Looking for new pedals

It will help us to know what cleats and shoes you are currently using.

If the older SPD type, then the new Shimano PD-A520 are nice:

gclark8 said:

It will help us to know what cleats and shoes you are currently using.

If the older SPD type, then the new Shimano PD-A520 are nice:

My shoes are a pair of Axioms with the Look style plastic cleats. They are nothing fancy. I have also had the shoes a couple of years and would consider new shoes too, if i find a shoe/pedal system that i like.

I like my LOOK KeO classics. If you are looking to spend more money, just go up the LOOK ladder (Carbon or Sprints).

Hey AusGirl,

Your existing shoes have the look style 3 holes. The popular pedals that support your shoes are;
1. Look Deta/Arc and clones by other manufacturers
2. Look Keo
3. Shimano SPD-SL (don't confuse with SPD)
4. Speedplay
5. Time (I think?)

The riding performance of all of the above is similar. Owners of each of the above are generally happy with them.

In each case, as you spend more, you will get either better duability or lighter weight or both, but no improvement in performance.

New shoes will give you a greater improvement. Your old ones have probably lost there origional stiffness. Its important to have ones that fit your feet really well, so don't get sucked into buying boys shoes, they will probably be too wide.

The bottom look delta/arc pedals are cheap, stong and long lasting but heavy. I have just purchased a pair for my old hack bike off ebay for $60. If new shoes burn your budget, get a pair like this. Also, as you already know you can get after market cleats dirt cheap.

Look Keo is Looks evolution of the Delta/Arc. If you want quality Look pedals, check them out. The Titanimum ones at the top end are super light but may be a bit fragile, so the next one down the range may be better.

Shimano SPD-SL are Shimano's evolution of the look Detla/Arc, they work similar to the look delta/arc but have a recessed rear cleat. They are a little better for walking around at the outside of the 7-11 on Sunday mornings while you wait for the boys to catch up. Do not confuse with the SPD, they are completly different. I have read that the really cheap pedals lack durability. Probably the most popular configuration that the girl racers are using on the Sunday training rides.

Speedplay. Smallest pedal, biggest cleat, good float, easy to get into and out. Best corning clearance. Rather expensive. Gaining popularity.

Time. Don't know much about these.

One thing about the Look Keo's. Be aware of the varying degree of float dependant on the cleats. Black = 0 degree float, Grey - 4.5 degree float, and Red = 9 degree float. I have the Keo Carbon Cromoly and love them. When they first came out, all were shipped with the Red 9 degree cleats. The Red cleats had too much float and I switched to the Grey 4.5 degree cleats.

I ride the Look keo carbons (I bought them on ebay for about UK£78) and they are great. On a commute bike I also have the Look keo sprints and they are just fine too

On my mtb I use some low end SPDs and they are OK but I prefer the larger contact area of the look system

campag pro fits 😉 never pull your foot, nice float, look good and independent entry/release tensions. you can pick up a pair of chorus pro fits for $210 off probikekit

gclark8 said:

It will help us to know what cleats and shoes you are currently using.

If the older SPD type, then the new Shimano PD-A520 are nice:

I like those as well, I set them a little soft so in an emergency my foot pulls straight out rather than the twist. Quite important when blasting about the city as you never know.

Look Keo Carbon and Look Keo Carbon Ti. The difference in price is quite substantial. But is the quality difference of both pedals worth spending extra dollar?

threaded said:

I like those as well, I set them a little soft so in an emergency my foot pulls straight out rather than the twist. Quite important when blasting about the city as you never know.

Speedplay X series have a butter smooth release. Just rotate the foot and step out. I've use Looks and they require a bit more of an outward blow to snap out.

ausgirl said:

Hi everyone! I need to buy a new pair of pedals for my road bike within the next few months and am looking for some advice on what is out there at the moment and what is good. My old pedals are a cheap pair that i had for years and simply need replacing. I'm looking to spend a couple of hundred dollars, but not too high. I also don't have any knee problems, so that isn't a factor. Any advice or reviews on pedals that are currently out there would help. Thanks.

Look Keo, you can buy the CroMo for about $120. Not compatible with older Look cleats. No metal between the cleat and pedal, provides shock & vibration isolation. I have the Ti and they were not damaged when I went down hard enough to break my hip.

mysrh said:

Look Keo Carbon and Look Keo Carbon Ti. The difference in price is quite substantial. But is the quality difference of both pedals worth spending extra dollar?

I measured a difference between the two of 33 grams. The dollars per gram of weight savings make the Ti version not a good value for your money.

The Ti spindle is weaker than the CroMo and more susceptible to breaking; breaking a pedal spindle can be a nasty way to crash. If you want to be really paranoid about Ti spindles then I would not use them for everyday training unless I weighed less than 150 lbs. If I weighed between 150 and 175 I would use CroMo for training and Ti for racing. And if I weighed more than 180 I would not use Ti at all. Ti parts fail a lot less often than they did ten years ago so this may be somewhat outdated.

I have the Look Keo Carbons, and any pedal from this range would be great. $299-320 for mine in shops - $180 on Ebay from Australia [so low postage].

Get the grey cleats if you get them and cleat covers for extended time at the coffee shop!

My riding buddy just bought Speedplays, and likes those...

PeterF said:

Speedplay X series have a butter smooth release. Just rotate the foot and step out. I've use Looks and they require a bit more of an outward blow to snap out.

+1 on the Speedplays. Love 'em.

goaliedad30 said:

+1 on the Speedplays. Love 'em.

+2 on the spaeedplays.
I've been using Look since they first made bike pedals and I am liking the Speedplay zeros' better.

Cheers

Geoff

geoffs said:

+2 on the spaeedplays.
I've been using Look since they first made bike pedals and I am liking the Speedplay zeros' better.

Cheers

Geoff

From what i've heard here and in the past, Look Keos are very popular with people who like the traditional tried and true cleat system. BUT, from people who've tried them I've heard lots of good things about speedplay pedals. I've even heard conflicting stories from bike mechanics in the past. I think i need to investigate further...

ausgirl said:

From what i've heard here and in the past, Look Keos are very popular with people who like the traditional tried and true cleat system. BUT, from people who've tried them I've heard lots of good things about speedplay pedals. I've even heard conflicting stories from bike mechanics in the past. I think i need to investigate further...

Speedplay are very good but I'ver read on a lot of threads about issues with cleat tightening and not being able to click in to the pedal and screws that fall out. I'm using dura-ace SPD-SL, while heavier is very durable, over 5000 kms and haven't even needed to service them, just watch out for the replacement of the pedal cover (small piece of plastic), that needs to be done about every 3000kms (its not very prominent in the instructions).

kleng said:

Speedplay are very good but I'ver read on a lot of threads about issues with cleat tightening and not being able to click in to the pedal and screws that fall out.

What I do not like about Speedplays is that it seems like a bad design to me. Normal pedals have the retention mechanism as part of the pedal. Speedplay putting it in the cleat made it necessary to reduce the size of the retention mechanism, so you are left with something I don't have a lot of faith with regards to strength. A byproduct of the size issue is that it is susceptble to dirt, which can prevent you from clipping in or--even worse--occassionally prevent clipping out. I don't really care to carry cleat covers every time I ride.

You can walk in mud with a Look style cleat and still clip in.

Still there are lots of people who like Speedplays, especially in the U.S.

Just got some speedplay.....take a little getting used to them but they are super nice.