Background:
I have never used a “road” pedal in my life. I have been running Crank Brothers pedals on all my bikes, from my Rocky Mountain to my Soloist and p3sl. I use either carbon-soled mtb shoes or Shimano carbon-soled tri shoes with the 3-bold adapted Quattro cleat. That cleat does not fit the shoe particularly well, though it works well enough and retains the shoe as I enter t2 barefoot.
I have a very bad knee that remains sensitive to twisting motions, especially things like exiting a pedal. I prefer some free float, though I do not require much (5 degrees would likely be fine). Feel-wise I like it to be unrestricted.
I wear size 11 shoes and weigh approximately 180 lbs.
I like to run out of t1 already in my shoes, and come into t2 barefoot. So, the pedals should be easy enough to clip into, retain the shoe well, and have cleats that are at least fast-shuffle-able, if not runable.
I’m not 100% sold on sticking with my eggbeaters. Major reasons include the fit of the cleat on my tri shoes, a desire to go out and get a pair of proper road shoes (Sidi?), and the fact that I’d like something that feels a little more solid on high-speed out of the saddle stuff, like punching over a rolling climb. They’re great pedals for 'cross and offroad riding, but I get that they’re not perfect for long days of road riding. Otherwise more folks would use them for that purpose. I don’t consider the Quattro a real road pedal despite the marketing, and do not own any.
So, my fellow slowtwitchers:
What pedal do you recommend? I have no preconceived bias against any major manufacturer. I am a blank slate. I will be buying two pairs, one for the Soloist and one for the p3. I’d like something that will be friendly for my knee, does not have a weight restriction (or at least not near my weight) and works well given my preferred transitions.
ps: I’ve searched the forum. I’ve read the posts. I know about this one and this and this. I’d like your advice anyway because I am a unique snowflake.
First, check out Crank Brothers’ Quattro. It’s the same action as the Egg Beater but on a road/tri specific body and cleat. It’s great and very easy to walk in for transition, coffee shop, etc. (note: I’ve got an extra set for sale if you want to PM me). I have these on my road, tri, and cross bikes. I have ankle issues from an injury where standard Speedplays don’t rlease early enough (Zeros are OK) but Quattros and EBs work great.
Second, just make sure whatever you get you get them aligned correctly. Go to a reputable shop and have them align the cleats to your biomechanics. Don’t guess on it if you have knee problems. This is most important.
I have a balky knee as well and am running Campy Record pedals with good results. They have a replaceable rubber piece on the underside of the cleat, which coupled with the rubber heel on my Sidi shoes makes walking/shuffling a piece of cake for all but the totally uncoordinated.
I used speedplays for years and switched to eggbeaters on all my bikes. I will agree that as the eggbeater cleats get worn, there is a bit more play at the shoe pedal interface than when they are new. That said, I still like the overall convenience of being able to use any of my shoes with any of my bikes and feel like I sprint fine in eggbeaters.
If you don’t want to keep the CBs for the road, Speedplay is what I would suggest. Good float, durable, and those who complain of problems with the cleats don’t have them installed properly. Great product overall and I am a big fan of the two-sided entry.
Speedplays can be great pedals or horrible pedals for your knees. It all depends on several factors. Having a reputable fitter check you out and recommend them would be your best bet. Zeros are great because you can dial down the float if they are in the proper position. Clipping out takes some effort, though, so that may be rough on your knees. In which case you would want to look at their light action pedals. Much easier to clip in and out of, reducing torque on the knee at those points, but they are free float, which, again, depending on the issues with your knees could be bad.
+1 vote for Speedplays. FWIW, I run Eggbeaters on my MTB, touring, and foul-weather bikes, but for road/TT/Tri I really like the free float and large contact surface of the Speedplays. They don’t stand up well to dirt & rain, though. So, if you’re in it for the long haul, I’d consider different shoe/pedal combos for different bikes/seasons. I’m a Sidi whore, but that’s another story…
Depending upon your particular knee problem, having maximum float may NOT be the best thing for you. It’s possible that unlimited float will work wonders, but don’t just blindly listen to everybody who says knee problem=speedplays. I had a very bad break on my knee at the tibial plateau that ended up requiring two surgeries when the first one failed and it sunk on itself. I switched from Look Keos to Speedplays for the extra float, and it was a horrible decision. Not that the Speedplays weren’t nice pedals, they were, but I had more knee issues on them and ended up switching back to the Keos with immediate improvement (I use the red cleats with 9 degrees of float). For me, the extra float made my knee twist more in order to get out of the cleat which caused pain.
My best advice to you is to check either with your orthopedist or your physical therapist (would recommend seeing one if you haven’t) and see if they think unlimited float is what you need. I agree, however, with the posts above, if you go Speedplays, get the zeros so you can dial the float in at any setting you end up liking. Good luck.
What makes you think the Quattro is not a “real” road pedal? That’s crap. I switched from Speedplays to Quattros because I was one of those who couldn’t deal with all the float and the release angle, and the Quattros were perfect.
They also match your specific search criteria: very easy to clip in (double sided, 4 points of entry), are secure and with the composite cleat adapters you can run in them with a fair sense of security that you won’t end up on yer arse or have the cleats clog up with grass, sand, etc. If you’re comparing them to other eggbeaters with the small contact point, the Quattros wider cleat solves this issue.
I’m not sure how you can pass judgement on the Quattros solely based on your experience with MTB eggbeaters and having never tried the Quattros.
I definitely appreciate how blunt you are. I will certainly reconsider the Quattro.
Have you used Candys or Eggbeaters? What shoes do you use? As I noted, the quattro cleat does not sit well with my Shimano TR02s, it has a gap at the heel-end of the cleat that’s quite noticeable, and I think may contribute to feeling sloppy. I’m not sure just how to address that bit, some tinkering with hot water and re-bending the cleat may be in order.
The release angle discussion does concern me with Speedplays… I originally switched to EBs from SPD pedals on my mtb because of the release issue. Ease of release is relatively important, though I do want somthing that feels secure when pulling up.
You should think about the Shimano Dura-Ace or Ultegras. There’s some float but not so much that your knees will fall out of alignment; the float can also be adjusted. It also has a wider platform than the Speedplays. Not sure if this really does improve stability, especially if you’re riding with a stiff carbon soled road/tri shoe, but I’ve been told that it gives you the sensation of being more stable. For transitions, even though the Speedplays are double sided, I have heard that they can be hard to find when you’re trying to get up to speed out of transition because they are so small (I admit that is just hearsay since I’ve never worn the Speedplays). Even though they are one-sided, the weight balance of the Shimano pedal always has it turn facing the right side so it’s easy to clip into in T1.
Another thing to think about to help your knees: orthotics for your cycling shoes. I have a pair and they improve comfort and a give me a few extra watts because my knees tend to “collapse” on the downstroke.
FYI, Competitive Cyclist is having a special on last year’s Dura-Ace pedals for about 50% off.
I would have to say Time RXE/RXS pedals are the best for somewhat troublesome knees. The pedals have rotational and lateral float, without being completely sloppy when you put the power down. They have a very good contact area, and the spindle to shoe distance is also very low. So all in all a nice stable pedal.