Fifty Plus (50+) - Clipless, Crank Bros. & Others...

From a posting here, I recently learned that Crank Bros. is discontinuing all road-related items. They will be focusing only on off-road equipment. I checked with the company personally and they confirmed this.

Anyway, my problem is this:
I have been using Quattro's for close to 3 years and really like them. But, I am among that small number of people who (due to an arthritic condition) must unclip by rotating my heels Inwards. The late Sheldon Brown told me that he also did this. By design, there is nothing with the Crank Bros. pedals that prevents this. So, in looking forward to replacing the Quattros, what pedals on the market support an inward twist? I checked with SpeedPlay and theirs (Light Action, Zero, X Series) do not. The Frogs (off-road) can be modified, but it voids the warranty. Before I spend a lot of time trying to contact each manufacturer, wait for the response, phone calls, etc. does anyone know which pedals can be released by rotating inwards?

Pedals last for years- so why not just buy a spare set of Quatros for future use?

Pedals last for years- so why not just buy a spare set of Quatros for future use?
+1
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=21959&PID=1204522


Or you could get a rebuild kit for the Quattros that you have.
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?action=details&Affiliate=1&PageID=30&SKU=PD1104

Shimano SPD pedals in conjunction with the multi angle release cleats will work with an inward twist, the traditional outward twist and a rotation of heal toward toe. Typically, this would be the MTB pedals, however, the same cleat and shoe system is used with the A520 sport road pedals and the A530 sport road pedal with 1 platform side and 1 clipless side.

If you go to the Shimano.com website and mine down through pedals into road pedals and then into the sport pedals you can see them.

Unfortunately, the multi angle release cleats have to be purchased separately from the pedals.

This will provide you with a pedal system that has adjustable spring tension and a shoe that can be walked in due to its recessed cleats.

Edit: look at picture in pastorbob's post below.

My Shimano MTB and Road style SPD type pedals will release by rotating inward (or outward). They go on by just pushing down. I've never used any other type of clipless pedal. I've been very pleased.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/Paramounts/Nov%2022%202008/CampyShimanoDrivetrain.jpg

I'm with the others who say why change? Get a spare pair or two and maintain them. That should keep you going for several years. After that, you could look for an alternative or just go with CB Candy pedals. Are the Quattros really that different from other versions of Crank Bros. pedals?

Pedals last for years- so why not just buy a spare set of Quatros for future use?

It's not quite that simple. In an effort to keep the message relatively short, I left out some information...

I use specially fabricated spacers between the pedals and the crank to move my feet further apart. This prevents my heels from hitting the chainstays and makes it unnecessary to try to make my feet parallel to each other. This would create a lot of knee stress. The Quattros do not have wrench flats. I had to drill out the extenders, but ultimately I didn't want to drill large enough to accomodate the hex wrench that they used. For some reason, the Quattros require a larger hex wrench than the Candies I used as a model. Anyway I decided to screw the pedals into the extender finger tight and let the counter rotation take care of the rest. This has worked just fine, but it would be almost impossible to get the pedal and the extender apart in order to service the pedal.

As you suggested, buying another set of pedals would be a strategy, but I would also need to buy a few sets of cleats and a new set of extenders (which I need to do for whatever pedals that I bought next). One other nice thing about the SpeedPlays is that they have wrench flats. No modification to the extenders would be needed and they could be reused.

+1
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=21959&PID=1204522


Or you could get a rebuild kit for the Quattros that you have.
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?action=details&Affiliate=1&PageID=30&SKU=PD1104

See Message #7...

Shimano SPD pedals in conjunction with the multi angle release cleats will work with an inward twist, the traditional outward twist and a rotation of heal toward toe. Typically, this would be the MTB pedals, however, the same cleat and shoe system is used with the A520 sport road pedals and the A530 sport road pedal with 1 platform side and 1 clipless side.

If you go to the Shimano.com website and mine down through pedals into road pedals and then into the sport pedals you can see them.

Unfortunately, the multi angle release cleats have to be purchased separately from the pedals.

This will provide you with a pedal system that has adjustable spring tension and a shoe that can be walked in due to its recessed cleats.

Edit: look at picture in pastorbob's post below.

Unfortunately I don't view either point as a positive. One of the attractions of the Quattros to me is that there is no adjustment. Nothing to mess with, so they function the same way every time. A recessed cleat requires mountain bike shoes. I have regular road shoes, and I can walk in them reasonably well.

My Shimano MTB and Road style SPD type pedals will release by rotating inward (or outward). They go on by just pushing down. I've never used any other type of clipless pedal. I've been very pleased.

Is this a new kind of heresy? Shimano pedals on a Campagnolo crank? Oh, The Shame...

I'm with the others who say why change? Get a spare pair or two and maintain them. That should keep you going for several years. After that, you could look for an alternative or just go with CB Candy pedals. Are the Quattros really that different from other versions of Crank Bros. pedals?

Only thing is that each set of pedals would need a new set of extenders...

I have a set of Time RXS and Shimano SPD-SL (dura ace) road shoes. Both release heal in and heal out. I've heard Looks are exactly the same, and by design I don't see how they could be different.

Is this a new kind of heresy? Shimano pedals on a Campagnolo crank? Oh, The Shame...

:thumb: My motto: use whatever you like, whatever works, especially when it is a bargain! :)

Look more closely and you will also see;

A Shimano Sora FD. :eek:

A Campagnolo Centaur RD. :eek: (also Centaur brake calipers)

A Suntour 7 speed freewheel (no cassettes for me). :eek:

And what you couldn't see before, but can now--- Shimano Sora 7 speed brifters! :eek:

Its a Sunpagmano Paramount! :notamused: But it works. :innocent:

Of yeah; It also has a French saddle (Ideale) and a Japanese stem (Nitto).

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/Paramounts/Nov%2022%202008/Nov22FullView2.jpg

Kneesaver pedal extenders allow you to change pedals quickly with a pedal wrench. Available in different lengths 20, 25 and 30 mm.

http://www.kneesaver.net/

My SPDs with supplied regular cleats release inwardly. Visual inspection shows cleats and pedal mechanism are symmetrical inward and outward. I have a hunch the special bi-directional cleats are asymmetrical to release at a lower angle heel-in than heel-out, but with pedal extenders, I have plenty of room to clip out with the standard cleats.

My Look Keos also release inwardly.

If you want to try something other than quattros, take your bike and shoes to the LBS, and do some in-store testing.

Hi Flatlander,

I have a set of Quatros with less than 100 miles on them. I use the CrankBros eggbeaters on my MTB and really like them. The Quatros did not feel comfortable, so I switched to Shimano 105's. The Quatros are yours real cheap if you like. Heck, I have too many sets of pedals as it is :).

Frosty

Kneesaver pedal extenders allow you to change pedals quickly with a pedal wrench. Available in different lengths 20, 25 and 30 mm.

http://www.kneesaver.net/

My SPDs with supplied regular cleats release inwardly. Visual inspection shows cleats and pedal mechanism are symmetrical inward and outward. I have a hunch the special bi-directional cleats are asymmetrical to release at a lower angle heel-in than heel-out, but with pedal extenders, I have plenty of room to clip out with the standard cleats.

My Look Keos also release inwardly.

If you want to try something other than quattros, take your bike and shoes to the LBS, and do some in-store testing.

I have used KneeSavers and extenders from High Sierra. Right now I am using 20mm KneeSavers on both sides. I have arthritic ankles and my toes point outwards. If I tried to ride with the pedals in their normal location, it would put a twist in my knees. Therefore, with the extenders I can ride with my feet in their normal position. I used the extenders previously when I had flat pedals 3 years ago. So, the using the extenders doesn't really have anything to do with the clipless pedals per se.

LBS is not really an option. I live in a town of 11,000 people and we have one bike shop. Unfortunately I don't particularly like the owner. He has a weird attitude and I am amazed that he stays in business. Otherwise, it is a 45 mile drive.

Anyway, the point to all this was to thin the herd. There are lots of pedals out there, but each shop seems to carry only 2 or 3 brands. Also, I've found that I don't really like pedals that are adjustable. I had a pair of Ritchey ATB pedals (Shimano clones) and I was continually messing with them. This just reinforces my work experience that if you give people adjustments, they will mess with things. I am no different. The Quattros do not have an adjustment. They work fine and I have never had an accidental pull out in 3 years.

I'm with the others who say why change? Get a spare pair or two and maintain them. That should keep you going for several years. After that, you could look for an alternative or just go with CB Candy pedals. Are the Quattros really that different from other versions of Crank Bros. pedals?

The problem is that I would likely have to destroy the KneeSaver in order to remove it. The hole that I drilled in it was not big enough for the hex wrench. And actually, I didn't want to remove any more material. The extender gets fairly thin where the diameter changes from the thread to the cylindrical portion.

I don't know if the Candies are that much different in function. Internally I think they are essentially the same. However, whatever I do, a new set of extenders will be needed. The question is whether or not I need to get them drilled as the manufacturers do not sell them drilled and advise against it.

Pedals last for years- so why not just buy a spare set of Quatros for future use?

Not true for my sense of technical interest, however...

I have just put on my shoes and gone down to the shed to see how I unclip the pedals.

Shimano A520 and M520 pedals. I unclip by swinging the heel inwards. The only pedal I could not unclip this way are a set of SPD Compatables that came with the Bianchi MTB in 2000. They look like Shimano except that they are Celeste coloured- They work by pulling up and heels out. Heels in and I was hitting the wheel just as they unclipped

Pedals last for years- so why not just buy a spare set of Quatros for future use?

I am posting this without reading further so forgive if there is a reason, but.....

+1 with second post. Why not just buy another set or two and bike on?

Edit ....I read more and have a suggestion, why not file flats on the quat? I have a spare set of Candy's and looking at them I think it could be done so you could use wrench instead of hex.

I am posting this without reading further so forgive if there is a reason, but.....

+1 with second post. Why not just buy another set or two and bike on?

It is more complicated than that, unfortunately. For the sake of brevity, I'll just say it's in the text above...


Edit ....I read more and have a suggestion, why not file flats on the quat? I have a spare set of Candy's and looking at them I think it could be done so you could use wrench instead of hex.

This is a page from the Crank Bros. site that shows the pedal that I have. (http://www.crankbrothers.com/quattro_sl.php) The only part of the axle that is exposed is the silver area to the left. But, when threaded into the pedal extender, all that is accessible is 1/16" to 3/32" wide. The black portion to the right of the threads rotates. Essentially there is nothing to file or grab onto. The Candies have a bit different design just beyond the thread.

Sorry to hear of the discontinuation of their road pedal line. I'll have to stock up on the Quattro road cleats cause I really like them, and they work on all the Crank Brothers pedals. I have Quattros on my touring bike and have just plain stainless egg beaters on my other 2 road bikes. Honestly, with stiff road shoes, the platform that is on the Quattros is not missed on the eggbeaters. Not sure how far you have to space your pedals out, but the egg beaters are spaced further out from the cranks than the Quattros are. I love Crank Bros. pedals. I'll never own another pair of spd's cause I've had problems with my shoes pulling out of spd's when the cleat gets worn...usually a painful experience when climbing a hill standing. This has never happened with any of my Crank Bros. pedals.

Sorry to hear of the discontinuation of their road pedal line.

Yes, this was confirmed by a Crank Bros. person.


I'll have to stock up on the Quattro road cleats cause I really like them, and they work on all the Crank Brothers pedals. I have Quattros on my touring bike and have just plain stainless egg beaters on my other 2 road bikes. Honestly, with stiff road shoes, the platform that is on the Quattros is not missed on the eggbeaters. Not sure how far you have to space your pedals out, but the egg beaters are spaced further out from the cranks than the Quattros are.

My extenders are 20mm on each side. Curious why the E/B's would force a larger Q-factor than the Quattros by design. I have never seen them side by side, so I don't know.


I love Crank Bros. pedals. I'll never own another pair of spd's cause I've had problems with my shoes pulling out of spd's when the cleat gets worn...usually a painful experience when climbing a hill standing. This has never happened with any of my Crank Bros. pedals.

Yes, I like them also. If Not sure if I want to go the E/B route as I would have to get a new set of extenders and have them drilled to access the internal hex of the pedal. Basically that adds $45 - $50 each time.

I'm currently considering BeBops, another low profile, release either way pedal with no adjustments. They have external wrench flats, so I wouldn't need to buy new extenders every time I wanted to take a pedal apart.

I was surprise when I checked (after my post) that the difference between the quattros and egg beaters was mostly an optical illusion. The cleats are outboard further on the egg beaters, but only by 1/8" at the most. I would have sworn that it was more than that.

Just use Shimano SPD with the multirelease cleat.

Personally, while I do use clipless pedals, if I had some physical problems that limited me like that, I would just use ordinary pedals with toe clips. The advantage is not great enough to bother with mechanical contraptions in a case like that.

What with being lucky enough this late winter and early spring to be able to ride near the North Pole, I've been riding strictly on the flat side of Shimano M323's, with ordinary running shoes, and on the same routes... no change in average times. In fact, no perceptible difference at all.

Just use Shimano SPD with the multirelease cleat.

Personally, while I do use clipless pedals, if I had some physical problems that limited me like that, I would just use ordinary pedals with toe clips. The advantage is not great enough to bother with mechanical contraptions in a case like that.

What with being lucky enough this late winter and early spring to be able to ride near the North Pole, I've been riding strictly on the flat side of Shimano M323's, with ordinary running shoes, and on the same routes... no change in average times. In fact, no perceptible difference at all.

The Shimano's are adjustable. Not good. The reason I eventually went to clipless 5-6 years ago was due to my first test ride back in 2001. My foot slipped off the pedal and it wacked me on the back side of the lower leg. Where it hit was still visible 6 months later and 9 months by touch. I vowed that when I got comfortable on a bike again that I would use clipless pedals. Toe clips were never an option. The consistency of the mechanical operation with clipless pedals in general was a big factor to me. Anyway, it is not pedaling advantage that I'm looking for here.

Not to knock the responses that have been posted here, but some folks seem to want to try to solve a problem that I don't have. Functionally, the Quattros are just fine. I have no problems with them, they do not cause any physical problems for me and they work very consistently. And, as I said, I have not had an inadvertant pull out in in the 3+ years that I have been using them. The problem is that I would need to essentially destroy the extenders in order to disassemble the pedal every time I wanted to service or replace them because there are no external wrench flats. I knew this going in, but I didn't think that C/B would discontinue the product. So, what I was looking for was a non-adjustable pedal, capable of unclipping to the inside and has external wrench flats. Right now, it looks like the stainless steel Bebop's fit the bill...

I was surprise when I checked (after my post) that the difference between the quattros and egg beaters was mostly an optical illusion. The cleats are outboard further on the egg beaters, but only by 1/8" at the most. I would have sworn that it was more than that.

You could look at that 2 ways. They wanted a bit more clearance for mountain bike shoes with the E/B's OR a minimum Q-factor for the road bike Quattros.