Pedal Advice

bobgfish

After a new set for the road bike. Been riding MTB pedals and finally decided to switch and got the shoes ordered. Such a wide choice and no idea where to start. Look, Shimano or Time and why. No real budget but hoping for under 100 Euro.

Thanks

ajb72

You could also add Speedplay to your shortlist.

Look and Shimano basically use the same system. Thousands swear by it but if you are coming from mtb riding you might find the single-sided entry more of a fiddle to get used to. They work very well when the shoe is engaged, very secure and a large platform for your feet.

Speedplay are arguably the easiest to adapt to. The platform system is effectively attached to the shoe, not the pedal, and they are double-sided entry so a doddle to engage. They come with a wide range of changeable float so you can set them precisely to suit your preferences. I'm on my second set of Speedplay Zero's and found I couldn't go back to Look pedals recently, I hated them creaking and awkward engaging.

I cannot comment on Time, no experience there at all.

bobgfish

I disconted the speedplays for two reasons. One is I was advised that a bigger platform contact make the foot a lot more stable. The second is whilst out with a bunch of chaps cycling last weekend the guy I noticied with speedplays carried cleat covers with him and put them on when we stoped for coffee. I assume this is becuase it easy for stuff to get caught in them fairly easily that disables them.

unixnerd

You could just stick with your current SPD shoes and get Shimano A530 pedals, they look a bit more roadie and have a bigger platform than mtb pedals.

Canny Jock

^^ both incorrect. The Speedplays have the mechanism and platform in the cleat, so they are just as stable as other pedals. Also the cleats are terrible for walking in for all road pedals, speedplay are no worse.

They do offer more float than most road pedals but you can adjust this from lots to nothing, As above, they are double sided, and once worn in easier to clip into than other road pedals (IMO).

ajb72

There are probably genuine reasons to discount Speedplay, but for me at least the above two are not amongst them. The platform is just as large on a Speedplay system, it's just fitted to the shown, not a part of the pedal.

The cleats on Speedplay are metal, so I can understand why some people chose to use a cleat cover, it would protect woodeden flooring for a start. However, they wear out slower than Look cleats which are entirely plastic, and some people wear covers for them too as they can slip and slide off the bike.

I've never used covers as I never have room in my jersey pockets! Each to their own though.

TMR

I'd never ridden clipped in until I got my first road bike 2 months ago. I went for Speedplay Zero pedals on the advice of a friend and haven't regretted it for a second.

peddlefever

Having used Speedplay pedals until recently switching over to some Looks I would disagree that Speedplays are just as stable as a "traditional" clipless pedal like Looks or Shimano SPD-SLs.

Part of this is due to the fact that you need an adapter to install them on a shoe with a 3 bolt pattern and I for one feel that the platform of my look pedals are much more stable and solid because shoes are generally made for the 3 bolt pattern.

Also, speedplay cleats require attention and maintenance to keep them engaging and disengaging smoothly. The pedals themselves were bulletproof for me, but the cleats became a pain, even with covering them and being cautious. Speedplay cleats can end up making noises and such as well.

They are great for beginners that want a double sided pedal, but honestly, it is not hard to get used to a one sided pedal and I won't be recommending speedplays to anyone that does not need extreme amounts of float.

And while you can adjust the float to a lower level on speedplays, that adjustment also changes the disengagement. So if you adjust them for very little float you are also decreasing the degree to which you have to turn your foot out to disengage them.

Speedplay pedals are fine, but I think that their advantages are way overhyped and other pedals provide a much more stable and supportive platform while being just as useful as Speedplay pedals in every situation except for those that have massive float requirements.

ajb72

The point I was trying to make in suggesting the OP consider Speedplay was that the double sided entry would be more familiar to him, having come from SPD's.

I cannot agree with almost all of your comments (cleats need very little maintenance and are just as stable as Look etc - certain Pro teams would never use them otherwise), but the thread has been hijacked into Look v Speedplay!

peddlefever

ajb72 wrote:

The point I was trying to make in suggesting the OP consider Speedplay was that the double sided entry would be more familiar to him, having come from SPD's.

I cannot agree with almost all of your comments (cleats need very little maintenance and are just as stable as Look etc - certain Pro teams would never use them otherwise), but the thread has been hijacked into Look v Speedplay!

I mentioned that double sided entry is an advantage, and I agree that for someone new to road pedals it might be something worth trying initially.

However, the fact that pro teams use something doesn't mean that it does not have flaws or is just as good as something else. It means that the sponsor was willing to fork over the gear for free along with some cash.

I can feel the thin adapter plate flex under heavier pedal loads on my Speedplay cleats, which is the main reason I tried Look pedals. And once I did that feeling never occurred. The Looks certainly feel like they make a much more solid connection to me, and the width of the pedal feels much more secure when riding hard. Plus, there is no accidental disengagement.

Speedplays do have some advantages like better clearance during cornering and much more float, but really both advantages are not needed by most riders. Cornering clearance is not a problem for other pedal types, and most riders don't need or like 15 degrees of float anyhow.

Even if they did do everything else the same as other pedals, the need to maintain cleats, which does exist if you ride a lot, is not needed with other pedals. Also, the mechanisms on other pedals don't need much maintenance because they are not attached to the part of the system you can step on (the cleat). I have done about 12,000 miles on speedplay pedals and can say that I have had to clean and lubricate cleats about once every couple of weeks because of grit that can build up and the engagement becomes rougher over time, especially with very frequent use (riding at least 30 miles a day).

While i undertand why some people like them and everyone has different experiences, I can say that I wouldn't bother with Speedplays again.

It really isn't a matter of being a Speedplay vs Look flamefest, but rather me giving my own experience with them and stating the practical disadvantages.

bobgfish

So putting Speedplays aside...I'm quite happy with a single sided pedal. I had toeclips 20 years ago and single side peddles after that before moving to MTB pedals ten years ago. Which Shimano, Look, or Time pedal for under 100 euros do you recommend? I just dont fancy the speedplays...

peter101cycle

bobgfish wrote:

So putting Speedplays aside...I'm quite happy with a single sided pedal. I had toeclips 20 years ago and single side peddles after that before moving to MTB pedals ten years ago. Which Shimano, Look, or Time pedal for under 100 euros do you recommend? I just dont fancy the speedplays...

Look Keo Carbon 2 pedals.....I have used Look pedals for 20 years since the first set of clipless pedals came out and while I have knacked a good few pairs, they have never let me down.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=42883

TMR

peddlefever wrote:

Also, speedplay cleats require attention and maintenance to keep them engaging and disengaging smoothly. The pedals themselves were bulletproof for me, but the cleats became a pain, even with covering them and being cautious. Speedplay cleats can end up making noises and such as well.

Nonsense. They require no more maintenance than any other pedal system.

They are great for beginners that want a double sided pedal, but honestly, it is not hard to get used to a one sided pedal and I won't be recommending speedplays to anyone that does not need extreme amounts of float.

Given that a significant number of the best riders in the Pro peloton ride Speedplay, they are clearly suitable for more than mere beginners.

Speedplay pedals are fine, but I think that their advantages are way overhyped and other pedals provide a much more stable and supportive platform while being just as useful as Speedplay pedals in every situation except for those that have massive float requirements.

I disagree. Speedplay are awesome - end of.

TMR

bobgfish wrote:

So putting Speedplays aside...I'm quite happy with a single sided pedal. I had toeclips 20 years ago and single side peddles after that before moving to MTB pedals ten years ago. Which Shimano, Look, or Time pedal for under 100 euros do you recommend? I just dont fancy the speedplays...

Don't listen to the whingers. I bet most of the people slagging the Speedplays off haven't even tried them. Try them yourself before discounting them - they are excellent pedals.

huuregeil

Back to the original question, between Look and Time, I've used both and Time's are great, I'd recommend them over the looks. The cleats last for ages and you can actually walk in them. Lots of float, lateral float too, low stack height and weight. The only negative, and this is very slight, is that you need to be a bit more accurate with the foot placement to engage the pedals, but this is no issue at all and I can clip in on half a revolution the vast majority of the time. They just work! I have the older Impact and RXS - the new iclics look very sweet, they'd be my choice if buying a new pedal. The iclics seem to solve the clip-in thing, they're meant to be super-fast and easy to engage.

racingcondor

OP - You can discount SpeedPlays because they are over your price limit (I'm not going to join the argument over how good they are).

Look, Time and Shimano all do good pedals. Personally I didn't get on all that well with Look (bearings failed too quickly) so moved to Time which suit me OK (improved my knee problems over Look) but aren't all that durable (mostly the front of the cleat). Both Look and Time pedals are plastic bodied though which does mean that they wear (not much in summer but wet and grit will damage them in winter).

If you are going into it as a new buyer I'd actually recommend Shimano. Metal bodies on the pedal, bearings that last and decent prices. Wiggle have 105 pedals for £50, well inside your price range, just get some cleat covers if they sell them.

spasypaddy

ive ridden most pedal systems (in the space of 5 years) i never found one i liked and helped my dodgy knees. and then i discovered speedplay zeros. at the time i was working for a bike shop so everything came in at a much lower price (hence the keep swapping and finding something i liked). however speedplays were not an item we stocked so i paid retail for one pair (3 bikes) and found that they were amazing and with the adjustments that i could make on the cleats fixed my knee complaint.

i then bought another 2 pairs at full retail price.

they seem expensive when compared with other pedal systems but the breakdown is:
£100 for a new set with cleats
£35 for cleats
which makes the pedals around the £65 mark.

The cleats last alot longer than any other cleats on road pedals.

I dont think i'll ever ride anything else.

JRooke

I don't think your ever going to go wrong if your looking at spending up to £100, everything mentioned is extremely good, I've tried pretty much every pedal there is and I feel very comfortable saying there isn't a better pedal out there then Speedplay(for me at least), for the amount of racing I do and intense aggression i cycle they are the only pedal I've ever had that I know I'm never ever going to come out of, also for crit racing the better ground clearance makes me more confident with risky cornering.

The clip in system may be easier for speedplay but its neither here nor there, no matter what pedal you have it becomes second nature clipping in if your on your bike a lot.

bobgfish

Well so far most tempted by these...

http://www.futurumshop.nl/product/6063-0005-N0908/719/look-pedaal-keo-2-max-carbon.phtml