i was out on a short 13 mile ride early last week checking the distance and the time to ride from my house to the schaumburg train station. i’m obtaining a enclosed bike locker there that will allow me to commute to the train via bike and not leave it exposed to vandals. anyhow, i arrived at the station after 30 minutes and about 6.4 miles of light riding. as i turned to return home i felt my right pedal give a little and then sag. i lifted my foot off the pedal to look and the body of my less than 2 year old shimano dx pedal fell to the ground leaving the greasy axel on the crank arm. i was dumb struck … yet another problem with my bike, this was not my summer that’s for sure. i stopped, slid the pedal body on the axel and then rigged it so i could ride home. needless to say my left leg was extremely tired when i got back from doing 90% of the pedaling, but hey, it was a good workout.


obviously this forced me to buy some new pedals for my bike. i didn’t go with the clipless pedals i talked about before, i’m still planning on getting those in the spring. i wanted to stay with a platform pedal because i think it will give me the best support and strength for my size. i narrowed my choices down to the brooklyn machine works shin burgers, atomiclab aircorps, and the easton flatboy. i called all around the chicagoland area and was only able to get the flatboys at a local bike shop. i didn’t feel like waiting on an order so i went ahead and just bought em.


they are very slick looking pedals, all black, with laser etched lettering. they really gripped my feet well for the little time i rode on them yesterday. i’m looking forward to punishing them this weekend. ride on!