From Taiwan with Love...

No, no, I'm not talking about some bad James Bond re-make - Today I got a package in the mail from my friends over at Bebop Pedals / VPone components sent directly from Taichung, Taiwan! Woo, more toys! So, you say, what's in the box that's so important they had to send it directly from the factory? Well, my friends, the latest and greatest 195 gram(yeah, that's light) Bebop Stainless-steel pedals! So why am I talking about the pedals, of all things? Well, because they're what connects the motor to the bike! Not to mention, this is a sweet looking set of pedals! Unlike the somewhat ungainly Looks on my road bike, definitely not a case of function over form here. Anyway, to get to the point, out of all the possible pedal choices for this trip, I had a couple specific needs which the Bebops fulfilled:

First, as I'll be 'touring'(yeah, I hate that word too), I'm going to be walking around a lot off the bike, so a design compatible with my Northwave mountain bike shoes is a necessity. As such, we rule out pretty much every road focused pedal with their bulky cleats, and 3 bolt designs. Next, I need something knee-friendly both because I tore my ACL this spring, and because I'm going to be racking up some serious mileage. These pedals have 20 degrees of float(the range of movement allowed before the cleat disengages from the pedal), and a large cleat surface which allows easy shimming for proper alignment. Furthermore, these pedals are an extremely low-profile design, allowing your foot, as compared to most other designs, to be closer to the pedal, and thus a bit more stable.

Durability is also a consideration, but the Bebops combine solid Stainless-steel axles and beautifully machined engagement points with a bulletproof cro-moly pedal body. Unlike some designs which utilize some form of carbon or plastic, vulnerable springs, and multiple moving parts, the Bebop design is the ultimate in simplicity. The only moving parts are two small engagement springs mounted in the cleat itself - hidden away from possible damage, and designed with minimal movement to eliminate concerns about material fatigue. Best of all, these pedals only weigh 195 grams(260 with cleats) - as Bebop says, 'road light, mountain tough'. Plus, with all the gear I'm carrying, I reallly appreciate saving weight without sacrificing durability.

Over the next day or so I'll be getting the pedals dialed in, at which point I'll also detail the cleat installation procedure. Also of note: due to the low 11mm stack height, most mountain bike shoes require shaving a small section of tread to avoid contact with the axle, so I'll share the best procedure, as well as a template, for doing this.

Many thanks to Erik, Barrie, and the other fine folks at Bebop / VPone for getting these to me in time for the trip!

-Ben