WW4M: Fyxation Mesa MP Pedals

 Note: What Works For Me, or "WW4M", is an occasional post here and there where I share what I have been using for a long time and that just, you know.......works! Also, the Standard Disclaimer applies here. Again- this works for me. Your mileage may vary.....

Fyxation Mesa MP pedals

Back in 2012, a decade ago now, I received two sets of pedals from Fyxation to review on my old site, "Twenty Nine Inches". Thus began my love for these flat, metal pinned pedals. 

I suppose that when I think about these pedals I think about two things. "Longevity" and "Value". See those black Mesa MP's there? That image is from 2012. Those pedals are still kicking ten years later after several Winters of abuse, dirt rides, gravel rides, and single tracking. 

So, durable and long-lasting equipment for cycling is a good thing. But add in the fact that the Mesa MP's have stayed below $100.00 a pair for a decade and that makes them even that much more impressive. And when I say "under $100.00 a pair", I don't mean 'just under'. No- I mean that these pedals are currently listed at $62.95 a pair on the Fyxation site right now. 

The Mesa MP's have removable and replaceable pins, which makes them even that much more of a deal. Now, I will tell you that these are not the massive 'daggers of death' pins, the like of which many MTB pedals have out there now. No, they do not stick out that far and there are maybe not as many pins as some have, but there is enough to get me by in Winter with boots, so, yeah.... Like I say- this works for me. 

I also like the impact grade nylon body with its sealed bearings. It's NOT a metal bodied pedal, and this is very important to me. Metal pedals suck the heat from your feet when it is really cold out. I can feel the difference and this is why my fat bikes all have Mesa MP pedals. (It's also why I use carbon handle bars on my fat bikes, but that's another story)  The only nit I have about these is that the metal pins can rust. But if that bums you out get the Subzero Mesa MP's which have stainless steel metal pins. I have those as well.

So, inexpensive, great grippy pins, long lasting bearings, and a durable, warm-in-Winter nylon body. That's what works for me. This set of pedals has been so good I bought a couple more, and Fyxation sent me a couple more as well a few years back here now. I have these on several bikes and I don't plan on riding my fat bikes without them. 

WW4M: Fyxation Mesa MP Pedals

 Note: What Works For Me, or "WW4M", is an occasional post here and there where I share what I have been using for a long time and that just, you know.......works! Also, the Standard Disclaimer applies here. Again- this works for me. Your mileage may vary.....

Fyxation Mesa MP pedals

Back in 2012, a decade ago now, I received two sets of pedals from Fyxation to review on my old site, "Twenty Nine Inches". Thus began my love for these flat, metal pinned pedals. 

I suppose that when I think about these pedals I think about two things. "Longevity" and "Value". See those black Mesa MP's there? That image is from 2012. Those pedals are still kicking ten years later after several Winters of abuse, dirt rides, gravel rides, and single tracking. 

So, durable and long-lasting equipment for cycling is a good thing. But add in the fact that the Mesa MP's have stayed below $100.00 a pair for a decade and that makes them even that much more impressive. And when I say "under $100.00 a pair", I don't mean 'just under'. No- I mean that these pedals are currently listed at $62.95 a pair on the Fyxation site right now. 

The Mesa MP's have removable and replaceable pins, which makes them even that much more of a deal. Now, I will tell you that these are not the massive 'daggers of death' pins, the like of which many MTB pedals have out there now. No, they do not stick out that far and there are maybe not as many pins as some have, but there is enough to get me by in Winter with boots, so, yeah.... Like I say- this works for me. 

I also like the impact grade nylon body with its sealed bearings. It's NOT a metal bodied pedal, and this is very important to me. Metal pedals suck the heat from your feet when it is really cold out. I can feel the difference and this is why my fat bikes all have Mesa MP pedals. (It's also why I use carbon handle bars on my fat bikes, but that's another story)  The only nit I have about these is that the metal pins can rust. But if that bums you out get the Subzero Mesa MP's which have stainless steel metal pins. I have those as well.

So, inexpensive, great grippy pins, long lasting bearings, and a durable, warm-in-Winter nylon body. That's what works for me. This set of pedals has been so good I bought a couple more, and Fyxation sent me a couple more as well a few years back here now. I have these on several bikes and I don't plan on riding my fat bikes without them. 

Fyxation Subzero Pedal Reviewed

Flat pedals are making a comeback these days. You may have noticed that many mountain bikers and fat bikers are turning to flat pedals again. Not only that, but so are commuters and even some gravel road riders. Bikepackers often use flats if they do rides in areas that require lots of walking. So, if you think all "serious cycling" is done with clipless pedals, well, you'd be very wrong in that assumption.

Long time readers also know that flat pedals figure into my own riding pretty heavily. I'm a big fan of Fyxation's Mesa MP pedals. I've been using them on many of my bikes, but my longest running set is on my Titanium Mukluk which has seen at least four Winters of use now with those pedals on that bike, plus a 100 mile ride on gravel a couple years ago. They show their age, for sure, but they aren't dead yet either!

Well, a month ago or so Fyxation told me about a new version of the Mesa pedal, the limited edition Mesa Subzero, which is based off of the Mesa MP, with the impact grade nylon pedal body and stainless steel pins for grip. The Mesa Subzero also features those things, but they have new graphics and colored pins and spindles. MSRP is $69.95. See the spec list here:

• High impact nylon body built to take abuse
• Smooth running sealed bearing and DU bushing
• Electroplated cro-moly spindle
• Electroplated stainless steel replaceable pins for added grip with shoes or boots
• Nylon body doesn't suck heat out of your feet like alloy pedals do
• Installs with 15mm open end wrench or 8mm hex wrench
• Pin Spec - M3x0.5 x 7.5mm
• Spindle Thread: 9/16
• Height: 14mm
• Width: 105mm
• Weight: 351g/pair
• Color: Black/Black, Gray/Black, Black/Blue, Black/Orange

So, obviously these went on my Blackborow DS. Fat biking can put a pedal into some pretty difficult situations. Considering I occasionally commuted on the bike as well, that makes the situation potentially worse. The salty, chemical stew mixed into the "car-slush" can be pretty corrosive.

But in reality, I think the next bike I stuck these on is even more of a test. My current commuter now that Winter has lost its grip on things here is the Surly 1X1 single speed. It isn't just a single speed, it is fixed gear single speed. Kind of makes sense and things can have been said to have come full circle here. A Fyxation pedal on a fixed gear commuter? Perfect.

I think this bike is tougher on pedals because there is no coasting, for one thing, and with my relatively stupid-low gear, I spin like a mad man. I think I'm running a 34T up front with a 19T in the rear. Yeah......low gear! But for sloshing through melting snow and ice, pushing through mud, and riding up and down some short steeps, it works well for me. The pedals have a nice, wide platform and the pins grip well, so despite the fact that I have no foot retention, my feet stay put even at high cadences. Of course, the low gear and big platform work great when grinding through a mud slough or a three inch fresh snowfall.

The fixed gear Surly saw all of that and a good curb smash to boot with no degradation in performance at all to the pedals. I did scratch up the pins a bit, but cosmetically the pedals still look great over all. If I could offer one bit of criticism it would be that the pedals middle section stands just a bit proud over the rest of the flat section, or it is even with the edges, which can result in the occasional, slight foot slip. I've never slipped off this pedal completely, mind you, but I think if the pedal was a bit "concave" in profile it would give a more secure grip on whatever footwear you use. I've been wearing some Keen hikers, so not really very "flat pedal friendly", but I gotta keep my feet warm and dry!

That said, I can't think of a much better bang for the buck than this pedal in terms of the looks, function, and long term performance. If these Subzero pedals last as long as my original Mesa MP's, and there is no reason to believe they won't, then the Subzero pedals are a great take on that classic design.

Fyxation Mesa MP Desert Series Image courtesy of Fyxation.

And Now For Something New:

Ironically, as I was typing up this review news was sent out declaring a new color series for the Mesa MP pedals. This is this products 6th anniversary of being on the market and Fyxation decided to celebrate with a Desert Series consisting of muted green, orange, and "sand" colored pedals. These are Mesa MP's that you may be familiar with, just in some new colors. These pedals are also available in black, blue, red, orange, green, and purple. MSRP is $59.99 for a pair. Check out the story on these from Fyxation here.

So, there ya go. The shop where I work sells a lot of these and there is a good reason why. You really cannot find much of anything as good or better for less cash. I'm convinced these pedals are long lasting, tough, and durable. They are fairly thin, so if you like that idea, they are some of the only options at this price point. If you ride in Winter, the nylon body material does not act as a heat sink and your feet stay warmer. I've heard from customers that have come back to the shop that say the same thing I feel is true about the cold weather performance. Of course, for the rest of the year they work well also.

Next up I am going to stick these on a gravel bike and try out riding on gravel with them for a while. I'll report back on how that goes, but if it is anything like my Fat Bike Century ride which was all on gravel, then it won't be anything other than a good report. We'll see.

NOTE: Fyxation sent over the Mesa Subzero pedals at no charge for test/review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Fyxation Subzero Pedal Reviewed

Flat pedals are making a comeback these days. You may have noticed that many mountain bikers and fat bikers are turning to flat pedals again. Not only that, but so are commuters and even some gravel road riders. Bikepackers often use flats if they do rides in areas that require lots of walking. So, if you think all "serious cycling" is done with clipless pedals, well, you'd be very wrong in that assumption.

Long time readers also know that flat pedals figure into my own riding pretty heavily. I'm a big fan of Fyxation's Mesa MP pedals. I've been using them on many of my bikes, but my longest running set is on my Titanium Mukluk which has seen at least four Winters of use now with those pedals on that bike, plus a 100 mile ride on gravel a couple years ago. They show their age, for sure, but they aren't dead yet either!

Well, a month ago or so Fyxation told me about a new version of the Mesa pedal, the limited edition Mesa Subzero, which is based off of the Mesa MP, with the impact grade nylon pedal body and stainless steel pins for grip. The Mesa Subzero also features those things, but they have new graphics and colored pins and spindles. MSRP is $69.95. See the spec list here:

• High impact nylon body built to take abuse
• Smooth running sealed bearing and DU bushing
• Electroplated cro-moly spindle
• Electroplated stainless steel replaceable pins for added grip with shoes or boots
• Nylon body doesn't suck heat out of your feet like alloy pedals do
• Installs with 15mm open end wrench or 8mm hex wrench
• Pin Spec - M3x0.5 x 7.5mm
• Spindle Thread: 9/16
• Height: 14mm
• Width: 105mm
• Weight: 351g/pair
• Color: Black/Black, Gray/Black, Black/Blue, Black/Orange

So, obviously these went on my Blackborow DS. Fat biking can put a pedal into some pretty difficult situations. Considering I occasionally commuted on the bike as well, that makes the situation potentially worse. The salty, chemical stew mixed into the "car-slush" can be pretty corrosive.

But in reality, I think the next bike I stuck these on is even more of a test. My current commuter now that Winter has lost its grip on things here is the Surly 1X1 single speed. It isn't just a single speed, it is fixed gear single speed. Kind of makes sense and things can have been said to have come full circle here. A Fyxation pedal on a fixed gear commuter? Perfect.

I think this bike is tougher on pedals because there is no coasting, for one thing, and with my relatively stupid-low gear, I spin like a mad man. I think I'm running a 34T up front with a 19T in the rear. Yeah......low gear! But for sloshing through melting snow and ice, pushing through mud, and riding up and down some short steeps, it works well for me. The pedals have a nice, wide platform and the pins grip well, so despite the fact that I have no foot retention, my feet stay put even at high cadences. Of course, the low gear and big platform work great when grinding through a mud slough or a three inch fresh snowfall.

The fixed gear Surly saw all of that and a good curb smash to boot with no degradation in performance at all to the pedals. I did scratch up the pins a bit, but cosmetically the pedals still look great over all. If I could offer one bit of criticism it would be that the pedals middle section stands just a bit proud over the rest of the flat section, or it is even with the edges, which can result in the occasional, slight foot slip. I've never slipped off this pedal completely, mind you, but I think if the pedal was a bit "concave" in profile it would give a more secure grip on whatever footwear you use. I've been wearing some Keen hikers, so not really very "flat pedal friendly", but I gotta keep my feet warm and dry!

That said, I can't think of a much better bang for the buck than this pedal in terms of the looks, function, and long term performance. If these Subzero pedals last as long as my original Mesa MP's, and there is no reason to believe they won't, then the Subzero pedals are a great take on that classic design.

Fyxation Mesa MP Desert Series Image courtesy of Fyxation.

And Now For Something New:

Ironically, as I was typing up this review news was sent out declaring a new color series for the Mesa MP pedals. This is this products 6th anniversary of being on the market and Fyxation decided to celebrate with a Desert Series consisting of muted green, orange, and "sand" colored pedals. These are Mesa MP's that you may be familiar with, just in some new colors. These pedals are also available in black, blue, red, orange, green, and purple. MSRP is $59.99 for a pair. Check out the story on these from Fyxation here.

So, there ya go. The shop where I work sells a lot of these and there is a good reason why. You really cannot find much of anything as good or better for less cash. I'm convinced these pedals are long lasting, tough, and durable. They are fairly thin, so if you like that idea, they are some of the only options at this price point. If you ride in Winter, the nylon body material does not act as a heat sink and your feet stay warmer. I've heard from customers that have come back to the shop that say the same thing I feel is true about the cold weather performance. Of course, for the rest of the year they work well also.

Next up I am going to stick these on a gravel bike and try out riding on gravel with them for a while. I'll report back on how that goes, but if it is anything like my Fat Bike Century ride which was all on gravel, then it won't be anything other than a good report. We'll see.

NOTE: Fyxation sent over the Mesa Subzero pedals at no charge for test/review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

To Flat Or Not To Flat

These swanky Fyxation Mesa Subzero's may be seeing a lot of gravel duty

I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe I am reverting to a childhood status when it comes to riding bicycles. Maybe I am too much about having more fun these days. Whatever the reason, I just got in these new Fyxation Mesa Subzero pedals and I was thinking, why not use flat pedals for gravel riding? 

I'm sure many of you have, and many of you reading here do use flat pedals for gravel road riding, but I generally don't give it much thought. So, why now? Well, again......I'm not sure! I just know that it suddenly seems like a great idea.

So, why not?

By the way, I have used flats on gravel road riding before. I did the "Fatbike Century" over a year ago on flats. I also used street shoes! It was a successful experiment and raised not a few questions in my mind about why we insist on using specific pedals and shoes for all our riding. I don't think it is necessary and I wonder if this predilection with using specific shoes and pedals hasn't actually caused more issues than it solves.

I suppose we could debate things till the cows come home, but I have had one observation that, along with clothing choices, seems to take down a huge barrier to getting out there, for me, at least. That is that when I have a bicycle with flats installed I am more likely to want to ride that bike than I am my bikes without flat pedals. To tag along this line of thinking, I am also more likely not to worry a bunch about wearing cycling specific duds as well. Just a jersey, pop on a helmet, go ride.

Easy.

Sure, that doesn't mean that it isn't a good idea to use that specific cycling gear much of the time, but if I had only clipless pedal bikes, and if I thought I could only ride in a chamois and jersey, I would ride a lot less than I do. Sometimes I even ride without a helmet. (GASP!) Yep! And it is awesome.....

Anyway, the less barriers to getting on the bike the better, I think. Yeah.......I think I may be mashing flats a lot out on the gravel this year. At least to start out with. We'll see where it goes.......

To Flat Or Not To Flat

These swanky Fyxation Mesa Subzero's may be seeing a lot of gravel duty

I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe I am reverting to a childhood status when it comes to riding bicycles. Maybe I am too much about having more fun these days. Whatever the reason, I just got in these new Fyxation Mesa Subzero pedals and I was thinking, why not use flat pedals for gravel riding? 

I'm sure many of you have, and many of you reading here do use flat pedals for gravel road riding, but I generally don't give it much thought. So, why now? Well, again......I'm not sure! I just know that it suddenly seems like a great idea.

So, why not?

By the way, I have used flats on gravel road riding before. I did the "Fatbike Century" over a year ago on flats. I also used street shoes! It was a successful experiment and raised not a few questions in my mind about why we insist on using specific pedals and shoes for all our riding. I don't think it is necessary and I wonder if this predilection with using specific shoes and pedals hasn't actually caused more issues than it solves.

I suppose we could debate things till the cows come home, but I have had one observation that, along with clothing choices, seems to take down a huge barrier to getting out there, for me, at least. That is that when I have a bicycle with flats installed I am more likely to want to ride that bike than I am my bikes without flat pedals. To tag along this line of thinking, I am also more likely not to worry a bunch about wearing cycling specific duds as well. Just a jersey, pop on a helmet, go ride.

Easy.

Sure, that doesn't mean that it isn't a good idea to use that specific cycling gear much of the time, but if I had only clipless pedal bikes, and if I thought I could only ride in a chamois and jersey, I would ride a lot less than I do. Sometimes I even ride without a helmet. (GASP!) Yep! And it is awesome.....

Anyway, the less barriers to getting on the bike the better, I think. Yeah.......I think I may be mashing flats a lot out on the gravel this year. At least to start out with. We'll see where it goes.......