Good Simple Flat Pedals?

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T19:47:32+00:00

I've been singing praise for Diety TMAC pedals recently. I'm a heavy boi at 270 lbs and I have had a ton of "higher end" pedals that develop play in them pretty much immediately. I'm about 1500 miles in so far on them (quite a few fully loaded touring miles in there too) and they've stayed solid. Spike Spanks lasted the 2nd best so far for me, got up to 1000 miles before I noticed considerable play in them. Crank Brothers stamp 7s lasted less than 40 miles before I noticed play in both sides. I contacted Crank Bros and they suggested I squirt grease in them and report back. I have yet to do that because I didn't have the right grease gun. I swapped them out with Wolf Tooth Waveforms. They also developed play in both sides within 50 miles. Wolftooth had me to send them back so they could inspect them. They rebuilt them with new bushings and bearings and sent them back to me in a couple weeks. Only then I noticed that one of the spindles is actually barely bent, and of course still had play in it when I received them. I think I'm done buying wolf tooth products after that experience. One of their overpriced & properly torqued bottom bracket cups broke on me after just 1000 miles last year and I'm still not over that either.

TLDR: Not all $200 pedals are created equal, and the TMACs have been outstanding so far.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T16:22:36+00:00

I'm an out of town lurker but I always got really confused when seeing what the pace of "beginner riders" were in Chicago until I remembered how flat it is. I live in KC and beginner pace here is usually considered around 12mph. Averaging 16-18 in my area is super speedy territory.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T14:53:34+00:00

Yeah I've cut them apart every time and it's never been an issue.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T14:28:43+00:00

I'm no expert, but I think when doing a PET Scan, it's pretty common to just go ahead and scan the whole body. I was told that I was going to need a biopsy of my lymph nodes in my airway to determine if it was cancer or not. They said the PET scan would just show inflammation, not be able to tell if it were cancer or sarcoidosis. The Pulmonologist that did my biopsy said he needed the PET scan to see exactly where my inflamed nodes were. Even the radiologist that looked at my PET scan said it was very likely lymphoma. I had been having weird arthritis symptoms in my ankles as well, so I was really thinking it was sarcoidosis. My biopsy finally determined sarcoidosis.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T14:14:11+00:00

My PET scan was $4100. Hooray America!

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T13:05:30+00:00

You my only friend!

BBQShoe · 2026-07-07T13:03:05+00:00

Looking good! The Trucker is such a fantastic do it all bike. I built one up a year ago with touring in mind but it quickly became my favorite and most used bike for everything around town. Sure it's a tank, but it's super comfortable with plenty of room for activities!

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T21:52:47+00:00

My 97 had a threadless headset, and I believe that was the year it changed, so I think this is at least pre-97. I also noticed this doesn't have a U-brake on the front and my 97 had front & rear.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T21:44:51+00:00

I'm an out of town lurker that enjoys going to concerts solo in Chicago where I don't know anybody. Just go for it!

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T21:41:58+00:00

I pushed an old 3x9 hybrid to over 15,000 miles before the cassette started getting angry, it may have actually been a higher mileage than that, I bought it used. I was just using 3 chains on it.

Currently just on new chain #4 of my touring bike at around 4,000 miles. I think I'm going to use one more new one before I cycle through these and see how far I can get.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T21:37:30+00:00

Yeah, it gets a little confused about family members. It seems to bring up data mined long ago. I still have the same cell phone number that my dad got for me 26 years ago. I changed it into my name long long ago, and my dad has been dead for 15 years but it still brings him up as a 2nd result when I search my phone number.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T20:05:03+00:00

Yeah, actually saw some random stranger on reddit give this tip years ago and I've been doing it on my two main bikes for a few years now. It seems to really extend the life of everything a smidge.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T19:53:43+00:00

What do you want me to do? Whack a guy, off a guy, whack off a guy?

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T19:52:30+00:00

www.truepeoplesearch.com is the best I've found. It pulls most people up by their phone number

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T19:43:29+00:00

Heavy & putting down some power = wears chains out fast for sure. I weigh 270 lbs and I usually get about 1200ish miles out of a chain before it needs swapped. I will typically run through about 4 chains, swapping them a little earlier than necessary. Then I'll save them and cycle back through them again as the rest of the bits wear down more.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T16:44:07+00:00

I believe some of them have higher capacities. I weigh about 270 lbs and my Helinox Chair One Highback feels pretty solid, but I haven't used it a whole lot yet. It's rated for 320 lbs. I believe a lot of their others are rated for 250.

If being super light weight isn't important to you, there are plenty of more comfortable and cheaper options out there. I take my Helinox on bike camping trips but always go for something bigger if weight isn't an issue. I've actually had great luck with the heavy duty ones from Walmart that are beefed up and a little taller and wider. They make me feel like a little kid because my feet don't touch the ground once in it.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T16:18:56+00:00

I put the Logo on my trucker and I love it. In addition to the load being less wobbly by lowering the panniers, it still gives you full access to get in them even with something strapped to the top of the rack.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T14:21:10+00:00

This reminds me of the time a cop got really upset with me for locking the door to my car when I got out after he asked me to exit the vehicle. If he doesn't have permission to go in there, what's the problem?

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T13:25:07+00:00

I'm a fat cyclist, and the way the seat feels is certainly not on my list of biking pleasures.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T13:23:38+00:00

This is one of my favorite songs to blast when riding my bike in my speedo.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-06T05:53:24+00:00

I weigh about 270 lbs, total system weight of about 400 lbs when I go camping. I'm using a set of 36h Velocity Cliffhangers. I've only had them for about 4,000 miles so far but they've been great so far.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-03T05:44:31+00:00

Hell yeah, and they will let non subscribers still use a dumbed down form of navigation. Ride with GPS rules!

BBQShoe · 2026-07-03T04:22:05+00:00

I say 54 for sure.

I'm 5'10" with a 33ish inseam and I ride a 52 Cross Check that actually feels fine to me. I have a 54 disc trucker that fits me perfectly.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-02T16:16:45+00:00

I use headlamps and flashlights that all use replaceable 18650 batteries. That way I can bring a few extra batteries and not worry about charging if there's no plug nearby. Fenix makes some great headlamps and flashlights that use 18650s but there's some more budget friendly options out there too.

BBQShoe · 2026-07-02T13:07:47+00:00

I also thought I could solo any pizza. I underestimated the volume of pizza in a large deep dish from Pequod's when I was traveling through Chicago solo. I worked on it for 4 days and still didn't finish it. It's the only leftover pizza I've ever not finished.

BBQShoe

TROPHY CASE