Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you recommen

kallvatten
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Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you recommen

Postby kallvatten » Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:58 pm

Hi all! Apologies if this isn't quite the thread for this post. I'll remove and post elsewhere if necessary!

I'm in the market for a pedal system and appropriate shoes. Basically I want to make the swap to cleats, but I'm not sure which direction I should take as far as road or (walkable) MTB pedals.

I'm mostly going to be doing training rides in a suburban area. I'm a fairly short distance rider as I'm relatively new, but the goal is to do longer distance rides (70km+) in the long term as I improve (I'd love to eventually do the Great Vic Bike Ride!) I don't plan to race at any official level, but it's an eventual possibility. Besides that, I'll probably just ride to my mates' places and so on. Likely not commuting to and locking up the bike in public places. Essentially, most of my rides will be from home to home, with maybe a café stop along the way.

I'm happy to go either way. I like the idea of power efficiency with road pedals and cleat systems and think they would suit more in the long term, however SPD pedals sound ideal as a beginner, and having "walkable" shoes is handy. However, also to be considered, I developed Osgood Schlatters disease (a knee condition.. effectively my knees are weaker than normal) when I was younger, and suspect the more adjustable the pedals are, the more beneficial to avoid injury.

What do you recommend? All advice is greatly appreciated. If it helps, I'm riding a steel roadie.

Thanks everyone!

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby CXCommuter » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:15 pm

I use both road and MTB SPD's, I cannot tell the difference when riding re efficiency. MTB pedals (shimano) typically have more float and easier to clip in as you can get double sided pedals.
For walking I actually prefer the road cleats as they are a wider platform and plastic, the MTB cleats are narrow and more unstable being metal they slide around more (IMO).

There are other systems out there that might suit you better but will let those more familiar with them discuss
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kallvatten
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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby kallvatten » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:34 pm

CXCommuter wrote:I use both road and MTB SPD's, I cannot tell the difference when riding re efficiency. MTB pedals (shimano) typically have more float and easier to clip in as you can get double sided pedals.
For walking I actually prefer the road cleats as they are a wider platform and plastic, the MTB cleats are narrow and more unstable being metal they slide around more (IMO
Thanks for the quick response CXC. That's interesting to hear practical experience comparing the two for efficiency.. a bit more to think about then. I think in regards to the cleats being okay for walking, if I were to get MTB shoes instead I assume the issues with walking on the smaller metal SPD cleats would be alleviated?

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby SheikYerbouti » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:55 pm

Try the Shimano Click'R range.
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/03/shim ... ng-pedals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Incredibly easy to clip in and out of, can clip out in 3 directions, very unlikely to have a clip stack :) Shoes are also fine for walking around the shops in, etc, they just look like sneakers. Not as stiff as road shoes, very stiff compared to normal shoes.
Shoes and pedals as per that review is <$130 (at Bike Bug).
They're a platformy double-sided pedal which you can manage in sneakers for a quick short notice ride to the shop, too.
The cleats are SPD so you can upgrade the pedals later if you want without having to change shoes.
Last edited by SheikYerbouti on Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:57 pm

Hi Mate maybe check out this thread...
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... =9&t=70322" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've become a bit of a speedplay freak in recent times. If you have dodgy knees try the speedplay zero's or the Frogs (wearable with SPD shoes).
Ebay and Gumtree is your friend with plenty of good prices for these to try them out.
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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby barefoot » Tue Mar 18, 2014 4:28 pm

I've been using SPD mountain bike pedals for more than 15 years, and have done up to a 270km day in them.

I've been using SPD-R road pedals for a bit over a year.

I love the road pedals for what they're good for - clipping in once, and not clipping out again for an hour or so. They are awkward to clip in to (by comparison) and terrible to walk in (although not as bad as some roadies make out, waddling around the cafe), but they are noticably more stable on the bike.

I love the MTB pedals for everything else. They are a no-brainer to clip in to, especially double-sided ones - I just stomp down on the pedal and I'm in (I'm still horribly uncoordinated getting in to my road pedals... make sure they're the right side up, poke with the toe, miss, pedal another rev 1-legged, poke with the toe, catch the cleat, stomp down and you're in - usually by the other side of the intersection). A decent commuter / tourer shoe will have enough rubber on the sole that the cleat will barely (if at all) touch the ground - walking in sensible MTB shoes is like walking in slightly stiff-soled joggers.

I walk a couple of hundred metres each way from the bike rack to my office each day, wearing Vibram-soled SPD commuting shoes. On the occasion when I ride my road bike to work, I scoot through the gate and ride around the factory grounds to my office to avoid having to walk so far on hard plastic road cleats.

I don't have any experience with the various non-Shimano systems, but see no reason why they'd be significantly different. MTB pedal systems are the best for almost everything.

tim

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby kallvatten » Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:02 pm

rodneycc wrote:Hi Mate maybe check out this thread...
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... =9&t=70322" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've become a bit of a speedplay freak in recent times. If you have dodgy knees try the speedplay zero's or the Frogs (wearable with SPD shoes).
Ebay and Gumtree is your friend with plenty of good prices for these to try them out.
Cheers.
Thanks for the link Rodney - Speedplay's pedals sound pretty great based off that (the company itself, not so much from that WW thread..) I did actually get a recommendation from my LBS regarding Speedplays as far as knee comfort and freedom of adjustment, but it seems generally I probably would be fine with Keos or SPD-SLs if I can get past the single-sided pedal anyway. Points for the pedals regardless! I'll bump them up the list..

Specific question regarding them, as you're sort of 'here' and have experience: are they as stable a platform as other road pedals (when clipped in), or do they feel more similar to SPD-like pedals?
barefoot wrote:I love the road pedals for what they're good for - clipping in once, and not clipping out again for an hour or so. They are awkward to clip in to (by comparison) and terrible to walk in (although not as bad as some roadies make out, waddling around the cafe), but they are noticably more stable on the bike.

I love the MTB pedals for everything else. They are a no-brainer to clip in to, especially double-sided ones - I just stomp down on the pedal and I'm in (I'm still horribly uncoordinated getting in to my road pedals... make sure they're the right side up, poke with the toe, miss, pedal another rev 1-legged, poke with the toe, catch the cleat, stomp down and you're in - usually by the other side of the intersection).

I don't have any experience with the various non-Shimano systems, but see no reason why they'd be significantly different. MTB pedal systems are the best for almost everything.

tim
Cheers Tim. In that case SPDs do sound very reasonable, seems like the major highlight is them being double-sided. And of course the treaded shoes are convenient..

I imagine however that I'll probably end up carrying a spare pair of shoes on me if I actually need to stop to walk for an extended period of time as I'm not really commuting, so maybe I may as well go the road route and pick up Speedplays as they seem to have the best of both worlds being double-side and a road system? Hmm!

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby MattyK » Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:21 pm

Shimano A520 pedals and RT32 shoes for me. Easy to clip in, only slightly more involved than double sided MTB pedals that I've used for several years (just flip the pedal upright if it's not already, and stomp on it). The shoes are completely walkable.

A530 pedals also worth considering if you want to use flat pedals occasionally, or A600 if budget permits.

And/Or Shimano road shoes with the SPL-SL / SPD dual mounting holes and a set of SM-SH40 cleat adaptors so you can walk in them.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:45 pm

kallvatten wrote: Thanks for the link Rodney - Speedplay's pedals sound pretty great based off that (the company itself, not so much from that WW thread..) I did actually get a recommendation from my LBS regarding Speedplays as far as knee comfort and freedom of adjustment, but it seems generally I probably would be fine with Keos or SPD-SLs if I can get past the single-sided pedal anyway. Points for the pedals regardless! I'll bump them up the list..

Specific question regarding them, as you're sort of 'here' and have experience: are they as stable a platform as other road pedals (when clipped in), or do they feel more similar to SPD-like pedals?
Hard to explain the zeros, they are firmly in but free. Its more the size of the cleats on your shoes that becomes the platform but I think they are just as good a platform as SPD-SL's and SPD (I don't really notice much difference in a down/up motion to be honest. ). The Frogs are a little different. At the beginning I found sometimes I had to check if I was still clipped in which was a little off-putting but to get in and out of is by far the easiest out of all the pedals I have tried. Cheers.
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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby high_tea » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:52 pm

I have problematic knees and have ridden with SPDs for years. The big thing for me is to dial the release tension way way way down. After I did that, they were fine, knee-wise.

I have Look Keo 2s on my road/track bikes and much prefer the SPDs for commuting. The pedals are easier to use and the shoes are miles nicer to walk in.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby Duck! » Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:04 pm

"Half &half" pedals such as the A530 seem to attract polarised opinions more than any other type of pedal. Yes they have the capacity to be used without cleats if you're just doing a squirt down to the shops or whatever, but on the other hand the weighting of them tends to leave them hanging cleat-side up, which can be a nuisance if you're not wearing cleats 'cos you have to kick them over.... On the other side, when you're wearing cleated shoes, you're faced with the "roadie problem" of only having the cleat mech on one side.

Personally, if you're after the most versatile cleated system, I'd suggest what Shimano describe as a "Trail" SPD pedal, such as the M530 or M785:

Image

The extended body fore & aft of the cleat mech provides a larger contact area when cleated in compared to the familiar (now labelled "Race") SPD design:
Image

....thus improving stability (the most noticeable difference from the large SPD-SL pedals & cleats) and reducing "hot-spotting" from the traditionally small contact area. Do note however that they're not designed to be used without cleats.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby kallvatten » Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:23 pm

Thanks tea and Duck.. and also thanks Rodney for responding to my question so quickly!

I guess in the end you really do just have to make some compromises and determine what's more important. Based on what I've seen and read so far, I think Speedplays may be the way to go (despite them being tight-fisted on copyrights and so on). Good suggestion with the trail SPD (AT) Duck, but I think if I'm going to go for such a system to alleviate such issues as hotspotting from the smaller SPD pedals, I may as well go all the way with a road set as I don't foresee a scenario where I'd be forced to walk any significant distance without a change of shoes (again, as any major commuting isn't in the books).

In the long run I may end up getting both systems, really, which seems to be relatively common! :P Bit of an n+1 bikes and pedal systems scenario in a way. Just trying to get as close as I can to the best decision the first time around, and it sounds like I probably won't go wrong with Speedplays overall. However, anyone reading this: please feel free to tell me why they're horrible or clearly the worse choice!

Thanks again everyone. I'll continue to read further advice and suggestions of course, as it will be about a week before I go out and get anything. I'll update when I do, too!

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:12 pm

Yeah Ive done the n+1 shoes and pedals. Speedplay zeros on my shimano shoes, R540s paired with a pair of DMT sdp-sls and frogs on some northwave spds!!

Edit: Oh and the spike spanks on the 29er with the sneakers!

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby Xplora » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:34 am

Used to run MTB shoes that had a recessed cleat and a "proper" rubber sole around them, with SPDs.

Now run road shoes with Speedplays. Cleat sticks out even further with a total stack of 1 inch from the sole of the shoe on the right side. :lol:

My road cleats are ok to stop with, they aren't horrible to clip into or out of, and they are moderately better than the float on SPDs.

Your biggest concern and consideration is "do I need to push off the ground to get rolling?" and it makes 1000% sense if you live in an even slightly hilly area. I CANNOT get a reliable push if I'm going up more than 4-5% gradients with the road shoes. You have to roll at least a foot, and between the push from your unclipped foot and the push on the crank with your clipped foot, you might run out of momentum :shock: There are a couple of places I consistently have big problems trying to roll away from. This has only happened once every 3000kms... that might not be acceptable to you, and you might live in an area where you must unclip on steep hills regularly.

I never ever had this hill problem with my rubber soled MTB shoes. Yes, the walking is better in MTB shoes but are you too embarrassed to undo your shoes completely and walk shoeless? I doubt you will regularly experience so much glass that you couldn't - you wouldn't ride a bike there if you did. I commute and ride with road shoes. Just makes sense to me, even with the challenges. You get REALLY good at predicting how to continue rolling, if you can't trackstand 8)

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby Xplora » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:43 am

^^ Also, if you go SPD, do not bother with flat sides or any of that crap. Get a high quality double sided cleat, like a Deore XT, and get on with life. I had tremendous issues with the cheaper pedals for some reason, regardless of spring tension, and absolutely none, regardless of spring tension with the XT66s I used. The platforms that Duck suggested are great for MTB work, and if you are going to bash through the scrub in the mud, I would recommend them too, but if you cannot adjust to quality SPD or road cleats within a couple of days then you might not have the coordination required to use them. Locking your foot to the pedal IS more dangerous than not locking it, and people using the Trail SPDs are riding dirt tracks clipped in that I struggle to ride with plain flat pedals. No joke. Crappy engagement from nasty cheap Shimano pedals isn't going to make this easier, and as the veteran of about 5 clipstacks, spending an extra 30 bucks to avoid them is not even a consideration for me.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby MattyK » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:07 pm

Duck! wrote:"Half &half" pedals such as the A530 seem to attract polarised opinions more than any other type of pedal. Yes they have the capacity to be used without cleats if you're just doing a squirt down to the shops or whatever, but on the other hand the weighting of them tends to leave them hanging cleat-side up, which can be a nuisance if you're not wearing cleats 'cos you have to kick them over.... On the other side, when you're wearing cleated shoes, you're faced with the "roadie problem" of only having the cleat mech on one side.
There's still a big difference in the ease of engaging a road cleat vs a single-sided SPD cleat. I've had M505 and M540 double-sideds and I do not find the A520 any harder to clip in to; you just have to (only sometimes) flick it over to the right side up. Which you wouldn't have to do with the A530...
Personally, if you're after the most versatile cleated system, I'd suggest what Shimano describe as a "Trail" SPD pedal, such as the M530 or M785:

Image

The extended body fore & aft of the cleat mech provides a larger contact area when cleated in compared to the familiar (now labelled "Race") SPD design:
Image

....thus improving stability (the most noticeable difference from the large SPD-SL pedals & cleats) and reducing "hot-spotting" from the traditionally small contact area. Do note however that they're not designed to be used without cleats.
Do they? Do those fore and aft parts actually contact the shoe? And if so (not the case on the A520s) does this actually provide more support (given that your foot is actually being supported by the semi-rigid some of the shoe)?

I will reiterate my vote for the SPD road type pedals and Road Touring shoes :D

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby Xplora » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:16 pm

MattyK wrote:There's still a big difference in the ease of engaging a road cleat vs a single-sided SPD cleat.
The day that speedplay zeros can be used in a flat shoed shoe that can be walked in is the day that Shimano buys them out and abandons SPD... Makes me wonder why no one has tried.

I haven't found any difference between SPDs and Zeros.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby MattyK » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:27 pm

I should have said "SPD-SL" cleat rather than road cleat, if that would have made you happy. But a Speedplay still suffers from walking ability, cleat fragility/damage, and of course won't clear mud like an SPD.

Ergo, SPD cleated touring shoes:
Image

<edit> you can even get them in a bundle:
http://www.bikes.com.au/p/5362929/shima ... combo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:48 pm

Xplora wrote: The day that speedplay zeros can be used in a flat shoed shoe that can be walked in is the day that Shimano buys them out and abandons SPD... Makes me wonder why no one has tried.
Think that iswhat the speedplay frogs were an attempt at. They actually got pretty close but not quite. But yeah I'd agree I would buy something like that...
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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby barefoot » Wed Mar 19, 2014 1:41 pm

Xplora wrote:^^ Also, if you go SPD, do not bother with flat sides or any of that crap. Get a high quality double sided cleat, like a Deore XT, and get on with life. I had tremendous issues with the cheaper pedals for some reason, regardless of spring tension, and absolutely none, regardless of spring tension with the XT66s I used.
Hehe.

Funny you should say that.

I still have the M535 pedals I first bought in 1996, and they still work almost perfectly. So that part of your assertion holds true. Shimano pedals don't die.

I have had and killed several pairs of off-brand SPD-compatible pedals. That part holds true as well.

EXCEPT...

...the one-sided off-brand pedals on my commuter :-D

I've had them so long I can't remember what they are. Probably VP or something. I remember they were horribly cheap, which is the only reason I went with them instead of Shimano (having learnt that lesson often enough). They get used for two rides every single day, and they don't even have a second side to spread the workload over. They've been through at least 4 pairs of shoes that I can remember wearing out, and they're still going strong. The only thing wrong with them is that the rubber grip strips on the flat side are deteriorating.

They are an exception to the "stop and you're in" quality of SPD pedals. I stomp on these ones and I'm usually in... otherwise, I'm securely on a flat pedal for a couple of strokes, until I can lift the foot for half a stroke and stomp again. Not a show stopper. Especially compared to a road pedal where if you stomp the wrong side, smooth plastic on smooth aluminium means you're probably going to cop a pedal to the shin and/or a stem in the nuts (if you are so equipped).

I rarely use the flat side, and if they ever die I'll probably replace them with double-sided Shimano pedals again, but they've been remarkably good to me.

Another thing on caged SPDs; they don't solve the foot stability "problem" like road pedals do. I put quotes on problem because I didn't consider it a problem until I used the solution.

On SPDs, the feet are able to rock - rotating from side to side around the small cleat. This is especially true with cleats that have worn down a bit. There's a bit of clearance, a bit of play, and it's amplified over the width of your foot.

On road pedals, the cleat is so much wider, you have a much wider connection to the pedal. Even if there was a bit of clearance, it's so wide that the angular play would still be minimal.

Like I said, I didn't consider it a problem until I used road pedals and noticed just how stable they are. A flat bit of alloy in front and behind the cleat isn't the same.

tim

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby Xplora » Wed Mar 19, 2014 1:51 pm

Rodney,
The Frog appears to be a MTB SPD system, rather than a "ROAD" system, to my eyes. Doesn't allow for walking properly. (should also mention a disclaimer - my Shimano MT42s are capable of being walked in, but are only borderline for comfy than my hyper light road shoes with the mutant cleat stack, the reinforcement of the shoe prevents comfortable walking).

I think the whole industry has got their head screwed on incorrectly. You want elderly Chinese gentlemen BSO riders using cleats, not Cadel Evans. For every road race dreamer there are a dozen POBSOs... the entire structure of the cleat/shoe system has been set up for extreme use, realistically. Road riding in the peleton or mud riding in the rain. What about the mediocre hobbyists and general public who want to pedal faster than flats will allow and think pedal cages are nuts? Click'R is probably on the right track, but I haven't used them.

barefoot,
I have a reasonably significant roll on my right foot (honestly, you want to see some popped eyes, watch people examine my road shoes for the first time) and SPD actually allowed me to ignore than issue for a while. So, the inferior support of MTB systems (and don't pansy out on this, MTB/SPD loyalists out there, they SUCK compared to road cleats) is actually a blessing if you need more range in the position than a fixed cleat, flat soled road shoe offers. Road shoes are SUPPOSED to be brutally hard to put your foot in. :idea: If they are set up to cope with your personal foibles, I'll take road shoe every time. It's just frustrating that road shoes are completely inappropriate for all social occasions except post ride coffee. :oops: :oops: :oops:

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:49 pm

Yeah I have a pair of frogs and they use the more comfortable/walkable two hole spd shoes but are their own system. I might of misunderstood what you where getting at earlier. But if you want a speedplayish system for two holed shoes then the frog is the closest to it.

Edit: what I want is a x-trainer shoe with that massive speedplay cleat recessed into the flexible walkable sole but I doubt I will ever see it.

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby kallvatten » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:06 pm

Not going to run quotes this time because it's a bit fiddly..

@Xplora: It's pretty flat from where I live, maybe a ~1% grade at most if I started from my mate's place down the road.. so I don't really need much to get going at all. :P Certainly some horrible hills around here though.. got one around the corner that (according to Strava) is a half km 12% grade. :lol: But ATM I'm just avoiding anything that bad. So I'm quite certain that getting moving isn't an issue. I'm now thinking that if I am pretty much just going to be riding on the road, most of the convenient features of using SPDs will probably be lost to me, so I may as well get a road system. If I need to take my shoes off sometimes, so be it. :)

@Matty: Personally the mud-shedding of the pedals/cleats is fairly irrelevant to me as I don't plan to off-road in them, and I think just about any pedal will shed water just fine. But based on the cleat construction it certainly does make sense that SPD cleats should last significantly longer than Speedplays.

I suppose this raises another question to you guys running Speedplays - how expensive has it been maintaining their use?

And @Xplora again, certainly. Of course I am likely the least knowledgeable here in this thread, but I think there's quite a gap in the market as far as clipless pedals for the casual rider goes. SPDs come close but they're still ostensibly a MTB pedal that happens to be relatively convenient for commuting and casual use. However, I can't imagine the big-name companies will bring out anything specifically for that part of the market. Not just an adaptation of an existing design but a new one that actually suits that kind of use. There's probably someone out there on Kickstarter with a socially acceptable low-profile clipless design, though. :P

@Rodney: don't expect that'll happen anytime soon either! In theory it wouldn't be too difficult to pull off, though..

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Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:19 pm

With the Speedplay zero's the cleats are the main things that wear down quickly. Its just about automatic you need the covers. I have the Keep on kovers Z that you can keep on all the time and they are great. They are about $30 from bike bug and a few other places. And Yeah another expense to add to the list! :-)

http://www.bikebug.com/pedals-cleats-ke ... 28002.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by rodneycc on Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2013 BMC TM SLR01;2013/14 Bianchi Inf CV
2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL

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rodneycc
Posts: 2879
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:50 pm
Location: Melbourne Eastern Suburbs, Victoria

Re: Pedal for training and some commuting.. what do you reco

Postby rodneycc » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:27 pm

PS - The only other thing is to lube the cleat spring every 4 or 5 months (depending on usage) with dry teflon oil/lube (I wasn't sure what to get so my LBS fixed me with some). The pedals themselves might need re-greasing also after 12 months (but I get my LBS to do this on my yearly service - yeah the secret is out - I'm a rider more than a mechanic! :-) )
2013 BMC TM SLR01;2013/14 Bianchi Inf CV
2013 Lynskey Helix;2013 XACD Ti Di2
2013 Giant TCR Adv SL1;2014 Giant Defy Adv SL

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