The Simmons kits are pretty good! I wouldnt agree that they're better than Roland, but they definitely stack up well next to them!
As for the PDP pedal, it's a great beginner pedal, especially for young drummers who want to learn double bass without shelling out $300+ for a Cobra, Eliminator, or something higher up. However, this thing is really holding me back; I was at the music store near me, Just Drums, and they're got EVERY pedal I've ever heard of (Axis, Trick, Tama, Pearl, Sonor, DW, etc.). Anyway, they had a bunch of double pedals set up on Pearl bass drum practice pads, with a throne for each one. I tried a few of the pedals, and found myself going 2-3 times FASTER than on my PDP at home. In the future I plan on upgrading to a Trick Dominator, but in the meantime the PDP will definitely suffice for practice.