Hi Slowtwitchers. I am thinking about getting Assioma Favero pedals. I have never used Look Keo; only Speedplay and I am wondering about the pros and cons of switching and I know that someone here in the forums (probably more than one) have used both. Please give your feedback and thanks as always.
Not what you asked for but I switched from Speedplay Zero to Shimano Ultegra’s and it was night and day. Wish I had done it sooner.
I have been on the speedplays for about a year now. They are a PIA. All I can say is they better be faster.
I would go back to look keo style system in a heart beat. And probably will.
I have been on the speedplays for about a year now. They are a PIA. All I can say is they better be faster.
I would go back to look keo style system in a heart beat. And probably will.
Can either of you elaborate? I’m considering switching to speedplays from shimano for the advertised reasons but am nervous about hidden pitfalls with the speedplays.
I started on LOOKs, like most people (I think). But I never liked the centering spring tension. I switched to Speedplay Xs after about 3mos of riding and rode them for years. Then I had a brief dalliance with Time pedals because the X pedals wouldn’t stay reliably attached for flying mounts (shoes on pedals). But I still had issues with centering spring tension. I switched back to Speedplays - but to Zeros - in 2007, and I’ve been riding them ever since. I truly cannot imagine riding anything else now.
But, without question, Speedplays are something you either like or you don’t. The Zeros are more normal than the Xs ever were, and there are a lot of people who ride Zeros who never could have - or would have - ridden Xs. But still, they are different. They are, for me, totally non-negotiable. And most long-term speedplay riders feel similarly.
But there are some pro cyclists who have come - and gone - from Speedplay teams that switch both to Speedplay and away from them without issue. And there are pros who have come to Speedplay teams and become hardcore converts.
Bottom line, it will probably take trying some different pedals to know if you are someone for whom speedplays are the only pedals, if you don’t care one way or the other, or if - like some of the other posters on this thread - you realize you didn’t really like them.
There’s no “right” answer. But I will say that you’ll probably get an answer pretty quickly if you try something different.
Ok maybe I will just try a pair and see if I like them. Thanks for the feedback so far slowtwitchers!
I have always used speed play zero, and only in the last year put spd on my cannondale mtb and my slate, and then put p1 pedals on my race tri bike (training bike still has speedplay) and really I can’t much tell the difference. I favor the speedplay, and thought I would care a lot more about having other pedals, but it turned out I don’t care at all. Well, one thing I do care about is scraping the p1 on corners which has never happened (and never will) on speedplay. I think it is easier to get into speedplay in any position and I have never unintentionally come unclipped, but that’s just my experience.
I have been on the speedplays for about a year now. They are a PIA. All I can say is they better be faster.
I would go back to look keo style system in a heart beat. And probably will.
I agree. Though, I think the Shimano system is the best.
I started out of Speedplay Frogs back in the mid '90’s, then Time Attacks (mtb’ing) and started out on Speedplays for road. I got away from them and went to the Lance style shimano pedals because if any ice freezes in the Speedplay cleat, kiss clipping in goodbye.
I just went back to Speedplay on my tri bike this past year and I’ll stick with them for one single reason: the flat four bolt cleat plate is the best for canting the cleats. The three bolt Look-style cleats are curved and when shimming, it can change the manner in which the cleat engages with the rear sprung portion of the Look or Shimano pedal. I’ll be keeping my duraace pedals on my road bike, but I will say that my shimmed cleat won’t clip into a metal body Shimano pedal, only the carbon pedals.
I like the aero one-sided Speedplays that I’m riding on the tri bike, but they are not fun getting in an out of the city where there’s a lot of re-clipping in. I find the new cleat that came out last year really cheap; they’ve switched to stamped metal vs what I believe was machined metal in the past for the cleat.
Another thing about the speedplays: they’re a lot lower stack height than Look/Shimano, so in my case where my tri bike front end was already slammed, having to lower my saddle height due to the lower shoe stack height created issues; good thing I was switching to shorter cranks, as that kept my saddle to armpad drop consistent.
But, since I’m going on and on at this point, I’ll say that my favorite pedal are the Tririg Mercury. But, those pedals have serious flaws, flaws that can be overcome. The Mercury pedals need to incorporate bearings between the sheath and spindle. And the cleat needs to incorporate a spring since if your shoe last is curved, when you mount the cleat, the opening for the pedal spreads open, so the pedal doesn’t stay engaged in the cleat. With those adjustments, the Mercury pedals would hands-down be the best pedals on the market.
Everyone’s different.
I started with Look PP96’s years and years ago, then 1990 time equip’s (only good pedals time ever put out IMHO…), then to speedplay zeros over 10 years ago…
I’ve tried going to Shimano and Look Keo’s a couple times over the past few years, and always end up back on the speedplays. I actually have a like new pair of 9000 pedals in a box as after 2 rides I couldn’t stand them and went back to the speedplays.
I am one of the Speedplay advocates. Been riding them for 20 years. Switched to Shimano Ultegra pedals in January with a new bike - which, like the Look, require the “toe-in” first and one sided pedals. After a month I switched back to Speedplay. The ease of dual sided entry and just a flat down engagement rather than trying to line up the “toe-in” first approach are the biggest reason I am back in the Speedplay. Also, the amount of float and the feel of that float on the Speedplay is far superior for me. As Jordan suggested, try and see but that is my experience.
Good luck, John
On the Tri bike I can keep my shoes on the pedal and they stay engaged. Not a huge issue. I will say the float is nice; and the aero would be even better if I had a pair of four bolt compatible shoes.
the real issue is when you need to clip and unclip frequently. On a road bike or on my Tri bike on open roads it is annoying. I find it very hard to clip in consistently. Really the amount of fiddling I have to do overshadows the dual sided engagement.
I have messed with the tension on the screws, lubricated and cleaned them. They are good at the beginning of a ride, but back to being difficult by the end of the ride.
I guess for me what it boils down to is I never had to give much thought about my pedals. Now I have to worry about them; and it is a new thing to add to my pre-race checklist.
Just don’t believe it is worth it. The time or the $.
Hello TizzleDK and All,
Speedplay X’s for many years … then Zero’s (cleats do not wear out as quickly) for many more years …
Tried different brands early on and settled on Speedplay.
I like the float …
Dry lube them before each ride … clip in and out easily and with a positive click.
When new … they may take a few rides to break in for seamless clip in and out.
I was lucky and got a pair of Bonts when they still had the 4 hole model … But the 3 hole model works too … just a bit higher stack height I believe.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/?post=4558598#p4558598
If I did not have the View-Speed Aero Conversion I would opt for the Speedplay single sided pedal for a bit better aero qualities … (but not as easy to clip into as double sided pedal).
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.zerospecs
I rode X2s for 17 years before just switching to Looks only because I got Powertap pedals. There is a huge difference between them - the biggest is that Looks are much harder to clip into and out of. That’s the only thing I miss really. The Looks do feel a bit more solid underfoot, but it’s not like I felt the Speedplays were lacking in that respect. If you don’t have any weird knee problems, you should be fine.
Thanks for that. I am the Zeros…I started on then because my employer used to sponsor Team CSC and that’s what they mode so will get a pair of Look Keo and just try them out.
I can tell you I started on an old pair of Looks in the late 80s for a couple years, went to TIME pedals, then in college discovered Speedplay. They were the "schizmo’ then & rode nearly 15 years on them. It was time for another new bike, so I tried out something I thought would get rid of the “hot spots” I felt using the Speedplays. I went with Look KEO pedals, never looked back. The stability just felt superior, larger platform, no hot spots. While Speedplay was the easiest to get in/out of, it only takes a second longer I feel for Look. Although in races, since my shoes are already clipped in in transition, it doesn’t matter. But I don’t see myself going back to Speedplay. If you have knee issues, I can see Speedplay as being a benefit. Although I use the red cleats with the LOOK (it has some float), it keeps my feet from wandering too much left/right while pedaling.
Dry lube them before each ride … clip in and out easily and with a positive click.
Really? Lube before every ride? That would be a nonstarter, I’m lucky if my chain gets lubed with any regularity.
Really? Lube before every ride?
I’d never do that. I lube mine Zeros couple times a year, or after a rainy ride.
I lube zeros once or twice a year. I have also walked in them across grass and dirt in transition and they never gummed up. That was the old ones with a metal bottom. The new ones with a rubber cover are absolutely fantastic for walking around especially in shoes with prominent heel lugs like Specialized bike shoes.
Speedplay Zero is the best pedal system, period. The only downside is no pedal powermeters in that form factor. (Is anyone listening?! Hello?! Electronics are so small now, can’t they fit a powermeter inside Zeros? The spindle is hollow. They could use that space too, for battery etc…
Speedplay Zero is the best pedal system, period. The only downside is no pedal powermeters in that form factor. (Is anyone listening?! Hello?! Electronics are so small now, can’t they fit a powermeter inside Zeros? The spindle is hollow. They could use that space too, for battery etc…
Brim Brothers Zoen DPMX, they failed.
Hello Dilbert and All,
+1 on the power meter idea …
Lube each ride I am talking about is not the bearings in the spindle (spindle bearings maybe once each 6 months or so) … but just a smear on the pedal or cleat for easy in and out.