What are your thoughts on dual pedals?



## littlebadboy (Mar 27, 2012)

I'm a beginner only have one bike that I will pretty much use for everything... like leisure riding and perhaps long serious rides in the near future. I wanted the ease of using regular shoes and go clipless when needed. So, what are your thoughts on dual purpose pedals?

I was kind of looking at these:









XLC Alloy MTB / Trekking Pedal
$27.99 at Amazon.









By Wellgo $20.62 also at Amazon.

Thank you in advance!


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## SenorSerioso (Apr 22, 2011)

Your mileage may vary, but in my experience with the Shimano M324 I was very disappointed. If you ever want to further your skills as a mountain biker, this type of pedal is not for you. 

The concept is a great one, a pedal that can do all of everything; reality, however, is that when you clip in for mountain biking you will need to occasionally or frequently unclip. Clipping back in in a hurry can be annoying. I never found the side I wanted when I needed it.

I think a pair of M520s, a platform of your choice, and a pedal wrench is the best way to go. But that's just me. Don't just take my word for it, do some more research to find out what's best for you.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Hate 'em!

Non-sucky flat pedals are just that - non-sucky. I have some cheapie Redline alloy flats I sometimes use. They're on loan to a friend right now; he likes them better than the crappy stock cage pedals his bike came with. That would be my choice for a bike I used both as a utility and off-road.


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## swingset (Oct 14, 2010)

I tried 'em they're the worst of both worlds.


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## Dusty Trails (Jul 24, 2011)

That bottom pair I just put on my road bike so I can jump on and go for a quick ride at times, but then clip in for a more serious ride. They work fine for clipless and OK for regular shoes.


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## 4Crawler (Oct 30, 2011)

I like the M324s I have on two of my bikes. You have to develop a feel for which side of the pedal is up and then they work well. I have them on my mtn. bike and touring bike that I ride on fire roads and single track trails.










I can clip in for the 15-30 miles of pavement to get to the trail, then unclip and ride on the flat side for the technical parts of the trail then clip back in for the return ride. Also, it is one of those two bikes that I'll grab if I need to run a quick errand and don't feel like putting on the SPD shoes.

I do have a set of double sided clip-less pedals on my road bike and it is nice to just be able to clip in every time. But that bike is only ridden on pavement and only for longer distances. But I would not change those dual pedals on either of the two bikes that have them. And I am also putting a set on my new CX bike as it will be ridden similar to the touring bike.

I think if you really need both types of pedals and are willing to learn to use them, they are a good compromise. If you only use one type or the other, then get a dedicated pedal, either clip-less or platform.

And the trick to using them is to set up the un-clipped pedal before you take off so that the platform side is on top with the pedal at the bottom of the stroke. Then as you push off on the clipped in pedal, the free pedal will rotate to the top with the clip side up and you can step onto it and clip in. So just take that second before you start off to flip that free pedal over and you are set.


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## crclawn (Sep 26, 2010)

I got a pair of dual sides, because my girlfriend does not clip in and I do. Worst mistake of my life. They just suck having to flip over to find the clip in side when you are stopped on a steep hill or something technical. Don't get them!


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## mrbigisbudgood (Apr 4, 2011)

I see people commuting on pedals like this all the time. I see these people looking at their pedals trying to either find the flat or the mech all the time.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

I use the M324's on my hybrid; I'll wear SPD's on longer road rides but sometimes if just nipping to the shops regular footwear is less hassle and I agree you do get a feel for which side is up.
I wouldn't use them for trail riding the platform section does not hold the shoe well enough and it will completely slide off the SPD side, I interchange pedals on my MTB depending on what the days ride is like, technical single track I use a set of platforms, more XC ish I put a set of eggbeaters on.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

"Worst of both worlds" is exactly how I describe them as well. The only situation where I would have a pedal like that is on a commuter bike where you rarely take your feet off the pedals and it doesn't matter if you can't clip in immediately.

Either get good flat pedals or get decent clipless pedals. If you want the choice between the two, buy a pedal wrench.


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## BeginnerCycling (Nov 21, 2011)

I have M324s on a single speed urban bike, and they're great for that -- flexibility riding mostly on pavement. I've thought about putting them on my MTB, but right now I prefer platforms with metal studs.


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## Sarguy (Sep 25, 2010)

For mtb'ng, decent clipless pedals are the only way to go. When I first started, these hybrids seemed like a good idea for the intimadated. Now they sit in a gear drawer in my garage along with all the other purchase mistakes I made over the years. Oh, if only I could have the wasted $ back, I'd go buy a $7000 bike.


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## Adeptus_Minor (Apr 3, 2012)

SenorSerioso said:


> The concept is a great one, a pedal that can do all of everything; reality, however, is that when you clip in for mountain biking you will need to occasionally or frequently unclip. Clipping back in in a hurry can be annoying. I never found the side I wanted when I needed it.
> 
> I think a pair of M520s, a platform of your choice, and a pedal wrench is the best way to go. But that's just me. Don't just take my word for it, do some more research to find out what's best for you.


That's the advice I was given when I was considering dual purpose pedals and I can totally see the logic in it. Often it's hard enough to clip back in with my M520s in the middle of a rough section.. I can only imagine how hard it would be when you have to keep flipping the pedal to get your cleat locked in.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

i have them on my commuter hybrid bike, but I would never put them on a bike that is to be ridden off-road.


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## Tystevens (Nov 2, 2011)

The dual pedals are bad for both uses. Not a good clipless experience/interface, and a bad platform that provides little or no grip. I agree with the others that say do one or the other, but not both.

FWIW, there is no problem riding clipless on casual rides. When taking the kids for a ride on the bike path with my road bike, I just throw on my spd shoes, no problems. 

And you don't need to ride clipless to be a good mountain biker, either. I rode clipless for about 5 years, been on platforms on the mtb for the last 5 or 6. I prefer it on the trails. My suggestion would be to pick which route you want to take and get either some decent clipless pedals or some decent platforms.


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## Reverend_Maynard (Mar 16, 2012)

I have tried them, and hated them. 

I've been a clipless road rider for years, so my natural instinct is to always want to be clipped in. The hassle of trying to find the correct side of the pedal while on the trail was maddening. You typically only have a second or two before you need to be pedaling. If you can't find the right side of the pedal in that time, things can get hairy. You might think it would be easy enough to ride on the flat side until you get the chance to clip in, but as others have mentioned, it's not a good platform for trail riding, especially with clipless shoes on.


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## Reverend_Maynard (Mar 16, 2012)

If you really want a "casual ride" option with clipless pedals, you can get sneaker-like SPD compatible shoes that are much more comfortable for walking and don't stand out as "bike shoes".

Something like these PI X-Alps


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## theMeat (Jan 5, 2010)

I rode with Wellgo Wam d10 for years. That pedal is very durable and I still have 'em in a box somewhere. They did a good job of leaving the clipless part down all the time because of the added weight so if I wanted to clip I just flipped without looking and got pretty good at it. They can still be found new on ebay btw for around $35. 
Once you go to a regular clipless pedal you'll realize what a pain in the @ss the 1 sided clipless are. 
If you wanna ride both either get some qiuck release adapters so you can quickly change 'em and won't take a chance at ruining your crank's pedal threads every time, or get a very big platform downhill style pedal like Crank Bros. Mallets where you can clip in on both sides but with the big grippy platform you don't have to and it's all good. 
My .02


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

I don't like single sided dual pedals, but I do like my crank brother mallets.
++ mallet2 pedals :: crankbrothers.com ++

You can find them on Ebay used, just make sure you get the models that have the adjustable pins. I didn't like the originals without the pins.


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## littlebadboy (Mar 27, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your advice!


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## oldskoolbiker (Jun 2, 2005)

It takes less than 5 minutes to swap pedals. I've got a set of egg beaters, and some wellgo MG1 platforms. I swap back and forth depending on the kind of ride.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

oldskoolbiker said:


> It takes less than 5 minutes to swap pedals. I've got a set of egg beaters, and some wellgo MG1 platforms. I swap back and forth depending on the kind of ride.


True, but the threads are not designed for constant tightening and un-tightening. You risk stripping them out eventually.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

TwoTone said:


> True, but the threads are not designed for constant tightening and un-tightening. You risk stripping them out eventually.


At 25 foot pounds I would say unlikely as long as you grease the threads, don't overtighten and know your left from right. I think it's a good idea to remove pedals on a semi regular basis and grease the threads anyway to prevent galling/ seizing - which does damage the crank threads. All of the tapping I've had to do for people on crank threads has been due to seized / corroded threads, overtightening or jokers forcing left side pedals into right side crank arms - I've never had one strip while installing it correctly, but I suppose there is a chance it may happen after a few thousand remove / install cycles.


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## blockphi (Mar 26, 2012)

I started out with the Wellgos as well. When I first started riding they were great. I was able to move into clipless when I was ready to do so and did not need to purchase a new pair of peddles. For a cheapskate like me, that is a good thing. I literally rode them until I pulled the clip away from the peddle body. I think about five years. I got to where I was able to quickly and easily clip in and out in just about any circumstance, be it in heavy traffic, steep inclines, mud, etc. And there is the added bonus that if you don't clip in right away, you still have the nice wide platform to push against until you can clip in.

These peddles were also nice in that I am a bike commuter so I often have to ride in the middle of the day and it is a bit awkward needing a pair of cycle specific shoes everywhere I go. 

I did, however, make the switch once I destroyed the peddles. I now run Egg Beaters in the spring/summer/fall and a cheap pair of Wellgo platforms in the winter. 

I prefer the egg beater design to other clipless options as they fit my riding style and I've never had an issue with mud or other debris keeping me from getting clipped in. They did take some getting used to and I don't ride them in the winter as with the amount of snow we sometimes get in Anchorage, I feel more comfortable knowing my feet aren't hindered from getting on the ground quick, if need be. 

The key thing is to give a number of peddles a try and decide what works best for your style and needs.


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## oldskoolbiker (Jun 2, 2005)

TwoTone said:


> True, but the threads are not designed for constant tightening and un-tightening. You risk stripping them out eventually.


 You're only going to risk stripping if you over torque. Pedals don't have to be torqued too tight.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

oldskoolbiker said:


> You're only going to risk stripping if you over torque. Pedals don't have to be torqued too tight.


Ask any engineer, threads especially fine thread aren't designed for constant re-use. yes a few hundred times no big deal, but a poster suggested switching pedals back and forth.

For someone riding trails a few times a week and riding around the neighborhood with kids, that starts to add up.

Threads will start to wear over time, not just from over torquing.


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## theMeat (Jan 5, 2010)

^^yup, add to that cranksets are made of aluminum. Some like to learn the hard way. Live and learn, hopefully, but why learn from your own mistakes when you can learn from others.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

I'll echo what others have said in this thread already. They're not good for MTB. If you want to clip in, it's hard to find the right side in a pinch, and the flat side is absolutely dismal for grip compared to a good set of platforms with 5.10s. 

That being said, I use them on my flat bar road bike for commuting. 10 miles of my commute is on a bikepath with no intersections so I stay clipped in the entire time. 3 miles are in suburbs/city roads. Once I get to downtown Denver, it's just pointless to clip in and out at every traffic light since they're spaced so close together, so I just keep one foot clipped in and ride the other on the flat side so I can take off quick when the light turns green. But really, it's just nice to be able to grab the bike to go to the store or something with whatever shoes I happen to have on. Your mileage may vary.


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## sjvalleydave (Nov 30, 2011)

Two things...if you change pedals a lot, use anti seize, not just grease...also if you do pull the threads you can get heli coil kits


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## gera72 (Jan 14, 2012)

Another Begineer here and little confue with these terms... Question will be difference types of pedals.
Clip in- Special shoes with cleats. Correct?
Clipless- No special shoe? it is not necessary to clip-in ibut you have the option?
Platform- No special shoe? No option to clip in.. I will say regular pedal but better quality for MTB?

If you guys can clarify will be good! I just bought an Specialized HR 29er and I want pedals to be my first upgrade.. I will probably do 2 rides a week.. 1 road ride in MT bike and 1 ride in trails. 

thanks

Gera


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## 4Crawler (Oct 30, 2011)

Good reading below:
- Bicycle pedal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Swap your first two statements around:

Older toe clip type pedals could work with regular shoes or with a bike shoe with slotted cleat on the bottom along with the strap.

Clipless pedals have a special cleat on the bottom that locks into the pedal.

And some clipless pedals only have the clipless mechanism on one side and a platform on the other side, so those pedals can be ridden with regular or cycling shoes.


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## gera72 (Jan 14, 2012)

4Crawler said:


> Good reading below:
> - Bicycle pedal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> Swap your first two statements around:
> ...


Thanks! for the fast reply


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

gera72 said:


> Another Begineer here and little confue with these terms... Question will be difference types of pedals.
> Clip in- Special shoes with cleats. Correct?
> Clipless- No special shoe? it is not necessary to clip-in ibut you have the option?
> Platform- No special shoe? No option to clip in.. I will say regular pedal but better quality for MTB?
> ...


Clip-in and clipless are used interchangeably. The correct name is clipless but they both mean a pedal/shoe combo where a metal cleat on the shoe attaches to the pedal. The name is a holdover from when toe-clip pedals were the norm. When you moved to a pedal where the shoe attaches to the pedal without the use of a toe-clip it is a "clipless" pedal.

Platforms are sometimes also called flat pedals. They come in many varieties but the ones people are referring to when they talk about platform pedals aren't the cheap plastic ones that come with bikes but the ones that are aluminum with replaceable pins for grip.

If you aren't an experienced rider then get yourself a decent pair of flats and save clipless for another time when you have really dialed your comfort on the bike. I don't think there is a need to go to clipless but it's something post people should try. It's a great intermediate level skill to possess but it's not needed to advance your skills. Actually, too many people ride clipless exclusively and it hinders their bike handling skills.


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## Sarguy (Sep 25, 2010)

Don't forget the defintion of "money-less", that's how you feel after buying shoes, cleats, and clipless pedals.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Usually the cleats come with the pedal. Which is nice.

But an acceptably good flat pedal can come in for as little as $15, if you're just looking to do better than the awful plastic pedals that often come with the bike.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

*What are your thoughts on dual pedal?*

They don't work offroad.


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## gera72 (Jan 14, 2012)

Thanks guys for the info.. very helpfull, still don't undertand much the idea of clip-in in MTB.. 
What about the dual? like Mini1885 said?


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## 4Crawler (Oct 30, 2011)

gera72 said:


> Thanks guys for the info.. very helpfull, still don't undertand much the idea of clip-in in MTB..
> What about the dual? like Mini1885 said?


I have dual pedals on a couple of my bikes. They are certainly not ideal but for my needs, they work well. My typical rides would be like 15-20 miles of pavement out to a trail, then 5-10 miles of dirt and then 15-20 miles of pavement back home. I like the efficiency of the clipless side of the pedal for the pavement riding and for most of the dirt. But when things get technical, I like to unclip and ride the platform side so I have my feet free.

Now, I don't do any wild downhill or all mountain type riding as I am usually on the trails with a touring or cyclo-cross type bike. And for the type of riding I do, I find the platform side of a dual pedal works fine with the MTB shoes. Sure, it is nowhere near the grip or control of a good platform pedal and grippy shoes. And when I hit the pavement at the end of the trail, I flip the pedals over and clip in for the ride home. Since I have them on a few of my bikes, I find my feet get a good feel of which side of the pedal is up and I can clip in without too much thought.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I like clipless pedals on all the bikes I ride for fun. They keep my foot positioned correctly on the pedal. I don't slide around, and I don't slide off. While I haven't tried 5.10s on nice platforms, I've always found that I've had trouble staying well placed on flat pedals. Sometimes I'll rise up off them going over kickers, sometimes I'll find my back foot moving around on them when I'm pedaling. Neither of those things happens with clipless pedals.

Dual-sided pedals are pretty much the worst of both worlds. I found that wearing casual shoes, I often ended up on the wrong side, and it was pretty uncomfortable. If I'm wearing cycling shoes, I don't really see the point. Clipless pedal shoes are pretty awful when not clipped in. It's a system that works best for a rider who commits to it.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

gera72 said:


> Thanks guys for the info.. very helpfull, still don't undertand much the idea of clip-in in MTB..
> What about the dual? like Mini1885 said?


Regardless of what kind of pedals you use you want to pretty much stick to the pedals via your shoes to provide optimum bike control.

Clipless takes care of that with the cleats that stick to the pedals, platform or flats with pins on some and preferably sticky sole shoes.

A pair of pedal can not do the job well on both aspect(not yet anyways) for the offroad application. On road no problem as nothing you encounter on a paved trail or street is as urgent as offroad riding.

Usually a dual would come with SPD on one side and platform on the other side which create an imbalance weigh distribution so the heavier SPD side is always want to go down(it may be the other way around in some pedal designs). This make for a fussy task of flippin the pedals around til you get to the right side.

I ride with both flat and clipless and enjoy both type of pedals very much unfortunately like I mentioned earlier there's no pedal that can do both well offroad yet


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

i will add to my previous post that I took the dual pedals off my commuter. I never use the platform side. they are a pedal that does two things equally bad. it's not a worthwhile compromise.


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## Bigwheel29 (Feb 9, 2012)

I had the Shimano dualies for a while, got rid of them and went with DMR platforms instead. Either clipped in or using the flat side the fit was never quite right.


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## scorchedearth (Aug 30, 2011)

I've tried a pair of dual purpose SPDs in the past and didn't like them. I could never get the sides right - and this was on the road. I can't imagine what that would be like on a trail...

Either get good platforms or commit to clipless all the way.

As others have said here, having both on one pedal is the worst of both worlds.


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