Speedplay once on can you ever go back?

pippi_langsamer-2

Ben6899 wrote:

As good as they are; Speedplay pedals are not the solution to knee pain. You should look at your fit, if your knees hurt when pedalling.

I think that depends on what the knee pain is attributed to.

They have helped me with ITBS issues I’ve suffered with in the past, whereby leg length discrep’ leads to my pelvis rotating to accommodate for the difference. This was putting pressure on my ITB resulting in agonising pain. After experimenting with shims, I also switched to SP and I do believe the added float allows my pelvis to rotate more freely by allowing my feet to move (pivot), in the horizontal plane. I ended up doing away with the shims (I didn’t like the additional stack), and touch-wood, haven’t had issues since with ITBS.

First.Aspect

Ben6899 wrote:

As good as they are; Speedplay pedals are not the solution to knee pain. You should look at your fit, if your knees hurt when pedalling.

Often wrong. Never in doubt.

Ben6899

I'm often wrong?

First.Aspect

Ben6899 wrote:

I'm often wrong?

I'd need more data.

ddraver

Pilot Pete wrote:

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

The walkable Speedplay cleats mean that whatever your past concerns about wear might have been, they are now leagues ahead of SPD-SLs/Look etc.

Mmmm, matter of opinion. Lots say that the walkable cleats rubbers pull off when you walk in them.[/quote]

That!!!

I went back to look after a year or so of speedplay rubbish. Turned out what I really needed was a pair of shoes that fitted...

StillGoing

Speedplay user for years and will never go back to Look etc. No problem with the cleat covers. Put the cleats on correctly, the covers don't come off. I have more of a struggle getting them off. Also, my moody knee problem disappeared once I started using Speedplay.

cougie

You had a moody knee ?

StillGoing

cougie wrote:

You had a moody knee ?

Colloquialism

earth

First Aspect wrote:

Pilot Pete wrote:

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

The walkable Speedplay cleats mean that whatever your past concerns about wear might have been, they are now leagues ahead of SPD-SLs/Look etc.

Mmmm, matter of opinion. Lots say that the walkable cleats rubbers pull off when you walk in them. I’ve got one pair and the caps that you put in them are crap - they come out if you twist when walking and if you take the caps out to put in a jersey pocket they get lube all over your jersey pocket unless you put them in a plastic bag. Too much of a faff for me, I prefer the old cleats which still last ages being metal and outlive 3-4 pair of Look Keo cleats...

PP

Use Keep-on covers. The coffee shop covers are dreadful. The keep-ons last years.

I got some Keep-on covers problem is I cannot get them on! Is there a technique?

First.Aspect

earth wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Pilot Pete wrote:

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

The walkable Speedplay cleats mean that whatever your past concerns about wear might have been, they are now leagues ahead of SPD-SLs/Look etc.

Mmmm, matter of opinion. Lots say that the walkable cleats rubbers pull off when you walk in them. I’ve got one pair and the caps that you put in them are crap - they come out if you twist when walking and if you take the caps out to put in a jersey pocket they get lube all over your jersey pocket unless you put them in a plastic bag. Too much of a faff for me, I prefer the old cleats which still last ages being metal and outlive 3-4 pair of Look Keo cleats...

PP

Use Keep-on covers. The coffee shop covers are dreadful. The keep-ons last years.

I got some Keep-on covers problem is I cannot get them on! Is there a technique?

I have X-series pedals. Possibly they might be different? Trick I suspect is to make sure the thin bit that passes the opening where the spindle sits is properly over the cleat and tucked in. I gave mine a slightbend before I put them on. Given how long the cleats then last, I wouldn't see any harm in using a dab of silicone or possibly tube repair glue to hold them in place, if it comes to that.

Jammiedodgeruk

I went from Looks to Speedplay but after a while I started getting a round circular ball ache under my foot on longer joruneys. I figured this was due to the design of the Speedplays.

After this I went to Shimano pedals and probably wouldnt go back to Speedplay now. But I do like Speedplay pedals. I might try them again in the future.

First.Aspect

Jammiedodgeruk wrote:

I went from Looks to Speedplay but after a while I started getting a round circular ball ache under my foot on longer joruneys. I figured this was due to the design of the Speedplays.

After this I went to Shimano pedals and probably wouldnt go back to Speedplay now. But I do like Speedplay pedals. I might try them again in the future.

So, you felt the little round shape of the pedal all the way through the cleat and the sole it was bolted to?

pilot_pete

First Aspect wrote:

Jammiedodgeruk wrote:

I went from Looks to Speedplay but after a while I started getting a round circular ball ache under my foot on longer joruneys. I figured this was due to the design of the Speedplays.

After this I went to Shimano pedals and probably wouldnt go back to Speedplay now. But I do like Speedplay pedals. I might try them again in the future.

So, you felt the little round shape of the pedal all the way through the cleat and the sole it was bolted to?

yeah, seems a bit far fetched to me. Maybe he fitted them to his training shoes... :roll: Or actually, on reading again it appears he got a testicle stuck beneath his foot causing (understandable) pain...

PP

def_defyr

^^Have used Speedplays for 18 years now; they seem to benefit from stiffer soles and are sensitive to positioning. I find that moving the cleats a bit toward the center of my foot and down is the most comfortable, rather than directly under the ball of my foot. So no foot-ball pain, or ball-foot pain, or ball pain on my foot...

pilot_pete

Def Defyr wrote:

^^Have used Speedplays for 18 years now; they seem to benefit from stiffer soles and are sensitive to positioning. I find that moving the cleats a bit toward the center of my foot and down is the most comfortable, rather than directly under the ball of my foot. So no foot-ball pain, or ball-foot pain, or ball pain on my foot...

Do you have footbeds? I got a pair 6 years ago that have been swapped from shoe to shoe and they are still going strong. Absolutely fabulous! Doesn’t matter where I place the cleat (I.e. in the ideal location ) and I’ve never had a problem since.

Just for info, I have Sidas footbeds.

PP

def_defyr

Pilot Pete wrote:

Def Defyr wrote:

^^Have used Speedplays for 18 years now; they seem to benefit from stiffer soles and are sensitive to positioning. I find that moving the cleats a bit toward the center of my foot and down is the most comfortable, rather than directly under the ball of my foot. So no foot-ball pain, or ball-foot pain, or ball pain on my foot...

Do you have footbeds? I got a pair 6 years ago that have been swapped from shoe to shoe and they are still going strong. Absolutely fabulous! Doesn’t matter where I place the cleat (I.e. in the ideal location ) and I’ve never had a problem since.

Just for info, I have Sidas footbeds.

PP

Yes, I have Specialized footbeds. I think it's just personal preferance as to where the cleats sit. I've found that in general as I get older I need to tweak a few things here and there. But Speedplays have never let me down, even if they can be a bit fussy w/r/t to release if you don't install them absolutely correctly.

First.Aspect

Def Defyr wrote:

Pilot Pete wrote:

Def Defyr wrote:

^^Have used Speedplays for 18 years now; they seem to benefit from stiffer soles and are sensitive to positioning. I find that moving the cleats a bit toward the center of my foot and down is the most comfortable, rather than directly under the ball of my foot. So no foot-ball pain, or ball-foot pain, or ball pain on my foot...

Do you have footbeds? I got a pair 6 years ago that have been swapped from shoe to shoe and they are still going strong. Absolutely fabulous! Doesn’t matter where I place the cleat (I.e. in the ideal location ) and I’ve never had a problem since.

Just for info, I have Sidas footbeds.

PP

Yes, I have Specialized footbeds. I think it's just personal preferance as to where the cleats sit. I've found that in general as I get older I need to tweak a few things here and there. But Speedplays have never let me down, even if they can be a bit fussy w/r/t to release if you don't install them absolutely correctly.

How is it possible to install them incorrectly?

def_defyr

First Aspect wrote:

Def Defyr wrote:

Pilot Pete wrote:

Def Defyr wrote:

^^Have used Speedplays for 18 years now; they seem to benefit from stiffer soles and are sensitive to positioning. I find that moving the cleats a bit toward the center of my foot and down is the most comfortable, rather than directly under the ball of my foot. So no foot-ball pain, or ball-foot pain, or ball pain on my foot...

Do you have footbeds? I got a pair 6 years ago that have been swapped from shoe to shoe and they are still going strong. Absolutely fabulous! Doesn’t matter where I place the cleat (I.e. in the ideal location ) and I’ve never had a problem since.

Just for info, I have Sidas footbeds.

PP

Yes, I have Specialized footbeds. I think it's just personal preferance as to where the cleats sit. I've found that in general as I get older I need to tweak a few things here and there. But Speedplays have never let me down, even if they can be a bit fussy w/r/t to release if you don't install them absolutely correctly.

How is it possible to install them incorrectly?

If you are using shoes that don't work perfectly with the snap shims. I had a pair of DMT shoes for a few years that required little wedges. Or, if you tighten the screws too much and deform the plates or shoe soles -- as you know you need to have the cleats absolutely level or the pedals won't engage easily, or at all. Anyway, that reminds me that I need to pickup a grease syringe and lube the pedals...