Speedplay pedals

Andymaxy

So I have been cycling for almost two years on my SPD pedals. Recently I've decided to get a canyon aeroad cf slx as my race bike. I've been thinking about switching to speedplay pedals, and the reviews are very mixed, so I'm kinda lost.

I'm thinking about speedplay zeros, this will be a race only bike, so it won't be used all that much. I prefer a light action for clipping in, but I guess it doesn't really matter when I only have to clip in once. I've heard about the benefits of power transfer, I'm a climber and like to do breakaways near the top of a hill, are these suitable pedals. They are also lighter than shimano pedals at the same price point, so that's appealing.

Maintenance isn't an issue, I work on my own bike and don't mind having to work a bit more to keep these pedals in good shape.

Lastly, the float isn't something I'm interested in, as I'm only 17, and I have no bad joints.

As a side note, part of the reason I want speedplay is because all my friends use shimanos, and I absolutely don't want them "trying" my spanking new aeroad.

svetty

Nowt wrong with Shimano - why change for change sake?

dannbodge

Don't forget that the speedplay cleats weigh more than shimano, so eys the pedals are lighter but the overall package?
Not so much.

Andymaxy

Dannbodge wrote:

Don't forget that the speedplay cleats weigh more than shimano, so eys the pedals are lighter but the overall package?
Not so much.

I've checked that, speedplay pedals are still lighter with the adapter to three bolt and cleat at around 90 gram.

Andymaxy

Svetty wrote:

Nowt wrong with Shimano - why change for change sake?

True, but I've been stuck with shimano for as long as I've been cycling, so I do want to try something new.

Plus, as I've said, I don't want my friends on my bike.

fenix

I had the original Looks since they came out. I fancied a change and went to Speedplay. I love them - but get the walkable surrounds if you have coffee stops. Otherwise you'll fall over or scratch up the heads of the screws and you'll struggle to replace the cleat.

sungod

Andymaxy wrote:

I've been thinking about switching to speedplay pedals, and the reviews are very mixed, so I'm kinda lost.

do you mean objective reviews, or internet fanboy whining? based on the latter there's not a single good product out there!

fwiw i've used speedplay zero for many years, they're fine, as are pretty much all other road pedals, they all have pros/cons

adjustable float is not for people with "bad joints", it's for anyone who likes to set the float to be just the way they want it

unless you have four-hole shoes, the adaptor plate adds a bit of extra faff. but once set up it's fine

as mentioned above, the bare cleats aren't really walkable, aside from wear, on surfaces like tiled floors they're positively dangerous, the 'coffee shop' covers are a must have

an alternative is the speedplay zero aero cleat, these have an integral cover, they're walkable without needing a separate cover, BUT you have to make sure to never apply rotational force, i.e. by turning on the ball of your foot, this will stretch/dislodge the cover, once stretched they don't spring back (you can get replacement covers, but not cheap) - i've been using these for just over a year, i really like them as it saves having the separate covers

pilot_pete

I have used zeros for about 7 years. As mentioned above, the adjustable float is really good - not for bad jointed individuals per se, but rather that you can adjust (in fact micro adjust) the float area of each individual shoe cleat so that you have as much or as little as you want, at whatever angle you want it. Thus, if you ride with one foot at an ever so slightly different angle to the other, you can with the same amount of float in/ out for each foot.

I don't have a problem walking in them, but you do have to be a little careful on slippy surfaces such as ceramic tiles. Yes you will wear down the heads of the screws but I have never had a problem digging the crap out of them and then tapping the screwdriver head into them before attempting to remove them and replace with new cleats.

For your intended use they will be fine. If however you ride in crappy weather with mud and such like all over the place when you put your foot down, they do fill with crap and this can affect clipping in. Periodic cleat cleaning with a small scrubbing brush and some detergent is all that is needing to sort this out and then a re-lube of the spring and cleat base with dry lube helps a lot.

The pedals themselves need similar treatment to clean and perhaps the bowtie edges need scraping out with a small bladed screwdriver to remove the accumulated gunk. Once again a bit of dry lube helps here.

If you ride in wet conditions it is a good idea to force clean grease through them every so often to keep the bearings running smooth. I have never changed the bearings in any of my 3 pairs and they run as smoothly as new. However I have changed bow ties on a couple of pairs as they wear down with constant clipping in and out. Cleats last about three times as long as my old Look plastic cleats, so work out at a similar cost.

So overall they demand a little more maintenance than other brands but they really are very good and I love the low stack height and improved cornering clearance they provide - I can pedal earlier out of corners where I have really cranked the bike over than I ever could with Look Keos. They are quite expensive and I have chromoly, stainless and a pair of aftermarket titanium spindles with stainless bow ties. All work equally well.

PP

trivial_poursuivant

I've used Speedplay Zero for a few years now. Would recommend to anyone. One slight grievance with them in recent times is the quality has seemingly gone down a bit. In a year I have managed to snap 3 of the metal horseshoe shaped clips that sit in the cleat. I can understand 1 going if it's metal fatigue but 3 on 3 different shoes. (2 on a pair L&R & 1 on a different pair) . It is more annoying knowing that you can't buy them separately so ever snapped cleat plate is another 30 quid. If it's a bad batch then I would like to know if anyone else has had same experience. I buy from Sigma Sports online usually

Andymaxy

Pilot Pete wrote:

I have used zeros for about 7 years. As mentioned above, the adjustable float is really good - not for bad jointed individuals per se, but rather that you can adjust (in fact micro adjust) the float area of each individual shoe cleat so that you have as much or as little as you want, at whatever angle you want it. Thus, if you ride with one foot at an ever so slightly different angle to the other, you can with the same amount of float in/ out for each foot.

That's great, but how is clipping in. As far as I know they don't feature spring tension adjustment like shimanos do

stevie63

Clipping in is really easy once they have been broken in. To do this just clip in and out a few times. After that they are much quicker to clip into compared to shimanos.

Andymaxy

stevie63 wrote:

Clipping in is really easy once they have been broken in. To do this just clip in and out a few times. After that they are much quicker to clip into compared to shimanos.

Ok thanks that's good to know, since I'm a really light rider, and run really low tension on shimanos

coops1967

Just be sure NOT to overtighten the cleat, especially with the 3 hole adapter... overtightening will make them very difficult to clip in ( partly as excessive torque will warp things a bit ) ... other than that the clip in action will be a little different - a bit of edge on and stamp ( like edging skis or skates) will help when new.

Get the keep on covers at least or the aero walkable cleats - maybe the cheapest chrome moly pedals or from ebay to try as a first pair...

The maintenance is minimal - google about the grease injection for the pedals rather than the overpriced official speedplay grease gun.

If you do get fed up with gunk causing clip in issues when you've stopped by the side of the road etc... then start savng for the pave version which cures that issue ( at a price).

pippi_langsamer-2

I run three sets of Speedplay and like them....although I'd question whether they're better than say- SPDr's.

They're good if you have any kind of knee/ biomechanical issues that may benefit from increased float. They're obviously highly tunable with the Heel In/ Heel Out adjustments. I started to use them as I have a leg length discrepancy that required me to shim one of my shoes, and I found the SP's were easier to do this with via specific shims.

Unless you've been advised you need it, I'd avoid dialing in too much float.

Not sure about the better power transfer claim- I'm sure SPDr's have a larger footprint?

I find them low maintenance. You will need to buy a grease gun for periodic maintenance via the grease ports. When they start to spin too freely, you know its time to pump in the jam. Never had a cleat seize on me, although I dont walk about in the shoes.

It's certainly a bit of an odd sensation the first time you use them- walking on ice feeling....

As stated in another post, it annoy me that more shoe manufacturers dont make a SP specific variant i.e with a totally flat section of sole. SP may laud it's low stack height- and if fitted to a SP specific shoe, they certainly are very low, but add that adapter plate.....and it's counter to that (although still pretty low)

pilot_pete

I'll second pippi's comment regarding the float - I think the idea is to get your free float exactly where you want it in terms of heel in/ out and then to minimise it, or if you have a dodgy ***** (insert joint of your choice here!) allow as much as you need. I don't have any dodgy joints (in my legs!) and only have a few degrees of free float either way, which feels secure and spot on for me.

Another post referred to how easy/ hard they are to clip in to. When brand new they take a bit more of a 'stomp' to engage, but dry lube helps and they soon wear in. The only restriction is a build up of crap which can prevent you clipping in - on that note, I ALWAYS unclip my left foot when stopping, for junctions/ lights etc so my left cleat wears a bit more than the right and is more prone to filling with mud/ crap if I put my foot down on the verge etc. Sometimes I have to tap my shoe against the pedal to dislodge some of the crap to engage, but this is only on really mucky days where I have been caught out - I run SPD pedals on my winter bike...

Further with regards to clipping in, a simple stomp, whatever the orientation of the pedal is enough to engage - there is no having to turn the pedal using your toes and trying to engage the front of your cleat first before pushing down on your heel etc. They really are simple and fast to clip into once you get used to it - I have noticed how I am often clipped in and pedalling after junctions etc, well before my mates who use other pedal systems. I know that is not scientific, but just an observation.

I can also highly recommend the Speedplay specific Sidi Wire shoe, coupled with a custom footbed, which makes for an incredibly comfortable combination with Speedplay Zeros.

PP

ugo.santalucia

I was interested by Speedplay, but completely put off by the cleats that easily get jammed with mud

trivial_poursuivant

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I was interested by Speedplay, but completely put off by the cleats that easily get jammed with mud

Don't go walking in the mud. Simple solution. The aero cleats are better at preventing this anyway. I have had debris stuck in mine but a few taps on the ground with the cleat soon clear them out. The base plate is metal so it can take a few bangs on the tarmac

shamrock134

I use Speedplays, mainly for the dual-sided-ness and aesthetics. I also run M520s on a couple of bikes and don't really notice a difference.

Shimano M520 for Speedplays on a tight budget!

ugo.santalucia

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I was interested by Speedplay, but completely put off by the cleats that easily get jammed with mud

Don't go walking in the mud. Simple solution.

Of course... you don't until you have to. Not a problem for the 20 miles in an hour Strava lots who never get off their bikes, but a problem for the others

coops1967

get the pave version and fuggedabout problems with mud.

pippi_langsamer-2

I think i'd only ever class the Zero's as a "performance", pedal where the primary function is to attach yourself to the bike. I don't walk about- rarely stop at cafe's and certainly don't do any gravel/ X-road riding with them. I put shoes on sat down next to my bike, and ride.

If I did have to walk for any reason due to a mechanical, I'd remove the shoes anyway. Id rather ruin a pair of socks than a) £280 set of shoes and b) expensive "cleats".

MTB, and anything else where Im getting off the bike, it's SPD

trivial_poursuivant

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

I think i'd only ever class the Zero's as a "performance", pedal where the primary function is to attach yourself to the bike. I don't walk about- rarely stop at cafe's and certainly don't do any gravel/ X-road riding with them. I put shoes on sat down next to my bike, and ride.

If I did have to walk for any reason due to a mechanical, I'd remove the shoes anyway. Id rather ruin a pair of socks than a) £280 set of shoes and b) expensive "cleats".

MTB, and anything else where Im getting off the bike, it's SPD

You could also buy a set of covers which cost pennies to protect them. They fit quite conveniently into a back pocket.

ugo.santalucia

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

I think i'd only ever class the Zero's as a "performance", pedal where the primary function is to attach yourself to the bike. I don't walk about- rarely stop at cafe's and certainly don't do any gravel/ X-road riding with them. I put shoes on sat down next to my bike, and ride.

If I did have to walk for any reason due to a mechanical, I'd remove the shoes anyway. Id rather ruin a pair of socks than a) £280 set of shoes and b) expensive "cleats".

MTB, and anything else where Im getting off the bike, it's SPD

You could also buy a set of covers which cost pennies to protect them. They fit quite conveniently into a back pocket.

I suppose... it's yet another thing I'd have to remember not to forget... together with a couple of gels/bars, a rainproof, a small cable lock, a rear light, card and cash, mobile phone, keys, spare tubes, pump, levers, tools on summer days and then also an extra layer, rainproof gloves a warm headband, over-toes, a front light if it's not summer. My desire for fancy toys is at an all time low

trivial_poursuivant

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

I think i'd only ever class the Zero's as a "performance", pedal where the primary function is to attach yourself to the bike. I don't walk about- rarely stop at cafe's and certainly don't do any gravel/ X-road riding with them. I put shoes on sat down next to my bike, and ride.

If I did have to walk for any reason due to a mechanical, I'd remove the shoes anyway. Id rather ruin a pair of socks than a) £280 set of shoes and b) expensive "cleats".

MTB, and anything else where Im getting off the bike, it's SPD

You could also buy a set of covers which cost pennies to protect them. They fit quite conveniently into a back pocket.

I suppose... it's yet another thing I'd have to remember not to forget... together with a couple of gels/bars, a rainproof, a small cable lock, a rear light, card and cash, mobile phone, keys, spare tubes, pump, levers, tools on summer days and then also an extra layer, rainproof gloves a warm headband, over-toes, a front light if it's not summer. My desire for fancy toys is at an all time low

With all that are you going riding or camping?

pilot_pete

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I was interested by Speedplay, but completely put off by the cleats that easily get jammed with mud

Don't go walking in the mud. Simple solution.

Of course... you don't until you have to. Not a problem for the 20 miles in an hour Strava lots who never get off their bikes, but a problem for the others

Yeah, but how often do you "have to"? I bought the coffee stop zero cleat covers several years ago and carried and put them on religiously every time I stopped....for about one summer and then thought they weren't worth the hassle. I walk in my Speedplay cleats and being metal they last ages. As mentioned before, just be a little careful on things like a polished tile floor. On the odd occasion they get mud in them it is simple enough to tap it out to clip in and then wash it out when you wash the bike post ride.

If you have to walk on mud regularly then Speedplay zeros are not the most suitable pedal/ cleat for you, hence why I run SPDs on my winter cross bike. Nobody is trying to claim they are suitable for such conditions, nor for walking miles. Equally, I used Look Keos when I first bought a bike and after half a dozen rides the rubber inserts had fallen out and the plastic started to wear down really quickly just from walking out the house to the garage and from outside to inside cafes!

PP

ugo.santalucia

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

With all that are you going riding or camping?

Yeah... aside from daily commuting, I haven't done a single ride of less than 5 hours since early April... need to be pretty self sufficient too as my wife doesn't drive and often I am away from mobile phone hot spots.
In 2017 31 rides, just short of 3000 miles

pippi_langsamer-2

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

I think i'd only ever class the Zero's as a "performance", pedal where the primary function is to attach yourself to the bike. I don't walk about- rarely stop at cafe's and certainly don't do any gravel/ X-road riding with them. I put shoes on sat down next to my bike, and ride.

If I did have to walk for any reason due to a mechanical, I'd remove the shoes anyway. Id rather ruin a pair of socks than a) £280 set of shoes and b) expensive "cleats".

MTB, and anything else where Im getting off the bike, it's SPD

You could also buy a set of covers which cost pennies to protect them. They fit quite conveniently into a back pocket.

I'm loathed already with the (minimal), amount of stuff I have to carry in my back pocket. It's still far easier to walk in bare feet (if I have to walk at all), than it is with cleats- with or without covers. It's made slightly worse also by the additional 5mm of shims on my right foot...

mrb123

Keep on Kovers are the answer.

Stay on the cleats all the time. Make walking in the shoes much easier. Protect all the metal parts really well.

They won't keep all the mud out of course, but so long as you don't make a habit of yomping through ploughed fields then it really isn't a problem.

trivial_poursuivant

You know what they say about excuses.

mamil314

Quite a jump for OP from MTB pedals to Zeros on an SLX. Can i suggest to try SPD-SL pedals first?

ugo.santalucia

MrB123 wrote:

Keep on Kovers are the answer.

Stay on the cleats all the time. Make walking in the shoes much easier. Protect all the metal parts really well.

They won't keep all the mud out of course, but so long as you don't make a habit of yomping through ploughed fields then it really isn't a problem.

Let me see... 8 hours on the saddle typically is between 4 and 6 wee stops at my age, youngsters maybe can do with 2-4. Field gates are the preference, mud pretty much a constant. I can ride without a wee for 2 hours max... I never ride for 2 hours = Speedplay are not for me