Frogs vs Bebops - my answer

Hey, Derek: I was wondering if you found that the Frog cleats would "clog" up and not function too
well. It seems that I sometimes get grit and such into the "spring" mechanism, and then they don't
clip as well. Is there any "spring" loaded device for Bebops?

Scott

bentcruiser <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Note: I am cross posting this on some list. Sorry if it is a repeat.

I have been a Speedplay Frog user for a year. I liked the pedals pretty well except for the
excessive amount of cleats that I needed to buy. I had always kept the pedals within the normal
lube times. But the plastic body cracked. Speedplay fixed them which I must say was after some
amount of hassle with a front end customer service rep which was unpleasant (to say it nicely).
The tech guy fixed the pedals and was great! His name was Chan. Wonderful guy.

But- - - this whole experience with Speedplay left a terrible taste in my mouth. I started looking
seriously at other systems. Because I like float, I looked at Bebops. Then, someone posted Bebops
for $40. I couldn't resist that. So I snatched them up.

I have ridden 100 or so miles with them. My observations are that they are simply the best pedal I
have ever used. The are as easy to snap into as SPDs but they have much more float. The pedal
design is all metal with no plastic parts to break.

They are GREAT! I highly recommend them to anyone wanting good pedals. These are the best!

Derek

No, I did not have this problem. Before each ride, I use a teflon dry lube on the pedals and cleats where they contact. This really cleans the pedals.

Now, I did have trouble when they were muddy but they worked okay after a while. As for the mechanics of the Bebop, they seem to not have a spring unless I do not see it. The pedals are simple to the point of being elegant.

Derek

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Scott
Hey, Derek: I was wondering if you found that the Frog cleats would "clog" up and not function too
well. It seems that I sometimes get grit and such into the "spring" mechanism, and then they don't
clip as well. Is there any "spring" loaded device for Bebops?

"bentcruiser" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Note: I am cross posting this on some list. Sorry if it is a repeat.

I have been a Speedplay Frog user for a year. I liked the pedals pretty well except for the
excessive amount of cleats that I needed to buy.

The Speedplay cleats were my biggest problem with the Frogs as well. What worried me was the flimsy
little polymer spring and retainer clip that holds the cleat to the pedal. It's the only thing
preventing leg suck when riding Frog pedals on a recumbent. I didn't like the idea of that little
retainer clip giving way and sending me to the hospital for emergency knee reconstruction.

Quoted message said:

Then, someone posted Bebops for $40. I couldn't resist that. So I snatched them up.

Wow. Great deal. CambriaBike.com has the CrMo model for $109, which is still pretty good. I actually
prefer the CrMo model.

Quoted message said:

I have ridden 100 or so miles with them. My observations are that they are simply the best pedal I
have ever used. The are as easy to snap into as SPDs but they have much more float.

The BeBops have by far the easiest clip-in of any pedal currently made. I've ridden SPD's quite a
bit, and I can't wait to get back to my BeBops. I find SPD's aggravatingly difficult to use on a
recumbent (or any bike, for that matter).

For anybody who rides an SWB with front wheel overlap, the BeBops are a must-have item. That 20
degrees of free float means that you can swivel your feet out of the way in tight turns without
un-clipping. Try that with SPD's. (No, actually, don't try it. It won't work, and you'll probably
hurt yourself.)

Quoted message said:

The pedal design is all metal with no plastic parts to break.

Yes. Despite being extremely lightweight, they're also incredibly durable. My BeBops are working
like new after thousands of miles of riding on mountain, road and recumbent bikes (I use the same 3
pairs of BeBops on 8 different bikes - only takes a few minutes to swap 'em).

Quoted message said:

They are GREAT! I highly recommend them to anyone wanting good pedals. These are the best!

They are the best pedals for recumbent riding, bar none. They have every feature you could want for
recumbent riding, including the easiest step-down cleat engagement ever designed. The cleat
retention mechanism is *very* secure and reliable. The fact that they're some of the lightest pedals
on the market is really of little importance to me, personally. I just like the way they work and
how well they hold up.

Glad you like your new BeBops, Derek. You'll be very happy with them for years to come.

Barry

Regarding springs in the Bebop cleat or pedal. The pedal has not spring of moving part other than
the axel. There is a piece of metal between the bottom plate (closest to the shoe and the smaller
plates at the top of the cleat that acts as a spring that holds the cleat onto the pedal until you
rotate it. The only time I've had problems with the cleat is when I have stepped in some heavy mud
that caked the cleat preventing it from fitting over the pedal. Very easy to clean out though. Also
if the cleat get s a build up of grime without lube then the float is not as smooth. I usually add a
dry lube every 100 miles or so to the cleat. Craig

bentcruiser <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Scott said:

Hey, Derek: I was wondering if you found that the Frog cleats would "clog" up and not function
too well. It seems that I sometimes get grit and such into the "spring" mechanism, and then
they don't clip as well. Is there any "spring" loaded device for Bebops?

No, I did not have this problem. Before each ride, I use a teflon dry lube on the pedals and
cleats where they contact. This really cleans the pedals.

Now, I did have trouble when they were muddy but they worked okay after a while. As for the
mechanics of the Bebop, they seem to not have a spring unless I do not see it. The pedals are
simple to the point of being elegant.

Derek

Barry- How long do the BeBop cleats last for you? I've heard a lot of reports that the cleats don't last very long, and once they start to wear accidental unclipping is fairly common.

"srf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Barry- How long do the BeBop cleats last for you? I've heard a lot of reports that the cleats
don't last very long, and once they start to wear accidental unclipping is fairly common.

It's certainly possible. Any cleat will wear out eventually. I have logged several thousand miles on
a set of BeBop cleats, and so far I haven't detected anything unusual. I rotate shoes, and own 3
sets of BeBop's, and I don't ride huge miles like some folks, so I'm not the one to ask about
extreme longevity. I lube my cleat and pedal contact surfaces with wax, and the retainer pawl with
White Lightning. I'm sure that extends the life of the pedals and cleats.

I imagine BeBop's must have limitations; but so far, they're the best pedal I've ever
seen/tried/owned, and I've tried a lot of different designs. ( I want to try the Egg Beaters - they
look interesting.) Because of the huge cleat pocket and step-down-and-go cleat engagement, BeBops
are especially good for recumbents with high bottom brackets - you don't have to hunt for the cleat
pocket. Engagement is instantaneous, and that's what you want.

SPD's are OK for some applications; but not on a recumbent (IMO). It's too difficult to swing
your foot up in front of you and try to maneuver your SPD cleat into that tiny little pocket.
SPD's are cheap, which is a good thing. They're pretty durable, too, which is also good. I like
the city/campus style pedals with a regular platform for street shoes on one side, and SPD
clipless on the other. I use those on my commuter bikes, where I can afford to fiddle around with
cleat engagement without mishap. I still can't get used to SPD's. They hurt my knees, even though
I have the cleat angle dialed-in to perfection. I think my knees just need the extra float that
BeBops offer.

YMMV, HTH.

Barry

I switched from Frogs to BeBops several years ago and the BeBops definitely last a lot longer. Even
more important when the Frogs wore out (and several pair did) it was all at once causing me to limp
home from my ride. When a pair of BeBops goes, it is more gradual. Your foot will annoyingly
disengage a few times during the ride, but you can ride on normally and replace the cleats at your
convenience.

Andy

"srf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Barry- How long do the BeBop cleats last for you? I've heard a lot of reports that the cleats
don't last very long, and once they start to wear accidental unclipping is fairly common.

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