During the off season, my cyclocross bike multitasks as a commuter and general purpose fun bike. Often, that means I need to hop on quick with whatever normal shoes I’m wearing, to the pedals need to accommodate something like a Keen Coronado or Commuter Sandal without any cleats installed (I love me some Keen shoes).
But I’ll still whip the bike out for a spirited ‘cross training ride, so being able to clip in with a proper mountain bike shoe without having to swap pedals is pure bonus, and the VP Components R62 pedals prove equally adept at multitasking.
With the build of the World’s Funnest Bike complete, these pedals replaced the Eggbeaters as a more all-round component and have worked for numerous runs to the store, trail rides and even a game of bike polo wearing Five10 freeride shoes…
The pedals weigh in at 203g each, cleats and necessary hardware at 23g. That adds up to 452g with everything you need to ride in normal cycling shoes.
If your shoes need the internal mounting plates, those are provided, too and weigh in at 7g per side.
The cleats are SPD compatible, looking and acting just like Shimano’s parts.
The flat side has a slightly concave profile with nubs along the body and pins at each of the corners. The pins did an excellent job of keeping my shoes stuck on the pedals during a ferociously amateur game of bicycle polo on the grass. They work just as well keeping shoes from slipping off while riding around town, too.
The platform is plenty big enough for my size 13 US feet to feel well supported.
The clip-in side uses a standard SPD-style retention mechanism with adjustable tension. The pedal naturally rotates itself to an easy-to-enter position for this side, so clipping in felt perfectly natural when starting from a standstill.
When I switched from Eggbeaters to these, I noticed the stack height of the pedal was taller, which required me to raise my saddle slightly to get the same leg extension. Not a complaint, just an issue worth noting and really the only thing that could even come close to a complaint here. The pedals spin freely and quietly and have held up very well to many months of riding. Even the black finish still looks new.
They’re available in black and silver. The body is aluminum and the axle is CNC’d chromoly rolling with roller and sealed cartridge bearings. Available online and in shops. Retail is $80.
