Full Body Cramp

ProtonLocks Magnetic Pedal Locks – First look and thoughts

by Manster on Oct.14, 2009, under Pics and Videos, Reviews

Clipless pedals have never appealed to me because I come from a strong old-school BMX background.  For one, if you only have one bike, having to wear special shoes just to ride is a big pain in the ass.  Even the Crank Brothers Mallet, with its eggbeater center and platform, is very awkward with flat shoes because there is a ~1/4″ protruding lump rolling around under your sole. Don’t forget that wearing those ‘special’ shoes off the bike will make you sound like a tap dancer and look like a bowler. I prefer to grab my bike on a whim, wearing whatever I want, whenever I want.

I admit, the Mallet’s have been invaluable on xc and trail days but using those pedals for an urban assault session is a sure-fire way to get yourself nutted.  With that said, I longed for a pedal that would give me the benefits of flats AND clipless. Enter the ProtonLocks.

I learned of these pedals in January 2008 and immediately put my order in. I received the product and found that one of the axles (also handmade) fit poorly so I never tested the them to their full potential (ok, I got 4 minutes worth). Almost 2 years go by and I’m thinking these pedals are a lost cause… until a new set showed up in the mail this week.

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This is the 2nd iteration of the ProtonLocks magnetic pedals. I’m no machinist but the first gen set look to be painstakingly machined from a solid hunk of aluminum. Now, it’s a refined die cast beauty.

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“An alternative to clamp-ons, cleats and cages. No moving attachment parts, springs, clamps or clips” – ProtonLocks flyer

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It features:

  • Neodymium nickel plated magnet with ~80lb pull force
  • Cast A380 aluminum body
  • Cro-Mo spindle
  • Sealed bearings

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SP-ISIS mount ready.

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How do they look and feel in my hands?  They are solid units.  A bit heavy, I’ll get them weighed on a scale at work tomorrow.

How big are they compared to the Mallets?  The platform’s footprint is smaller and they are thicker.  I’ll get comparison pictures after I pull off the old pedals.

What don’t you like about them?  I wished they used traction screws instead of the triangular protruding wedges.  Who knows, maybe they’ll work out.

What do you expect?  I expect them to hold my feet better on certain sections of Noble Canyon.  I expect them to collect a lot of iron filings.  I expect them to not replace the PULL I get from real clipless.  I expect them to trash the data on a laptop hard drive if someone puts their bag near my pedals (these magnets are farkin STRONG!), I expect them to be slippery when wet (wearing regular shoes).

Stay tuned for an update after I give ‘em a go doing urban, xc and dh duty.

UPDATE 10/15/09 – Protonlocks vs Crank Brothers Mallet weights and pictures

ProtonLocks Mallet
Pedals (g) 281.9 234.7
Cleats & Hardware (g) 39.6 18.1
Total (g) 321.5 252.8

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**I am not affiliated with ProtonLocks.  I’m just a biker that has a love/hate relationship with traditional clipless pedals.


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