Straitline Lenosky Platform Pedals - SG Review

Pedals are just pedals right? I used to just put any old pedals on my bike; I really was not that choosy. I guess I used to think this because I had never used a good set of pedals, just the clunky, cheap, thick pedals with crappy pins that I always bought. Well early this year I dropped by Straitline HQ to see how they were doing and walked out with a new set of blingy Lenosky Signature pedals. I have been bashing these for almost a year now and thought I would let everyone else know how they have been holding up.

If you don't know what makes these pedals different from their regular offering it can be summed up in one word...GOLD. Yes the pins are actually 24 Karat gold plated. A little out there...well yes, but they look awesome and yeah the gold does wear off, but man I just love that little feature of these pedals (I am shallow like that). Other than that they are pretty much the same thing as their regular defacto platform pedals. 

The pedals have 14 pins per side to keep you locked tight to your bike when things get rough. I actually took all the middle pins out of my set and I think that my feet stick better, I don't know if that is because this makes them more concave or if it is a figment of my imagination but it works for me.

Speaking of the pins, these bad boys (or girls if you prefer) are tough. I have slammed my pedals into rocks, roots, logs and my legs on way too many occasions, and any time they do interact with any other material, the pins always come out on top. I usually rip pins out of pedals fairly quickly, to put it plainly - I am a hack. Not only that I am a 260 pound hack so I have really pounded these things, yet with all the punishment they have taken the pins have stayed in place.

The other great thing about these pedals is the bushing system. Bushing have been taking a bashing lately and I still think if done right they can work as promised, and that they do in these pedals. But as much as the bushings have held up, they are my only complaint so far...they squeak. I hate squeaks from my bike. Nothing worse than that little chirp every pedal stroke on a long logging road climb. The good thing is, I usually just give it a squirt of water from my pack and they quiet down. I could do some maintenance, but why ruin my perfect track record of leaving them alone?

And that brings us with the maintenance; I hear it is easy as pie - Greg even showed me when I picked them up. So I am sure when I do get off my ass to take them apart it will not be horrible. If you doubt me...check out this video that they put together, it shows just how easy it really is.

One of the things I remember them telling me when I picked them up is that it is best to run them with no grease, but if you want to grease them to run a very light grease. The grease just picks up more gunk and wears out the bushings faster...at least that's how I look at it. In the year I have them they have stayed tight and the bushings have been great other than the little intermittent squeak I talked about earlier. I have seen some of my friends' get sloppy, but mine have been great. The good thing is that for the most part all that needs to be replaced is an O ring.

The down and dirty of it all is that I would highly recommend these pedals. If you are looking for strong, easy to maintain pedals that your feet will stick to better than a slug to molasses and love the bling then you should check the Straitline Lenosky pedals out. They are not the lightest pedals on the market, but they are bombproof...and as I said, really sticky.

So in the end, I have changed my mind and pedals are not just pedals. Some, like these, are above and beyond most of their competition. And if you are looking for something lighter check out their new AMP, they look to be lighter and sleeker than the DeFacto's and run the same bushing system so you know they will work.

The Facts:

• Nickel plated hardened alloy axles
• Body machined from proprietary high strength aluminum alloy, designed for real world applications and impacts of all kinds.
• 14 HEX pins per face
• IGUS IGLIDE Polymer Bearing System
• 517g / pair (including all 56 traction pins) built for heavy hits and Freeride DH applications.
• 24 karat gold plated pins!
• Canadian Retail - $199.00 (the standard DeFacto pedals retail for $179.00)