After 21 years riding Speedplay X series and more recently Zero pedals I’m going back to Look; at least for a while, and I could do with some advice.
Short version:
currently riding Speedplay Zero
cleat pushed as far back as possible but not using the adapter plate
no wedges or lifts
Specialized Pro Road shoes
switching to Look Keo Carbon Blade pedals
Is there a standard offset between Look and Speedplay cleats? i.e. from Speedplay to Look raise saddle by e.g. 3mm and from Look to Speedplay lower by 3mm
Am I likely to be able to get the Look cleat as far back as the Speedplay cleat on the Specialized shoe?
The pedals come with a standard and a grip cleat. Any reason not to use the grip cleat?
Thanks,
Greg.
Long version (History)
The original switch was not planned. I was on vacation at the time and the Speedplays were the only pedals the store had in stock that day. Having previously read about them I was quite open minded and the lower weight was definitely attractive.
I’m lucky enough to be biomechanically efficient; with even leg and arm lengths, and for the most part I’ve always been injury free. However, over the last couple of seasons I’ve had some achilles tendonitis problems.
Broadly speaking the tendonitis tends to come on when I ramp up bike miles in spring and summer and then fade over the winter as I reduce my biking and switch to cross country skiing. My running broadly stays the same. The original problem coincided with me forgetting to change my cleats one year, so they were pretty worn, which can’t have helped.
After experimenting with saddle heights and trawling through my training logs my doctor thinks it might be a good idea to try a different/bigger pedal system before considering anything more drastic.
With the different stack height, I’ve found when I go to higher stack height pedal I’ve had to move the cleat further back and also raise the saddle a bit. I don’t raise the saddle the full stack height, because some of the diff is made up by moving the cleat further back. If I don’t move the cleat back, I feel like I am “toeing” the pedal, I think because the interface to the pedal is effectively further away from the ball of the foot due to stack height.
Although not a positional response, I did switch back to Looks after around 10 years on Speedplay’s 2 years ago. I have been happy with the change and whether the nagging foot issues I had previously that have since gone away are a result of that change, I don’t know. I wish you luck on your change because if it can mitigate AT, then it is well worth it.
For stack height, just change over one shoe/pedal, then (with the shoe clipped in) measure from the center of the axle to the bottom of the sole for each system. Adjust your saddle accordingly.
Whether or not your nagging Achilles issues get better (assuming cleat issues that is) depends a lot on how much float you had with your Zeroes, since adjustable. I do see some achilles issues that I think are attributed to too much float, so with the new Looks, use the grey cleats (black if you can even) and not the loser red ones. You can get them just as far proximal.
For stack height, just change over one shoe/pedal, then (with the shoe clipped in) measure from the center of the axle to the bottom of the sole for each system. Adjust your saddle accordingly.
Such a simple solution but complete genius - Why have I never thought of this before!
For stack height, just change over one shoe/pedal, then (with the shoe clipped in) measure from the center of the axle to the bottom of the sole for each system. Adjust your saddle accordingly.
Such a simple solution but complete genius - Why have I never thought of this before!
We all tend to switch shoes more often than pedal systems, so we develop complex systems that account for varying sole thicknesses. This is a great shortcut if you happen to be keeping the same shoes.
I’ve been running about 8 deg. on the Zero’s so the grey cleats - 4.5 deg. - will help close the gap. While I’m nice and neutral my body is quite sensitive to change, so I’ll try and adapt to the Looks slowly. If it goes ok I’ll switch to the black cleats. In fact that’s what I used when I was in Looks previously.
Interestingly when the package arrived it included 2 sets of grey cleats. The standard and grip versions plus a set of cleat covers for cafe stops. They were the same price as the stainless steel Zeros I was ridding. On the face of it they appear to offer quite good value in a total package that’s about 30 grams lighter.
They are a very good system. I use Look Keo Blades with the the “red” carbon plate and black cleats. NOT coming out of these in a sprint! You better be adjusted just right though with a system this tight vs. the play of some Speedplays (a good or bad thing, depending upon one’s needs). I have really gotten used to the super wide platform as well.
I changed after 5 years on Speedplay to Look Keo blades last year. It has made a big difference in my riding. The bigger platform and a greater sense of stability.
No issues with changing over except for a short adjustment process of saddle height (I just slam my cleats as far back as poss.)
I know you said you’ve talked with your doctor about your problem but have you seen a qualified fitter yet? Might just be positioning. Whether you switch or not it might be a good idea since you’re already having problems.