Pretty much what he said. Please note that float as is found in Speedplay cleats can be good for folks who've had knee pain while pedaling. It is not, however, always a good thing. Some people get pain from all of the float in Speedplay pedals. In that light, float and whether it's needed or not is entirely dependent on the person in question. It should also be noted that given that the cleat mechanism is attached to the shoe, it can be fouled by dirt, mud, and the like if you happen to walk through kack like that. Fouled cleats may prevent you from clicking in and can also make it difficult to unclip. Avoiding fouling is really easy though as Speedplay provides cleat covers with the cleats. It's wise to use the cleat covers if walking around. The cleat covers also extend the life of the cleats or rather help prevent the cleats from wearing out too soon. If the cleats do become fouled, they are dead easy to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and lube. Speedplay's cleats and pedals do require a tad more maintenance than other systems, but it's nothing onerous. You have to periodically spray the spring mechanism in the cleat with a teflon dry lube (or any other dry lube....wet lubes will collect dirt and grit) to maintain optimal function. About every 2000 miles, according to Speedplay, you need to inject grease into the pedals. Speedplay does make claims about how light their pedals are, and those claims are true; however, those claims don't mention that the cleats are significantly heavier than just about any other type of cleat. With that said, when the weight of the pedal and the cleat are added together, Speedplay's weight is on par with or a bit less than other systems on the market. I was a Speedplay user for quite a while. The pedals and cleats are high quality bits, every bit as good as what's offered by Look (what I currently use), Shimano, Time, or any other road pedal.oldbobcat said:As safe (or unsafe) as any other pedal. The X series is being phased out, so go for Light Action or Zeroes.
Advantages are double sided entry, low stack height, 15 degrees of float (or adjustable down to no float with Zeroes), spare parts, availability of long spindles, light weight, durable cleats, and serviceable bodies. Disadvantages are heavy, expensive cleats that need to be cleaned and lubricated periodically, and limited longitudinal adjustment for the cleats unless you buy the $30 extender kit.
I like my Zeroes, but I would not encourage switching over to a new pedal unless whatever you're already using is broken or seriously deficient. If everything is working for you, change your handlebar wrap and save money.
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