Product Description
- Includes standard length Power Grips straps and hardware
- Sealed bearings
| Item Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Weight | 350g |
| Intended Use | Mountain,Road |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Pedal Spindle | 9/16" |
| Spindle Material | Chromoly |
| Pedal Type | Cage |
| Defined Color | Black |
| List Price: | $69.95 |
| Price: | $65.61 |
| as of Fri, 22 Feb 2013 05:08:04 GMT ***Remember, deals price on this item for sale just for limited time*** | |
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #91656 in Sports & Outdoors
- Size: 9/16''
- Color: Black
- Brand: Power Grips
- Model: High Performance
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 4.00" h x 5.00" w x 10.00" l, 1.00 pounds
Features
- Includes standard length Power Grips straps and hardware
- Sealed bearings
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
By Joseph Ryan Kelly
***UPDATED REVIEW
I have now been riding on these pedals for around a year and a half, mostly on technical, rocky trails. I wrote the original review after tackling a 48 mile ride on such a trail. I was attempting the ride again a year later when at mile 18, I realized that my right pedal (not the strap or attachment components) had broken. The warranty for the pedals are good for one year. I contacted the company, just in case, and they offered to sell me replacement pedals at 20% off. While this is was a kind good-faith effort on their part, it simply won't be enough to keep me in Power Grips while mountain biking. If the company has no more faith in their pedal than to sell me another one at a modest discount, this must mean their pedals are not built to last much longer than a year. This simply isn't a good investment for me, even if it means not purchasing a unitasker shoe.
I went ahead and purchased a pair of clipless pedals and shoes and can confirm all my suspicions in the original post. There is more clearance underneath your foot with clipless pedals making technical or rocky trails easier to navigate, and it is easier to get clipped back in on rough trail. Additionally, clipless pedals do not require you to keep your foot more or less horizontal with the ground in order to pull up on the pedals as Power Grips do. This was an unexpected but exciting advantage of clipless pedals.
That having been said, if I were to purchase a second bike for commuting, I would use the Power Grips. I have removed two stars from my review, however, because I no longer believe they are a suitable choice for serious mountain bikers like myself. I need to know that my investment is going to pay off, and a one year warranty for a product that might break after a year and a half of use simply isn't sufficient for me. These should only be marketed to casual mountainbikers (no technical, rocky trails), commuters, and (possibly?) road bikers.
***ORIGINAL REVIEW
When the bike I purchased came without pedals, I spent the greater part of a day researching bike pedals, particularly ones that locked the foot in place by some means or another and ones that did not require a special shoe (as I did not like the idea of purchasing a uni-tasker shoe). The result of my internet research led me to purchase the Power Grips High-Performance Pedal Kit.
I chose this over the other Power Grips option because I wanted to avoid plastic components and wanted the higher quality sealed bearings system. I suspect that in the long run, I will appreciate this feature of my product.
I chose the Power Grips over other available options for a number of reasons. Few (if any?) plastic components meant that the Power Grips would outlast other products whose polymer based products break down in strength and integrity over time, due to a number of factors, many of which are encountered while mountain biking (e.g. sun, weather, rough use). The strap mechanism promised a tighter grip than toe clips due to the ability to twist the foot and cinch it in tight. It also promised easy release, unlike pedals which require you to use your hands to attach or free your foot. Finally, the Power Grips have a long tenure of production, use, and customer satisfaction. I suspect that this product will continue to be manufactured for the foreseeable future.
I have now been using my Power Grips for a full summer season (May to August). Just today, I finished a 48 mile mountain biking excursion on technical trails with lots of hills, roots, and rocks. I never once experienced any problems in relation to my pedals during my ride today. The straps do show some general wear. There is the slightest fraying on one of the straps in a particular location, but not such that I expect it to unravel. The straps have, as promised, proved durable in both hot and wet conditions. I have yet to use them during the winter in sub-freezing temperatures, though I read that they resist freezing or that freezing does not seriously undermine their integrity. I suspect that eventually these will need to be replaced, perhaps in another year, but they are reasonably priced and the old straps should be easily disposed of in an environmentally sustainable way (i.e. our compost bin).
On occasion, I have had the straps come loose, requiring me to stop and tighten the mechanism that holds them in place. I suspect that, in those instances, I either hadn't tightened them enough, or that I had not maintained tightness over long periods of continuous use.
The pedals hold my feet in nicely, but I also find it easy to quickly release my feet in the case of an anticipated halt or crash. It took me no time at all to get used to the angel at which I must twist my foot for it to be released (or, for that matter, to get used to the feel of the Power Grips). There are some occasions on the trail where this angle is hard or impossible to achieve. This represents one weakness of the Power Grips in comparison to clipless pedals. When I completely fall over (usually on my right or left side) and for whatever reason do not manage to get my foot out of the strap, it can sometimes prove difficult for me to free my foot in the fallen position. I imagine, though I do not know this for sure, that in such a case it would be easier to escape a clipless pedal. If you are a road biker, you would not experience this problem.
I find it moderately easy to strap myself in to my pedals. If I am on the road or a straight and relatively level trail surface, I can get both feet strapped in within just a few pedal strokes. Sometimes, the strap does not remain arched and if fiddling with it with my toe doesn't work, I reach down and quickly pull the strap over my toe. After this is accomplished the rest of the shoe (to the ball of my foot) slides in easily. As one might imagine, this can prove more difficult when I find myself "unsaddeled" on a difficult part of the trail. I have the option in such cases of using the pedal as a normal pedal, though I personally prefer the feeling of being strapped in. My clipless co-riders seem to manage to clip themselves in on such areas of the trail much easier than I, and this perhaps represents the greatest weakness of the Power Grips over that of the clipless. However, as I become more proficient on my bike and local trails, I find this scenario occurs less often. Once I am in the straps, I find myself as secure to my bike as others who ride with clipless pedals. They make bunny hopping easier, and provide great stability on bumpy and jarring rides.
One other minor disadvantage of the Power Grips over clipless pedals concerns the clearance beneath your foot. Due to the broad base of the pedal, you have an added half inch of space that is liable to bang against rocks or large roots when riding on rough terrain. Of course, the large size of the pedal base is something that some clipless co-riders have sometimes envied of me, so it depends on whether you prefer greater clearance beneath your foot or a broader base.
I am very satisfied with my purchase. The shoes I use while mountain biking also double for playing frisbee and other such sports. Also, I am not limited to using these shoes only, though using different shoes with different shapes may require you to adjust the straps for optimal use. And if, for whatever reason, I don't want to ride strapped in, I can easily flip the grip to the bottom or stand on the grip and ride un-strapped.
I have never met someone who believes that they posses the perfect pedal, nor am I under any delusions that mine are such. Like any product, they have their strengths and weaknesses. For my money, the strengths of these pedals outweigh their weaknesses, and they likely outweigh the weaknesses of any other comparably priced pedals (including clipless, if you consider the added expense of a pair of uni-tasker shoes). If, after reading my review, you find the strengths of these pedals to your liking and you are ready to ride strapped in or already do, I would not hesitate to suggest that you purchase these pedals. If you are wary of the weaknesses or of riding with your feet strapped to your bike, I would recommend you first visit your local bike shop to discuss with a professional their opinion given your concerns and riding habits.
Happy shopping!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
By Dona Mekko
I was leery of clipless pedals because I wanted to be able to wear regular shoes, and the idea of being locked into a pedal wasn't appealing. However, I wanted to take advantage of the extra power of the upstroke. I found out about these on a cycling board and decided to try them out. I am hooked on Power Grips. Yes, like clipless you have to get used to getting in and out of them, and yes, you will likely fall at some point. However, I got used to them fairly quickly, and now getting in and out is second nature.
Will definitely use these on any bike I own now.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
By theoldwrinkledone
I bought these as I hoped they would be 'good enough' to replace my cleated shoes for cycle touring. We do a fair bit of walking when touring, and it would be good to have proper walking shoes as my only pair of shoes. I found the Power Grips tricky to get adjusted correctly, but after tightening them in small increments 4 or 5 times I managed to get them fitting just right.
The main problem I found was that the sole of my walking shoe would not slide easily into the pedal and required a lot of wiggling of my foot to get it seated comfortably. This required a lot more looking down than I was happy with.
When getting started after stopping on a steep gradient it was often not possible to get the second foot in the pedal. This was especially difficult when passing traffic made it undesirable to get an attack of the wobbles while looking down.
They would be great for suburban/city riding when jumping on the bike with street shoes - found them a much better option than the old toe clips.
Overall I would not recommend them for touring - I breathed a sigh of relief when I clicked effortlessly back into my cleats on the first ride after coming back home.
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