Speedplay pedals any good???.

kayo74
kayo74 Posts: 299
edited March 2012 in Road beginners
Does anyone use Speedplay pedals and are they worth the money, plus are there any benefits with the double side and good float???. Cheers.

Comments

  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    1. Yes
    2. Yes (IMHO)
    3. Yes and yes.

    Hope this helps. :wink:

    PP
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Yes. I converted last year and after a settling-in period I wouldn't go back. If you search on my user name you'll find a couple of threads on the pedals, and if you have any specific questions that you don't want to post feel free to PM me.
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    People like Speedplay particularly if they have knee problems but the downside is the expensive cleats which don't like dirt and weenie bearings that need regular maintenance. Depends on whether ou're prepared to put up with the cost/ maintenance?
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • I love them. I have tried Look Keo and just couldnt get the hang of catching with my foot and then clicking in. With Speedplays you just stand on the pedal and it goes in.

    They need far more maintenance. I regularly undo the cleat and lube with PTFE. The bearings on the pedals need regular 3,000mile greasing.

    I always use cafe covers with speedplays.

    Chris
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Just to add a little more to my tongue in cheek response earlier...

    As others say, they are not fit and forget, they need some attention to keep them running well. Benefits are;

    1. Adjustable float. You can set both 'heel in' and 'heel out' limits which is useful. As mentioned above, those with a non-normal gait, perhaps due to injury can fine tune to prevent more problems.

    2. Greater ground clearance when cornering. If you are a bit of a nutter like me, this is a great benefit as you ca keep pedalling when cranked quite some way over in a bend!

    3. Two sided entry, which is straightforward and easy. No more flipping of the pedal with a toe and then trying to clip in. Just push down on the pedal. I do find that you really need the pedal at the bottom of its stroke to do this easily every time.

    4. Simple design pedal that also looks good. Choice of colours too.

    5. Choice of spindle materials and lengths (although I believe you have to buy additional spindles to standard if you want longer; it is not an option at purchase).

    Possible disadvantages compared to other systems;

    1. Cleats are quite bulky and as mentioned above are susceptible to dirt ingress, especially at this time of year if you stop roadside for a pee, which happened to me today! Because of this they need a bit more cleaning than others.

    2. Cleats also require dry lubing to prevent squeeking and to ease entry and exit. It doesn't take much effort, but is is effort non the less.

    3. The pedals also require bit of tlc to keep dirt off and then a dry lube on the contact points. Speedplay recommendation is to grease them after every ride in wet conditions. Again, simple to do, but effort all the same. They have a tiny screw on the end cap which undoes to reveal the grease 'port'. You will need a needle nose grease gun (not specifically the expensive Speedplay one) and a couple of pumps will have the grease emitting from the other side of the pedal around the spindle. Bit of kitchen roll on hand to wipe of the exuded dirty grease and replace the screw and bingo. So only a minute or so each side, but if you don't do it the bearings start to run dry and more problems will ensue.

    4. Cleats are expensive, but they contain all the 'gubbins' that is usually part of the pedal with other systems. I am still on my first set after 1 year and about 6000miles. Plenty more life in them yet, although I tend to unclip the left at junctions etc, so that is more worn than the right. The coffe caps are well worth the money to protect them, but you will have to carry them around for use when you stop. With my previous Look Keo pedals I was wearing out the cleats in about 4 months, mainly down to walking in them - only at cafe stops and in and out of the garage etc (honestly I ride up all hills!) so the price is actually comparable...just a bigger outlay in one go.

    So overall I am very happy with my choice - stainless Zeros.

    PP
  • Love em.

    I think they are worth the money - and its what I learnt on. Easier to use in urban areas as you dont need to pay any attention to clipping in, just stomp down ans your in (though they will be VERY stiff to get into the first 5 times you clip in...).

    All the reasons above I agree with. I wipe my chain with a clean rag and re-lube with dry lube every ride so to do the same to the pedal and cleat is no problem to me, just part of it.
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Silly question; arent' they 4 hole cleats, do they use adapter plates or can you only use them with certain shoes ?
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Not a silly question as when you look at them you see four screws in the "top" plate. What you can't see is the bottom plate attachment to the shoe itself which fits a standard three hole arrangement. The top plate then screws onto this.
  • Pretty honest review of them here...

    http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/speed0.shtml
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Not a silly question as when you look at them you see four screws in the "top" plate. What you can't see is the bottom plate attachment to the shoe itself which fits a standard three hole arrangement. The top plate then screws onto this.

    I seeeeee...............

    So, am I right in assuming that the 4hole shoes that I've seen recently don't require the bottom plate attachement ?
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • rajMAN
    rajMAN Posts: 429
    Ridden nearly 20years on Look and changed last year to Speedplay Zero's and certainly wouldn't go back. Cleat wear so far has been good, bearing in mind that I have to walk a few steps on gravel driveway each time I go out. Maintenance is easy enough though I have not found the need to grease them so much (dry weather helps). So am very impressed, clipping in is so easy it makes Look's seem clumsy! Float is adjustable to how much you want, within reason and you dont have to have dodgy knees to require Speedplays!! so all in all good value. :D
  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    Spent my youth on Time then Shimano clipless pedals, bought some Zeros a couple of years ago and can't see me changing to anything else. I've one set one the winter bike that's done nearly two winter's worth now and I've not serviced them in anyway and they're still smooth. Only maintenance I've done is a drop of oil on the cleats every couple of months. The cleats are expensive but last for ages (especially if you also get the cafe covers for walking about in).
    I've say the only negative thing with them is if you walk over gravel/earth with them (without covers) then the cleats can pack with gravel/mud and are a PITA but lets be honest you shouldn't be doing that in the first place :p
    They can also feel a bit strange when you first use them, I found that particularly when you stand up and pedal, they can feel really loose and your feet may twist about a bit but you soon get used to it and automatically start stabilising your feet.
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    I love my zeros. I'd just echo what others have said and say that you do need to be careful with walking on gravel etc, this for me is the biggest disadvantage. Fine grained gravel can actually jam the cleat mechanism, sometimes so that it will engage but not unclip! This is not fun. So always carry the coffee-shop covers and put them on if you are going to be off the bike, this becomes second nature after a while.

    I haven't found cleat wear a big problem - sure, the lower plate of the cleat gets pretty battered looking but it doesn't seem to greatly affect function. With the coffee-shop covers attached I have no problems walking in them, the only issue is that you've got to make sure the covers are pressed on all of the way otherwise they can fall off and you can lose them.

    One thing I have discovered through living in Finland... speedplay pedals are completely useless in snow. You instantly get cookie-cutter ice cubes inside the cleat recess, preventing pedal engagement..
  • loismustdie
    loismustdie Posts: 127
    I've literally just moved back to Speedplays. I bought a pair a few years ago, and whilst I liked them, I wore out the cleats very quickly by walking in them (nothing excessive) so moved to Shimano. Out of curiosity I decided to try them again and they are fantastic, easier entry/exit being double sided and very simple to setup. There's also masses of float as others have said. They do need more maintenance, if you want fit and forget, buy Shimano. As much as I like the Speedplays, I'll stick with Shimano on my winter bike for sure.

    As an aside, anyone any ideas where you could get something like this in the UK?

    http://keeponkovers.com/Product.html
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    MattC59 wrote:
    So, am I right in assuming that the 4hole shoes that I've seen recently don't require the bottom plate attachement ?

    Matt you are correct, but a lot of people recommending getting the protector if you have a 4 hole shoe

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/speedplay-stain ... ear-plate/
    BMC GF01
    Quintana Roo Cd01
    Project High End Hack
    Cannondale Synapse SL (gone)
    I like Carbon
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    A summary of my rationale for choosing SpeedPlay and my experience of the UK and US dealers for what it's worth.
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    brettjmcc wrote:
    Matt you are correct, but a lot of people recommending getting the protector if you have a 4 hole shoe

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/speedplay-stain ... ear-plate/
    These are obligatory for the sidi ergo 3 SP shoes at least. No big deal, they weigh nothing and are a fraction of a mm thick, but it's really annoying that sidi don't provide them (or a sidi manufactured equivalent) with the shoes!

    I have these shoes and they are great, although beware that in an effort to provide flexibility for people that want to have the cleats installed quite far back, there is actually a limit to how far forward you can position them. I have mine all of the way forward and I am still unable to duplicate my previous cleat position, I am just having to get used to a more rearward cleat setup (which may not be a bad thing). I'm not aware of 4 hole extension plates, and in any case this would defeat the purpose of the low stack height and doing away with the adapter plates!
  • Hi keep on covers.

    email just recieved.


    Shipping for one to five units is $13.25. I use US Priority mail which should get to you in six to ten business days.

    Thank you for your interest in Keep On Kovers,

    Scott
    Cycle Additions LLC


    We could get a job lot ordered and share them out if people wanted to try them.

    Chris
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Hi keep on covers.

    email just recieved.


    Shipping for one to five units is $13.25. I use US Priority mail which should get to you in six to ten business days.

    Thank you for your interest in Keep On Kovers,

    Scott
    Cycle Additions LLC


    We could get a job lot ordered and share them out if people wanted to try them.

    Chris


    They look OK for preventing scratches to the cleat housing, but they obviously won't keep out the muck that is the real enemy. I'm sticking with these. It might be nice if SpeedPlay included a pair in the box. :)
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    Yeah I nearly bought some of those keep-on covers a while back but as above they won't stop crap packing in the cleat if you walk off-road so haven't bothered.
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    The covers are worth it if you have wood floors or tiles that may chip/scratch easily.

    I got mine in the Evans sale for about £7 after they had an extra 10% promo one weekend
    BMC GF01
    Quintana Roo Cd01
    Project High End Hack
    Cannondale Synapse SL (gone)
    I like Carbon
  • beinbhan
    beinbhan Posts: 52
    The covers really help I have managed to get crap stuck in the cleat's not cleaned them out properly and found that both feet are locked into the pedals when you try to unclip. Highly amusing trying not to hit the deck keep pedaling and get one shoe undone. :D Besides that problem I wouldn't use anything else now
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    What someone needs to invent is a high-tech cross between the keep-on covers and the coffee-shop covers with a camera shutter / iris type opening that automatically opens and closes when pressed to the pedal and disengaged... Preferably with a cool swishing sound... :wink:
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    neeb wrote:
    What someone needs to invent is a high-tech cross between the keep-on covers and the coffee-shop covers with a camera shutter / iris type opening that automatically opens and closes when pressed to the pedal and disengaged... Preferably with a cool swishing sound... :wink:


    Automatic electrically-operated cleats! I like. :)
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • One word of warning, the instructions suggest using screw lock glue to the cleat screws. Don't ignore this; I did and trashed an almost new cleat. I had to buy a new pair.

    The supplied cleats should come with a tube of the stuff in my opinion.

    Otherwise fully recommended.
  • andy46
    andy46 Posts: 1,666
    This has been a very interesting read for me as I have yet to make the jump to clipless pedals.

    Would you say that these would be a good pedal to start with, the comments and reviews seem excellent.
    2019 Ribble CGR SL

    2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

    2014 Specialized Allez Sport
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    andy46 wrote:
    This has been a very interesting read for me as I have yet to make the jump to clipless pedals.

    Would you say that these would be a good pedal to start with, the comments and reviews seem excellent.
    There's a bit of a learning curve to begin with as the way you clip in and unclip (in the zeros at least) takes a bit of getting used to and requires a little more force than in some other brands (especially when both the cleats and pedals are new). If it's your first pair of clipless pedals it would be a good idea to practice on a stationary bike to get the feel for them. So in some ways they're perhaps not an ideal pedal to start with, although as it takes only a short while to get used to any pedal it might be worth persevering!
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    andy46 wrote:
    This has been a very interesting read for me as I have yet to make the jump to clipless pedals.

    Would you say that these would be a good pedal to start with, the comments and reviews seem excellent.

    I switched to these from SPD-SLs about 6 weeks ago. I found I couldn't seem to ever get my right foot comfortable due to the centering action - I'd feel it pulling, adjust the cleat and then it would still pull, I guess my knee may move or something in a way that causes it to happen (I'm no expert though). What I do know is that I am a lot more comfortable than I was before.

    The 'clipping in' I have found to be easier at junctions etc where you have to unclip, as you just literally have to puch down, rather than trying to engage the SPD-SL (flip it round and get the front engagement), though to be faor this wasn't that bad anyway.

    Compared to running older Looks and the the SPD-SL, the clipping out took a little getting used to, as you it at first appeared to be dependent upon your foot angle in relation to the pedal, it showed up more if you were at the top of the pedal stroke, but I am comfortable with that now - tobe honest it shows up more when unclipping on the turbo rather than out on the road.

    Hope that helps

    Brett

    PS - I should note that the knee pulling sensation started after I switched from my Scott shoes to my Specialised. Also though, at the same time I was trying to train my legs to have the cleat further back relative to my foot, as I had developed a bad habit of pedalling with a lot of toe down.
    BMC GF01
    Quintana Roo Cd01
    Project High End Hack
    Cannondale Synapse SL (gone)
    I like Carbon