If you own a Fat Bike one of the decisions you have to make before riding in the winter is whether or not to use clipless pedals, like Crank Brothers Egg Beater Pedals. While Eggbeater pedals shed snow very well, they are not so great when it comes to shedding ice. If you have to get off your bike and walk in slush for very long there is a good chance the cleats on your shoes are going to clog up with solid ice, and I’ve found that very difficult to get rid of. Last year I put a pair of Odyssey JC PC Pedals on my Surly Necromancer Pugsley and was fairly satisfied. The only drawback with the JC PC Pedals was the weight—since it is rotational weight you can really feel it as you ride! A few weeks ago I bought a pair of the new 45NRTH Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals and they made a world of difference.
45NRTH Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals
Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals are made by 45NRTH, a fairly new company that specializes in gear for cold weather cycling. This year they have brought a lot of exciting new cycling products to the market, including winter tires, chains, boots, pedals and balaclavas.
45NRTH Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals
The Heiruspecs is a wide flat pedal that has 16 replaceable alloy pins per pedal for an amazing grip. The CNC-extruded body is made of aluminum and weights only 358 grams per pair. The pedal itself is black and comes with orange pins, but replacement pin kits are available so you have your pins match your bike. Replacement pins are available in several colors, including red, blue, green, orange, silver, black, and pewter.
While I’ve not had a chance (yet) to ride with these pedals in the snow, I have used them in the mud. They offer an incredible grip, even when standing out of the saddle on a climb. In fact, the grip was so good I forgot that I was even using a regular pedal.
45NRTH Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals
As when installing any brand of pedal, you need to apply a thin layer of an anti-seize compound to the threads before installation. I use the Park Tool Anti-Seize Compound—it forms a protective barrier around small parts to protect them from rust and corrosion (this product is safe for use on steel, aluminum, and Titanium).
The 45NRTH Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals retail for $99 a pair and if your local bike shop does not have them in stock they can easily order them for you. These pedals are also available from several online retailers, but the discount they offer is usually not enough to offset the cost of shipping.
Side View Of The 45NRTH Heiruspecs Winter Grip Pedals
45NRTH also has another pair of winter pedals, known as the Helva, and they weigh 308 grams per pair. These pedals are considerably more expensive than the Heiruspecs, but I have not had the opportunity to try them out yet (but am thinking about getting them for one of my other winter bikes).
shawn
November 23, 2012 at 8:09 AM
Nice pedals! Any recommendations for accompanying winter boots?
All Seasons Cyclist
November 23, 2012 at 10:13 AM
I use the Lake MXZ302 Winter Cycling Boot, but it is only good down to around 10 degrees. Below that I use a pair of Bugaboots from Columbia Sporting Goods — they are good down to around -25 (I have wide feet and the Bugaboot is one of the few wide winter boots I can find).
Joboo
November 23, 2012 at 6:09 PM
These are the pedals I’m looking at also; so thanks for the nice little write up on them!!
I was gonna get 45NRTH’S new winter boots, but I’m gonna play wait and see with them.
As far as my winter footwear…….. 1,000 gram thinsulate Rocky winter boots……… anything below -10 and I use my 1,600 gram Rocky’s. warm hands and warm feet my the pedal that much more enjoyable!
Peace
All Seasons Cyclist
November 23, 2012 at 7:43 PM
Joboo, thanks for the info! As for the 45NRTH boots, you probably couldn’t get them anyway. The local bike shop tried to order a pair for me a few weeks ago and were told that they are “out of stock” for the rest of the season. We will just have to wait and see how the other folks liked them!