Favourite old-school pedals

[simonineaston]

I'm putting together a nice bike from the '80s and I want to use period parts and I've never used clipless pedals anyway - what are folk's favourite comfy platform touring pedals from back-in-the-day? I like the Lyotard platform jobbies (Marcel Berthet ?) but they're chromed steel & weigh a ton!

[rotavator]

MKS Sylvan touring pedals are good or go for the "Next" version if you are feeling flush. Although I am now thinking that pedals with a wider platform laterally could be better.

[Roy A]

My 1960's King of Mercia has the original Lyotard platform pedals, which were refitted after I broke my ankle in 2018 and subsequently removed clipless ones. Although worn from my miles use they cleaned up well and after a service continue to run smoothly.

In 2018 MKS platform pedals were fitted to my other 1980's Mercian. These are available from SJS: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pedals-clea ... rm-pedals/

In both cases using half clips in place of the full clips and straps I used originally.

Lyotard may be available second hand, however, when I last looked they considerably more expensive than the MKS equivalent.

[simonineaston]

I have a pair of MKS - the narrower, older type and I've just found them in the bottom of the spares bin. Time for a wash & brush-up, I think!

[robc02]

For me the ONLY pedals from that era are Campagnolo Record or Super Record Pista! (Though I confess to a soft spot for Marcel Berthet Platform pedals).

[freiston]

No help, but my favourite pedals were the Lyotard platform pedals (with Christophe clips and leather straps). They were good crown cork bottle openers too!

[Bogawski]

I invested in a pair of Hope F20 pedals recently, wide and flat both sides, previously I was on spd's with flat on the other side. After 1/2 a dozen rides now I find my right foot is about 30mm away from the crank whereas the left is adjacent to it, the Hope pedal is wide enough to accommodate this. With the spd's my feet would have been in one position, so alhough they are not "old school" they look good and have loads of flexibility re. foot positions. Worth the money imho.

[TrevA]

Back in the day, I would have ridden something similar to the MKS Sylvan or perhaps the track version without the round bit on the end, with Christophe toeclips and leather toe straps. I think Campag used to do a version similar to them - edit, similar to those shown by Robco2. But then back in the day, I could afford the best kit (before getting married and still living with my parents).

[simonineaston]

I'm looking at MKS website - they do a double-sided platform jobbie... I don't know anything about clipless technology, so can I ask if there is one standard these days, or are there several systems available?

[tatanab]

^^^^^^ I think you are confusing terminologies. Clipless refers to modern pedals where the shoe has a cleat that fits into the pedal. Called clipless because they do not use toeclips. If I assume you are talking about using toeclips (with or without straps) the answer is that there is one general standard, meaning the pitch of the mounting holes (there is one other type that uses a wider pitch but they are not common). You should buy toeclips of a length that suits your show size, and I would buy metal ones since I find plastic ones too flexible. Straps to me would be necessary, but not to all who post here. On the MKS website you can see that not all their pedals will accept toeclips, having no mounting holes.

[wjhall]

Quill pedals were also fitted to touring bicycles in the 80's and remain my favourite, with toe clips. Then the MKS AR-1, now its fairly similar looking successor the AR-2.

[simonineaston]

I think you are confusing terminologies.

I am not, but thank you for taking the time to explain the difference. I was asking about "clipless" pedals, so that I was clear that I had considered every possible technology. I like the vintage MKS platform jobbies I already have and indeed have just purchased new straps to go on them & their attached toe-clips - and I think that they will be appropriate to use on the AM which dates from 1987. But back when I posted my last, I didn't want to exclude the possibility of using modern, clipless pedals until I'd thought it through, which I now have. I've concluded that the use of clipless pedals will presume that I am content to use shoes-with-cleats, whereas the truth of it is that I am not. Back to the venerable MKS GR-9s

[TrevA]

There are 4 main standards for clipless pedals - Shimano SPD, Shimano SPD-SL, Speedplay and Look Keo.
SPD use 2 bolt holes and a metal cleat that engages with the pedal. The cleat is usually recessed into the sole of the shoe, making it easier to walk or run in the shoes. SPD-SL and Keo are similar, using 3 holes on th3 cleat and shoe, and the cleats are plastic. They supposedly give more support to the foot and spread the weight ove4 a larger area, but the cleat stands proud of the shoe and they are difficult to walk in. Speedplay pedals are round - like lollipops, and the locking mechanism is built onto the cleat which uses 4 holes, but there is an adapter plate to allow them to be used with 3 hole shoes. Speedplay offer more “float” (side to side movement) than the other systems, but the bulky cleats are also difficult to walk in.

There are a few other systems such as Time Road, Time Atac and Crank Brothers Egg Beaters, but they are all variations on a theme.

[pq]

I used Campag track pedals of various descriptions for absolutely everything. I preferred them to road pedals for some reason, but they're only any good if you're using shoes with cleats.

[mattsccm]

I have a fondness for Fals. Awful things in many ways but they were my first clipless ones. Did have some alloy Lyotards on an old CX bike.