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Review: Fly Pedals Version 2 clipless pedal platform adaptors

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Fly Pedals Version 2

Many of us ride clipless pedals. Some of us want to ride them in “regular” shoes now and then, without having to swap over to flats. Enter Kickstarter success story Fly Pedals’ universal clipless pedal platform adapters. These are click-in platforms, drilled to accept cleats for all the major two- and three-bole clipless standards. This second iteration of the product is 30% lighter, has optional Velcro straps, and is weighted for easier platform-up positioning, which helps you get your foot firmly planted from a standing start. It’s a smart, simple concept, but do they live up to the promise?

Fly Pedal Universal clip to flat adapter

The Fly Pedals worked fine on family rides along the bike path or to go fishing, and really anytime clipless shoes weren’t ideal. The platforms were stable, with ample size and good grip from the cleverly placed traction pins. With my low-float SPDs, I had no issues with accidental disengagement, but more floaty pedals, like Eggbeaters, would likely feel disconcerting. I rode with and without the velcro straps, and preferred the straps. The straps made the initial pedal flip to right-side-up a bit more difficult, but gave the of stability and power transfer benefits you’d expect. And kept them from accidently flipping upside-wrong.

You may have figured out the achilles heel of the Fly Pedals. There is an inherent problem to placing a platform on the top side of a clipless pedal, namely gravity. After jumping on the bike, your next few seconds are spent trying to flip the platforms up. Back in the day, I rode toe straps, so I have some muscle memory for the flip maneuver, but I still struggled. Overall, not a deal breaker, but irksome. And super embarrassing if you slow-speed crash into your mailbox, or so I can imagine. My mailbox has, um, always leaned like that.

Compared to changing pedals, the cost/benefit ratio favors Fly Pedals. If you’re a coordinated-type who’s mastered both bunny hops and moonwalking, you can likely learn the pedal flip. If you need to get rolling in a hurry, pedalling platform-down was fine, so up-hill starts are doable. This new version also has a 6mm metric wrench hole for removing the platforms, but I found that I could release them using a the standard release motion, just with more oomph. The initial click in of the platform became easy with practice.

These lightweight aluminum platforms pack well, and should hold up fine for years of casual use. Fly Pedals V2 retail for $49.95 and have a lifetime warranty. The Quick Straps add $29.95. Available at your local shop, or www.ZeitBike.com.

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13 Comments
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Stephen Gaucher
7 years ago

If you’re using them with a double-sided pedal I guess you could just buy two sets and apply to both sides of the pedal…

C
C
7 years ago

I ride them all year around without the strap and with the new version there is plenty of traction with the pins even if its wet outside.

Also flipping them around quickly becomes easy.

They have really made it easy to make my road bike a do it all bike.

John
John
7 years ago

I use them with Speedplay X. They’re so-so with the floaty pedals. If you have the straps on, you can unclip at stops and click back in 🙂 Just be careful you don’t slip.

The platforms are really nice and I was planning to get some SPD anyway, so I think I’m convinced to do that now.

David Lewis
David Lewis
7 years ago
Reply to  John

If you’re changing to SPD pedals anyway, why not put the Shimano PD-A530 pedals on that bike? I’ve used those on my around town bike for years, and they do exactly this without being clunky. The PD-A600 pedals have enough width to use SPD shoes that aren’t uber-stiff on my road bike, so it makes a nice combination.

Frank
Frank
7 years ago

To be clear, these just fall off and are totally useless with Crank Brothers pedals

Greg
Greg
7 years ago
Reply to  Frank

Apparently

Rod Kimble
Rod Kimble
7 years ago

“totally useless with Crank Brothers pedals”

I think I see the problem right there…

Ryan
Ryan
7 years ago

Nashbar Doubletrack pedals are a cheaper, better solution. At around $30 they’re dirt cheap and they work great on both sides. At the end of the day these things are just a blocks of aluminum, and cast aluminum at that by the looks of the pics. If the price was more like $20 – $25 I could see buying these, but they cost as much as some complete sets of pedals. That’s just way too much money for something with no moving parts made out of cheap, commonly available materials.

A
A
7 years ago

Just type “spd platforms” at Ebay and you will find many similar solutions at half the price

What I would be interested in would be the opossite, a normal platform pedal that I could add an attachment that would convert them to SPD pedals. Such a solution would be very nice for my 1 or 2 road trips that I do with my daily commuter bicycle.

typevertigo
typevertigo
7 years ago

This is probably a good solution for people with three-bolt cleats, but for SPD fans you’re better off using Shimano’s Deore XT touring pedals (PD-T780 and PD-T8000). Large platform on one side, SPD on the other.

The newer T8000 model even has traction pins for the platform side. I’ve had the T780s on my cross bike, and save for the lack of grip on the platform side in the rain, they’ve been excellent.

Oli
Oli
7 years ago

Maybe I don’t understand this fully, but isn’t changing your pedals just undoing a bolt on each side??

outside!
outside!
7 years ago

This concept has been around since at least 1996. You better tighten the release tension on SPD’s if you use these. Having the platform unclip from the pedal in the rain while going through an intersection is no fun. Retrieving the platform from traffic is even less fun. Better yet, don’t use them as they are just an accident waiting to happen.

cathysj
cathysj
5 years ago

i have found ALL of these comments absolutely helpful…i was hell bent on getting these or something similar but i wanted to see thoughts and opinions first. i would have to try them before i made a decision but these reviews give me a lot of good caveats AND plusses. thnx!

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