Speedplay Pedals? Opinions Please...

furiousox · 14-09-2009 05:05PM #1

Hey, just leading off from the earlier 'float' thread, l'm wondering if anyone has tried or is using Speedplay pedals?

As far as urban cycling and emergency releases go l've never felt safe on Look pedals and l'm only reasonably happy on SPD's (probably because l have the grace and finesse of, well,....of an ox!:()

Recent crash (not pedal related) left me with a broken shoulder and hasn't done my confidence any good either so l'm considering the speedplay light action pedal.

According to the speedplay website they are the quickest and easiest pedal type to engage/disengage.

Just wondering if anyone has tried them out and what the general consensus is on them?

Not concerned about looks, weight, euroness etc just ease of use.

http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.lightaction

All feedback gratefully received

JacksonHeightsOwn · 14-09-2009 05:21PM

they look like one sided mountain bike pedals, why not just get mountain bike ones then, that way you can lock into either side of the pedal,

my brother uses them for commuting and thinks they`re fine

i have to agree with you about using spd`s in traffic, id rather wear runners myself

E@gle. · 14-09-2009 05:38PM

chrisbonnie wrote: »

they look like one sided mountain bike pedals, why not just get mountain bike ones then, that way you can lock into either side of the pedal,

speedplay pedals are double sided, you can clip in each side

DirkVoodoo · 14-09-2009 07:17PM

Are you looking at speedplays for commuting? I'm not sure as you mention "urban" cycling.

Plenty of float, but so do mountain bike pedal systems like SPD. The cons are that they are expensive and pretty much unwalkable in unless you get the cleat covers.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/pedals/product/zero-stainless-12596

Lumen · 14-09-2009 07:53PM

Roadbikereviews is good for researching this sort of stuff.

I've never owned Speedplays, and I can't quite remember why. Every time I think about doing it, I read some comparative reviews and get put off.

furiousox · 14-09-2009 07:56PM

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Are you looking at speedplays for commuting? I'm not sure as you mention "urban" cycling.

Plenty of float, but so do mountain bike pedal systems like SPD. The cons are that they are expensive and pretty much unwalkable in unless you get the cleat covers.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/pedals/product/zero-stainless-12596

Not for commuting but my leisure rides bring me through roundabouts, traffic lights etc (cue panic and lots of early pedal dis-engagement :eek:)

Also using carbon soled Northwave shoe so quite slippy when trying to re-engage.

furiousox · 14-09-2009 07:58PM

Lumen wrote: »

Roadbikereviews is good for researching this sort of stuff.

I've never owned Speedplays, and I can't quite remember why. Every time I think about doing it, I read some comparative reviews and get put off.

Yeah most of the reviews seem positive but the odd one says they are no easier to engage than SPD's.

E@gle. · 14-09-2009 07:59PM

furiousox wrote: »

According to the speedplay website they are the quickest and easiest pedal type to engage/disengage.

This is bullsh!t tbh, i've used them before and found them the hardest pedal iv ever used to clip in and out of, look keo's are far easier to get in and out of.

copacetic · 14-09-2009 08:02PM

I have the light actions, was actually thinking about selling/trading them a while back, think I put some crappy pics on the trade thread, will have a look.

The pedals are excellent on the bike, loads of float, but never clipped out by accident. That much float might not suit someone who jumps around a lot on the pedals but they suit me fine. They are super easy to clip in to and also out when you want to.

As mentioned above, the cleats are very big and not too comfy to walk in, they aren't 'unwalkable' though, just awkward and penguiny. I don't have the cleat covers and have never had a problem, apart from looking like a fool.

I've been using egg beaters on my commuter and have been considering moving to them on my road bike too but the speedplays have been pretty good to me this year so am sticking with them for now.

edit: found the pics I posted before

E@gle. wrote: »

This is bullsh!t tbh, i've used them before and found them the hardest pedal iv ever used to clip in and out of, look keo's are far easier to get in and out of.

I think you misread, speedplay say the 'light action' version is the easiest of their pedals to get in and out of. Are they the ones you tried? They're the ones I have and they are easier to get in and out of than spds, look, spd sls or eggbeaters.

E@gle. · 14-09-2009 08:10PM

copacetic wrote: »

I think you misread, speedplay say the 'light action' version is the easiest of their pedals to get in and out of. Are they the ones you tried? They're the ones I have and they are easier to get in and out of than spds, look, spd sls or eggbeaters.

bah maybe that was it, i used the cromo alloy ones.

The 15 degree float just wasnt for me

copacetic · 14-09-2009 08:14PM

E@gle. wrote: »

bah maybe that was it, i used the cromo alloy ones.

The 15 degree float just wasnt for me

I can see that would be an issue for a lot of people, if you are the stand up and give it loads kind of person you could be sliding around a fair bit. Or they might just feel insecure, I like it though for the knee reasons mostly. If the cleats weren't so bloody big they would be perfect.

furiousox · 14-09-2009 08:18PM

E@gle. wrote: »

bah maybe that was it, i used the cromo alloy ones.

The 15 degree float just wasnt for me

l'm assuming there's 7 degrees float in either direction on the pedal not 15 in one direction?

furiousox · 14-09-2009 08:20PM

copacetic wrote: »

I have the light actions, was actually thinking about selling/trading them a while back, think I put some crappy pics on the trade thread, will have a look.

The pedals are excellent on the bike, loads of float, but never clipped out by accident. That much float might not suit someone who jumps around a lot on the pedals but they suit me fine. They are super easy to clip in to and also out when you want to.

As mentioned above, the cleats are very big and not too comfy to walk in, they aren't 'unwalkable' though, just awkward and penguiny. I don't have the cleat covers and have never had a problem, apart from looking like a fool.

I've been using egg beaters on my commuter and have been considering moving to them on my road bike too but the speedplays have been pretty good to me this year so am sticking with them for now.

edit: found the pics I posted before

I think you misread, speedplay say the 'light action' version is the easiest of their pedals to get in and out of. Are they the ones you tried? They're the ones I have and they are easier to get in and out of than spds, look, spd sls or eggbeaters.

lf you're still thinking of selling let me know, l'd be curious to try them, cheers

padlad · 14-09-2009 08:26PM

I have the Speedplay zeros. I got them as the reviews said they were good for people with dodgy kness, have a large float, and they are double sided, and I got a good price in a shop in the states a while back

. I'm v happy with them but have no experience of a n other pedal/cleat system. I don't commute on my road bike so can't say how they would work out there. But I do have to disengage quite a lot on my training runs, find them easy to get out off but can take a bit of practice to re-attach as the pedal is so small - unless you are clipped in you don't get a lot of traction.
I don't experience any movement when standing up on the bike with them.
But can be hard to walk in, as cleat is large - I have the covers so when they are on walking is no problem.

ednwireland · 14-09-2009 08:36PM

if you have spd's you can get thses multi directional releae cleats

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=10969

never tried them just noticed them while scanning through crc (as you do)

might be worth a go

furiousox · 14-09-2009 10:13PM

ednwireland wrote: »

if you have spd's you can get thses multi directional releae cleats

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=10969

never tried them just noticed them while scanning through crc (as you do)

might be worth a go

Just ordered a pair, l'll give them a shot, thanks.

Now do l want to 'checkout' or 'continue shopping'?

Hmmmm............:rolleyes:

ednwireland · 15-09-2009 08:09AM

furiousox wrote: »

Just ordered a pair, l'll give them a shot, thanks.

Now do l want to 'checkout' or 'continue shopping'?

Hmmmm............:rolleyes:

gotcha

thats the problem once on crc you cant leave (without spending a stack did i really need those 3 rolls of bar tape probikekit were selling out last week ?)

shebop · 18-09-2009 09:40AM

@Furiousox -- Did you go for the Speedways or the Shimano multi-release?

Let us know how you get on!

furiousox wrote: »

Just ordered a pair, l'll give them a shot, thanks.

Now do l want to 'checkout' or 'continue shopping'?

Hmmmm............:rolleyes:

furiousox · 18-09-2009 09:59AM

Hey shebop

Shimano multi release cleats just arrived from CRC

Also got these cleat adaptors...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28896

l'll fit them this morning and l'll update later with photos, you lucky people!

Speedplays are around 130 euro, can't stretch that far at the moment but probably will try them at some stage

Greyspoke · 18-09-2009 11:37AM

A couple of things about the speedplays-I haven't used them but did consider them. Anyhow, I believe one of the advantages of them is that the amount of float is adjustable. A negative is the high cost of replacement cleats - £35 from memory.

furiousox · 18-09-2009 01:28PM

l'll fit them this morning and l'll update later with photos, you lucky people!

Ok so here are the photos of the current shoe/cleat/pedal combo

Northwave Vertigo shoes w/cleat adaptors, multi release cleats and shimano A520 pedals.

Cleats seem to engage and (multi) release easily enough.
Probably not your everyday shoe/pedal setup but as l said earlier, nervous since recent crash and l want to avoid that feeling of anxiety when approaching traffic lights, roundabouts etc, so ease of use is No1.

Still very curious about the Speedplays but l'd like to try them out before shelling out the 130 euro

dave2pvd · 18-09-2009 03:43PM

Greyspoke wrote: »

A couple of things about the speedplays-I haven't used them but did consider them. Anyhow, I believe one of the advantages of them is that the amount of float is adjustable. A negative is the high cost of replacement cleats - £35 from memory.

That's because most of the pedal is in fact the cleat!

I ride Look Keos. Most of my teammates ride Speedplays. Once, one of my Keos decided to become unhinged 15 minutes before the start of a race. I borrowed shoes (2 sizes too small) and pedals from a team mate. They were Speedplays. I had never ridden them before. I have to say, there was no learning transition between the Keos and the Speedplays. It was also good to know that my cornering angle with the Speedplays would not be worse than the Keos, since this was a 4 corner crit.

Speedplays are expensive. Keos are too, but at half the price. They are both great pedals, but I am attracted to value like a magpie to tinfoil.

lukester · 18-09-2009 03:50PM

Time pedals offer a higher than average degree of float (adjustable) and offer much cheaper versions than Speedplays. I got mine for knee issues and am very happy with them, although the cleats seemed a bit fragile. Wiggle replaced these free of charge.

Good comparison review between them and Speedplays here

furiousox · 18-09-2009 03:55PM

lukester wrote: »

Time pedals offer a higher than average degree of float (adjustable) and offer much cheaper versions than Speedplays. I got mine for knee issues and am very happy with them, although the cleats seemed a bit fragile. Wiggle replaced these free of charge.

Good comparison review between them and Speedplays here

Cheers for that
What are the Times like for engaging/disengaging?

lukester · 18-09-2009 04:06PM

furiousox wrote: »

Cheers for that
What are the Times like for engaging/disengaging?

Engaging, the same as SPDs or Look in my experience.

Disengaging is easier, just twist your foot out beyond 45 degrees and they disengage easily, much better than SPDs in this regard.

furiousox · 18-09-2009 04:20PM

Thanks, food for thought.

l've tried Looks' and don't really like them.
l'm using SPD's at the moment but l'm not completely happy with them either.

l'm hoping there's a better alternative out there so l'll have to give the Time's and Speedplays a shot & see how they feel.

l guess its all down to personal preference in the end?

Hey forgive me for asking but if anyone is using Time/Speedplay and would give me a 'test drive' l'd be very grateful.

Oh and thanks everyone for the input so far!

LastGasp · 18-09-2009 04:43PM

I got the Speedplay Light Actions a while ago as I was getting a lot of knee pain, and they certainly helped with that. I find them fine to clip out of, but I wouldn't think they're much easier than Looks or SPDs. The main thing is to try and plan your unclips in advance so it's not a panic job ! The problem I had was that when I needed another set of Light Action Cleats for my second shoes I could only find them in stock in one place in UK (not Wiggle) can't think of the name and the feckers charged me about £25 carriage for £30 Cleats !
If I had gone for the dearer Zeros or Titanium there would be no problem getting spares.

Explosive_Cornflake · 19-09-2009 12:44PM

furiousox wrote: »

Hey shebop

Shimano multi release cleats just arrived from CRC

Also got these cleat adaptors...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28896

l'll fit them this morning and l'll update later with photos, you lucky people!

Speedplays are around 130 euro, can't stretch that far at the moment but probably will try them at some stage

Multi release SPD's. I'd never heard of them and it got me wondering. I was wondering my foot was coming out when I was putting the hammer down, tightening the pedal never helped. Turns out I had a pair that came with my last set of pedals. Terrible things when you are used to regular cleats, but I can see the advantage for someone who isn't used to cleats. I must change them now.

furiousox · 19-09-2009 09:10PM

Once again if anyone out there has speedplays fitted and would be kind enough to give me a 5 min spin on their trusty steed for research purposes, l'd be very grateful

Thanks!

**Timbuk2** · 20-09-2009 09:21AM

Multi-release cleats are a bad idea. They can be released by pulling hard upwards, as well as the usual twisting your heel to the side. However, if you're sprinting or climbing hard or giving it any sort of hard effort that would involve pulling up strongly, your foot could come out of the pedal.

Just get the single-release cleats, even if it's your first time. The description says they can only be released by twisting your foot outwards, but all SPDs can actually be released by twisting your heel outwards, or also inwards (although not many people realise this). However, it isn't recommended to release by twisting inwards as you are twisting your heel towards a moving wheel! Single-release cleats cannot be released by pulling upwards. It might take a bit of getting used to at first, but after a while it becomes second nature and it doesn't feel unnatural to do so.

Speedplay Pedals? Opinions Please...

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