Look Keo - anyone use them?

tyskie

Hi everyone

I'm currently using the old style Look pedals (396's?) on my road bike (which I use for both commuting and weekend runs) and am looking to upgrade to the Look Keo range. I'm just about to pick up another bike (Tricross Comp) which I'll be using for commuting and a bit of light off road and saving my road bike for weekends.

The plan is to put Keo's on both bikes (and just use the one pair of shoes). What is everyones experience of these compared with the old Look pedals? Is there a huge amount of difference between the Classic and the Sprint? Would one be better suited for commuting than the other? I'm quite happy with Look for commuting as I don't have to clip out a huge amount and I've become quite adept at clipping in quick.

Help would be much appreciated.

Eurostar

The Keo cleats are very thin so you have to be more careful not to wear them out by walking around without cleat covers. After neglecting mine for a while I snapped one. Wouldn't have happened with my old Looks.

Tom Butcher

Interesting - my impressions are that the Keo cleats actually last longer than the old looks.

As for the pedals - I haven't noticed any real performance difference between the different models - certainly the cheap ones are very secure.

Eurostar

I think the Keo cleats are made of harder plastic which doesn't seem to scratch so easily - but it's more brittle. So if you wear it down it's more at risk of snapping. That's just a theory.

Chirg

I have two bikes with the old style delta cleats and one with Keos.

For commuting the old style looks are good it you don't get clipped in straight away you can just about use them as a platform. Even riding the wrong side of the pedal is okay until your ready to try again. I can't manage to do this with the keos and still have a scab on my leg from where I slipped off the pedal last week! I also find it slightly easier to get clipped in to the old style. Sounds like you don't have as many stops on your commute as me though so shouldn't be a problem.

All my clipping problems come from switching back and forth between the two systems as the action to get clipped in is slightly different so you've got me thinking I might have to go all Keo.

Once on the go I prefer the Keos, I can only describe them as feeling more direct and connected.

giant_man

I still use the old style Look pedals (236) and Delta cleats and I am happy, and won't be changing until i can no longer get the delta cleats I guess, cos the pedals are still good.

Ste_S

Can't compare with the old delta style cleats, but I'm happy enough with the Keo's. I initially had a problem with cleat wear, but then that was probably due to me walking up hills when I first started cycling again

I use dual sided SPD's for commuting though, as it's much easier to clip into if you're having to stop a lot at traffic lights

proto

I moved from old LOOK pp296 to Keos 12 months ago. Haven't noticed any difference in performance, clipping in, cleat wear or anything else. They are though, much, much lighter.

PS I use Time ATACs on my commuter.

Mark Alexander

I've just gone from SPD to Look Keo. other than the awkwardness to clip in with the look,they're great! oh, and walking's odd :?

Over all, i'm pleased and have my 1st race on them on Sat

correction
awkwardness to clip in with the look,

primalcarl

I recently switched from Shimano Ultegra to Look Keo Carbon. I've found the Looks a lot easier to clip into from new, they're usually in the right position whereas the Ultegras quite often hung down a bit too much. The Looks are really light and I also used the cleat covers when not on the bike as they prevent slips and protect the cleats. Nifty

tyskie

Cheers for all your help. I reckon I'm going to go for the Keo Sprint for my dedicated road bike and seriously look at the Time ATACS for my commuting/off road/everything else bike. They seem to get cracking reviews. Looks like another pair of shoes for the ATACS then. :shock: I have Specialised BG Road shoes that I love (nice and wide) so a pair of Specialised stiff soled MTB shoes for everything else. Any recommendations?

noggincp

Mark Alexander wrote:

I've just gone from SPD to Look Keo. other than the awkwardness to clip in,they're great! oh, and waling's odd :?

Over all, i'm pleased and have my 1st race on them on Sat

same as me

had old Looks in between

problem with SPDs was unclipping

on Look keos- clip out and in easy peasy

cougie

My road bikes are the old style Looks - no point in changing pedals and cleats untiil they wear out.

My fixie and MTB are on Atacs - great pedals - love them to bits and would replace them with Atacs if they ever broke.

sonicred007

I recently switched to Keo from Delta and much prefer them... easier to clip into and a damn sight easier to get out of - a god send when commuting

Oh yeah and lighter too

Get some cleat covers for a fiver and the cleats wiill shine on for as long as poss

Best of luck

paulbricey

I changed from over 8 years of Look Deltas to Keos recently....overall slightly harder to engage (or I need to slightly change my pick up technique), and went from replacing cleats once in say 5 years to wearing a set out in 3 weeks. Agree with the other comments that the thin bits are more brittle and snap off (once these go they don't engage right), but overall they seem to wear very fast.

EMC2rider

I have had the problem of snapping off the pedal axles on look pedals, 4 so far and all R) side.
The pedals I have broken have been 296, 396 A 5.1 and keo classic is the last one last weekend in a race which of course ended in me taking off a fair amount of skin.
Anyone else had this problem and anyone got any ideas why this should be happening to me.
Someone did suggest that the french may have it in for me. But I'm not prone to being paranoid.

tyskie

EMC2rider wrote:

I have had the problem of snapping off the pedal axles on look pedals, 4 so far and all R) side.
The pedals I have broken have been 296, 396 A 5.1 and keo classic is the last one last weekend in a race which of course ended in me taking off a fair amount of skin.
Anyone else had this problem and anyone got any ideas why this should be happening to me.
Someone did suggest that the french may have it in for me. But I'm not prone to being paranoid.

That seems most strange to me. I'm between 14-15 stone (depending on how much I cycle) and have had my 'old style' Looks for about 4 years. No probs. I would have thought that snapping off just on the right must be down to something in particular that you are doing. Or is some one taking a hacksaw to your axle :?:

kevin_stephens

I changed from Look Classic to Look Keo

I find the Keos easier to clip in and out, they do wear out sooner so make sure to use the rubber covers you now get with Keo cleats

The red Keo cleats have too much float for me. The grey ones (5 degree) are just right

changing from Look Classic to Look Keo is one of the most cost effective ways of reducing the weight of your bike.

I have Keo carbons and Keo basics on different bikes and can't really tell the difference

Garybee

EMC2rider wrote:

I have had the problem of snapping off the pedal axles on look pedals, 4 so far and all R) side.
The pedals I have broken have been 296, 396 A 5.1 and keo classic is the last one last weekend in a race which of course ended in me taking off a fair amount of skin.
Anyone else had this problem and anyone got any ideas why this should be happening to me.
Someone did suggest that the french may have it in for me. But I'm not prone to being paranoid.

If there was an inherrant design flaw in look pedals it would soon be apparant at the end of a protour race. Those guys generate vastly more power than you or i so would find a weakness in the axle straight away.

EMC2rider

I agree with the comment about the pedals breaking, that the pro riders dont have this problem so I certainly dont know why it is happening to me.
I have certainly thopught maybe it is something that I am doing in relation to my pedalling action.
I have had the last two sets of pedals that i broke sent back to the importers to see if they can put some light on the problem.

sonicred007

Just to add, I've been commuting for 6 weeks with my Keo Sprint pedals and grey cleats and no real sign of excessive wear and tear that I can see

tyskie

Well, I picked up my new Cycle2Work scheme Specialized Tricross Comp the other day and decided to get them to fit Keo Classics to it and change the cleats on my shoes (I chose the grey ones as that's the closest to the 3 setting on my old Looks). Been out for a couple of rides on them and am well impressed. Light, provide a great platform and as easy, if not easier to clip into as the old ones. And the new bike is great. Came with Specialized Borough CX Pro, 32C tyres which were great for heading up the canal towpath with my girlfriend (can't wait to take them flying up the Thames path). I've just stuck a pair of 23C Gatorskins on and took it out for a spin and it really flies. I'm really looking forward to the commute tomorrow morning.



.............just need another pair of wheels now - so I've got one pair for commuting and the other for off road. :shock: