T
Tom Kunich
Guest
I've not used a lot of clipless systems but here's my opinion:
Look clipless - I've used these a great deal over 15 years. Strengths: they
provide a nice strong connection to the bike with a clear feel when you're
disconnected. Weaknesses: The cleats do not wear well. I get about 1000
miles on them because every time I stop I put a foot down and that cleat
will wear faster. Also you have to walk around toes-high using cleat covers
otherwise you cannot stand safely on a slippery surface such as tile in the
7-11 as you're getting a softdrink. And strangely enough, they stopped
making the best cleat covers. And now it also appears as if they've stopped
making the "real" Look pedal and changed over to the Keo which is sort of a
3/4 scale version of the old one. Including smaller cleats. Which are still
made out of the same plastic.
Shimano SPD - They just don't seem to provide a good connection in the one's
I've used. I clip out all the time when I'm just riding along. Perhaps it's
just the pedals I have. Strengths: they don't seem any better than any other
pedal I've used. Weaknesses: even though I have an off-road shoe with deep
soles the cleats still stick up a little above them. This makes marks on
floors and also makes them quite slippery if you're not careful.
Crank Bros X-pedals: These are the cheapest and simplest of the pedal
systems I've used. They work well as long as everything is new. Strengths:
Simplicity. Lightness. Good price. Weaknesses: The cleat wears quite
rapidly - less than 1500 miles and you start bouncing out of the pedal. The
wear pattern of the is such that you would easily click out if your heal
turned inward while riding. While new they worked fine so it definitely is a
wear problem. Supposedly they have a newer and longer lasting cleat that
uses a different metal for the cleats. Hopefully this will fix that problem.
Another minor problem is that the X-pedals are a bit difficult to ride
without proper shoes. If you want to run up to the corner to mail a letter
or ride a couple of blocks to the grocery for something you have to put on
cycling shoes.
OK - your turn to add pedals or to add or criticize my entries.
Look clipless - I've used these a great deal over 15 years. Strengths: they
provide a nice strong connection to the bike with a clear feel when you're
disconnected. Weaknesses: The cleats do not wear well. I get about 1000
miles on them because every time I stop I put a foot down and that cleat
will wear faster. Also you have to walk around toes-high using cleat covers
otherwise you cannot stand safely on a slippery surface such as tile in the
7-11 as you're getting a softdrink. And strangely enough, they stopped
making the best cleat covers. And now it also appears as if they've stopped
making the "real" Look pedal and changed over to the Keo which is sort of a
3/4 scale version of the old one. Including smaller cleats. Which are still
made out of the same plastic.
Shimano SPD - They just don't seem to provide a good connection in the one's
I've used. I clip out all the time when I'm just riding along. Perhaps it's
just the pedals I have. Strengths: they don't seem any better than any other
pedal I've used. Weaknesses: even though I have an off-road shoe with deep
soles the cleats still stick up a little above them. This makes marks on
floors and also makes them quite slippery if you're not careful.
Crank Bros X-pedals: These are the cheapest and simplest of the pedal
systems I've used. They work well as long as everything is new. Strengths:
Simplicity. Lightness. Good price. Weaknesses: The cleat wears quite
rapidly - less than 1500 miles and you start bouncing out of the pedal. The
wear pattern of the is such that you would easily click out if your heal
turned inward while riding. While new they worked fine so it definitely is a
wear problem. Supposedly they have a newer and longer lasting cleat that
uses a different metal for the cleats. Hopefully this will fix that problem.
Another minor problem is that the X-pedals are a bit difficult to ride
without proper shoes. If you want to run up to the corner to mail a letter
or ride a couple of blocks to the grocery for something you have to put on
cycling shoes.
OK - your turn to add pedals or to add or criticize my entries.