Speedplay or Time iClic pedals

Aguila
Aguila Posts: 622
edited May 2010 in Commuting chat
Upgrading the pedals on the best bike and torn between these 2. Not really keen on SPL-SL.

Like the idea of double sided entry and float of the speedplays but also the inovative design of the Time pedals.

Any opinions from users of either welcome.

Comments

  • Medders
    Medders Posts: 152
    I bought the i-clics recently as an upgrade to spd-sls. Really very pleased with them - easy access and solid click into place, a good firm hold on the cleat but with substantial float so never feel restricted by them. No easier nor harder to walk on the cleat than the spd-sl.

    Sorry cant compare to speedplays as never used them .

    Cheers

    Riding:
    Canyon Nerve AL9.9 2014
    Honda CBR600f 2013
    Condor Fratello 2010
    Cervelo RS 2009
    Specialized Rockhopper Pro 2008
  • Aguila
    Aguila Posts: 622
    Interesting,

    Does the correct side tend to present itself to you when engaging. I do find the traffic light pedal flicking to get to the right side annoying with some other systems, hence liking the double sided nature of the speedplays.
  • Down the Road
    Down the Road Posts: 949
    Ridden both.

    The Time is the easier to get into. Hangs correctly so no need for double sided.

    You can walk on the cleat whereas the speedplay cleat is not happy being walked on (You will need Coffee caps)

    Cleats are difficult to get in Speedplay when you want them as well
    Racing is life - everything else is just waiting
  • Medders
    Medders Posts: 152
    yup agree with that - the weighting on the pedal means the engagement point is always presented when engaging much like spd-sls but the engagement itself is considerably easier. the lack of double-sided is not an issue.

    Riding:
    Canyon Nerve AL9.9 2014
    Honda CBR600f 2013
    Condor Fratello 2010
    Cervelo RS 2009
    Specialized Rockhopper Pro 2008
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Ridden both.

    The Time is the easier to get into. Hangs correctly so no need for double sided.

    You can walk on the cleat whereas the speedplay cleat is not happy being walked on (You will need Coffee caps)

    Cleats are difficult to get in Speedplay when you want them as well
    Disagree with most of this.

    Speedplay cleats easy to get hold of now they are so popular.

    Expensive, but then they last a good deal longer than a plastic cleat.

    Hard to walk on in the sense that they are metal, and indeed, there is no sense walking on them if you can get the covers. But how far do you want to walk in road shoes anyway? The only damage you generally do is to the screw heads. The part of the cleat which engages with the pedal is recessed, so unless you walk on gravel, its not much of an issue.

    The time may be easy to get into - couldn't comment. But speedplays are trivial to get into.

    There is also no (or no need for - depends if you go X or Zero) any resistance to unclipping.

    The main difference is that the float is freakishly free (and over a wide angle). "Float" in the likes of spd, crank bros and look-type (all of which I've used) is a little restriced by friction, and/or spring biased, during the pedal downstroke. Speedplays are not.

    Its a bit marmite, on that basis. You either love it or hate it.
  • Aguila
    Aguila Posts: 622
    Thanks, interesting.

    Think I might go for the Time ones, a lot of float sounds like an uncomfortable thing, though I beleive the speedplays do let you fix the degree of float. Not planning to walk in them so that's not an issue.
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    Aguila wrote:
    Thanks, interesting.

    Think I might go for the Time ones, a lot of float sounds like an uncomfortable thing, though I beleive the speedplays do let you fix the degree of float. Not planning to walk in them so that's not an issue.

    The Time I-clics are cheaper too. I really doubt the speedplays will be easier to clip into too. Clipping in with my double sided SPDs is harder!

    The only bad thing (and I haven't experienced it) about the I-clics is that some people over in weightweenies have complained about the fragility of the cleat. It seems to depend on the shoe as my Shimano's and Specialized are fine with it.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    The main difference is that the float is freakishly free (and over a wide angle).

    When I tried them (and didn't get on with them) I likended the smoothness of the play to 'walking on ice'.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    The main difference is that the float is freakishly free (and over a wide angle).

    When I tried them (and didn't get on with them) I likended the smoothness of the play to 'walking on ice'.
    Like I say, Marmite.

    Personally, I now find that other pedals make me feel like my heels are tied to something.
  • petejuk
    petejuk Posts: 235
    Speedplays are incredibly easy to get into and incredibly hard wearing. I started wearing them because I started to get knee pain on intermediate to long rides with a set of looks. I changed to Time RXS pedals but never got on with them. I found them to be difficult to get in and out of.
    Speedplay don't feel like a conventional pedal and this puts off some who like the feeling of security that the limited float and self centring a conventional clipless offers. If you suffer any knee, leg or back pain, try Speedplay. Although expensive, they worth the extra outlay IMHO.
  • markshaw77
    markshaw77 Posts: 437
    Not tried the i-clics (bit am tempted as I am intrigued by the design!), but as a Speedplay user, I can safely say that they are very easy to get in and out of and for me, the zeros offer the best of both worlds - you can dial-in just enough UNRESTRCTED float to protect your knees, etc without going for the full ice-skating effect which I agree can be a little disconcerting.

    The other effect I have found is that the free-float and initial feeling of ice-skating is that it forced me to really consider and work on my pedalling action and the ice-skating is a really good indicator of when you are (inefficiently) applying excessive lateral forces on the pedal as opposed to pushing in a direction parallel to the bike and its motion---No scientific proof (and no specific stats to back it up), but it has been a good mental thing for me and my cycling has, without doubt, improved since moving to Speedplay.

    Also, at least initially, the cost issue of the cleats is not as bad as you think, as if you think you might want float, you will need to buy multiple cleats for SPD-SL, etc to figure that out, whereas one pair of zeros allows as much experimentation as you want for 1 set of cleats. I have found them to be very hardwearing and the costs of replacement screws (the worst impacted area) is less than a fiver, so hardly bank-breaking

    Just my 2 cents
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    There is just one set of cleats for the I-clics. The float you get with them is inmense, and they have also got lateral float, something that as far as I am aware, the Speedplays can't offer.

    Even Speedplay users are saying the I-clics are easier!
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    gabriel959 wrote:
    There is just one set of cleats for the I-clics. The float you get with them is inmense, and they have also got lateral float, something that as far as I am aware, the Speedplays can't offer.

    Even Speedplay users are saying the I-clics are easier!
    Lateral float? You mean the Q factor effectively changes?

    That's a new idea. What's the thinking? Why would it be needed?

    I think the Times look like a very clever design. They are probably easy to get into. But pedals are a bit like saddles, I think. Different designs suit different people.

    If someone else comes up with a metal-metal interface like Speedplays, I'll give them a try - Beebop make some, but they aren't readily available here. If I loved look pedals I would probably be curious about times.
  • Aguila
    Aguila Posts: 622
    Thanks for all the replies, I now have a lurvly pair of iClics in my hand. They look very nice, not tried yet as my new shoes are not here:

    Merlin 1 Wiggle 0

    in the internet ordering game!

    Incidentally Merlin have the iClics cheaper than anywhere else I can find if people are interested.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    gabriel959 wrote:
    There is just one set of cleats for the I-clics. The float you get with them is inmense, and they have also got lateral float, something that as far as I am aware, the Speedplays can't offer.

    Even Speedplay users are saying the I-clics are easier!
    Lateral float? You mean the Q factor effectively changes?

    That's a new idea. What's the thinking? Why would it be needed?

    I think the Times look like a very clever design. They are probably easy to get into. But pedals are a bit like saddles, I think. Different designs suit different people.

    If someone else comes up with a metal-metal interface like Speedplays, I'll give them a try - Beebop make some, but they aren't readily available here. If I loved look pedals I would probably be curious about times.

    According to a couple of sites I've looked at Time pedals have previously featured lateral float. It sounds like a nice idea, but I don't know that it's something I'd ever need. My shoes have a little slidey set-up which means that (although it's not float) I can adjust the lateral foot position with whatever pedal I want to use. And the adjustment's a lot more than the 2.5mm of float the iclic allows. Is the lateral float centred?

    A carbon spring sounds.... interesting. Is carbon really a great material for springs?

    The speedplays take a bit of getting used to, I have to say, but once you've gone through that they're excellent. And I have been walking around on the same set of cleats without the caps for a fair while with no noticeable ill effects.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    A carbon spring sounds.... interesting. Is carbon really a great material for springs?
    Pole vault thingies = carbon fibre.

    Aircraft wings = carbon fibre

    Fishing rods = carbon fibre

    Perfect material - strong in tension.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    A carbon spring sounds.... interesting. Is carbon really a great material for springs?
    Pole vault thingies = carbon fibre.

    Aircraft wings = carbon fibre

    Fishing rods = carbon fibre

    Perfect material - strong in tension.

    :D that's why I asked rather than stating...
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    A carbon spring sounds.... interesting. Is carbon really a great material for springs?
    Pole vault thingies = carbon fibre.

    Aircraft wings = carbon fibre

    Fishing rods = carbon fibre

    Perfect material - strong in tension.

    :D that's why I asked rather than stating...
    Ah, I see what you did there. A bit like your, "So what's the difference between Campy and Shimano" question.

    There must be an eyelid fluttering emotcion out there somewhere. :P
  • MrChips
    MrChips Posts: 1
    gabriel959 wrote:
    The only bad thing (and I haven't experienced it) about the I-clics is that some people over in weightweenies have complained about the fragility of the cleat. It seems to depend on the shoe as my Shimano's and Specialized are fine with it.

    I've also experienced problems with the fragility of the cleats (using them with Specialized S-Works shoes). Within two or three rides they were already badly worn and one of the protruding parts at the front which is there to make walking easier snapped off as I was getting off a train.

    I've now had to buy some replacements after about two months as the left one is so badly worn that it doesn't clip in anymore. The only walking I've done in them is at cake stops and getting in and out of the house.