Fastest clipless pedal to get into, for road bike



P

Paul

Guest
Hi All,

I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
What can you guys tell me?

Thanks in advance,

Paul
 
I'd have to say the speedplays.. I also use eggbeaters on my MTB and cross
bikes, but the speedplays on the road are super easy to engage.

"Paul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi All,
>
> I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
> use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
> and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
> The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
> spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
> on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
> in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
> get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
> What can you guys tell me?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Paul
 
another vote for eggbeaters.

Afte ryears with LOOKs and spds on various bikes the eggbeaters are awesome. they are damn handy in a crit too! great for sprinting (as they engage HARDER as you pull up and far more clearance too)
 
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 03:15:36 GMT in rec.bicycles.misc, "Doug"
<djg21@nycap[dot]rr.com> wrote:

> I'd have to say the speedplays..


i agree. easy in, easy out, lots of float, no knee pain...
 
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 02:37:43 GMT, Paul wrote:

> I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
> use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
> and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
> The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
> spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
> on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
> in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
> get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
> What can you guys tell me?


I use SPDs on my road bike, and I get into them much more quickly and
easily than most of the people I ride with do with their road pedals; I
rarely need more than one try. They also seem to be much less sensitive
to dirt and mud.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw
 
I'd suggest Speedplay Frogs. You'll never miss. Regular Speedplay's are
easy to get into as long as you don't miss the cleat pocket. If you do miss
you slip right off the pedal. I had Frog's on my tandem and loved them. My
spouse now uses them on here road bike and loves them. I'm back to my
Shimano Look pedals as I just like them better than the regular Speedplay
pedal.

MOO,
Matt

"Paul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi All,
>
> I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
> use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
> and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
> The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
> spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
> on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
> in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
> get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
> What can you guys tell me?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Paul
 
Paul <[email protected]> wrote:

>I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
>use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
>and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
>The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
>spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
>on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
>in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
>get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
>What can you guys tell me?


If it's really difficult to get into your SPD's, I'd suggest taking a
long, hard look at your shoes. Often, SPD shoes have heavy lugged
soles that interfere with some pedals. This can make it tough to
click in (or out!).

Or it could just be a practice thing - the more you do it, the easier
it gets.

Or you could have a worn out / bent / defective set of pedals /
cleats.

FWIW, I've found the LOOK road pedals as easy to get in as any -
basically just swing your foot at 'em and you're in (more or less).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame
 
I think Eggbeaters are definitely the best for consistently fast entry.
I almost always clip in successfully even before starting the first
downstroke when starting from a stop. It is a great experience when you
are clipped in within a split second after launching off of a stoplight
while those with road pedals, SPDs, and toe clips are still trying to
coax their pedals into position.

I have a pair of the originals, the second generation SL, the Look
4x4s, and the mini-platformed Candies. It takes a few months to "become
one" with these pedals such that you can clip in and out without
thought under all conditions. This is partly because you need to break
in the pedals and wear the cleat down a little bit as well as training
your body to find the right position for entry. One nice thing about
the Eggbeaters is that entry and exit improves as the cleat wears down.
With a half-worn cleat I can unclip with a quick effortless flick of
the foot and be back in in a split second. The release angle reduces a
little bit with cleat wear too but this hasn't been an issue for me
since I don't flop my feet around when pedaling. It is amazing how well
the cleats stay in, even when they are dramatically worn. The simple
moving double bar retention eliminates the need for any sort of tension
setting on the pedal. You cannot pull out of these pedals until the
cleats get to the very end of their life. I get approximately 3500
miles from a pair of cleats doing mostly road riding.

Riding unclipped is a little problematic with the classic style EBs as
they have a tendency to roll your foot off if you don't push straight
down. You can get used to this by positioning your foot where rolling
off is unlikely to happen. This shouldn't be seen as such a concern
that you have to compromise by going to the Candy, Mallet, or Quattro
platformed designs.

The biggest weakness of most of the Eggbeater pedals is the inner
bearing. They use a plastic bushing on all models except the Quattro
and the Look 4x4. All models use a standard cartridge outer bearing. On
my original pair of EBs I went through one bearing replacement and then
trashed them within a few months of winter riding. The seals have been
improved on the second generation designs but I don't have enough
mileage on them to know how well they last. I have the 4x4s on my road
bike and they are great for heavy use. They have needle bearings on the
inboard side and have only needed the occasional cleaining in 6800
miles of service. Grit that gets into the needle bearings does not
rapidly destroy the bearing surfaces as it does with the bushings. I
recommend you get them if you want the best Eggbeater experience.

I have a pair of Candies for winter use and they can be a little bit
frustrating at times because the platform has some friction in its
rotation about the clip mechanism. It can get into a position where you
can't easily get into the mechanism and have to fumble to get clipped
in. This may improve with wear since I only have a couple hundred miles
on these pedals so far. This isn't an issue with the platformless
Eggbeaters. Because of the platform, though, there is no risk of
rolling one's foot off the pedal as with the classic style EBs. I
haven't seen the Quattros up close to see if there is any difference in
in the platform friction. Despite this problem, I still like them since
they are easier to deal with when riding half-unclipped which I do
frequently while negotiating snow and slush in the winter. I also use
them as my sacrifical pedals so the 4x4s and SLs don't get exposed to
road salt. Although I haven't disassembled them, the Candies appear to
have more substantial inboard seals than the other EBs.

While I am sure Speedplays are great to ride on, I doubt that they are
as consistent getting into as Eggbeaters. With EBs you can easily slam
your foot into the pedal from any position in your pedal stroke. For
SPD style walkability you are basically limited to the frog which has a
less than ideal cleat design.
 
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 02:37:43 GMT, Paul
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
>use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
>and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
>The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
>spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
>on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
>in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
>get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
>What can you guys tell me?


My experience is somewhat limited, as I have SPDs on mt MTB and
touring bike, and Looks on my road bikes. You're correct, even after
years of riding with the SPDs, they're still more difficult to clip
into than the Looks. I find the Looks to be pretty foolproof.


jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3
 
14 Sep 2005 07:04:45 -0700,
<[email protected]>,
"amakyonin" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I have a pair of the originals, the second generation SL, the Look
>4x4s, and the mini-platformed Candies. It takes a few months to "become
>one" with these pedals such that you can clip in and out without
>thought under all conditions. This is partly because you need to break
>in the pedals and wear the cleat down a little bit as well as training
>your body to find the right position for entry. One nice thing about
>the Eggbeaters is that entry and exit improves as the cleat wears down.


That's a fact.
Coming off a broken leg, wearing new shoes and fresh cleats I couldn't
consistently get clipped in on the bad side. The muscles in my ankle
and calf still didn't work well enough, the shoes were strange to me
and the cleats were crisp edged. It took a few days of hit-or-miss
before everything meshed nicely again.
--
zk
 
Zoot Katz wrote:
> Coming off a broken leg, wearing new shoes and fresh cleats I couldn't
> consistently get clipped in on the bad side. The muscles in my ankle
> and calf still didn't work well enough, the shoes were strange to me
> and the cleats were crisp edged. It took a few days of hit-or-miss
> before everything meshed nicely again.
> --
> zk


Congratulations on your recovery. I imagine in addition to new shoes
and fresh cleats you've invested in new and better lighting. <g> Again,
welcome back to the riding population.

Regards,
Bob Hunt
 
14 Sep 2005 12:01:30 -0700,
<[email protected]>, "Bob"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Congratulations on your recovery. I imagine in addition to new shoes
>and fresh cleats you've invested in new and better lighting. <g> Again,
>welcome back to the riding population.


Thanks Bob,

I'd been riding stationary since week three, ~ April 28th. First real
bike riding was on a chopper June 19th. while the fracture was still
sort of plastic. On July 1st, I stoked a tandem. It was also my first
day out without a cane. We unexpectedly dabbed on my weak leg and I
didn't hesitate, wince or collapse. The 2nd of July I was going to
attempt walking to the store without the cane when it hit me that it
would be easier to ride. I've not been off the bike since though that
leg still won't straighten completely.

Now, it's going to be back to crutches for a little while. The screws
are coming out tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to that.

The chopper I was riding when it happened belongs to Donald. I've
ridden it twice since the fall and both times I took my own battery
powered halogen light. The bike's been renamed "Calegula".
--
zk
 
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 06:35:08 -0700, Mark Hickey <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>If it's really difficult to get into your SPD's, I'd suggest taking a
>long, hard look at your shoes. Often, SPD shoes have heavy lugged
>soles that interfere with some pedals. This can make it tough to
>click in (or out!).
>
>Or it could just be a practice thing - the more you do it, the easier
>it gets.


Maybe both. After riding for about a month in one pair of shoes (with
Frogs), I switched. Could not believe how hard it was to find the
cleat! I think it was mostly the feel of the lugs was different
between the shoes.

Pat

Email address works as is.
 
Mark Hickey wrote:

> If it's really difficult to get into your SPD's, I'd suggest taking a
> long, hard look at your shoes. Often, SPD shoes have heavy lugged
> soles that interfere with some pedals. This can make it tough to
> click in (or out!).


I agree, but it has nothing to do with lugs. My Sidi MTB shoes are a breeze to
clip in with, but my flat-soled Answer sneakers are a real pain. Some shoes are
well-designed for SPDs, and some aren't -- lugs or not. In fact Shimano put a
lot of thought into sole design, and once licenced their soles to other
companies. But I guess they didn't want to pay the royalties, and since then
we've had a bunch of lousy SPD shoes.

My advice is, use what has proven to work well for others.

Matt O.
 
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 03:15:36 GMT, "Doug" <djg21@nycap[dot]rr.com>
wrote:

>I'd have to say the speedplays.. I also use eggbeaters on my MTB and cross
>bikes, but the speedplays on the road are super easy to engage.


bebops are even faster you just step down on the pedal.
Knight-Toolworks
http://www.knight-toolworks.com
affordable handmade wooden planes
 
"Paul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi All,
>
> I've currently been using SPDs on my road and mountain bike so I can
> use the same shoes, but lately I've been doing a lot of road riding
> and I'm interested in some pedals that are really fast to clip into.
> The SPDs, even after miles and miles of riding, sometimes take a few
> spins just to get them clicked in- and yes I'm running lighter tension
> on the pedals but still I sometimes lose a few seconds getting clicked
> in. What I'd really like is something as "foolproof" as possible to
> get in, like put your foot on and off you go.
> What can you guys tell me?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Paul


Although everyone has mentioned that Speedplays, Crankborthers and LOOK
pedals are all great.
I use LOOK pedals myself too.
Most of the Pros in the last TDF were using Shimano SPD-SL road pedals.
Like these
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=16258&subcategory_ID=5245
I find it interesting that they look a lot like LOOK pedals though.
But for ease of getting clipped in I think the Crankbrothers probably have
the edge, especially the pedals like the Eggbeaters, as the pedals clan be
clipped in from four different sides (two sides on some of the others) and
not one side like the other pedals.
..
 
Wow! Thanks a lot for your experience; I have heard some really good
things about the 'beaters but taking the time to relate your
experience the way you have is simply invaluable to people like me.
Thank you.

Paul

On 14 Sep 2005 07:04:45 -0700, "amakyonin" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I think Eggbeaters are definitely the best for consistently fast entry.
>I almost always clip in successfully even before starting the first
>downstroke when starting from a stop. It is a great experience when you
>are clipped in within a split second after launching off of a stoplight
>while those with road pedals, SPDs, and toe clips are still trying to
>coax their pedals into position.
>
>I have a pair of the originals, the second generation SL, the Look
>4x4s, and the mini-platformed Candies. It takes a few months to "become
>one" with these pedals such that you can clip in and out without
>thought under all conditions. This is partly because you need to break
>in the pedals and wear the cleat down a little bit as well as training
>your body to find the right position for entry. One nice thing about
>the Eggbeaters is that entry and exit improves as the cleat wears down.
>With a half-worn cleat I can unclip with a quick effortless flick of
>the foot and be back in in a split second. The release angle reduces a
>little bit with cleat wear too but this hasn't been an issue for me
>since I don't flop my feet around when pedaling. It is amazing how well
>the cleats stay in, even when they are dramatically worn. The simple
>moving double bar retention eliminates the need for any sort of tension
>setting on the pedal. You cannot pull out of these pedals until the
>cleats get to the very end of their life. I get approximately 3500
>miles from a pair of cleats doing mostly road riding.
>
>Riding unclipped is a little problematic with the classic style EBs as
>they have a tendency to roll your foot off if you don't push straight
>down. You can get used to this by positioning your foot where rolling
>off is unlikely to happen. This shouldn't be seen as such a concern
>that you have to compromise by going to the Candy, Mallet, or Quattro
>platformed designs.
>
>The biggest weakness of most of the Eggbeater pedals is the inner
>bearing. They use a plastic bushing on all models except the Quattro
>and the Look 4x4. All models use a standard cartridge outer bearing. On
>my original pair of EBs I went through one bearing replacement and then
>trashed them within a few months of winter riding. The seals have been
>improved on the second generation designs but I don't have enough
>mileage on them to know how well they last. I have the 4x4s on my road
>bike and they are great for heavy use. They have needle bearings on the
>inboard side and have only needed the occasional cleaining in 6800
>miles of service. Grit that gets into the needle bearings does not
>rapidly destroy the bearing surfaces as it does with the bushings. I
>recommend you get them if you want the best Eggbeater experience.
>
>I have a pair of Candies for winter use and they can be a little bit
>frustrating at times because the platform has some friction in its
>rotation about the clip mechanism. It can get into a position where you
>can't easily get into the mechanism and have to fumble to get clipped
>in. This may improve with wear since I only have a couple hundred miles
>on these pedals so far. This isn't an issue with the platformless
>Eggbeaters. Because of the platform, though, there is no risk of
>rolling one's foot off the pedal as with the classic style EBs. I
>haven't seen the Quattros up close to see if there is any difference in
>in the platform friction. Despite this problem, I still like them since
>they are easier to deal with when riding half-unclipped which I do
>frequently while negotiating snow and slush in the winter. I also use
>them as my sacrifical pedals so the 4x4s and SLs don't get exposed to
>road salt. Although I haven't disassembled them, the Candies appear to
>have more substantial inboard seals than the other EBs.
>
>While I am sure Speedplays are great to ride on, I doubt that they are
>as consistent getting into as Eggbeaters. With EBs you can easily slam
>your foot into the pedal from any position in your pedal stroke. For
>SPD style walkability you are basically limited to the frog which has a
>less than ideal cleat design.
 
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 16:39:12 GMT, John Everett
<[email protected]> wrote:


>
>My experience is somewhat limited, as I have SPDs on mt MTB and
>touring bike, and Looks on my road bikes. You're correct, even after
>years of riding with the SPDs, they're still more difficult to clip
>into than the Looks. I find the Looks to be pretty foolproof.
>
>
>jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3



OK, for all you Look users: The Look pedals are single sided, correct?
Are they weighted so that the single side is always in the "up"
position, or do you have to flip them to the correct side ala
toeclip/strap method?


Paul
 
Paul <[email protected]> writes:

> OK, for all you Look users: The Look pedals are single sided, correct?
> Are they weighted so that the single side is always in the "up"
> position, or do you have to flip them to the correct side ala
> toeclip/strap method?


They are weighted to naturally rest in the correct position.
--
Ben Pfaff
email: [email protected]
web: http://benpfaff.org
 
I submit that on or about Thu, 15 Sep 2005 19:25:57 GMT, the person
known to the court as Paul <[email protected]> made a
statement (<[email protected]> in Your
Honour's bundle) to the following effect:

>OK, for all you Look users: The Look pedals are single sided, correct?
>Are they weighted so that the single side is always in the "up"
>position, or do you have to flip them to the correct side ala
>toeclip/strap method?


They naturally hang right. I have less trouble with Looks than with
SPDs in fact. Eggbeaters are probably easiest.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound