Anyone ride Speedplay Pedals? X series or zero series? What have people found the differences to be if you’d ridden both, or what do you like about them if you just ride one or the other? Input would be appreciated, I am thinking of switching away from Look, because I hate the fact that the plastic cleats always break. Is this eliminated with speedplays? The cleat is recessed correct?
thanks
Hello,
I love speedplays. The important things.
The cleats have a spring which wears slowly, typically it will last years. They also have a metal plate which will last forever if you always walk with an optional plastic cover (must be removed before use) or dont walk on the cleats much. f you run in the pedals through transistion areas they will wear quickly, maybe i/2 a season.
The pedals have a lot of free rotational float. Some like this some can’t stand it. I love it, but it took a few rides before I got used to it. Standing up will riding felt very awkward the first ride, now I don’t notice anything unusual.
The standard speedplays have a lot of float and it is unadjustable. The zeros have an adjustment to limit the amount of float before the shoe is released. I suggest the zeros because you can have as much or as little float as you want. I use regular speedplays because thats what I originally bought and I am used to them.
The main problem is the cleats clog up very easily. I leave my shoes on the bike so its not a problem. If you put shoes on, then run to the bike you will have to fiddle with the plastic caps or make sure that their is no mud, sand, snow loose gravel etc. If you run through any debris you may not be able to clip in.
Styrrell
The Speedplay cleat is NOT recessed. In fact the cleat is metal and I found them very slippery. I switched to Speedplay many years ago , but switched back to Look last year. I love the Looks…more stable platform and the heel float on the Speedplays is way too much for me. I found I was fighting to keep my foot and heel in line with the Speedplays.
about 6 months ago. Be prepared to notice some HUGE differences at first. As far as comparison between the X and the zeros, as noted before the adjustment is one diff. The other is how the cleat attaches to the pedal. On the X series, there are two parallel bars in the cleat that are spring loaded to clip to the pedal. On the Zero, the mechanism is a c-shaped steel spring. The X’s are much more prone to fouling from dirt, debris etc. I learned all of this from a very informational review on Tom D’s site. Here is the link
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/speed0.shtml
Hope this helps - E
I currently use the X2’s and have no problem with the float. My only complaint is that if you transition with your shoes clipped on it is very difficult when dismounting not to twist the dismount shoe enough to have it disengage and fall off. I lose the dismount shoe almost every race and wish I had looked in to the zero’s as they can be set with some float but be tight enough to keep your shoe clipped on when dismounting. I agree with other comments that the speedplay cleat is quite big and not very walking friendly. Not sure if it’s the pedals but I have had no knee issues in the last 2 years on speedplay.
so what is the most walking-friendly pedal?
I’ve ridden both. Had the X2’s for a couple years, and have ridden the zeros for about a month. I think I made the correct choice as far as progression goes. The X2’s demand that you increase your awareness in the lower extremity region. Once you your mind is properly linked to your feet, which you’ll know when you no longer have a roller skating feeling when out of the saddle, get the zero’s because the lesson with the X2’s will have been completed.
Speedplay Zero’s are the coolest because they come in different colors to match your bike.
If you want walkable, you’ll need to go with a mountain/cyclocross pedal.
I switched from the SPD-style pedals to Speedplay X/2. It solved most of my knee pain problems - due to the float I believe. After thousands of miles, it’s like being at home on these pedals. I don’t notice the float - do you think it’s reasonable to say that if the float is bothering you, then maybe you are moving your feet/legs in an inefficient direction? After all, all the force should more or less be in a single plane. The only variation outside this plane would be any biomechanical oddities that each of us have. Is that thinking flawed?
Don’t plan on doing transitions (running) with these cleats though, someday you’ll twist your ankle and be an “injured triathlete”. Just learn to get in and out of your shoes while they are attached to your bike.
I hightly recommend these pedals, but that is not to say that they are better than Look.
I’ve never used anything else so don’t really know any better, but I went with Speedplay Frogs and some high quality MB shoes. The cleat fits in between the plastic molded shoe cleats (Like soccer or football shoes) so I can walk freely and not scratch up my cleat or have the cleat scratch up my floor.
I’ve also had to run through mud to get out of transition and the frog cleat had never clogged up.
x’s are easier to clip out of
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I love my zeros. I stayed away from the X2s because, while the unrestrained float is great, it really bugs me if my ankle bumps the crankarm… good technique should prevent it, but now I have a little set screw to do it for me. All the outward float I want, inward float is strictly limited.
They hold very solidly, but release easily. I find that if, every two or three weeks I give the mating surface of the cleat a shot of white lightning (or your favorite waxy “dry” lube), engagement is super easy, and disengagment is very light, but also very predictable – you have to want to do it.
so what is the most walking-friendly pedal? Running shoes and toe clips. You’ll haul ass out of transition.
I have the spedplays X2’s and never really notice the float standing or sitting.
The shimano pedals aren’t too bad for walking short distances. It has rubber tips and is super wide. I have to carry my bike down a flight of stone steps and having at least a little rubber to grip on the bottom makes a big difference.
If you want walking friendly pedals, you can try the Speedplay Frogs. I have used these for three years since I like to have a shoe that I can get off the bike and walk in. You have the cleats recessed in a MTB shoe. You sacrifice a little weight for convience. They have the float feature of the other Speedplays and they don’t clog and don’t seem to have the wear issues. I have about 8,000 miles on my original pair with no issues todate.
If you want walking/running friendly cleats, look at the crank brothers egg beater and/or quattro cleats. They have rubber pads that mount at the edges for the cleat. From what I’m told (?) you will do better with them if your soles are stiff???