Review: MKS Promenade EZY pedals

Recently I got my hands on a frame with S&S couplings, which enable the frame to be separated into two halves, making it easier to pack. While selecting the parts I was going to build it up with, I was intrigued by the idea of using quick-release pedals. After all, if the frame can separate, why not go the whole hog and do the same with the pedals?

The convenience of having pedals that require no tools to remove appealed for reasons beyond packing my bike. Pedals are one of the more awkward bits if you try to load two bikes into a car boot or on a train, or if you park your bike in a hallway.

They can poke or scrape you if you have to carry your bike over difficult off-road terrain (I bought my bike for rough-stuff riding). Quick-release pedals can also be removed when I leave the bike locked up in busy urban areas, so a thief who breaks through the lock at least can’t ride off.

The off-road riding I’ve done with these pedals revealed a limitation: grip is pretty much non-existent compared to flat pedals with pins. I solved the problem with some cheap Zéfal toe-clips, and have been bouncing around the Surrey Hills ever since with no slippage.

Installing the pedals is slightly trickier than normal as you need a 15mm spanner no thicker than 3.2mm, such as cone spanner. I don’t have one in my toolbox, but fortunately Dave at Pilgrim Cycles did when he put the whole bike together for me.

Once they’re installed, it’s very simple to pop the pedals off. You just pull back a metal sheath and give the pedal a firm tug. Re-installing is similarly easy.

The pedals are aluminium and are built around serviceable cup-and-cone bearings so they should have a decent lifespan. They’re aimed at tourers, folding bike riders and city commuters, so I was initially a bit sceptical about how robust they might be for the small jumps and bumps that come off road.

However, after several hundred miles, that worry no longer exists. I’m now wondering whether my other bikes deserve an upgrade.

Verdict

Simple to use, convenient and durable, these pedals could be just the thing for regular travellers or those with limited hallway space. Grip is minimal but toeclips will solve this problem.

Other options

MKS FD-7 £54.99

These folding pedals are a little less elegant and heavier than the Promenade but, as they fold, they can stay on the bike instead of going with you.

Wellgo Quick-release pedals £44.99

Another pedal aimed at the utility market but sold with pedal reflectors. The QR mechanism looks bulkier than MKS’s streamlined version.

First published in Cycle magazine, October/November 2022 issue. All information correct at time of publishing.