Road Cycling - Which speedplays?

So i have decided to get the speedplays and ditch the look-style. My choices are the X/2 or the Zero Cro-moly. They are about the same price and i know the Zeros have adjustable float. What are the other differences? Which one is easier to get in and out of? I have a TERRIBLE right knee (might need surgery if physical therapy doesnt work) so i need something what wont tear my knee up.

One is blackish grey and the other comes in assorted colors, though that's not truly a feature once they've been broken in and get scuffed. They each take a slightly different technique to exit due to the amount of float, though neither is difficult. They both take the same effort to get into. Do you ever look down when getting into the look style pedals? Once you get used to Speedplays, you won't have to do this.

I'd recommend the Zero's - it's everything the X/2 is with the added bonus of the adjustment option.. And you can get it in maillot jaune yellow or CSC team red or....

55/Rad

So i have decided to get the speedplays and ditch the look-style. My choices are the X/2 or the Zero Cro-moly. They are about the same price and i know the Zeros have adjustable float. What are the other differences? Which one is easier to get in and out of? I have a TERRIBLE right knee (might need surgery if physical therapy doesnt work) so i need something what wont tear my knee up.

the biggest difference is that the x2's are full float and the zeros can be adjusted from 0 to 15 degrees of float. The zeros are a bit lighter. but not much.

check out speedplay's site, tons of info here (http://www.speedplay.com)

they even offer a 3d view of the pedals...

Will adjustable float help with your knee? With free float, your foot will settle in a "natural" postion. If that position is good for your knee, would you even need to adjust float? Asking because there is a pretty good price difference between X2s and Zeros.

Will adjustable float help with your knee? With free float, your foot will settle in a "natural" postion. If that position is good for your knee, would you even need to adjust float? Asking because there is a pretty good price difference between X2s and Zeros.

It really depends...in my case, I do not have any float in my Look CX6's, it's dialed to zero...but I also have my cleats fitted properly with angle and shim to get it exact...so float is not necessary...
If you are riding recreationally, the x2's will do fine. But you can't so anything about the amount of movement on the pedal...personally, that would drive me nuts.

That "natural" positon is, for example, how my fitted cleats set my foot on the pedal.

I have the X2s. I don't think the Zeros were out when I got my X2s. However, if I had it to do all over again today, I'd get the Zeros. Why not have the ability to tune the float? While I like the full-float of the X series, I wouldn't mind playing around with the Zs. Maybe I'd like a little less float better? You don't know until you try! :)

Don’t forget the speedplay frogs. I like the better you can get more shoes that work with the cleat you can walk better or great if you use mountain bike shoes. Cleats are far easier to setup and get in and out of.

Prosody, you said that with free float my knee will settle into a "natural" postion..Are the X2's the ones with free float or zeros?

Prosody, you said that with free float my knee will settle into a "natural" postion..Are the X2's the ones with free float or zeros?

All Speedplays have free float. Your knee will settle into the natural position with either. The Zero's just allow you to restrict the float but adjusting little setscrew stops on the side of the cleat.

I got the Zero's, thinking I might need to adjust the stops, but found the free float is great, so I just them "open", haven't ever adjusted them to limit the float. Bottom line, believe the X2's will work just as well for most people.

One thing I don't like about Speedplays is their sensitivity to dirt/sand/mud....the cleats jam pretty easily due to the tight clearances on the bottom of your shoes. I walked in the dirt and grass a little at a Century rest stop Saturday, and had real trouble getting clipped in and out after that. Getting hung up clipping out is not fun, but I didn't want to take time to time and clean the cleats then.

Suggest you get the "Cafe Covers" with the cleats, and use them whenever you're walking around in less than clean conditions. I carry them with me all the time; just don't use them when I'm in a hurry.

I have X3s, but my next set would be the Zero CroMo (only $50 more)... It will be nice to experiment with the amount of float..
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my X3s..

I've been riding X2s since the were the only ones offered in the Speedplay lineup. I'm on my 3rd set and they're great for me. I have 2 knees with floating kneecaps. These pedals have never caused me any problems and I love the float.

Oh, and they're sturdy. I'm a heavy rider.

So i have decided to get the speedplays and ditch the look-style. My choices are the X/2 or the Zero Cro-moly. They are about the same price and i know the Zeros have adjustable float. What are the other differences? Which one is easier to get in and out of? I have a TERRIBLE right knee (might need surgery if physical therapy doesnt work) so i need something what wont tear my knee up.
I sometimes have knee problems and switched (last month) from Look pedals to Speedplay Zero.
Clipping in/out seems about the same with both. I like the "frictionless" float of the Speedplays. The Look pedals have noticeable friction when trying to turn the foot to change the knee angle.

I use the Zero's so that I can have a different amount of float for each foot. I have one set to very little float, but the side with a bad knee is opened up. The adjustable float is a nice feature.

Are they about the same clipping out as SPD's or Looks?

So i have decided to get the speedplays and ditch the look-style. My choices are the X/2 or the Zero Cro-moly. They are about the same price and i know the Zeros have adjustable float. What are the other differences? Which one is easier to get in and out of? I have a TERRIBLE right knee (might need surgery if physical therapy doesnt work) so i need something what wont tear my knee up.

I have been riding X2s for three years. I have also had two surgeries on my right knee and my knees haven't been affected at all by the Speedplays. I had Look before and they weren't real friendly to my knee, especially on entry/exit.

I experienced the same problem with Speedplay as another person who posted -- grit and dirt does cause some problems. It was critical to me last year on The Assault on Mt Mitchell. My cleats got wet and sandy. I couldn't click in on my right side the last 15 miles of the mile and it was not fun!

Are they about the same clipping out as SPD's or Looks?

I can't comment on Looks, but they do not clip out as easy as SPD's. Well my SPD's anyway because I have them adjusted to come out very easy. There is no release tension adjustment on Speedplays.

How far to you have to turn your foot out to unclip? Thats the one thing i dont like about the looks you have to turn your foot WAY out to unclip...

How far to you have to turn your foot out to unclip? Thats the one thing i dont like about the looks you have to turn your foot WAY out to unclip...

I don't think there is any real difference between Speedplay and SPD on how far you have to turn your heel out depending on your float adjustment. It just takes more pressure on the Speedplays. The float adjustment on Speedplay does change how far you will need to go. Completely open float will make you move your heel out more than zero float. On the SPD there is no float adjustment, only on the pressure adjustment. There is no adjustment for the pressure required on Speedplay. If that makes any sense to you?

Ahh so your saying its easy to clip out when you get to "turned heel" point while the SPD's have a pressure adjustment and you can unclip sometimes. i know i have, but with speedplays there is no accidentel unclipping?....if i made any sense

Ahh so your saying its easy to clip out when you get to "turned heel" point while the SPD's have a pressure adjustment and you can unclip sometimes. i know i have, but with speedplays there is no accidentel unclipping?....if i made any sense

I ride speedplays, and I've never come out accidentally. The point was a little weird at first, but I got used to it over the course of my first ride, and now its second nature.

SPDs have forced many people into thinking that float, tension and release angles all have to be coupled. On my Time ATACs, I have about 5 degrees of float before I hit tension and then I will release at either 13 degrees or 17 degrees depending on how I have set up my cleats. On my Speedplay Zeros, I have set up my float to be 4 degrees inboard and 6 degrees outboard. Thus I can float free for 6 degrees from baseline (10 degrees end-to-end) before I hit some tension. I probably have another couple of degrees after I hit the spring tension before I actually snap out. In both those pedals, I do not have any tension adjustment while Shimano pedal designs and clones tend to make you use tension as opposed to angle as the determining adjustment for release threshold.

Im confused now. Are they easier to unclip from than looks?

Im confused now. Are they easier to unclip from than looks?

I personally have found Speedplays easier to use than Look-style pedals.

Thank ya sir!

I have x2s. they are the first and only clipless pedals I have ever used. as a newbie I have found them to be very easy and straightforward to use. no tipping over at stoplights or other such embarrassing happenstance in a year now. knock on wood. though I have no other clipless pedals to compare them to, I find them very easy to clip in and out. like a flick of the ankle almost. yet no accidental unclipping.

I give them a hearty two thumbs and big toes up.

oh yeah I also use the Coffeeshop Caps all the time. better get them if you get speedplays I think.

Thanks sure...If a newbie can use them then i know i can DEF. unclip (no offense!) lol

oh yeah I also use the Coffeeshop Caps all the time. better get them if you get speedplays I think.

Although strongly advised (I have them), they are not absolutely necessary unless you walk around in muddy conditions that may clog up the cleats. Speedplay cleats have a steel plate which are pretty resistant to damage. They'll get scuffed up of course but will still work perfectly.

Thank ya sir!

When you install the Speedplay cleats to you shoes, make sure you follow the installation instruction very carefully ... especially about the tightening of mounting screws. Overtightened screws will make clipping in and out very difficult. However, if the mounting screws are not tight enough, they will work loose and eventually fallout. I don't want to have any problem clipping in and out, so I don't have them very tight. I always check the mounting screws before each ride to be sure they didn't already worked loose. I think it takes a few rides before a loose screw will actually fall out. I have seen slightly loose screws a few times, but I just tighten them before the ride and never had any problems.

I tried Loctite on the screws before, but I think Loctite causes the plastic around the cleats and shoes to deteriorate and eventually crack.

The screws and dirt can cause problems. Otherwise, the Speedplay X pedal works great.