If this odd neutral support component list for the TOC is correct then it seems that speedplay is the overwhelming favorite. I can’t imagine they would be a sponsor for 8/16 of the teams at TOC<?> Suck on that speedplay nay sayers.
You’re assuming all those team are sponsored by Speedplay. I bet some pay for their pedals. If you want the best…
I was reading Velonews and saw the same thing. I know this had probably been talked about and debated for ages on here but I am new and just wanted to get feedback from those that do have speedplay and what they think of them. I have heard about them being kinda slippery and that hot spots can develop because of the limited contact area. I have Keo’s on both my bikes and eggbeaters on my MTB which I love because of all the entry points and miss on the Keo’s especially stopped at a light.
What might be a difference I would experience if I were to switch to speedplay from Look?
You’re assuming all those team are sponsored by Speedplay. I bet some pay for their pedals. If you want the best…
No the OP isn’t assuming that.
“I can’t imagine they would be a sponsor for 8/16 of the teams at TOC”
IWhat might be a difference I would experience if I were to switch to speedplay from Look?
Well, for starters you might get faster & stronger, despite having to divert more of your training time to fighting off the horny womens… or maybe that’s just me.
Either way, they’re light & smooth, you don’t have to worry about them ever being “upside down” trying to clip in pushing off from a stoplight, and they don’t try to “correct” or resist any natural off-axis twist or rotation in your pedal stroke. My right knee tracks fairly straight/neutral but I definitely notice what feels like un-released or constrained torque in my left knee when I swich to MTB shoes/pedals on my rain bike from my the speedplays on my road/Tri bikes, and the other older bike I have with Looks feels more like the MTB set-up (less float, tightness in the knee after awhile) than the Speedplays.
On the other hand, if you don’t like/need the float, then the Looks do provide a nice big, meaty contact surface. I know some folks like that feeling of solidity (particularly “mashing” bigger gears), but in my case the Speedplays offer a feeling of greater fluidity through the pedal stroke (is the best way i can try to define it).
Rode Speedplays (switched from Look) for about 17 years. Loved the Speedplays. Right up until I realized a more solid pedal in the new Look Keo 2 Max…love the new Looks. I’m done with Speedplay for now–the Looks feel MUCH better and the slight “pedal upside down” while taking a bit to get used to is not that big of a deal. It feels like I don’t lose as much power with Looks because I’m not sliding around on ice as much. I wouldn’t be able to tell you for sure because my BB from my Ergomo died last year about a month after IM CDA & I’ve only been using an old school Cateye. BTW, Ergomo rest in “peace”…of junk. 
I’m saying this & I used to be sponsored by Speedplay for many, many years…my choice is now Look. But the Speedplay pedals are a nice pedal, I just like the Look a little better.
I also think that while Speedplay are fine, Look are better. My preference is based on two things: 1)Speedplay cleats are large, hard to walk in, expensive to replace and fragile (screws must be tight-but-not-too-tight for float to work). And 2) small cleat-to-pedal contact area can lead to instability; I felt that my feet were tipping sideways (“underpronating”) particularly as the cleat wore.
I you’re basing your preference on what the pros ride, keep in mind that they probably get new cleats more frequently than the average joe. Most pros also dial out the float on their pedals (or use zero-float cleats in the case of Look et al.)
My cycling days would have long since been gone w/o Speedplays…love 'em. My decision wasn’t based on a ‘does it look cool’ or ‘is it lighter’. I had to have float and a ton of it and Speedplay fit that bill. I also needed a pedal that allowed me to put my foot as far forward as possible and their cleat adapter facilitated that as well…home run! It was either the adapter or $600 for D2’s!
I thought the title of this thread a bit telling.
On forums, folks (not all of course, but enough) really do seem to “hate” some equipment.
Look vs. Speedplay, clincher vs. tubular, TI vs. other swimming methods, etc.
Psychologically I think it is like being a sports fan - one wants to be backing the winning team - in your mind “on” the winning team.
fwiw - I really like my pedals. I hope you like yours too.
I thought the title of this thread a bit telling.
Indeed the title is rather absurd.
The key thing to keep in mind that like the other key contact points with the bike( saddles, handle bars, tape . .) with pedals it’s ultimately going to come down to feel. Yes there are slight mechanical and physical differences with the two systems, but once clipped in and riding, it’s the slight difference in the feel of one pedal system vs. the other that is going to be the difference. Properly set up, fitted and set up, and keeping all other variables constant, in a blind test of pedals, I am wondering if many cyclists and triathletes could really tell the difference??
Do we have an idea of which Speedplays most of them use?
But you’re missing something pretty important. Sure, speedplays are fine pedals, on par with many, especially for road riding. However, for triathlon specifically, they are not ideal.
Do we have an idea of which Speedplays most of them use?
All teams use the Zeros. I can’t think of a single pro rider who uses the X. The Zero is - simply put - just a better pedal than the X. I think it’s what Richard wishes he had come up with as a “first pass” at a pedal, because the Zero fixes everything there is to not like about the X.
you don’t have to worry about them ever being “upside down” trying to clip in pushing off from a stoplight
Seriously, how big of a spaz does one have to be, even for a triathlete, to not be able to consistently get clipped in to Look pedals?
I’ve been riding Look off and on for 20+ years, though I did run Speedplays on my tri bike when Speedplays were relatively new back in the mid-90s. Nothing wrong with Speedplay pedals, but I prefer the feel of Look, though I may give Shimano a try next.
Seriously, how big of a spaz does one have to be, even for a triathlete, to not be able to consistently get clipped in to Look pedals?
JR,
Clearly you have not hung out at the mount line at T1 in any big triathlon. You would be amazed. Many heading out for 25 mile, 56 mile and even 112 miles, would appear to not know how to actually get on their bikes! Seriously.
Great entertainment though. Free admission. The T1 mount line is highly recommended if you are not racing.** **My favourite place to watch a tri! 
Speedplay sponsors all of these teams… I do like my Zeros though…
Speedplay sponsors all of these teams… I do like my Zeros though…
That’s sort of an incomplete assessment. Yes, Speedplay sponsors all of these teams. But the teams needed to accept the sponsorship. Speedplay - relative to LOOK, for example - is a very small company. They certainly didn’t outbid and outpay LOOK. There are plenty of cases where sponsorship is a “highest $” scenario, but that isn’t the case with pedals. In many cases, you have very influential individual riders - like Contador with Astana or Basso with Liquigas - that dictate the pedals. Basso came to CSC - which had Speedplay as a sponsor - and had to ride the pedals. When he left and went to Liquigas, he stipulated that he wished to keep riding Speedplays, and so the whole team does to keep things consistent, etc. So sometimes it’s a team deal, but other times, you have influential riders that want to stay on their pedals.
So, yes, these team as all sponsored by Speedplay. But in several - and maybe most - cases, the teams - because of specific riders - were the ones seeking out Speedplay.
I was just answering the question of the OP in that he couldn’t believe that all the teams were sponsored by speedplay. But yes, I agree with you, often times the leaders of the teams will specify what they want to ride.
What cracks me up is that people get all up in arms about the size of the pedal and hotspots etc. With todays super stiff carbon shoes one could ride the old Shimano spd road pedals and still not get hot spots. Hotspots these days, I feel, are more related to ill fitting shoes or insoles.
I don’t think Speedplay pedals are better in terms of function. Bearing quality, platform, etc. In fact they may require slightly more care than the average pedal in terms of keeping cleats clean, replacing cleats often…
But here is where Speedplay absolutely blows away other pedals. FIT-
There is no other pedal that has as much fore/aft adjustability, also the ability to customize stance width by using different axle lengths.
what makes speedplay not ideal for triathlon? i use them and they work out just fine.