PD-R450 vs PD-R550 vs PD-R5800 or R7000?

keef66

After a decade of using 2 bolt SPDs I gave SPD-SL a go this summer, and I have to say I like them. Having gone fairly budget on the first pair of R450 pedals I'm going to put them on the winter bike and get something better / nicer looking for the best bike.

First thought was to go for 105, but I wondered if anyone has any experience with the cheaper composite bodied R550?

I understand that like the 105s they have a wider contact point than the R450s which I like the sound of, but I've also read a couple of reports of the cleat retention bit coming adrift. I also wonder how the composite material fares at the front where the cleat clips in?

Maybe the best compromise is a pair of used 5800s from Ebay...

craigus89

I have both the R550's and 105's. I haven't had issues with either, but the 105's feel a bit nicer when clipping in, I also seem to be able to clip in first attempt about 90% of the time when pulling away at traffic lights, I nearly always had to look down with the R550's.

For the price the 105's are what I would choose, performance wise they are as high up the pecking order as anyone need go, Ultegra and Dura-Ace are really only saving a few grams for significant cost increase.

EDIT: Haven't tried the R7000, I see it's gone up in price, I managed to get a set of R5800's about 3 weeks ago for £60 so you may still find some of those 'old stock' which are a much better price point.

keef66

Good shout! Evans have them for a smidge over £60. All the used ones seemed to be going for £40+ on Ebay

craigus89

Yeah that is where I got them from. I think they are the best balance of performance and price. The R7000's are moving toward Ultegra price.

requiem

I have all three, and between the R550 and R5800 I can feel no difference whatsoever, the R550 'feel' being every bit as good as the 5800's. The former attach with 6mm Allen Key or Pedal Spanner, the latter only attaching with 8mm Allen key. My 105's weigh in at 35g lighter for the pair. Having said all that I actually don't notice anything wrong with the R450's either, except that they are heavier still. Hope that helps

super_davo

R450s have a metal body and plastic wear plate. R550s have a plastic body and metal wear plate. Net result is R450s creak after a few months, R550s don't, plus they are lighter.

To me they are the price/ performance sweet spot. I have 105s as well, can't notice the difference in use (though my 105s are a couple of generations behind the R7000s).

philbar72

tried 105 vs ultegra vs dura ace.

for me not much difference at all except weight. i'll be going with 105 pedals in future.

keef66

Thanks for the feedback / opinions!

Well my son gave me a Wiggle voucher for my birthday, so I'll be shopping with them shortly (sorry Evans). Having read all your comments I think I've decided to go for the 550s as the best price / performance / weight / looks trade-off. Plus having just read about 2 different 105 pedals stuck in crank arms, I like the fact that these have flats for a pedal spanner

craigus89

keef66 wrote:

Thanks for the feedback / opinions!

Well my son gave me a Wiggle voucher for my birthday, so I'll be shopping with them shortly (sorry Evans). Having read all your comments I think I've decided to go for the 550s as the best price / performance / weight / looks trade-off. Plus having just read about 2 different 105 pedals stuck in crank arms, I like the fact that these have flats for a pedal spanner

One of those was mine! To be fair it was me at fault, but I do think it is bloody stupid to not not have flats on the spindle, some of these pedals are going to seize and using even a decent sized allen wrench like I was to remove them is asking for trouble.

Presumably it's a design thing, but not a well thought out one. Ultegra's are the same design, not sure on dura-ace.

keef66

I always use copperslip on pedal threads, and I've never had one stuck, but sometimes they've still needed quite a heave on a pedal spanner to shift them. (Most memorably when my son was trying to remove the pedals from his old bike and I found him standing on the pedal spanner, unaware that the LH pedal was reverse threaded He's built like an American fridge, so it's a miracle we ever got the thing off!)

I'm sure it's just for looks; I noticed the same with the SPDs. Cheap as chips M520 had spanner flats, slightly dearer / nicer looking M540s just the 8mm allen socket.

The thing I never understood was the provision of spanner flats and a 6mm hex socket, but a warning that you can't torque them sufficiently using the latter. What is the 6mm socket for then??

craigus89

I use copper slip too, but because the depth of the recess in the allen bolt head isn't very deep when you're using a large allen wrench it doesn't sit completely flat when you're holding the other end and it's not very hard to start rounding it off. I think pedals are something that are over tightened on 99% of bikes but it's still is bad design in my book.

keef66

All of which reminds me, I must get a set of hex bits to use with my socket set. A lot easier to keep perpendicular to the work than an L-shaped key for anything shallow, stubborn or both. Bikes and cars.