Egg Beater MXR reliability

[Mark Shroyer]

My trusty Shimano PD-M520s have decided that they want an overhaul.
But I've always fancied Crank Brothers' Egg Beaters, and after
reading Friday's thread on clipless pedal systems I'm considering
taking this opportunity to give them a try.

I've been able to find the Egg Beater MXR (chromoly) on the Web for
under $40, which strikes me as a pretty darn good deal. However,
several reviewers indicate that the MXR version of the pedal is
particularly fragile and is prone to breakage in the event of a
pedal strike (which happens more than I'd like it to in my commute).
For example:

http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pedal/product_121990.shtml

I'm not willing to expend the cost of the stainless steel Egg
Beaters to experiment with a new pedal system right now; is the
chromoly version a poor investment?

Also, one negative aspect I've read about the Egg Beater design as
opposed to SPD is that the, um, "arms" of the pedal will separate a
bit with the force of the downstroke, causing its grip on the cleat
to loosen slightly. Any comments on how consequential / annoying
this effect really is?

Thanks,
Mark

--
Mark Shroyer
http://markshroyer.com/

 

[RBrickston]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> My trusty Shimano PD-M520s have decided that they want an overhaul.
> But I've always fancied Crank Brothers' Egg Beaters, and after
> reading Friday's thread on clipless pedal systems I'm considering
> taking this opportunity to give them a try.
>
> I've been able to find the Egg Beater MXR (chromoly) on the Web for
> under $40, which strikes me as a pretty darn good deal. However,
> several reviewers indicate that the MXR version of the pedal is
> particularly fragile and is prone to breakage in the event of a
> pedal strike (which happens more than I'd like it to in my commute).
> For example:
>
> http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pedal/product_121990.shtml
>
> I'm not willing to expend the cost of the stainless steel Egg
> Beaters to experiment with a new pedal system right now; is the
> chromoly version a poor investment?
>
> Also, one negative aspect I've read about the Egg Beater design as
> opposed to SPD is that the, um, "arms" of the pedal will separate a
> bit with the force of the downstroke, causing its grip on the cleat
> to loosen slightly. Any comments on how consequential / annoying
> this effect really is?
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
>
>
For just a few dollars more you can find the "C" model on Ebay.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Mark Shroyer <[email protected]> wrote:

(Crank Bros pedals)

> Also, one negative aspect I've read about the Egg Beater design as
> opposed to SPD is that the, um, "arms" of the pedal will separate a
> bit with the force of the downstroke, causing its grip on the cleat
> to loosen slightly. Any comments on how consequential / annoying
> this effect really is?

In my half-year of experience, this effect, if it exists, is
unnoticeable. Compared to my previous SPDs, I notice that the release
seems very fluid, but retention is, if anything, more positive than on
the Shimanos.

That said, the only reason I changed over was for improved mud and sand
clearance during Cyclocross. I consider this a moderately esoteric
excuse .

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[amakyonin]

There are basically two types of Eggbeater mechanisms. The original
design with the cast steel (or Ti) body and "wing" and the newer, less
costly design using steel stampings folded and welded into shape. I
have never broken an Eggbeater pedal (I use both kinds) but I suspect
most of the reports of breakage involve the latter design cracking at
the weld after a rock bashing. I have also read reports of the cast
variety getting bent up after a bashing.

I have never bashed the pedal mechanism hard on anything but I have
ground off some metal due to a few pedal strikes while leaning too
much. The pedal profile is such that only the outer end of the pedals
can hit the ground (on level ground) and the mechanism is kept safe.

You could try to look on eBay for Eggbeater S or SLs if you want to
avoid the welded variety. Avoid all early Eggbeaters with unthreaded
rubber dust caps.

> Also, one negative aspect I've read about the Egg Beater design as
> opposed to SPD is that the, um, "arms" of the pedal will separate a
> bit with the force of the downstroke, causing its grip on the cleat
> to loosen slightly. Any comments on how consequential / annoying
> this effect really is?

This isn't anything to be concerned about. You can't slip off on a
downstroke because the cleat is still constrained by the bars.
Eggbeaters don't work like SPDs in that there is no applied force from
the spring to hold the cleat in place. It all works through mechanical
interference of parts that prevent the (unworn) cleat from pulling out
unless it is twisted. This is why there is no need for a tension
adjustment on Eggbeaters. As Eggbeaters wear in, the spring fatigues a
little and the body and wing develop a bit of loose play. This has no
real impact on the operation and feel of the pedals.

You can develop a bit too much slop as the SPD "pontoons" wear down on
your shoes. I remedy this by building up the pontoons with perforated
strips of inner tube covered in shoe-goo. This is more durable than
shoe-goo alone. I've only had to do this once with ~15,000 miles on a
pair of shoes.

 

[Doug]

Mark Shroyer <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> My trusty Shimano PD-M520s have decided that they want an overhaul.
> But I've always fancied Crank Brothers' Egg Beaters, and after
> reading Friday's thread on clipless pedal systems I'm considering
> taking this opportunity to give them a try.
>
> I've been able to find the Egg Beater MXR (chromoly) on the Web for
> under $40, which strikes me as a pretty darn good deal. However,
> several reviewers indicate that the MXR version of the pedal is
> particularly fragile and is prone to breakage in the event of a
> pedal strike (which happens more than I'd like it to in my commute).
> For example:
>
> http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Pedal/product_121990.shtml
>
> I'm not willing to expend the cost of the stainless steel Egg
> Beaters to experiment with a new pedal system right now; is the
> chromoly version a poor investment?
>
> Also, one negative aspect I've read about the Egg Beater design as
> opposed to SPD is that the, um, "arms" of the pedal will separate a
> bit with the force of the downstroke, causing its grip on the cleat
> to loosen slightly. Any comments on how consequential / annoying
> this effect really is?
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
>

I started using them 3 years ago on my cross bike. Then about 2½ years ago
I converted all my road bikes to them. I've got both the cromolly and the
stainless versions; really can't tell them apart as far as operation is
concerned. Yeah, I know the CrM are heavier, but that doesn't mean a thing
to me; don't "race". I've never had any issue with arm separation at all;
non-issue actually.

Also, there are a couple of WWW sellers that have the SS model in the $80
range;

YMMV
--
Doug
In the Shadow of the Valley of Death

The thing about the cold is that you can never tell how cold it is from
looking out a kitchen window. You have to dress up, get out training and
when you come back, you then know how cold it is.
--Sean Kelly

 

[Zoot Katz]

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 07:47:54 -0700, amakyonin
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Avoid all early Eggbeaters with unthreaded
>rubber dust caps.

Why's that? Bearing failure?

I was an early adopter. Crank Bros sent me free replacement sealed
bearing units, and threaded rubber dust caps, after I'd complained
about toasting a bearing on an out-of-warranty pedal.

Now I pop out the dust caps and run a magnet around inside the pedal
body to check for bits of metal at ~600 km intervals when I lube the
chain. So far I've found none in six pedals.
--
zk