Discussion
I need something to distract me from that bloody helmets thread, honestly its like a sore tooth you cant help poking...
I am ripping through SPD-SL cleats at an alarming rate, both EddH and I seem to be suffering from the yellow tabs breaking off, not entirely sure why or how, I dont wear them off the bike bar a couple of steps from the bike to the garage door so I can only assume they are suffering from quality issues or its somethign to do with the way we both unclip, either way I am looking to change.
I'm looking at Look Keo or Speedplay as I guess these are the only two viable options, I can use my existing shoes with Look Keos as they are both three bolt pattern so they make sense and pedals and cleats are under £100 but I do like the look of Speedplay pedals and because pro. Unfortunately that means new shoes as well as pedals and cleats.
So Look and Speedplay recommendations and user experiences would be most welcome, thanks.
I am ripping through SPD-SL cleats at an alarming rate, both EddH and I seem to be suffering from the yellow tabs breaking off, not entirely sure why or how, I dont wear them off the bike bar a couple of steps from the bike to the garage door so I can only assume they are suffering from quality issues or its somethign to do with the way we both unclip, either way I am looking to change.
I'm looking at Look Keo or Speedplay as I guess these are the only two viable options, I can use my existing shoes with Look Keos as they are both three bolt pattern so they make sense and pedals and cleats are under £100 but I do like the look of Speedplay pedals and because pro. Unfortunately that means new shoes as well as pedals and cleats.
So Look and Speedplay recommendations and user experiences would be most welcome, thanks.
pablo said:
I am ripping through SPD-SL cleats at an alarming rate, both EddH and I seem to be suffering from the yellow tabs breaking off, not entirely sure why or how, I dont wear them off the bike bar a couple of steps from the bike to the garage door so I can only assume they are suffering from quality issues or its somethign to do with the way we both unclip, either way I am looking to change.
I get the same issue, i can only put it down to plastic against metal. pablo said:
I need something to distract me from that bloody helmets thread, honestly its like a sore tooth you cant help poking...
I am ripping through SPD-SL cleats at an alarming rate, both EddH and I seem to be suffering from the yellow tabs breaking off, not entirely sure why or how, I dont wear them off the bike bar a couple of steps from the bike to the garage door so I can only assume they are suffering from quality issues or its somethign to do with the way we both unclip, either way I am looking to change.
I'm looking at Look Keo or Speedplay as I guess these are the only two viable options, I can use my existing shoes with Look Keos as they are both three bolt pattern so they make sense and pedals and cleats are under £100 but I do like the look of Speedplay pedals and because pro. Unfortunately that means new shoes as well as pedals and cleats.
So Look and Speedplay recommendations and user experiences would be most welcome, thanks.
You don't need new shoes for Speedplay pedals I am ripping through SPD-SL cleats at an alarming rate, both EddH and I seem to be suffering from the yellow tabs breaking off, not entirely sure why or how, I dont wear them off the bike bar a couple of steps from the bike to the garage door so I can only assume they are suffering from quality issues or its somethign to do with the way we both unclip, either way I am looking to change.
I'm looking at Look Keo or Speedplay as I guess these are the only two viable options, I can use my existing shoes with Look Keos as they are both three bolt pattern so they make sense and pedals and cleats are under £100 but I do like the look of Speedplay pedals and because pro. Unfortunately that means new shoes as well as pedals and cleats.
So Look and Speedplay recommendations and user experiences would be most welcome, thanks.
Yes they've a four-bolt pattern, but Speedplay supply adaptors/shims to make their cleats fit "normal" SPD-SL shoes.Something clearly not right though with your current setup, however: mine last ages!
Looks here.. tend to change the cleats about yearly whether they need it or not.. they look a bit chewed fast, but seem to go on and on - I'm not particularly careful with them & do a lot of miles. For me they're not something I give the slightest thought to.
Speedplay do look rather pro, but I don't use the float that's in the looks & I'd have to sell my power meter if I changed.
Speedplay do look rather pro, but I don't use the float that's in the looks & I'd have to sell my power meter if I changed.
I have Speedplay Zeros and am very happy with them.
I bought them because I was having issues with my knee and the Zero's have a lot of adjustment available in their setup (all in the cleat which attaches to the sole of the shoe - pedals themselves have no adjustment in them). You can have as much or as little/no float as you need, it took a few rides to get the setup correct but once they were dialed in I was extremely comfortable on them. I have been able to remove all of the float now and ride with them fairly static.
Another big plus is that they are double sided, so no fumbling around with your foot at the lights (although being a PH-er I assume you track stand at lights/junctions etc)...
As the retainer mechanism is on the cleat itself you do need to dribble a little oil over the cleat spring every week to stop if from squeaking. Also the cleats need a 'service' every now and again - but this takes all of 5 mins and just involves removing the faceplace of the cleat, cleaning and lubing it, then putting it back together.
They come with adapter plates for 3 or 4 bolt soles, so you should not have an issue fitting them regardless of the bolt patten on the shoe. They also come with an assortment of 'wedges' to ensure that when fitted the cleats are nice and flat to the soles of the shoe.
As the mechanism is on the sole of the shoe the stack height is much higher than other pedals which in theory means you have more clearance in corners, and generally speaking can continue to pedal through low/fast bends.
The only real downside I can think of is the stack height of the cleat when you are off the bike. It is quite high compared to other systems which can make you totter around like a uni girl on a night out in Newcastle, but how far do you need to walk from your bike to a cafe?
If you do go for the Speedplays buy the 'coffee shop cleat covers', they only cost about £10 and protect the cleats once you are off the bike - it is quite amazing how quickly the faceplate of the cleat can wear when walked on concrete or tarmac!
I bought them because I was having issues with my knee and the Zero's have a lot of adjustment available in their setup (all in the cleat which attaches to the sole of the shoe - pedals themselves have no adjustment in them). You can have as much or as little/no float as you need, it took a few rides to get the setup correct but once they were dialed in I was extremely comfortable on them. I have been able to remove all of the float now and ride with them fairly static.
Another big plus is that they are double sided, so no fumbling around with your foot at the lights (although being a PH-er I assume you track stand at lights/junctions etc)...
As the retainer mechanism is on the cleat itself you do need to dribble a little oil over the cleat spring every week to stop if from squeaking. Also the cleats need a 'service' every now and again - but this takes all of 5 mins and just involves removing the faceplace of the cleat, cleaning and lubing it, then putting it back together.
They come with adapter plates for 3 or 4 bolt soles, so you should not have an issue fitting them regardless of the bolt patten on the shoe. They also come with an assortment of 'wedges' to ensure that when fitted the cleats are nice and flat to the soles of the shoe.
As the mechanism is on the sole of the shoe the stack height is much higher than other pedals which in theory means you have more clearance in corners, and generally speaking can continue to pedal through low/fast bends.
The only real downside I can think of is the stack height of the cleat when you are off the bike. It is quite high compared to other systems which can make you totter around like a uni girl on a night out in Newcastle, but how far do you need to walk from your bike to a cafe?
If you do go for the Speedplays buy the 'coffee shop cleat covers', they only cost about £10 and protect the cleats once you are off the bike - it is quite amazing how quickly the faceplate of the cleat can wear when walked on concrete or tarmac!
MadDad said:
If you do go for the Speedplays buy the 'coffee shop cleat covers', they only cost about £10 and protect the cleats once you are off the bike - it is quite amazing how quickly the faceplate of the cleat can wear when walked on concrete or tarmac!
Forget the Coffee Shop Covers - get some Keep On Kovers, they stay on all the time. Fit & forget, protects the faceplate and screwheads and gives you a bit more grip when stopped at traffic lights etc.http://www.keeponkovers.com/Product.html
pablo said:
So Look and Speedplay recommendations and user experiences would be most welcome, thanks.
Never mind those filthy mainstreamers...I am trying to migrate myself off what is now probably the rarest pedal system in the world (Merckx Podios, out of production for many years, any my accumulated hoard of ebay-sourced consumables is dwindling).
I considered Look, Time, SPD-SLs and Speedplays. I came closest to getting Speedplays, but ended up being a bit put off by reports of their sensitivity to muck, and the regular servicing that they seem to need.
The solution? Keywins. Very light, massive platform, very adjustable, and crucially a clip in system that meets my desire to be able to apply full downward pressure on the pedal without necessarily clipping back in. Recommended.
Greg66 said:
I came closest to getting Speedplays, but ended up being a bit put off by reports of their sensitivity to muck, and the regular servicing that they seem to need.
Grossly exaggerated in my experience. Mine get a drop of chain-lube whenever I do the chain but that's it. Completely trouble-free for more than a year now despite being used in all weathers and a reasonable amount of walking in them.Look Keos here.
I bought new cleats once about a year into ownership without thinking.
Then I had a look at my existing cleats and noticed that the only wear was on the sacrificial soft bits.
The actual clippy bit was in perfect shape, so I kept them on and still haven't changed them.
Probably done 4k miles at least (I am a summer-only type roadie, MTB for winter).
I bought new cleats once about a year into ownership without thinking.
Then I had a look at my existing cleats and noticed that the only wear was on the sacrificial soft bits.
The actual clippy bit was in perfect shape, so I kept them on and still haven't changed them.
Probably done 4k miles at least (I am a summer-only type roadie, MTB for winter).
Mr Will said:
Greg66 said:
I came closest to getting Speedplays, but ended up being a bit put off by reports of their sensitivity to muck, and the regular servicing that they seem to need.
Grossly exaggerated in my experience. Mine get a drop of chain-lube whenever I do the chain but that's it. Completely trouble-free for more than a year now despite being used in all weathers and a reasonable amount of walking in them.Like the look of the stay on cleat covers, will be buying a set in due course....
I have had speedplays for about a year. When they are working fine I love them but on some days I wonder If I would have been better off with traditional SPD-SLs.
I chose them for their dual sided clip-in/ease of use but sometimes I find them very hard to clip in.
I have also found that if you get off the bike for any reason it is important to use the "coffee shop protectors" to prevent any dirt/sand getting into the cleats - which can make it impossible to clip back in. I had to unclip waiting for Sandbanks ferry (I was sat on the bike and put my foot on the road), which resulted in some sand getting into one of the cleats and I had to wash the cleat before I could get it to work.
I regularly (once a week) inspect the cleats and lubricating them but on some days they just take a lot of effort to clip in...
I chose them for their dual sided clip-in/ease of use but sometimes I find them very hard to clip in.
I have also found that if you get off the bike for any reason it is important to use the "coffee shop protectors" to prevent any dirt/sand getting into the cleats - which can make it impossible to clip back in. I had to unclip waiting for Sandbanks ferry (I was sat on the bike and put my foot on the road), which resulted in some sand getting into one of the cleats and I had to wash the cleat before I could get it to work.
I regularly (once a week) inspect the cleats and lubricating them but on some days they just take a lot of effort to clip in...
jesusbuiltmycar said:
I have had speedplays for about a year. When they are working fine I love them but on some days I wonder If I would have been better off with traditional SPD-SLs.
I chose them for their dual sided clip-in/ease of use but sometimes I find them very hard to clip in.
I have also found that if you get off the bike for any reason it is important to use the "coffee shop protectors" to prevent any dirt/sand getting into the cleats - which can make it impossible to clip back in. I had to unclip waiting for Sandbanks ferry (I was sat on the bike and put my foot on the road), which resulted in some sand getting into one of the cleats and I had to wash the cleat before I could get it to work.
I regularly (once a week) inspect the cleats and lubricating them but on some days they just take a lot of effort to clip in...
It's important to avoid overtightening the cleat bolts - if you do them up too tight they compress the springs and cause the symptoms you describe. Try backing them off a bit (add a little loctite if you're nervous) and I expect it will improve matters. I chose them for their dual sided clip-in/ease of use but sometimes I find them very hard to clip in.
I have also found that if you get off the bike for any reason it is important to use the "coffee shop protectors" to prevent any dirt/sand getting into the cleats - which can make it impossible to clip back in. I had to unclip waiting for Sandbanks ferry (I was sat on the bike and put my foot on the road), which resulted in some sand getting into one of the cleats and I had to wash the cleat before I could get it to work.
I regularly (once a week) inspect the cleats and lubricating them but on some days they just take a lot of effort to clip in...
So I bought some SPD-SLs... sorry!.... I wasnt convinced that my shoes would fit speedplay cleats as the NW Sonic SRS shoes I have arent a particularly high end shoe and I couldnt find any definitive answer as to whether they would fit even with the adaptor kits available which seem to only work on NW's higher end shoes. Also I thought that the adaptors would rise the stack height such that they would feel weird so I am holding off changing cleats until I change shoes.
What I did not realise is that Shimano now make blue cleats with 2 deg of float rather than the yellow ones which have 6 deg and the reds with 0. I have always found the yellow ones a bit vague and loose and never tried the red ones for fear of not getting the set up quite right and ruining my knees but the blues seemed worth trying. If/when I break the tabs of these too then I will go with speedplay based on the comments here. Cheers.
What I did not realise is that Shimano now make blue cleats with 2 deg of float rather than the yellow ones which have 6 deg and the reds with 0. I have always found the yellow ones a bit vague and loose and never tried the red ones for fear of not getting the set up quite right and ruining my knees but the blues seemed worth trying. If/when I break the tabs of these too then I will go with speedplay based on the comments here. Cheers.
Celtic Dragon said:
Sorry for thread hijack. Pablo how do you find the srs's in terms of size compared to normal shoes? Im looking at a pair but no bike shops in 40 mile radius from me stock them so it will be an internet order.
They are pretty good fit wise, I'm a UK 10 in shoes and casual trainers and the northwaves are a UK 11 but I like thickish socks on the bike so that makes them cosy. The vents are good though so I don't end up with very hot feet. The soles on the sonic srs isn't as stiff as I'd hoped , it's carbon reinforced plastic apparently but for the money they are great and the ratchet system means you get a good fit. I'd just buy the size you think you are and the next one up or down from wiggle, their returns policy is great.
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