How do you like your Catalyst pedals?

[lum gim fong]

Thinking of trying them when they come out again in polished silver. Wonder if the blue color matches a Rambouillet.

1. How do you like your Catalysts?
2. How have they changed your riding?
3. Do they make your bike feel easier to pedal down the road?
4. Have they helped alleviate any foot probs you had with regular pedals?

[Palmer]

Hi Lum,
Catalyst pedals have spoiled me. After 3 rides on 2 different bikes, I wanted them on all my bikes. Now after 20 or so rides, I swap them from bike to bike. Totally sold on mid-foot pedals and when I did use other pedals I rode mid-foot with less comfort. Will be selling bike stuff to buy more. My only negative is there is toe overlap on a couple of bikes there was not before. I have size 11 feet and may be a factor.
Hope you like them as much as I.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake, MI

[Philip Kim]

Did you have to lower your saddle?

[Mojo]

I have only had my Catalyst pedals for a couple of weeks so I cannot give a full review. But my initial impression is they are the real deal.

I am 6 foot, 180lbs, size 11 shoe and ride most often in the dirt these days. I am also 61 years old so I have gone through the circular evolution of rubber pedal 'platforms' to toe clips to nailing cleats on Detto Pietros to Look clipless to SPD and now back to platforms.

The Catalyst has a foot platform that is just over 5 inches long, compared to my other platform pedal, the VP Vice, that is 3.5 inches long. Both pedals extend off the crank arm by just over 4 inches. You can find the Vice at ~$45 while I got my Catalyst for $90, full retail $100.

I was somewhat skeptical what an extra 1.5 inches of length would do for my cycling. I ride in hiking shoes with a stiff sole, Superfeet brand. I have also been riding with the pedal's axle well behind the ball of the foot for several years. So the move to the Catalyst was somewhat incremental. 

My impression: the Catalyst has shown its significance in very steep dirt climbing. I seem to get extra power out of the larger platform. As Pedal Innovations say, it feels like I am fully supported while doing the hard lift of climbing a steep dirt hill.

The Catalyst comes with two sets of pins with the shorter ones installed. I changed out one pedal to the longer pins to compare and liked the additional grip. Just yesterday I put the longer pins in the other pedal. The pin change takes about an hour for a set of pedals because there are 56 total pins. That is 14 per pedal side.

The Catalyst is a bit heavier. If that is important to you, we ride in different worlds.

I am using the Catalyst on my Jones Plus that has a very long front end. There is no toe clip overlap problem on that bike. I would not want to use this pedal on a tighter front end bike like my Rivendells and Surlys. I am also not sure the Catalyst would shine for road riding. 

The Catalyst more-forward foot position effectively moves the BB forward, or slackens the seat tube angle a degree or two (1-2 cm). I have not moved my saddle forward. But some folks may want to do that and thus perhaps want a slightly longer stem. Compared to SPD pedals, the saddle will need to come down about 1/2 inch. 

I will have more to say about the Catalyst pedals by next spring or so. But for dirt, demanding rides on bikes with long front ends, I think they offer a significant advantage over other platforms. 

Joe in GJT

On Friday, December 8, 2017 at 7:18:23 AM UTC-7, Philip Kim wrote:

[Palmer]

Yes, I lowered my saddle a small amount. 1 cm approximately.

[Deacon Patrick]

1. How do you like your Catalysts?

Love em.

2. How have they changed your riding?

More comfortable and solid contact with the pedal, fully engaged arch in my foot. Result: stronger, more comfortable pedaling on climbs. As other’s have noted, they do move the foot forward, and this creates overlap with my front wheel, but since going fixed it’s a near non-issue because fixed is so much smoother that I needn’t “side steer” because I easily hold a line (straight or curved as needed) because of the flywheel effect.

3. Do they make your bike feel easier to pedal down the road?

Down the road? Minimal difference. Up the road? Absolutely.

4. Have they helped alleviate any foot probs you had with regular pedals?

I didn’t have foot problems other than pedaling mostly with the outside of my foot rather than my whole foot. It wasn’t a problem, just what was doable with the pedals on the market at the time.

Yes, I lowered my seat, by about a half inch.

With abandon,
Patrick

[Jay Connolly]

I agree with everything Deacon Patrick says. They are spendy and I have them only on my Joe. They've been there long enough that I rarely think about making the foot-position adjustment. The differences in the pedal size "disappears" when I'm riding, which I think is the ideal.

Jay

[Jon Dukeman,central Colorado]

Has anyone switched from MKS Grip King to Catalyst?

[Palmer]

Hi Jon,

I had grip kings a few years ago and did not like them when wet in the least. Th ecatalyst are much better even when dry.

Tom Palmer

Twin Lake, MI

[EasyRider]

I'm not quite ready to give these a go, though I'm sure I'd dig them. For the time being, I'm a little more curious about their antecedents. Most of my favorite things about my bikes, much of which I learned about via Rivendell, are "old" innovations. Were pedals like the Catalyst around before, and fall out of favor?

[lum gim fong]

Interesting question.
Would be interested to know why they fell out of use if they were around before. That might save time and $$$ in trying them today if it was a legit reason

[Clayton.sf]

they come with a 30 day money back guarantee.

Clayton Scott
ST, CA

[Jon Dukeman,central Colorado]

I have size 13 shoes and need all the support I can get.

But is gaining .5" in overall length worth the $ 50 more than I paid for my MKS Grip Kings??? Maybe I'll give the 30 day guarantee a try in the spring if it's still offered.

Jon

[Bill in Roswell GA]

There are so many really good platform pedals out these days that it's worth trying a few different ones from stores with at least a 30 return policy. I can see larger shoe sizes working well with the longer platform. The price doesn't bother me. Like the price of an excellent saddle, it is an investment - as long as it works for you. What does bother me is the weight and I'm not a weigh wienie, but the weight has to be worth it. When I think of a Brooks saddle and Catalyst pedals at over 500 grams each, I'd better be getting a lot of usable value from each. 

That said, I have an average size foot, 9.5-10 and wouldn't get near the value from Catalyst pedals as would someone with a size 12+. There are actually a number of riders with large feet that can't get into the clipless shoes available. As an alternative for the larger foot sizes, some hiking shoes have a relatively stiff sole, as do Five Ten cycling/skate shoes (which run a bit larger than stated size with roomy toe box). 

It's the synergy of all the parts that equals the right fit and ride for each individual. No matter how much is quantified, in the end it's what feels right for you and that takes trial and error. And even that changes over time as our bodies age! 

Cheers,

Bill in Roswell, GA (still dealing with a knee problem that should be resolved before Feb.)

4. Have they helped alleviate any foot probs you had with regular pedals?. 

[Jim S.]

Of course there's also the Bullseye Woody, featured in RR 26:

[Belopsky]

FWIW - I do not have the Catalyst pedals but I too did not like how slippery the Grip King are when wet

[Clayton.sf]

I am experimenting with a pair. I wear shoes and boots from size 11 to 13. Redwing 11, Vans and Nike 12.5, 510 13, everything else mostly 12.
The extra length is VERY noticeable. Unlike any other pedal I have used including gripkings. Not sure if I am experiencing all the wonderful benefits claimed, but they feel good and are especially great with flimsier shoes where other pedals are not as comfy. Going to ride them at Strada Rossa next week, which will be the first longer ride on them, unless my experience there changes significantly I am not going to return them. Still think my Canfield Crampons are just as comfy though very different feeling. They are very well made. VP makes them. I am using the shorter pins with are long enough for me. They are heavy, but you can wear lighter shoes.

Clayton Scott
SF, CA

[tc]

Lum, 

Thanks for bringing this up -- never heard of them, but I'm gonna try them.  Foot pain is really the only pain that has tarnished otherwise great rides for me.  I ride flat pedals (Shimano Saint), and appreciate their width.  But having both ends of the foot arch supported really makes sense.  Just wish they weren't so expensive.

Tom

[tc]

Like them!  Today I rode my Sam with Catalysts for the first time.  Thoughts:

• They're huge
• Had to lower my saddle and move it fwd about 2cm
• Takes some getting used to.  I played around until I found a foot position I could keep.
• Once I got used to them, I felt I could output more power.  Hips, butt, and upper legs were more engaged than on my smaller Shimano Saint platform pedals, which I rode using a more ball-of-foot traditional style.  Standing up and pedaling felt extra powerful with less effort
• I had no foot arch nor ball of foot pain after my ride.  With traditional pedals and ball-of-foot style pedaling, I could always count on a little bottom-of-foot pain.  I wear running shoes with upgraded stiffer insoles when I ride.
• Toe strike is an issue on tight turns.  I imagine this is not the pedal to get if you're making a lot of turns.  Not a bother to me since I was on a paved greenway with few reasons to turn sharply

[Mojo]

I bought a second pair and put them on my touring/load carrying bike, a Surly LHT. I like them for road cycling too.

Joe in GJT

[Ron Mc]

I'm totally sold on spiked platform pedals, running on 3 of 4 bikes, and agree with the arch concept of the Catalyst.  Shanked shoes are not required with good platforms.  

I'll also state I've never tried a pair of Catalyst.    

The length was my favorite feature of Grip Kings/ MKS Lambda.  Duplicated that length, Much thinner, better clearance and Much better sticky in my favorite platforms - Raceface Atlas.  

Ran into clearance and road-strike issues with VP-001.  After a strike and sprain, clearance became a bigger issue with me than length.  

Pedals that have stuck for me and my feet, offering the right support and clearance are Blackspire sub-4.  

Blackspire is running an overstock sale on their 100mm-long pedal, the Robusto - for 2/3-off - $50.  

https://www.blackspire.com/product/robusto-pedal/

Might be a good half-price substitute for the Catalyst.  

[Ron Mc]

ps - I have size 13-ice-skate feet.  

[Deacon Patrick]

Those look like good pedals, Ron. The are longer by VP Vice by a quarter inch, but shorter from the contact area of the Catalyst by at least an inch (is 100mm their full lenght, or the length of the foot contact surface?

With abandon,
Patrick

[Ron Mc]

Patrick, I'm pretty sure that is the contact patch - it's measured that way on 3 other Blackspire models I've bought..  (For women feet, the 74mm-wide El Gordos are killer pedals)

I bought myself a pair at this price, just to have a back-up, if nothing else.  

When needed (so far, just Once), Blackspire's rebuild service is also first rate - all they charge you for is the express shipping from Canada ($16 US), and you'll have your pedals back in a week.  

[tc]

Here's a pic of the Catalysts mounted on my Sam, with my size 11.5 shoe balanced on top.

This is approx. the position the shoe would be in, though I'd have to get my wife to get an actual shot showing the position I found most comfortable.  It'd be very close to this, anyway, with both heel and rear ball of  foot area in solid contact.

I measured the contact patch of the Catalyst to be 128mm.

[Ron Mc]

Received my Blackspire Robustos today, and they're larger than the 100x94mm platform reported.  In fact, they match the size of my Raceface Atlas.  

Liked the pedal and the price enough to order a red pair to back up my Atlas pedals.