MKS Urban Platform EZY Pedals + Steel Half Clip

MKS's urban pedals with steel half-clips are perhaps a little too glamorous for town hacks, they are a brilliant choice for everyday riding, or even touring.

These pedals resemble French brand Lyotard's classic MB23 pedals fed a steroid diet. For literally decades last century MB23s were the first choice of touring cyclists who wanted platform pedals so they could wear soft-soled shoes. The reborn design will be welcomed by anyone with a sense of history, and they're practical too.

They have broad bodies with 70 x 80mm platforms made from highly polished aluminium alloy with a pronounced 'flip tab'. This ensures feet and clips align perfectly for smooth, dignified pulling away.

They turn on super dependable chromoly axles and buttery smooth cartridge bearings. Triple seals mean replacements shouldn't be for several years, even in hard, daily service. I've felt no inclination to strip and repack them.

The clips are similarly stocky and fashioned from mirror polished stainless steel, which recreates chrome's shiny allure but won't succumb to the salt monster's bite. Soft Japanese cowhide covers complete the retro look perfectly and serve to protect smart shoes from unsightly scuffing. High quality hides tend to last, so long as they're treated with a decent leather preserve at monthly intervals.

Overall performance is superb; the huge dimpled platforms offer oodles of support, combating hot spots on longer rides and slippage when scooting round town in leather soled brogues.

The mountain bike pedal dimensions are a definite plus for convenience and those broad toe boxes will even entertain steel-capped safety boots, though my initial 70 miles confirmed they don't prohibit a decent cadence when wearing sportier touring slippers either.

Despite my tourer's widely spaced ratios, steep climbs with heavily laden trailer still demands occasional honking. The pedals have coped without flex or creaking despite being pummelled by my full 70 kilos.

Cornering prowess was pretty commendable along swooping back doubles and through concrete jungle alike. Flip 'n' go entry/release was equally intuitive, making split second dab-downs an absolute cinch in stop-start rush hour traffic.

Clip profiles were just low enough to prevent them scraping against the tarmac when putting along. Come to think of it, dirt roads haven't presented any hassles either.

Ground clearance did become an issue when I fitted them to a friends' fixer conversion with low slung bottom bracket and 172.5mm cranks. Roundabouts and S-bends demanded concerted efforts to avoid ground out. This is unlikely to be an issue for traditional road/touring/hybrid bikes or mountain bike derivatives.

The pedals, which cost £79.99 without the clips, feature MKS's EZY removable system which allows them to be quickly and easily taken off and put back on again without the need for a spanner, an adaptor staying attached to each crank. This is handy for storage and packing, and to prevent theft if your bike is parked somewhere public.

If you want to buy the pedals alone without the EZY removable system, they're £49.99. 

Verdict

Superbly engineered mid-price pedals; great alternative to hybrid SPD designs for commuting or utility riding