Road Cycling - egg beaters

Okay, so I asked between look and spd, Now i am looking at a pair of egg beaters. Has anyone used these on their road bikes or is this system mostly MTB?
How would you compare the egg beater to look system or should I not even bother and just stick with look system?

Okay, so I asked between look and spd, Now i am looking at a pair of egg beaters. Has anyone used these on their road bikes or is this system mostly MTB?
How would you compare the egg beater to look system or should I not even bother and just stick with look system?
ALSO: will the cleats work with road shoes, I have Lake, Shimano and Northwave.
Thanks

I would go with a Look or SPD-R style. You don't get enough surface area with Eggbeaters.

Eggbeaters cleat is almost the same as SPD so if your shoe is SPD compatible, it will work with Eggbeaters.

I love eggbeaters and have them on my XC and CX bikes. I heard they were developing a road version but haven't seen anything yet.

If you walk alot, they would be good. They are also inexpensive and lightweight.

If you walk alot, they would be good. They are also inexpensive and lightweight.

Why would you walk a lot?

I have them for my cross bike, which I usually only use on the road. I bought them because I wanted to use MTB shoes that have a tread so I could walk when touring. They're really light and easy to get into.

I'd say that if you already have road shoes (no tread), you should get Looks or SPD-SLs, because they'll probably be more comfortable with a larger platform (or so I'm told). But if you want shoes that you can walk in, the eggbeaters are a great choice. I'd take them over SPDs any day.

While I haven't tried them yet myself, I was thinking the same as you. My research has suggested that Egg Beaters, due to the small size and lack of platform, can lead to hotspots on the feet. However, the Crank Brothers Candy SL is basically an Egg Beater with a surrounding platform, yet ~300g. I'm spec'ing the Candy for my bike when I build it up. The intent is to use my SIDI Dominator MTB shoes for road and off-road bikes. FLAME ON!

I use Egg Beaters on my MTBs and road bike, though I do find a bit of an issue with hotspots on occasion while on the road. Rather than do a road-specific pedal, they offer a road-specific cleat. It's got little rubber bumpers to help make a road shoe more walkable, though it does nothing to further disperse the load on your shoe/foot. http://www.crankbrothers.com/products/accessories_roadcleat.php

http://www.crankbrothers.com/products/faq/egg_beater.php

Why would you walk a lot?
I dunno, some people use their bikes to go to the coffee shop. Go for a ride and then stop with friends to go in for some lunch or brunch.
It's called flexibility and intergrating cycling into your life.

I don't need that aspect since my rides are all basically training rides but it makes sense for alot of people. It makes alot of sense for mountain bikes and cross and I wouldn't hesitate to say a-ok for the road. Not for everyone but it's another great choice that might be perfect for someone.

i'm not sure i believe that a smaller cleat/pedal interface necessarily leads to hot spots and discomfort. if your shoe is of high enough quality, once you're clipped in the shoe sole effectively becomes your platform.

mountain bikers don't complain of hotspots while using eggbeaters or spds, there's nothing to suggest it should be any different on the road. especially with a shoe that's stiffer. in fact, i know a few people who use eggbeatrs for road racing and i've heard nothing but praise. i also am planning on putting them on the road bike i'm building up right now...

I've got them on my MTB/tourer and on 2 fixed gear road bikes. I may eventually get another set for my regular road bike as I'd like to keep things uniform......but I also love my speedplays currently on my road bike...... hard decision..... and oh yeah, I walk a lot in my cycling shoes as well...

George

I did a lot of research before I decided on a clipless pedal system and went with Egg beaters because of the four sided entry feature. I can't make a comparison for you, but I can say that I've never been disappointed with my choice. I use these pedals on both my road and mountain bikes. I don't think that I will ever go with the platform type that Crank Brothers is selling because on those steep mountain trails I find that I can pedal just fine before I get enough momentum to clip in.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input... Guess I wont venture out into the world of SPD anymore, I love the Look System and guess thats where I should stay, I appreciate it again..

I used egg beaters with Shimano R215 shoes for five months on my road bike and they seemed OK. However I have swicthed out the egg beaters for Speedplays, and there is a big difference in long distance comfort. My feet (size 13) feel much more stable and supported, and I never have an issue with "hot spots". IMHO the egg beaters lack enough surface area to hold up to long rides.

If you have stiffer shoes, hot spots shouldn't be a problem, no matter what size the contact point of the pedal is. Just remember that shoes have a useful lifespan, after which the sole suffers from fatigue and begins to flex more than it should.

i'm not sure i believe that a smaller cleat/pedal interface necessarily leads to hot spots and discomfort. if your shoe is of high enough quality, once you're clipped in the shoe sole effectively becomes your platform.

mountain bikers don't complain of hotspots while using eggbeaters or spds, there's nothing to suggest it should be any different on the road. especially with a shoe that's stiffer. in fact, i know a few people who use eggbeatrs for road racing and i've heard nothing but praise. i also am planning on putting them on the road bike i'm building up right now...

Thats kind of what I've been thinking too. I want a set of egg beaters for my cross bike next year. I always have problems getting into my Shimano SPD'd and I hear beaters are great for clearing mud. But I have been looking at the speed plays too for my road bike and they are tiny! which I suppose is great for cornering and weight. But it does seem like a real stiff shoe should act as the plat form. Another post maby...

I use them on my MTB, on and off road use. No problems. I will be using them on my road bike if I can EVER decide.

The one little thing is that if you don't clip in they can roll under your foot and your foot can slip off. Not a problem after you get used to them.