Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

LuckyPierre wrote:But, really you should get something that works across as many bikes as you can. I have both road and off-road shoes, so it's Shimano SPD's for off-road (well, Exustars, anyway) and Campagnolo on the road.

That is along the lines I am considering ... my current setup for my CRX 1 and XTC 2 and a road set up for the new bike.

Andrew

spd sl and haven't pulled out of them, they seem pretty secure. I've seen the aftermath of what happens when you pull out in a sprint, doesn't look like fun

Parrott wrote:spd sl and haven't pulled out of them, they seem pretty secure. I've seen what happens when you pull out in a sprint, doesn't look like fun

I have pretty well decided to go with SPD SL for now. First set of road pedals and the price is reasonable at PBK and will take it from there.

Andrew

I have http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=M8000 and they have been good though the plastic base plate is worn out now. If I ever have any money I would like to try these http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=M8006

Parrott wrote: I would like to try these http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=M8006

Those are the ones I am considering or there is a pair of Look Keo Sprints on eBay for around the PBK price (PBK only have red ones).

Andrew

Aushiker wrote:[Read your review and was curious as to what other pedals you have tried.

Andrew,

I have borrowed at various times Ultegra SL Pedals & Look KEO Classic from a couple of the Saturday morning guys and decided that I best liked the feel of the Time pedal. In my opinion the Time has better float than the other pedals, though it's hard to quantify the other feel aspects that I prefer. I suspect the larger contact area of the large cleat has an effect on the feel though.

Originally I had the RXE pedal (now on my Lemond) then I purchased the RXS from c r c. The RXE had a less precise feeling when locking in but the RXS is superb in all aspects, though not very popular with recreational roadies in Australia. Of course, pedals are a very personal thing and you may well find the Ultegras are more to your liking. Many of the Sat morn. guys that I ride with use them. Time cleats cost $55.00 a pair in Australia!! I have just purchased 3 pairs from Boulder Excel Sports in the US for $30 US a pair plus postage of $13. btw. the Time pedal retails for $299 in Aus.!! or $160 US plus postage from the US. so $100.48 is a bargain from c r c!

Perry

Hey Perry - I too use the Time RXS pedals - though the carbon ones (of course ). I don't track straight in one leg when I pedal and these have been fine and, I agree, "feel" good.

Andrew - if you end up buying the Look bike, it will come with some Keo's so your questions will be answered won't they?

moosterbounce wrote:Andrew - if you end up buying the Look bike, it will come with some Keo's so your questions will be answered won't they?

I am not sure it comes with pedals. It didn't have any fitted in the shop and there was no mention of same. I might have to check with them then.

Andrew

moosterbounce wrote:I don't track straight in one leg when I pedal

Its funny that, I have the same problem particularly from riding long term with Shimano spd's on my flatbar, before I bought a 'real' bike (roadie that is - please note Aushiker )

cavebear2 wrote: I have just purchased 3 pairs from Boulder Excel Sports in the US for $30 US a pair plus postage of $13. btw. the Time pedal retails for $299 in Aus.!! or $160 US plus postage from the US. so $100.48 is a bargain from c r c!

Hi Perry

They don't have any in stock so the price may change. They are currently listed at $118.46 BTW and they don't sell the cleats for them

On a related matter, how do you determine when your cleats are worn out?

Regards
Andrew

I have a couple of pairs of SPD-SLs (3 screw) pedals (shimano), may not be ultegras, that I'm not using at the mo. So if you would like to try them you'd be most welcome. The cleats are on a shoe at the moment but thats not being used either. They are the yellow cleats ie has 6deg? of float.

Les

Aushiker wrote:On a related matter, how do you determine when your cleats are worn out?Andrew

An interesting question and not one that I can answer yet, but it depends on the cleat's design and materials. For eg. the leading edge of one of my original Time cafe cleats (nylon) entirely broke off or was worn off? Yet the cleat still snaps in OK and is held in the pedal OK courtesy of the angle of the front of the cleat and the main spring assembly of the pedal at the rear which wedges the front of the cleat against the overhanging lip of the front of the pedal.

The availability of cleats is certainly a consideration when buying pedals, as you say and as I have found, the Time cleats are relatively hard to find.
On another issue, I'm not sure how the Ultegra pedals go on Cafe floors wear & grip wise.

Perry

Pushy wrote:I have a couple of pairs of SPD-SLs (3 screw) pedals (shimano), may not be ultegras, that I'm not using at the mo. So if you would like to try them you'd be most welcome. The cleats are on a shoe at the moment but thats not being used either. They are the yellow cleats ie has 6deg? of float.

Thanks for the offer Les and I might take you up on it if the Keo don't work out. It seems that after all the bike does come with Look Keo Sprint pedals I believe so I am okay on the pedals, just need new shoes

Andrew

www.chainlove.com

have northwave shoes at the moment

Aushiker wrote:On a related matter, how do you determine when your cleats are worn out?

Shimano have little yellow rubber pads on the bottom of the cleat. When they wear down to the plastic you need new cleats.

These also provide you with better grip on cafe floors than the traditional plastic Look cleat.

I have both the SPD-SL and Look Keo. The Keo cleats are pretty slippery on their own, you definitely want to get the cleat covers to go with them. Although there is a new version of the cleats with more grip now.

SPD-SL cleats are pretty good. I once walked 2km on them when the bike broke down. No problem with grip, but I did wear down the cleats.

Bump on this one. I'm looking to buy some new pedals, I currently have cheapo Welgo pedals that hang nearly upside down when at rest!

looking to get some pedals with my first road bike. what's the best one to get for beginners?
i'm currently tossing up between these two:
http://www.this link is broken.au/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.this link is broken.au/shimano-a530-s ... ng-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i'm thinking the a530 will help me ease into it and perhaps make it safer for crossing intersections and for commuting. i'll be getting some MTB shoes for walkability.

I think the a530's being single sided will make it worse when your trying to find the right side to clip in.

You CAN pedal/ride quite well on a pedal like the m520 without being clipped in, if your not convinced something like this http://www.this link is broken.au/shimano-dx-m647-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; would be much better ... but twice the price.

Regardless though, my spd shoes are stiff and hard plastic on the bottom (as in not like running shoes) so your probably going to slip on any type of pedals when not clipped in.

edit: unless you have the mtb pedals with the studs ....

The A530 pedals are pretty chunky. I'd go the A520 if wanted a single sided pedal: http://www.this link is broken.au/shimano-pd-a52 ... ng-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On my commuter I use the M540 pedals, which is just a slightly higher spec than the M520. I commute with SPD MTB shoes, but my road shoes are also SPD Touring Shoes with the cleats recessed into the sole. It means I can ride all my bikes with all my shoes.

dajackal wrote:looking to get some pedals with my first road bike. what's the best one to get for beginners?
i'm currently tossing up between these two:
http://www.this link is broken.au/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.this link is broken.au/shimano-a530-s ... ng-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i'm thinking the a530 will help me ease into it and perhaps make it safer for crossing intersections and for commuting. i'll be getting some MTB shoes for walkability.

I have both of these pedals (M-520's and A-530's) and have used them with my Shimano M-162 shoes.

I was in your position about 18 months ago...
I started with the A-530's (same theory as you), as these were my first clipless pedals and I wanted to have the flat-pedal option for when riding in the Melb CBD (as I was nervous to be able to unclip in a hurry).
I used these for about 6 months or so and they were perfectly fine. You could ride on the flat side with the MTB shoes but they were a little slippery, but fine for short periods of time.
I found the way these pedals were weighted I could pedal forwards with one foot and the clip side on the other pedal would point upwards at the top of the stroke so I could clip in without looking down - not sure if I was just lucky or whether this is a design feature but they worked fine for me and I rarely had an issue finding which side to clip into.
Perhaps they may be slightly chunkier than other platform/clip-in pedals but at no time did they cause me any issues.

Then I decided that clipping in and out was no longer an issue for me and wanted something a bit less "newbie-looking", for a road bike, so I went with the M-520's.

The M-520-'s really don't feel any different to the A-530's once clipped in and riding and they seem to do the job just fine. They certainly look much better on a road bike (compared to the A-530's).

I had been tossing up recently whether or not to move to the SPD-SL's (as occassionally on long rides I sometimes get hotspots and sore feet), and co-incidentally I came across a bargain on the weekend that I couldn't pass on - Sidi Genius 6.6 Carbon Lite Vernice for $259, normally $420, so I have these on order along with some 105 SPD-SL pedals.

I would say go the A-530's and use these until you feel you have no issues whatsoever in clipping in/out and then down the track you can upgrade to the M-520's.
The cost of these pedals (in comparison to what you will end up spending on your cycling in general) is pretty insignificant and it gives you something to lust after and upgrade - which we are ALL guilty of

Hope this helps...
Dave

Originally used SPD's then went to Look Keo, now use Speedplay X2. Loving the X2 due to the float.

I have look elite pedals and shimano 3 screw yellow cleats and you always get a solid clunk when engadging the cleats with the pedal makes you feel very confident to rip as hard as you like on them. still very simple to dis-engadge but you don't want to be walking in them but if you do the café thing or whatever and need to walk you can purchase cleat covers as to not wear them out. Not the lightest but done 10 000+kms and they are still sweet as.

What's the main advantage of dual sided spd? Does it completely avoid the need to look down when clipping in? I thought only the single sided weighted road spd could do that

I went from SPD-SL to Speedplays... I'm not going back anytime soon

Life is simple when you pedals clips both sides and all you need to do is press down.. Tho the getting-use-to period is a bit longer than Look/SPD-SL system. I've been able to find engagement faster than I ever was with SPD-SL which is handy coming away from traffic lights and such.

One downside is the spindle servicing interval of the shimano is better than Speedplays, but if your dilligent it's not that much of an issue..