I’m trying to decide what to go with on my new bike in the way of shoes and pedals. I’m currently using Sidi Genius3’s with Look pedals on my road bike.
WRT pedals: I really like the wide platform of the Look’s but I HATE the squeaking, so I’m thinking of going with the new Dura-Ace pedals. Do these squeak like the Look’s? Are cleats for these easy to find, and do you have to replace them as often as the Look’s? I always see Look replacement cleats at all bike shops, but I hardly ever see replacement SPD-SL cleats, so I don’t know if it’s because they aren’t replaced as often, or if they’re just hard to find.
WRT shoes: Are carbon soled shoes stiffer than a “plastic” soled shoe like the Sidi’s, or is the use of carbon solely for weight reduction? I’m prone to hot spots on the balls of my feet on long rides, so if the carbon soles make a difference I’d opt for those. Any tri shoe recommendations? I’ve read good reviews on the Shimano TR-01’s.
Hey jkatsoudas! This year I went through the living hell of switching pedal/shoe systems since my favorite (old school Time Equipe) has gone the way of the dinosaur. I used to be one of the National Tech Reps for Time Sport USA under J.P. Pascal and Doug Knox about 13 years ago. I am SUPER picky about pedals and shoes. I tried damn near everything this year. I went through no less than 9 pairs of cycling shoes and five pedal systems. To make a long story short, I now use Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-Sls with Shimano’s high end silver road shoe (RD-215?) and my tri shoe is the awesome Sidi T1 Carbon.
The Dura-Ace SL cleat is widely available- at least at my store. I have 30 sets in stock. Yes, you do need to replace them frequently. No, I have never had mine “squeek” or heard of anyone else’s squeeking.
I do think carbon sole shoes may be stiffer than injection molded polymer (plastic) soled shoes, and that may be a good thing. The key is to buy your shoes by fit, be sure to get them small enough and have your cleats set up correctly. But then again, you already knew that. Don’t try on shoes at 6:00 PM on Friday if you’ve been on your feet all day drinking water. Your feet might be bigger than they are coming out of freezing cold water at 8:00 AM on Sunday morning when you are racing. I loved my old Sidi T1s, and I love the Sidi T1 carbon even more. It’s awesome for me.
I like Look, Speedplay zero and Time Impact and I sell a lot of them. I just don’t like them for me. As I said, I am fussy about my pedal system. These new Dura-Ace pedals are awesome though.
I’ve been using the Dura-Ace SPD-SLs since around the start of the year (I think). Anyhow, no complaints at all and I really like the wider feeling platform and cleat which seems to spread the pressure over a wider area of my sole. I don’t know what distance you race but if you’re doing oly’s I would recommend you don’t get a pair of PI-SLRs. They’re super comfy for riding in but getting them on coming out of T1 can be a bit of a shag compared to the Carnac’s I used before. I’m actually looking at trying the Shimano’s for racing next year.
I have used Look ARC cleats and pedals for well over 10 years in all conditions. Mine have never squeaked. I think something may not be right with your set up if yours constantly squeak.
I also want to get new pedal this year. I have the Look pedals and cleats and am annoyed at the frequency that I have to replace my plastic cleats. I was thinking about the Speedplay pedals. I have heard that they are light and are easy on the knees. But I have heard good things about the new Dura Ace.
Can someone compare and contrast these two products for us.
When I started using PCs my cadence dropped way down and, of course, I pushed a much bigger gear. It took me 6 months and a badly inflamed posterior tibialis tendon plus plantar facia problems before I realized that the speedplays were causing hot spots. With my Sidi Genius or Carnac shoes, I can tell precisely where the pedal axel presses against my foot. The Shimano pedal distributes the pressure beautifully; it is like night and day.
While the Shimano cleat went on my Carnac shoes without difficulty, it will not fit on Sidi Genius shoes with the standard screws. I need to get the longer set. Is my LBS likely to carry these special order screws?
Bill
I just started using the SPD-SL pedals on my otherwise Campy bike. They are pretty nice, lighter than the Look alternative, and much easier to walk in. I opted for the Ultegra model - maybe called the R600? Can’t remember. Anyway, I paid less than $90 on eBay for them.
Hi Tom. Thanks for the feedback. I’m also picky about pedals and like a wide platform like the Looks. It sounds like the Dura-Ace’s are the way to go. The Sidi T1 carbons are the other shoe that I’m considering, but I’m a little concerned because my current Genius3’s are a little tight in the forefoot, which may be contributing to the hotspots I get. Great info on shoe fitting- the only reason I already knew that is because I read it on your website in the article about shoe fitting Thanks again.
Actually the Look squeak is a fairly common complaint. It comes up on this forum from time to time, and everyone I know that has Looks also complains of it. Consider yourself very lucky if yours don’t squeak because it’s veeeery annoying. It doesn’t happen all the time -just at the worst possible times, like when I’m climbing up Tunitas Creek Rd (10 miles of 6-8% grade) all by myself. Nothing like listening to your own labored breathing and squeaking pedals for an hour to drive you mad.
Thanks again.