I love my Speedplay Zeros because I don't have to think about clipping in. Since it's dual sided, I just step on it and go without having to look down. I'm aware that you can learn to do this on other pedals as well, I used to have Shimano pedals a couple of years ago. However, Speedplays have made riding easier. I also love how you can adjust the float as needed.

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+1 for speedplay. I've never used Look's, but have used Shimano. Clipping in is easier. But because speedplays are circular, your feet can pivot left and right when they're clipped in. Shimano and Look both hold your cleats static, so the only movement they get is forward and back. This was a little odd to get used to, but I think I prefer to be able to move my heels left and right because I think it gives a more anatomically preferable pedal stroke. Not sure how others feel about this or if they even notice.

Also, i don't think weight is too much different between them (might be wrong about that), but because speedplay cleats are metal, I think they last longer than the plastic cleats (and they also scratch up floors more...whoops ;)

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Dtyrrell

Unfortunately there is no easy answer really. All three are good systems, all three have float (contrary to what someone else posted), and all three are fairly lightweight. Speedplay "in theory" hasthe most flexibility for fit adjustment with adaptors to really let you push the cleat towards the middle of the foot. Shimano's are ridiculously sturdy and reliable and have cleats that are anti-slip when you walk around on them. Look's work and feel a lot like Shimano except their cleats wear out faster and are more slippery when walking around. They also can sometimes squeak if you don't keep them clean.

I currently ride carbon Dura-Ace pedals, but would be happy riding Speedplay as well. If Look improved the cleats, their system with the new carbon blades would be great.

I was a long time Look user and find that the Dura Ace has a much larger platform and leads to a very comfortable pedal, especially over long rides. I used to get hot spots with the Looks no matter how I had my cleats set up. Not an issue with the Dura Ace.

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Head Coach Grn Mchn Multisports Coaching, LLC
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From a fitter's perspective who sees all of these on a regular basis (and is not a dealer for any of them as to not be biased):


Looks - least amount of cleat adjustment, and it's hard to make any cleat adjustment without affecting other cleat adjustments. The gray cleats only have 4.5 degrees of float and people with knee issues have a hard time with that. Low maintenance. Single-sided entry, not the easiest to get in and out of. A good 70%+ of my customers go with some flavor of Look KEOs. I honestly don't know why, other than peer pressure and local bike shops pushing everybody towards them.

Shimano - better than the Looks for cleat adjustment, but still similar problems due to the similar cleat design. Also low maintenance, single sided, and somewhat difficult for newer or smaller cyclists to get in and out of them.

Speedplay - the most adjustable as far as cleat position goes, by far. All movements are completely independent of each other, and their base extender plate kit can allow a much more rearward cleat position. The stainless versions are available in different spindle lengths, so Two-sided entry, and I like the light actions for newer or lighter cyclists. They require a bit of maintenance, and due to the open nature of the cleat, you need to be careful about walking in stuff that might get stuck in the cleat and not allow you to engage the pedal. They're a little bit more sensitive to being dirty.

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

+2

I tried Shimano, Look, and then Keywin but the sppedplay are by FAR the eassiest and most adjustable pedals out there.

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The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

This is why I switched to Shimano. Clipping in for me was always an adventure with my Speedplays since I neglected to keep the cleats clean. With the Shimanos I occasionally have to glance down to clip in but there is never a question of not being able to clip in. With the Speedplays there were times I could stand with all my weight on the pedal fishing around trying to clip in. But that's just me. YMMV

Huh? This isn't true.

I started with Speedplay and had a year with Shimano, so I feel like I'm qualified to comment on this...

Speedplay is great from an engagement standpoint. Even after trying Shimano for over a year, engaging pedals with Speedplay is trivial. I never once even look at my pedal and just step down in the general vicinity of the pedal and it engaged. So amazing. The downside is that the pedals will, over time, make a bunch of noise. I've greased the hell out of them and lubricated the contact points, but over a 100mi ride, they will make some noise that will get to you when you're climbing and no one is around.

Shimano pedals are great too. I have the dura-ace version, and they are sweet. Engaging the pedal is a bit tricky coming from Speedplay, but engagin the pedal is what, like .01% of the time you're using them? They are also silent and over many thousands of miles, requires almost zero maintenance. Last year I might have adjusted the engaging pressure and that's it. Literally the last time I ever touched the pedals. The biggest issue with the pedals is the lack of float. Some others may comment that there is some float in these pedals, but really, there isn't much, if not zero float.

After trying both for a *significant* amount of time, I'm going to stick with Speedplay. I'm pretty sure I've developed some kind of knee issue with the Shimano pedals. Yea maybe I could adjust the Shimano pedals to account for this, but the Speedplay has it build it by nature of the pedal itself. I'm 29 and pretty resilient to injury, so this knee thing is pretty significant. It's worth the little extra maintenance with the Speedplay pedals to further reduce injury and for the engaging ease. Once clipped in, from my experience, they are nearly identical, so it's really the fringe differences that set the pedals apart.

Thanks all!

I appreciate all of your responses, given my ineptitude of wanting to do maintenance on things and trying new things I decided to go with the Dura Ace pedals. Have a Happy Holiday's!

Nobody addressed the most important question. Which looks better on your bike? Screw the ergonomics, make sure they are the lightest and look the best.

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

So Speedplay then. ;-)

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_____________________________________________
Rick, "Retired" hobbyist athlete
Trying to come back slowly from acute A-Fib

Lollipop, lollipop, all sing along now. Campy Cage with Christophe toe clips and leather straps. Nail wooden cleats to your black leather super narrow Italian shoes! Ah,the good? old days.

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

I ride shimano, tried speedplays, hated them, ymmv. Anyways... At an Olympic race two years ago, it had rained the night before, and T1 was in a park. One of my friends spent the first five minutes trying to get clipped in because her speed play had clogged with mud. Meanwhile I, with Shimanos...

Just sayin :)

Shimano has 3 points if contact. Turn your foot and you come out. speedplay is round with 2 crescent-shaped contact points. You must turn your cleat much further to get out. Unless you keep your cleats loose, there's not much pivot space in Shimano compared to speedplay.

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Dtyrrell

I actually prefer the speedplay X series pedals. They engage quickly and have virtually zero no lateral tension.

I switched to Speedplays probably 20 years ago because I had knee issues with my Time pedals. Now I am reminded of why I use the Speedplays every time I try riding a different pedal because I always get little knee twinges on Look style pedals and MTn bike pedals.

If you go the Speedplay route you might also considerSpeedplay specific shoes. The adapter plates aren't a major hassle to deal with, but they are one more unnecessary piece of hardware and they do slightly increase the foot to axle distance. Bont and DMT make some nice shoes. I picked up some DMTs for way less than my old Specialized S-works shoes and I really like them.

Hello brandonberm and All,

I like SpeedPlay ...... here is a new one .....

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...display-at-interbike




Also at View-Speed we sell a modification to your shoes with that will make you faster and able to run short distances in your bike shoes.

http://www.shop.view-speed.com/...ion-610098715986.htm



After and Before

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Shimano and Look pedals don't hold your cleats static (unless you get the zero-float options). There is no forward or backward play in them either. You only move your heels left and right. Here's a video showing the float:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFvq4PScofM

You can definitely have more than 9 degrees of float with Speedplay unlike Look and Shimano, but what you said about them before wasn't true.

uhmmmmm....if she had the shoes where they belong...they would have been clipped to the pedals while she ran out of T1 in bare feet!


Just sayin :)

at this point in the market....all three systems are mature and very good. I agree with the fitting person who posted....biggest positive of speedplays for me is ability to tailor the cleat position to my feet and the lower stack height is probably nice too, but I am sure I wouldn't be able to tell the difference! In all my years of using speed play....never once had an issue with dirty cleats....and I do do a fair bit of walking in them on occasion.

I was in a LBS looking at a set of dusty Speedplays - they had ordered them for a rider who gave them back ( could not unclip). Speedplays make good sense.
I train/ride street with Crank bros, Look and Wellgo.

For racing I want to reduce stack - because the lower you are on the bike the faster you are. So every mm or two reduction in stack is an increase in speed. I am really surprised this is not brought up more on ST with the cycling gurus???

Also I wanted a minimalist pedal, flat against the shoe and ultra aero.

So I built my own pedals for racing, and to sprint out of T1 with shoes on. Mission accomplished & race tested to (almost) fastest bike split.

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Because it makes about as much sense as saying tenths of a watt count. If you want lower stack on Speedplay get the four hole Speedplay specific shoes which lower stack by a few mm.

DA Period.

Used all three for several years, Speedplay Zero's win everytime. Easiest pedal to clip into without looking (huge advantage in road racing) and they have been bullet proof the last 3 years. The float options are also a advantage of the speedplay. The DA pedals are nice though and that would be my second choice. Look is decent but i have seen some failure issues with the blade pedal.