Our buddy John at QBP just sent us over this picture of his Surly Moonlander that he finished off with our white Mesa pedals. When we launched the Mesa we knew it was a great thin platform pedal for urban riding. However, it didn't take long for the fat bike guys to catch onto the benefits of the Mesa and we keep seeing more and more photos like this popping up. For fat bike riders the Mesa offers a great wide platform for your boots and the fact that they are made out of a tough nylon makes them durable and warmer than a cold metal pedal when riding in the snow.
Our new Mesa MP with replaceable metal pins is another great option for the fat-bike rider that's looking for a little more grip and the flexibility to take pins out or replace them if needed.
Wide, light, grippy, and a good feel underfoot. What more could you ask for in a pedal? Durability, maybe, but I’m pretty sure high-impact nylon has proven itself in so many other applications that I have no worries here.
I most recently took these pedals on a 100 mile backcountry ride on winter trails through the mountains of Interior Alaska. I am a real hard sell on any other pedal than my trusty Wellgo MG-1s, but these fyxations are pretty awesome. Since making the switch, I’ve misplaced my MG-1s… and I don’t care.
Never have I slipped off the Mesas, even though the studs are molded nylon, not metal. Not even while wearing my Keen Summit County boots, which, undeniably, have pretty crappy tread for winter use, especially on pedals. Their widely spaced lugs don’t mate well with tiny studs. When I received the previously ridden red Mesas in the mail, they were missing one of the nylon studs. I have not felt its absence, however.
A major bonus to the molded-nylon studs over metal (like on my Wellgos), is they don’t bite your shins NEARLY as bad when pushing the bike up long, steep hills, if you find yourself doing this kind of ‘riding.’ Double bonus.
Although I haven’t ridden them in insanely cold temperatures like I have my Wellgos (-30 to -50F), I also haven’t noticed the slight cold-sink like I would with the magnesium pedals in temps down to -20F. I can’t say they are a cure to conducting cold underfoot (yet), but I can say they are better than metal. Honestly, I hope I don’t find out until next winter.
I ride single-speed and that means I’m a pedal masher. From tight & fast winter singletrack to long distance rides through the mountains, these pedals flat-out work. I think riding single allows me to more intensely focus on other intricacies of my bike, like how easy it is to find the sweet spot on the Mesas, where my foot feels comfortable and ready to pedal another 40 miles of winter trail. No shifting around, trying to get perfect placement. Possibly because they’re so big? Whatever it is, I like ‘em. They match well with the single-speed style of simply hopping on the bike and pedaling, and not having to focus on anything other than just that.
I’m really stoked to get them out on some big, cross-country, mountain range traverse trips this summer and see how they stand up to rocks and ocean spray. Sounds like next summer, they might be coming with me on a bikenraft of the entire Lost Coast… that’s if they hack it ’til then. For now, I’m not worried.
Thanks Fat-Bike.com for sending these my way. Alaska approves, so far… Watch for more to come this summer. I plan on putting them through hell… er, I mean Alaska
There are a lot of sweet pedals out there and while these may not be the best or lightest or the top of any other category, they definitely deserve a shot on your fatbike, especially for the price! They are a great platform pedal.
