using spd-sl

bryan71
bryan71 Posts: 89
edited August 2008 in Road beginners
I am using spd-sl's.Great pedal now i have got use to them.How ever i do cafe stops and it is wearing the cleats down like madd.
A friend has the speedplay.And his cleats appear to last much longer.I am needing an extra pair of pedals for my old bike which i plan to use in the winter.
Should i buy a pair of speedplay and what is the difference between x and the zero models.
I have noticed they do a light action.
Or should i buy another set of sl's aand stock up on cleats

Comments

  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    You must do a lot of walking. My cleats are 3 years old and are still OK. The yellow bits are getting a bit tatty now but the cleats still work fine. You do not need to think about changing them until the yellow wears down to the black and you could probably get a bit more out of them as long as they are still clipping in and out OK.
    Best bet for winter is a set of standard SPDs and shoes. Better for walking in and safer at cafe stops. Saves the good shoes as well.
    My Fleet.
  • bellys
    bellys Posts: 456
    i have got the SPD-SL i had to put my foot down when i was stoppin at speed (some t*t cut me up on a roundabout) when i check my cleats there was a big chunk out of the yellow bit but still work fine.
    if you get different pedals are you going to keep the same shoes ?
    if so you will have to keep setting up your cleats every time you change you bike.
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    Is it the yellow that we need to keep an eye on? I walked across a friend's big chunky gravel drive in my spd-sls and it cut the black plastic up a bit - I was a bit worried that I'd knackered them, but they seem to be okay (I had a struggle clipping in a few times after, but think this was more due to the cleats shifting slightly following my mandatory, getting over confident at the traffic lights, second clipped-in fall).
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    The yellow is the 'non-slip' bit that makes them safer than Looks to walk in. The only really important bit is the front and rear lips that actually clip into the pedals and as these face the soles of the shoe they are fairly well protected. I was certainly glad I was using SLs when I had to walk up part of Boltby Bank on the Ryedale Rumble on Sunday. I knocked the yellow bits up a bit but I was not falling over like the Look and Speedplay riders (walkers).
    My Fleet.
  • jonesey10
    jonesey10 Posts: 239
    I use rubber cleat covers off the bike. put's on years of extra life.

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