Do I need this bike in my life?

[hozn]

One thing in favor of SPD-SL, apparently, is a wider lateral (inboard/outboard) adjustment range. At least, this is what I was told by bike fitter. Some shoes have lateral adjustment capabilities which may make that less relevant on the cleat system itself. But if you believe you want to get your feet closer together to bring knees in line with pedals, this might be a good consideration too. For me, I can’t honestly move my shoes much closer to the crankarms and still have enough room for shoe covers. I’ve taken the clearcoat off the carbon arms in pursuit of that (fitter-recommended) narrower q factor.

[Powerful Pete]

One thing I wonder about is the need for the super-duper float that systems like speedplay offer. If you are well set-up on your bike you really shouldn’t need too much float (obvious exceptions for injury or very specific reasons… excepted).

In the old world one of my coaches would always rail against cleats that offered float, considering them an option for half-a$$ fitting. Then again, he was dead set against anything beyond square taper, so keep that in mind. We yuroopeans often are somewhat… traditional in our approach to bicycle-related things.

@hozn, remember that Campagnolo cranks are usually amongst the best when it comes to narrow q-factor. Just sayin’…

[Emm]

@Powerful Pete 118100 wrote:

One thing I wonder about is the need for the super-duper float that systems like speedplay offer. If you are well set-up on your bike you really shouldn’t need too much float (obvious exceptions for injury or very specific reasons… excepted).

In the old world one of my coaches would always rail against cleats that offered float, considering them an option for half-a$$ fitting. Then again, he was dead set against anything beyond square taper, so keep that in mind. We yuroopeans often are somewhat… traditional in our approach to bicycle-related things.

@hozn, remember that Campagnolo cranks are usually amongst the best when it comes to narrow q-factor. Just sayin’…

I agree. I think the reason speed play was recommended was that it’s easier to get in and out off since it’s dual sided. The float thing you can reduce as well during a fitting (which I plan to have done).

I may ask the shop about their return policy though on the look pedals, and try them out first. The face they are not sided thing is what everyone complained about–all 3 of the people said it was really tough to get in the 2nd pedal once the bike was going.

[hozn]

It does takes a little more practice to clip the second foot in on the first try, but nothing that you won’t have mastered after a couple weeks. The pedals will hang with the back down, so it is mostly a matter of learning to flip them forward with the cleat. I do periodically end up on the wrong side still when starting very suddenly, but I blame the fact that my Look pedals aren’t on my primary bike (my commuter has dual-sided Time Atacs).

[vvill]

After many years on Crank Bros I finally tried SPD-SL last year based on a fitter’s advice (I was also offered Look as an option but chose to try the Shimanos). I now ride most of my miles on them as my knees seem happiest with the shim arrangement, although for MTB/CX I still have my Candys.

It took me a little time to get used to them, especially for fixed gear but I do like how solid and wide they feel. There is a “Light Action” model of these pedals which is easier to clip into (and out of I guess) – I have them on my fixed gear.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Powerful Pete 118100 wrote:

Then again, he was dead set against anything beyond square taper, so keep that in mind. We yuroopeans often are somewhat… traditional in our approach to bicycle-related things.

If not square taper specifically, at least just conventional threaded BB shells. I’m afraid to even look at the BBRIGHT bottom bracket on my Cervelo, for fear it will start creaking or need some type of maintenance I don’t have the tools for. But I’ll pull out the square taper and GXP BBs of my non-carbon bikes simply out of boredom because it’s so simple and relatively bombproof.

[kwarkentien]

I love my Speedplays and really like the virtually infinite float of the X pedal. I had tried Look Keos and hated them. The one-sided entry was one reason but more important was that I could never disengage them at moments when I really had to like when I had to bail out on a climb. I got tired of falling over and reverted to straight SPDs before getting into my Speedplay “big girl” pedals. If you don’t like that much float, the Zero model has a much more limited amount. And as to maintenance, once Clovis turned me on to Keep-On Kovers, I’ve been happy as a clam. The covers stay on all the time and protect the cleats from getting really dinged up. They stay on pretty well but you don’t want to go mucking through mud and sand but you wouldn’t do that with any other road pedals either.

[Powerful Pete]

@ kwarkentien, fair enough, to each his/her own.

I think the one-sided pedal thing is simply something you get used to – as hozn pointed out, the Look (and Shimano road pedals) pedals are weighted in such a manner that they are positioned for you to click in very easily when starting to pedal. I think it is now muscle memory for me – I don’t even think about it.

Then again, I cannot complain about my double-sided SPDs on my commuter. But honestly thinking of changing those pedals over to Look compatible so I can standardize on one set of shoes.

So, de gustibus non est disputandum!!

[kwarkentien]

@PP, yup, there are plenty of options so we can all find what works best.

[JimF22003]

@TwoWheelsDC 118107 wrote:

I’m afraid to even look at the BBRIGHT bottom bracket on my Cervelo, for fear it will start creaking or need some type of maintenance I don’t have the tools for.

Mine creaks

[Author]

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