Look vs. SPD

All I've ever used is an SPD style pedal on my road bike although I believe the model I have stopped being made many years ago.

I like what I've got because there are little rubber pontoons that fit over the cleat so that when I walk in my road shoes I'm walking on the pontoons and not the cleat.

Definitely the SPD style has one up on the Look models for walking. BUT....i just bought 5$ cleat covers for my shoes (Look delta cleat) and i have no probs. once had to walk home 3kms after flatting. about 3 days after buying the covers.

I like the larger platform of the Look's. gives me a very secure feel. And i've just been so used to them. never had any issues with my 3 sets.

it's quite a personal choice. i have friends that have both and use both. SPD for city riding. But LOOK for serious rides.

I really don't do a hell of a lot of walking. Basically to and from the garage. Once i dismount after each ride. I slide on the covers.

All I ever used is Look. Started with Look and have had no reason to use anything else.

I've used both SPD and LOOK pedals.

Coming from a background in MTB, I used to have SPD's, even on my road bike, but once I started triathlon training, I decided it looked a bit silly with the SPD's and finally caved in and bought some LOOKs.

Biggest questions to ask is "what type of riding am i doing?" and "what do I want to get out of riding?"

SPD's are definately the way to go if you're commuting or even on long leisurely rides. I did a 155km road race in mine and had no major problems (other than sore legs, but can't blame the pedals for that).

But, if you like the hills or if you're thinking of going into racing, it's hard to argue against LOOKs. The power transfer you get from the larger contact area will save you energy and keep your legs feeling fresher for longer. Even if you're in a hurry to get to work in the mornings, you'll probably find a bit more speed out of the LOOKs.

Hopefully this helps!

TheDoc said:

I've used both SPD and LOOK pedals.

Coming from a background in MTB, I used to have SPD's, even on my road bike, but once I started triathlon training, I decided it looked a bit silly with the SPD's and finally caved in and bought some LOOKs.

Biggest questions to ask is "what type of riding am i doing?" and "what do I want to get out of riding?"

SPD's are definately the way to go if you're commuting or even on long leisurely rides. I did a 155km road race in mine and had no major problems (other than sore legs, but can't blame the pedals for that).

But, if you like the hills or if you're thinking of going into racing, it's hard to argue against LOOKs. The power transfer you get from the larger contact area will save you energy and keep your legs feeling fresher for longer. Even if you're in a hurry to get to work in the mornings, you'll probably find a bit more speed out of the LOOKs.

Hopefully this helps!

Sorry, but I think this is nonsense. One doesn't get more speed because of a LOOK pedal.

Neither do I like the idea of carrying cleat covers around with me to walk on.

And btw, my SPD is a road SPD that Shimano put out as part of their 600 group now called Integra. Too bad they changed imo.

Yojimbo_ said:

Sorry, but I think this is nonsense. One doesn't get more speed because of a LOOK pedal.

Neither do I like the idea of carrying cleat covers around with me to walk on.

And btw, my SPD is a road SPD that Shimano put out as part of their 600 group now called Integra. Too bad they changed imo.

While I am very appreciative of the feedback so far...I'd really like to see this post be geared more towards factual pros and cons of either style (look or spd). Power transfer, stability, ease of clipping in / out, etc. Then maybe some info (more personal) about what you like or do not like.

Thanks!

I came into road biking through mountain bikes, had used SPDs for years and originally used these pedals on my first road bike, in fact their still on my winter bike. Put looks on a new road bike and I would probably not go back, each works as well as the other but the looks are probably easier to clip into.

Riding either works for me, but make sure the SPD's are adjusted correctly for easy release. A minor issue I have encountered with the SPD's is if you shift your heal in towards the bike you can get your foot stuck in against the frame and struggle to release is safely on the move, but that is more my clumsy nature than the pedal.

Walking on the look cleats is a scream for any onlookers and I tend to wear winter mountain bike boots with the SPD's on my winter bike so walking on them is no problem. But remember your out on your bike if you intend to do a lot of walking use SPD's if not the looks.

Walking with Look cleats is simple: carry cleat covers and put them on if you're going on a walkabout. Simple. The cleat covers take ever so little room, and as a happy bonus, they prolong the life of the cleats. If you don't have room for cleat covers, then you're likely carrying too much already.

Personally I have found if I have to climb a steep grade I can pop out of my SPD a little easier (not good) than my Look pedals. Of course this is a tension issue but I find it very easy to twist out of the SPD's much easier than the Looks. Just my opinion.

That being said, Look for long rides and races on the road. SPDs for sure fro MTB, commuting, and leisure rides.

If I could only buy 1 pedal for my bike and I used it for multiple purposes, then I would go with SPD.

Misha1809 said:

While I am very appreciative of the feedback so far...I'd really like to see this post be geared more towards factual pros and cons of either style (look or spd). Power transfer, stability, ease of clipping in / out, etc. Then maybe some info (more personal) about what you like or do not like.

Thanks!

All systems are pretty much the same in these regards else the companies would go out of business or change their design.

They all transfer power from your legs to the crank. Not sure what you mean by stabiliity and they're all easy to clip in and out of. So basically all there is to decide is personal preference and how the various companies marketing schemes affect you.

Misha1809 said:

Greetings All,

I am pondering the intricacies of Look style pedals vs. the SPD style. Would any veterans kindly lend their .02c to this thread and clarify why we might choose one style over the other. Pros/Cons, and all that would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I think Look style pedals are easier to get into and out of (for road riding). Also, depends on the shoe, you typically have more flexibility in terms of adjusting the cleat location (fore/aft and sideways)
My experience with SPD road pedals (shimano road spd) is that they don't "balance" as well as Look style pedals, so entry is a little harder. I started road riding by using my mtb pedals, then switched them to road spd (one sided SPD road pedals) and finally to look style road pedals (actually, shimano road)
BTW, I still have my spd road pedals on my "touring" bike.
OTHOH, I think SPD cleats last a LOT longer (keep them clean and lubricated) and are cheaper.
If you are gonna do a lot of road riding, fast and hard, I'd suggest you go with look style or shimano road cleats or similar road specific; large contact area, pedal/cleat system

Been on Look since day 1 on clipless pedals.
Used to think SPDs would be nice due to the ease in walking over the Look's when cleat covers weren't at my disposal.
Now that Look has the "Grip" feature (rubber pads affixed to the cleats that ease walking and considerably extend cleat life) on their latest Keo cleat offerings, there's no advantage to SPD...

Yojimbo_ said:

All systems are pretty much the same in these regards else the companies would go out of business or change their design.

They all transfer power from your legs to the crank. Not sure what you mean by stabiliity and they're all easy to clip in and out of. So basically all there is to decide is personal preference and how the various companies marketing schemes affect you.

This is best answer.
When I started I used the old Time pedals that had the two piece cleats that where a PIA the setup. Then I moved to LOOK pedals and it was the best thing I could have done. Things to look at are the Q factory, float, and weight. The rest is up to you.

For what it's worth, I use Look pedals on my road bike and SPDs on my cross bike. I started out as a roadie, so looks were my first pedals. I absolutely love them. They are very light, they are easy to clip into. Then I needed a set of pedals for trail riding. The road pedals didn't seem so practical so I went with SPDs. They are great for the trails with their double sided entry. But they are heavy (might be able to get lighter ones than I have). However, they give me pretty much the same amount of float as I use on my looks and transitioning from one to the other has been really easy. The other advantage to the SPDs is that the cleats work on the spin bikes at the gym! I don't go there very often, but when I do, I can use my trail shoes.

So, long story short, it just depends on your needs/wants. Both are good pedals, but Looks are a more "standard" road pedal, only meaning that it is the type of pedal you are likely to see on a road bike, whereas the SPDs are more commonly used by MTBers, if that is at all important to you.