The weight of a pedal shouldn't be as important to you as weather or not it fits your foot and pedaling style. If you're looking to drop weight from a bike, and get new pedals, remember that rotating weight is always more important to lose than static weight, so pedals are a good choice. I would not sacrifice comforts for a few grams though.

tommy

Good question, and no doubt the mathematicians out there will add it up for us and "prove" that it will make a difference. It never seems to make any difference among the top cyclists, though. LA won several TDFs with old heavy Shimano Look-style pedals. Jalabert won the Polka Dots two years running on Look PP396s. I'm not saying the Speedplays are not good (they're my personal choice), but only that the heavier designs haven't held up the best athletes out there. If it was really a big deal, as opposed to mostly marketing hype, you'd see Look quickly bringing out some gossamer Ti system. I personnaly choose Speedplay based on their free float vs other systems' centering float, not because of weight. My wife likes centering systems and therefore rides Look. Look, Time, Speedplay, Shimano, and Campy all make solid pedals that will perform equally as well for you.

Comfort is probably more important. Remember to include cleat weight when you are shopping.

I ride with some pretty heavy pedals (Look PP396) and occasionally get the bug to replace them with something more lean. The new Times have caught my eye as have the new Look Style Dura Ace pedals. One thing I will not do is go to a Ti pedal spindle. At 200 pounds, I think that's tempting fate. For one thing, I don't like being anywhere near a published load limit for a component, and I've also come across a couple decent articles claiming Ti is not the best material to use in that application. (I'll see if I can dig one up for all to shoot holes in.)

I agree.

I doubt that anyone has ever lost a race because their bike wasn't light enough... Not that I'm against making your bike lighter, I just don't think it's going to have any measurable effect on performance in anything but the most extreme case.

Joel

www.CompetitionZone.com

In case anybody cares, here's an article on Ti spindles. It's published by BeBop (a pedal company), so consider the source. Remember that many pedal companies (including speedplay) that use Ti spindles recommend them for lighter riders. Anyway, I thought this was a pretty good article...

http://www.bebop.com/.../appliedmata101.html

Interesting article. While I currently ride two pairs of stainless Zeros, I rode X-1 Ti's for years without noticing problems with spindle flex or bearing problems. Makes me wonder if Speedplay overcomes the problems this article eludes to by using short spindles in its Ti models. I'm not sure what the length difference is, but the Ti pedals are shorter than the stainless versions in either the X-series or Zeros. That might make up for the relative lack in stiffness since it reduces levered force at the same pedal force. But I'm no engineer.

i think pedal weight is important, or at least more important than aerobar weight or derailleur weight or fork weight. Thnik about lifting a pedal 90 times per minute, and depending on your race length you could be doing that from 70-400 mins. For an olympic dist which may take you 70 mins you're lifting that pedal 6300 times. If you get a pedal set up thats overall 100gms lighter (about a 1/4 lb) you'd be lifting about 1575 less lbs at the end of the day. (dont yell at me if my math is wrong, i was a psych major in order to stay out of math classes). That seems like a lot weight to not have to lift---pay attention to overall pedal weight (including the cleats) cause even though s.play's are really light, their cleat is heavier than most which bumps up their overall weight.

---

Want: 58cm Cervelo Soloist. PM me if you have one to sell

Vintage Cervelo: A Resource

once you overcome the inital push of the pedal though, inertia is helping you carry those pedals through the stroke.

I doubt that the 40g will make a huge difference, if any at all

That said, i know a coach who trains with 3lb weights attached to each pedal...thats 1200g/foot...i think that will make a difference!



-Kevin

---

---

"Anyone can work hard when they want to; Champions do it when they don't."

while I'm not suggesting that I could notice a 40g difference, I was riding on the factory delivered (read: cheap) double sided SPD's and some SPD MTN shoes, when I switched to Speedplay Zero's and Nike Poggio's (carbon soled road shoes). The first couple rides out, I couldn't believe the lightness and acceleration I could feel.

Given the option of lighter or heavier (all else being the same) you'd be a fool not to choose the lighter. At least where I live, there are almost no truly flat rides. If there's any slope at all, you're lugging that stuff up hill.