I’ve had the same pair of Speedplay X pedals since 96/97 (can’t remember exactly when I got them). Pretty much zero maintenance and they’ve worked great with no issues, until fairly recently. No idea how many miles … probably 5-7k per year, so at most maybe 50k. Cleats have been replaced 1-2 times per year.
Both pedals have developed a side-to-side and up-and-down rocking on their axles. One pedal – drive side – spins VERY freely (it almost seems to freely) and the little rubber o-ring (that’s visible where the pedal meets the axle) has disappeared. The other pedal – non-drive side – spins smoothly but much less freely and the o-ring is in place.
The pedal body and metal dog-bone plate thingy is pretty beat up/worn, about what you’d expect given their age and mileage.
Is it possible to rebuild these pedals with new bearings and such. Or, are they worn out and my only course of action is to replace.
One caveat: I’m a cheap bastard, but if they need replacing no big deal. They will be replaced with something of similar quality (DA SPDSL, Zero, etc).
Maybe it’s just me, but I’d say you got your money’s worth with them. Three questions though:
Why not replace with another set of Speedplays? (Is 8 years unreasonable for pedal life? I’m honestly asking and wondering how long I can expect my X series to last.)
How do you know when it’s time to replace your Speedplay cleats? I’m super anal about putting on my rubber cleat covers as soon as I’m off the bike, but it looks like the bottom “face” plates and 4x11 screws are scratched to hell after only about 500 miles on them.
When you say “zero maintenance”, do you mean that you never lubed them at all?
I have heard you can send them back to SpeedPlay (San Diego area I think) for rebuild although yours are pretty old. I have bought replacement o-rings before if you need to replace yours.
I might, and probably will. The Zero would be the ones as they seem like the logical evolutionary step in the X series design. My wife as SPDSL on her bike, and I’m really impressed with this pedal, as well. So I don’t know.
I replaced mine every Spring or when it became more difficult to get into the pedals than when the cleats were new.
Naw, I lubed em, just not as often as Speedplay advised. I don’t think it’s a lack of lube more like worn out bearings.
Yeah, I definately got my money’s worth. No doubt. I think the longevity of my pedals speaks to how good Speedplays are.
I recently worked in the Tech-Warranty department of Speedplay doing these sort of repairs. The best thing to do is to call them to discuss the problem, they will probably have you send them in for inspection and a possible rebuild. It sounds like yours might be a case where most of the components need to be replaced. If the spindles are still good, new bodies and bearings can be installed, but its something they are going to have to look at to determine. Sometimes the cost of the rebuild is very close to a new set of pedals in which case have them send them back or trash em, and go buy a new set of Speedplays. Another thing to keep in mind is that a new set of pedals will come with cleats, a pedal rebuild will return the pedal to a ‘newer’ condition, but you are still stuck with your old worn cleats.
I’m in the same boat with my X3’s. There is movement on the axels, at first I thought my cleats were loose, but it is the pedals. I figured for the cost of a rebuild and new cleats I may as well lash out for some new ones, I will try the new zeros. I have been watching ebay for some time but they always go for close the full retail, so I may as well buy them new.
I, too, am a huge Speedplay fan. I’ve been riding the X series the whole time I’ve been a triathlete–only about 6 years. I thought some Look CX-6 Ironman pedals would look really cool, so I tried them about a year and a half ago. Immediate knee pain. Then I switched to DA…same thing. It took coming back to X series to remedy the problem…and I’ve got a smooth, pretty aligned, mechanically sound, pedal stroke (ie, from behind, my knees don’t flare in and out. I don’t mash gears, either, but then again I’m no speed demon). Unless you’re sure you don’t use the float that Speedplays provide, I’d seriously consider staying with what has worked for you since '96.