considering Speedplay

[watermelonman]

A number of guys I ride with have Speedplay pedals and seem very happy with them. I am mostly concerned with durability and power transfer. I am used to my ancient Look pedals which I believe are top notch for both of those categories. I kind of like the huge cleat; it feels like all of my power gets to the crank. I think that the fairly simple and strong design makes them very durable as well.

How do the Speedplay pedals stack up for power transfer and durability? I hate to waste power, and worse I have heard horror stories of guys ripping them in half. Looking at them, it seems feasible. Also, what is the deal with the float? Disengaging from the pedals is quite different from the Looks, right?

Either way, I need new pedals. I will probably end up with Keo Classics or Speedplay X5s.

Thanks!

 

[BILLYHOLMES]

A number of guys I ride with have Speedplay pedals and seem very happy with them. I am mostly concerned with durability and power transfer. I am used to my ancient Look pedals which I believe are top notch for both of those categories. I kind of like the huge cleat; it feels like all of my power gets to the crank. I think that the fairly simple and strong design makes them very durable as well.

How do the Speedplay pedals stack up for power transfer and durability? I hate to waste power, and worse I have heard horror stories of guys ripping them in half. Looking at them, it seems feasible. Also, what is the deal with the float? Disengaging from the pedals is quite different from the Looks, right?

Either way, I need new pedals. I will probably end up with Keo Classics or Speedplay X5s.

Thanks!

I tried them but found due to the amount of float my right heel kept hiting the chain stay, couldn't get used to them, felt like my feet were on small blocks of ice - eneded up taking them back and went with Keo's.
Bill

 

[Peter@vecchios]

A number of guys I ride with have Speedplay pedals and seem very happy with them. I am mostly concerned with durability and power transfer. I am used to my ancient Look pedals which I believe are top notch for both of those categories. I kind of like the huge cleat; it feels like all of my power gets to the crank. I think that the fairly simple and strong design makes them very durable as well.

How do the Speedplay pedals stack up for power transfer and durability? I hate to waste power, and worse I have heard horror stories of guys ripping them in half. Looking at them, it seems feasible. Also, what is the deal with the float? Disengaging from the pedals is quite different from the Looks, right?

Either way, I need new pedals. I will probably end up with Keo Classics or Speedplay X5s.

Thanks!

Speedplay cleats are of a similar size to LOOK cleats. If you wish to have specific float get Zeros, not X-5(which have a HUGE amount of float, not adjustable). Zeros(stainless steel spindle and chrom-moly) have adjustable float zero to 7.5 degrees in either direction.

'Ripping them in half'? Not sure about that one. Very durable, completely serviceable, down to being able to buy one pedal if you crash and kill one.

I was a long time LOOK/Campagnolo/Campagnolo Profit user. Got some Zeros for my fixie(2 sided, easier in) and liked them so much switched my geared bike to them. Put the Zero cleat in the same relative location as the Campag cleat and road. Only adjusted the float, which I dialed down to about 2 degrees.

Before Zeros, people either loved or hated the X series..hence the Zero.

 

[Peter@vecchios]

A number of guys I ride with have Speedplay pedals and seem very happy with them. I am mostly concerned with durability and power transfer. I am used to my ancient Look pedals which I believe are top notch for both of those categories. I kind of like the huge cleat; it feels like all of my power gets to the crank. I think that the fairly simple and strong design makes them very durable as well.

How do the Speedplay pedals stack up for power transfer and durability? I hate to waste power, and worse I have heard horror stories of guys ripping them in half. Looking at them, it seems feasible. Also, what is the deal with the float? Disengaging from the pedals is quite different from the Looks, right?

Either way, I need new pedals. I will probably end up with Keo Classics or Speedplay X5s.

Thanks!

I tried them but found due to the amount of float my right heel kept hiting the chain stay, couldn't get used to them, felt like my feet were on small blocks of ice - eneded up taking them back and went with Keo's.
Bill

'Should' have tried Zeros, which have adjustable float, unlike the X series which do not.

 

[christoz]

I like Speedplays a lot. Double sided is a huge convenience. I like huge float which doesn't restrict me. I think that with use you kind of develop the bio-mechanical discipline to keep your knees & feet straight. It's just my hypothesis but it worked for me. I don't hit the chain-stays. It's just as easy to clip out as it is with anything else. I don't race and I ride in Houston where it's pancake-flat so I don't stand up and mash the pedals so the contact area is fine for me.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

...How do the Speedplay pedals stack up for...durability? ...

I ride the X-2s and the pedals themselves are very durable. I can't imagine ripping them in half, but I suppose anything is possible. The cleats are less durable and very prone to clogging with mud so be careful walking in them. I don't mind the float and feel really secure in Speedplays.

I've raced many pedal systems including years of clips and double straps, Looks, SPDs, etc. and Speedplays are by far my favorite in terms of security and ease of entry/release. They're the only clipless pedal I'd consider racing on the track without the assist of at least one strap because you just don't pull out of Speedplays in a sprint. I went to Speedplays after pulling out of other clipless pedals one too many times in a sprint and don't see any reason to go back.

As for the power transfer question, I've always struggled with the marketing claims that one pedal is superior to another in that department. If you ride stiff soled shoes I just don't see where the power losses are in the pedal/shoe interface. From a physics or engineering standpoint just where does that lost power go when comparing one pedal system to another? I can see the issue with soft soled shoes and flexing the soles, but I have a much harder time seeing how power is conserved or lost when you pair up a good stiff soled shoe with a large or small pedal platform. Regardless, the contact area on the Speedplays are plenty large enough.

Good luck,
-Dave

 

[alienator]

Well, I've yet to read any forum wherein someone complained that just yesterday they ripped their Speedplays in half.

I was on Looks before knee pain forced a change. I've been on Speedplays for about 5 years, now, riding X/2s the whole time. I've had zero durability issues and zero cleat issues. I live in the desert, the home of sand fouling, and have yet to have difficulty clipping in or out as a result of sand in my cleat.

Cleat engagement is dead simple. Clipping out is just as easy. I've never felt that "walking on ice" feeling that others talk about.

Power transfer? Power transfer is done normal to the pedal. Having Speedplays changes nothing about that. All Speedplays do is allow float to account for differing biomechanical needs for riders.

I've never used Speedplay Zeros because I've never had the need. I can't say what they're like.

 

[dhk2]

A number of guys I ride with have Speedplay pedals and seem very happy with them. I am mostly concerned with durability and power transfer. I am used to my ancient Look pedals which I believe are top notch for both of those categories. I kind of like the huge cleat; it feels like all of my power gets to the crank. I think that the fairly simple and strong design makes them very durable as well.

How do the Speedplay pedals stack up for power transfer and durability? I hate to waste power, and worse I have heard horror stories of guys ripping them in half. Looking at them, it seems feasible. Also, what is the deal with the float? Disengaging from the pedals is quite different from the Looks, right?

Either way, I need new pedals. I will probably end up with Keo Classics or Speedplay X5s.

Thanks!

I tried them but found due to the amount of float my right heel kept hiting the chain stay, couldn't get used to them, felt like my feet were on small blocks of ice - eneded up taking them back and went with Keo's.
Bill

Agree with the excellent comments above in support of speedplays. The mud-fouling that Dave mentioned can be a problem here, but the "Koffee Shop" covers take care of that easily and provides for quiet walking too.

I did have the "icecube" feeling when switching from Looks to speedplay Zeros five years ago, but that went away after just a couple of rides. Speedplays are getting a pretty big following here, and I don't know of anyone who's switched from speedplays back to their old Look or SPD set ups.

 

[jjiam1234]

I've had speedplays for at least 2 years, and yes at first they feel alot different than look pedals. But that goes away very quickly and I could not love any pedals more than my speedplays. I am a huge guy with huge power and my sidis never ripped the speedplay or my sidis never failed, i love my bike and everything on it, just have to get that seat thing down, its been 2 years and still looking for the perfect seat!

 

[benkoostra]

I've had a set of X-2's for 3 years. No trouble. having said that, it must be made clear that they can be dangerous on coffee shop floors. I have nearly 'crashed' a couple of times!

The increased float can be disconcerting at first, but you get used to it after a few hours in the saddle. I never notice anymore, and I have never disengaged accidentally, which was one of the reasons I went to them in the first place.

They are terrible for walking. Get the covers.
I recommend them.

 

[jwroubaix]

I've had a set of X-2's for 3 years. No trouble. having said that, it must be made clear that they can be dangerous on coffee shop floors. I have nearly 'crashed' a couple of times!

The increased float can be disconcerting at first, but you get used to it after a few hours in the saddle. I never notice anymore, and I have never disengaged accidentally, which was one of the reasons I went to them in the first place.

They are terrible for walking. Get the covers.
I recommend them.

How do the speedplay zeros compare with the look keo sprints?

 

[benkoostra]

How do the speedplay zeros compare with the look keo sprints?

I've never tried those pedals, but my trouble with the standard design is that on standing accelerations, I tend to pull up pretty hard and pull out of the binding. This is not an issue with the Speedplay design, due to the increased angle required for disengagement.
I think the cleats need a little refinement for walking, but otherwise they work very well.

I have an idea. They could drill extra holes, where the user could screw in grippy cleats similar to those on soccer or golf shoes. these could be removable for weight weenies or racers. In fact, I think this would be an upgrade for any road shoe used for training or commuting.

 

[watermelonman]

Well, if you were a salesman, what would be the big reason to get Speedplays?

Also, with all this talk about knee problems, is there any chance that all that float could actually be worse for some people?

 

[mikesbytes]

Well, if you were a salesman, what would be the big reason to get Speedplays?

Also, with all this talk about knee problems, is there any chance that all that float could actually be worse for some people?

Some people are better off without float as they don't put their feet in the correct spot if they use float.

In regards to Speedplay vs Look, I doubt that there would be any difference in power transfer.

 

[Peter@vecchios]

Well, if you were a salesman, what would be the big reason to get Speedplays?

Also, with all this talk about knee problems, is there any chance that all that float could actually be worse for some people?

Zeros-adjustable float 0 to 7.5 degrees in either direction. Light, good cornering clearance, completely serviceable to include being able to buy one pedal if you crash.

Lots of float with X series, you can adjust to no float with Zeros. Big distinction.