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Flat and Clipless pedal questions - Sunline, Shimano, CrankBros

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,126
7,675
Transylvania 90210
I ride both clipless and flats. I'm looking for advice on each.

1st - Is anyone riding Sunline V-One pedals? I've heard nothing about them. They look dope, though a bit heavy.

2nd - I'm not super happy with the clipless pedals I've been running. I tried the CrankBros Acids but they were a bit small of a platform and I wasn't a huge fan of the release. I've run Shimano in the past and been much more comfortable with clipping in and out and the feel when clipped in. I recently tried a pair of Atomlab Quicksteps and I like the bigger platform, but I find that I have trouble clipping in and out at times, though they work well for the most part. In search of "the best" I'm now looking at the new CrankBros Mallets (2008 with the pins). Anyone on them care to share thoughts? I'm also considering the Jenson sale on PD M647 pedals
Link.

Fire when ready.
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,126
7,675
Transylvania 90210
i'm having a hard time reading between the lines and understanding the subtext of your post, but i think i see what you are trying to say :D
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,126
7,675
Transylvania 90210
yeah, i know "another pedal thread." my main concern is the Sunline pedals. i heard so much about them for a while, then nothing. what is the story on them? is anyone running them? if so, nobody is talking about them. i've also not heard any feedback on the new crankbros design. that is my excuse for this thread and i stand by it.
 

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
what's the new crankbros. design? I've tried really hard to like to 5050's but it just hasn't worked out. the feel is average but my no. 1 complain is the pin on the outer edge of the back/top, bottom/forward platform of the pedal. when facing down it is the outermost point of the pedal and i've sheered it off of every 5050 i've owned. Easton, burtec, and Atom lab all move this pin in about a centimeter. i've had no problems since getting rid of them. i don't hit these pedals in the same spot any less, but there is no pin to rip out.

but pedals are a personal thing, especially so with flat pedals where 'feel' is different for everyone.
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,126
7,675
Transylvania 90210
the crankbros i'm asking about are the mallets (i don't care about the 50/50s). in 2008 they added pins to the platform instead of just having the end-plates from earlier models.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
What about Time Control Z's?
Time pedals are great. really predictable entry and release and a decent platform.
 

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
yeah, i knew that already. darn, i was hoping to hear they did something to the 5050 as well.

the new mallet looks good and i always liked using them, especially in the mud. too bad i managed to break the retention bars far too frequently to keep using them. i think i'm a shimano lifer when it comes to clipless. the new ones are pretty durable, i've slammed the sh*t out of them for 2 years with no damage (gotta file the plastic down now and again as it gets really sharp).

edit: my bad, i read Sunline and was thinking Straitline; the names are too similar. disregard my first post, it seems those links will be less than helpful.
 

al-irl

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
1,086
0
A, A
just get shimano 647 and be done with it. Major case of if it aint broke don't fix it. They work simple as that they may not be cool like having crank bros but i really think having a cage around the egg beater defeats the 4sided entry. So thumbs down on loosing there advantage. The 647 shed mud pretty well, are easy to get in and out of, last for ages and are much cheaper than the mallets where i come from anyway.
 

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
Another vote for the 647s. If you like Shimano, then why not? I've owned a bunch of Shimano pedals and have yet to have any real problems. I've been using the 647s for maybe 2 seasons or a bit more. Season before last I slammed a tree root and ripped the plastic cage off the pedal, glued it back on, fell off again about 9 months later. Pedals still work the same. I've got no complaints. I still use 747s on my road/cx bike and have a working pair of 636 DXs somewhere...
 

chober

Monkey
Nov 21, 2004
170
0
Pasadena, CA
Yea I've used mallets in the past for about 6 months and noticed that I was always 1/2 sec to 1 sec slower clipping in then with shimano pedals. The 647s are great pedals but I seem to destroy the cages on a regular basis. I got spares to rebuild them each time though.
 

[Tha]Shovla

Monkey
Aug 28, 2007
119
0
Somewhere over the rainbow
Time Z for clippless, I run 2 pairs, and many people i know run them as well. they take hard hits and keep comming back, terribly low maintenance and almost overly reliable, nothing better. 4 years on my pairs, no maintenance, no adjustment. the only thing i replace is the cleats every year.

Flat pedals ... dont get me started ... buy 5:10's shoes and ride anything that has 13 pins or more and is comfortable on your foot, thats all i have to say about that.
 

bent_steel

Monkey
Jun 19, 2007
165
0
South
I just got my 08 Kona Wah Wah's in and although I haven't got any ride time on them, they meet the specifics I wanted in a new pair of flats.






my 2 cents
 

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
[Tha]Shovla;2792288 said:
Time Z for clippless, I run 2 pairs, and many people i know run them as well. they take hard hits and keep comming back, terribly low maintenance and almost overly reliable, nothing better. 4 years on my pairs, no maintenance, no adjustment. the only thing i replace is the cleats every year.

Flat pedals ... dont get me started ... buy 5:10's shoes and ride anything that has 13 pins or more and is comfortable on your foot, thats all i have to say about that.
I'd say 9 pins or less. less pins = more pressure per pin = more grip. Some of the most grippy pedals you can get are good concave platforms with 7 or 8 pins (burgtec, atomlab, easton, dx, 5050 with 3 front and rear and 2 on the sides . . .)

lots of pins doesn't mean lots of grip.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
I'd say 9 pins or less. less pins = more pressure per pin = more grip. Some of the most grippy pedals you can get are good concave platforms with 7 or 8 pins (burgtec, atomlab, easton, dx, 5050 with 3 front and rear and 2 on the sides . . .)

lots of pins doesn't mean lots of grip.
entirely agree. my syncros mags came with a full set of long pins in them, aside from being deadly scary and uncomfortable (my foot felt like it was on nails, it didn't actually touch the platform of the pedal because of the pins), they didn't grip amazingly. After switching to stratigically placed short pins/no pins in certain places, they work better then any pedal i've ever ridden.

that said, i'm pretty happy with them, was afraid they were gonna desintegrate being lightweight magneisum, but they held up a month of bashing them every day on tunnel trail without a broken pin, dent, or any sign of damage other then slightly chipped paint in a few spots.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
I wouldn't suggest the crank brothers, unless you are just looking for disposable pedals. Every set I've had has broken, and I got tired of fixing them. Snapped axles, pedal body bending, falling off the spindle, the crazy release when you hit an object with the bottom of the pedal, the fast wearing cleats (that cause inconsistant and early release), etc.

I think the eggbeater mechanism is a good choice for an XC bike (or any bike if you're willing to sacrifice) when you want to sacrifice some to have lighter weight. It has it's place. It's out of place in a DH pedal (where you must "roll" your foot foward across the pedal to clip in), and the R&D just never seems to be there with CB products. Colbalt cranks literally comming unglued, various CB pedals I've owned, my CB tool that must have been made with steel from a russian submarine, etc.

Times are great, although I like the consistancy and solid feel of the shimano 545s.
 

wigger

Chimp
Jan 10, 2008
1
0
Denver Colorado
I have been running V-ones for about a year... Look no further..
I havnt had any issues with them... They grip like your clipped in.. and remain straight and smooth after a year of abuse.. I pounded them through plenty of rock gardens and figured I would find plenty of broken pins..
but they passed the test.. If you should bend any pins they are easily removed.. I prefer a strong reliable pedal over saving a couple of grams... I just did a couple DH runs in the snow and found they shed mudd and snow like a champ too... give them a shot
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Take any pedal with replaceable pins and insert hollow head allen pins in, 5:10s and wham next best thing to clipless. I actually crashed with my feet stuck to the pedals the other day. Remind me next time we ride and I'll show you the little blundgeon holes in my 5;10's from the pins. No footers are a real experience to get used to but you will stay hooked.
 
Oct 8, 2003
202
0
The sunline v one pedals are by far the best flat pedal I have ever used. Yes they are a little heavier than some other pedals but I wouldn't consider them to be super heavy. However even if they were a very heavy pedal I would not question using it because it would be worth it. I have ran these pedals the whole 2007 season and the bearings are as smooth as the day they were new (super smooth right out of the box due to the design) They also have the most grip of any pedal I have ever used. I lost one pin after a year of use and was able to thread a new one right in (come with 10 extra pins) overall the best pedal ever IMO durable,smooth,grippy. I should also mention I am on the east coast so it is very rocky and rains all the time, pedals take a lot of abuse in the rocks and mud.