General Cycling Discussion - Preliminary thoughts on Eggbeaters

My transiton to clipless pedals was largely motivated by my recent purchase of a road bike. I have been a mtn biker for several years, and have always used platform.

In my search I considered both road and mtn pedals, but ended up choosing mtn pedals and shoes in the end so I would be able to walk around with ease. For the road, I looked at Look and Speedplay. Mtn pedals: Speedplay Frogs, Time ATACs, and Eggbeaters. I believe I made this decision a lot more difficult than necessary, choosing Eggbeaters after days of hovering over the internet. :p

I was so anxious to try these out (don't have road bike yet), that I mounted them to my Fisher, and went for a ride today. Although 4-sided, Clipping into the pedals has been a little tricky, but I imagine there is some learning curve involved. As my ride progressed, I did find it was getting easier to clip in. Accidental removal never occured, and getting out was super easy. It was almost instinctive. There were several situations where I was close to a tumble, but managed to get out every time! Once in, the float seems comfy, and I looove the feel of clipless pedals :)

PROs: Lightweight, teeny cleats, easy out, 4-sided.

CONs: None yet!

I have eggbeaters on my hybrid and they are the best pedals I have ever tried... infinitely better than Shimano SPD (M535). They would be the perfect pedals for a road/touring bike.

Egg will be my next pedal after my cheap welgo wears out :D

I haven't ever tried them. I will probably mount them next year on a xc bike I inytend to buy. The downfall is the sizing. Generally they are made for little people and after some cursurary searching I haven't been able to find any in my sizes. :)

I have Egg Beaters on my road and mountain bikes, accumulating over 1,600 miles on them so far.

Egg Beaters are lighter than virtually all road-specific pedals if you consider the cleat as part of the weight.

For MTBers, mud-shedding ability is amazing.

I also found clipping in slightly more challenging at first as tension is not adjustable and clip-in resistance was more than I was used to.

Originally posted by Maelstrom
I haven't ever tried them. I will probably mount them next year on a xc bike I inytend to buy. The downfall is the sizing. Generally they are made for little people and after some cursurary searching I haven't been able to find any in my sizes. :)

Huh (scratching head)? Pedals don't come in sizes. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I LOVE my Egg Beaters. I like the first pair so much I immediately bought them for my other two bikes. The first day or so was a little learning process. You can clip into any of the 4 sides. As the cleat contacts the pedal it kind of automatically rolls forward and clicks in. Being used to Looks I seemed to be using a motion that was not allowing the pedal to roll. As soon as I adjusted, clicking in became about as automatic as a clipless pedal can be. You never have to even think about pedal position or which side is up. Just slide your shoe onto the pedal and "click". Did I mention that I LOVE Egg Beaters?

For those concerned about float they do have some, and it is not adjustable. I can assure you that this is not an issue since what is there feels perfectly natural. And although the pedals look small I have not experienced any kind of hot spot. It's almost like they are not there. Unclipping is easy, but I accidental release seems nearly impossible.
FWIW,
Raymond

Are egg beaters not SPD's? That means they require special shoes, the shoes don't come in my sizes. If I am wrong cool then it is worth trying. I use flats now but at times when doing long treks would like spd's.

I bought Sidi's to go with my Eggbeaters. I believe they are compatible with most anything. Their website might have some insight though :)

Dax

Maelstrom,

Eggbeater cleats are made for SPD drilled shoes.

when you put them on a road bike it doesnt feel as if your pedaling on the head of a pen? the look interface seems as if it has more area and stability?

edit:pin

ok - here's MY opinion on these.......

if you like the idea of spds but think they are too unforgiving, then these are for you! if you like the float and the zero tension of the frogs (like me), you may decide to remain faithful to speedplay.....

I thought they were very easy to clip into! It was a little tough for me to find the sweet spot - but that's because it's so much smaller than what I'm used to. I've heard people say that they think it would be harder for beginners to engage - but I think the opposite. I think it would be much EASIER for a beginner to use these than spds.

and people are right about shedding mud - these pedals are great at it!

overall, I liked them, but not enough to trade in my frogs!

just a thought/concern - do you think the springs would lose their tension over time? is it replaceable?

according to crank brothers the pedals are fully rebuildable, so yes I imagine you can replace the springs if they ever need it. But I don't think you would ever need to... the springs are pretty strong and the amount of spring movement is very small when clipped in.

Originally posted by the BIG cheese
when you put them on a road bike it doesnt feel as if your pedaling on the head of a pen?

No. The stiffness of the shoe's sole contributes greatly power transfer. If your shoe is stiff and rigid the pedal could be the head of a pin and you'd never know. Crank Brothers' website claims the contact area of EB is greater than SPDs. This issue was a concern of mine at first, but after 1,500 road miles with them I can say that power transfer and comfort are excellent.

Hi gang! :)

I've seen Eggs advertised all over the web, but where are the best value ones to be found?

Cheers

Rich

Either on eBay or at one of the mail order catalogs. Try nashbar.com, coloradocyclist.com, excelsports.com, performancebike.com


Dax

Cheers Dax,

On Ebay they're going for £45.00...not bad at all :D

Rich

www.light-bikes.com I just got one for $78 shipped.

I have used Egg Beaters on my Mt. bike since last Christmas. They are the best pedals I have ever used. Easy in and out, light, great at shedding mud, and a very solid, positive connection with the cleat. I am going to purchase a second pair for my road bike.

Yes, now that I've gotten the hang of it, clicking in is easier than I could imagine! Getting out is honestly not even a thought - it is quite simple.

Having never tried out any other clipless, I have just purchased a set of speedplay zero pedals, so I will have a reference to compare the eggbeaters against. I will be sure to post my findings :)

Dax