Hemlock

I've never used clipless, but want to try them on the next bike I buy. Which ones (Shimano SPD, Look, etc. . . ) do you use and why? I'd like to hear most from people who have tried different ones for a length of time and can tell me why the now stick with their preferred type.

Thanks for the input.

TrekRider

I use the new Shimano Dura Ace pedals and cleats. They are big enough where I don't develop a hot spot unless I ride for more than 35 miles, and then only minor ones. It is all in getting used to them, I believe. All are good, but, for me, the bigger the platform, the better. Plus, I am too heavy for Speedplays and also, I think, Egg beaters.

SipperPhoto

I started with Shimano SPD-515's.. an they were a good entry level pedal... double sided, easy to clip in and out of... the only downside for me was that they needed a bit more float, and were kinda giving me knee problems...

I then switched to Speedplays around Christmastime... I dig them a whole lot better... my knees float around better... they are easy to clip in and out of (once you get the hang of the release point.. which is a bit different from the SPD's)

i've heard Looks are decent... but the cleats wear out faster, since they are plastic

jeff

F1_Fan

On the road I ride an old-style pedal - Dura-Ace PD-7401 "Look" pedals. Cleat wear isn't much of an issue for me and the replacement cost is cheap anyway.

I personally have never come to terms with float so that limits my pedal options but I don't care... I like the stability of the large Look cleat.

fujibike

Enjoy my Look 396s. Large platform and I find them easy to clip in and out of.

cottonmather0

I recently upgraded from SPD's to the Shimano SL ("look lookalike" heh heh). I like them quite a bit. The SPD was good when I as just getting started but I was starting to notice that they weren't particularly comfortable on long rides. Now that I have upgraded I also notice a big difference in stability - I'm much more comfortable standing up and in fact it feels a lot more natural to come out of the seat when I want to speed up or climb.

Toyota_4Runner

I have the Shimano Dura Ace Pedals. They are great nice large surface makes for a much better energy transfer.

Stealthman_1

SPD SLs, I like them quite a bit. I have the regular SPDs on my commuter and they are great...for under 30 miles. They both have issues. SLs of course suck when you are off the bike stomping around in what is nearly comparable to walking in an ice skate... SPDs are great off the bike, just like a normal shoe with minor 'clicking', but their small footprint on the shoe can make them hard to get out of the binding if very tight and they have a tendency to loosen and thereby twist in the shoe which means you can't get out of the binding . You have to be diligent in your cleat care IMHO with SPDs. SLs, put em on and forget em.

MrEWorm

"You have to be diligent in your cleat care IMHO with SPDs. SLs, put em on and forget em."

What kind of cleat care do SPD's require? I have been using them for about a year and feel comfortable with them now. I have not done any care (other than stomp around to get the mud out once).
I have thew cleats on some Specialized shoes which seem to be shreading fabric, but I think that is more the nature of cheap shoes than anything else.

BTW: What is "float"? I have read about it, but I don't know what it means.

Thanks

velocipedio

look.

at about $12 for a pair of cleats, i can afford to replace cleats. cleat care is not something that keeps me awake at night.

demoncyclist

Float is the ability to pivot your foot towards the left or right. It compensates for the inability of your knees to track in a perfect vertical plane. SPDs have 4 degrees of float, Looks have 9, Speedplays have 15 or more depending on the model. Depending on the condition of your knees, you may need more float. I have Look pedals on my road bike and SPDs on my MTB and on the Spinning bikes I teach on. I have never noticed a difference in comfort, but I do prefer the larger platform of the Look on long rides.

Moonshot

Good thread. I've always had Look pedals and have not had any complaints. A friend was recently complaining of "hot spots" during our long ride and it was a mystery to me.

Maybe it's his pedal type? Thanks Trek rider!

TXCiclista

I bought, and still use, the $15 pair of MTB pedals Nashbar sells. I figured that was a good entry price. I've used them on an MS 150 w/ no problems and I really enjoy them. When they wear out, I might upgrade, but I've seriously considered sticking with them. You might look into this as a good intro option, then if you ever upgrade, you have a pair of MTB clipless pedals for the trails

demoncyclist

The small physical size of SPDs combined with the more flexible soles of lower end shoes can cause hot spots as the shoe flexes around the pedal surface. CF and fiber reinforced soles have very little, if any, flexibility, and provide a larger area supporting your foot. In essence, the entire sole of the shoe becomes the platform.

Stealthman_1

By upkeep, I meant, going over the cleats once a week, mainly to ensure they have stayed tight. Due to the compresability of mtb shoe soles and the torque applied to the cleat due to the small screw pattern, my experience is they either come loose or twist slightly in the shoe in a rather short period of time. With the small float, any twist can cause knee soreness and/or unclipping issues.

halfspeed

I use Speedplay Frogs because I have bad knees and need the float. A big drawback, however, is that the cleats and pedals aren't compatible with anything else. If I want to ride clipless on my beater single speed, I've got to swap the pedals with my other bike or spend more on pedals than the rest of the bike is worth for an extra set. SPDs are great if you have multiple bikes. You can get cheap ones for your beater, and better ones for your road and MTB rides and one pair of shoes will fit them all.

That said, I'll still use my Frogs because the float is that important to me.

dgaddes

I really surprised how many are using Dura Ace SDP-SL's. I just switched to them this year from SPD-515's. Maybe it's more to do with the shoes, but I never had hot spots to speak of with the SPD's. I needed clipless pedals for my mtb and thought I'd put my SPD's on it and treat myself to new shoes and pedals on the road bike. Also hoped for more float than the SPD's had. While I didn't need much float, I was surpised by how little diff in float the SL's had over the SPD's. Oh, well, I still like the SL's and will be keeping them.

seely

I just use Eggbeaters on all my bikes.

pgreene

look 396s. got them ridiculously cheap, and they work just fine. not the lightest, of course, but why bother with ultralight pedals on a 20 pound bike? i might go with the new shimanos on my new bike just to be like lance.

Grampy™

Speedplay X-3's. My knees love them, and they got rid of my hot spots. Very easy to clip into and out of. They are a pain to walk around in though.

akirafist

I'm a 300lbs Rhino-rider with a Trek Navigator 500, went with Shimano SH-M071 shoe on a SPD-M540 pedal. I love standing up on my pedals, and those speedplay looked like they'd snap under my weight.

Jakey

I have the small little spd pedals that come standard on most mid level bikes... Just did 50 miles today... no problems... On longer rides, my feet start to hurt a little bit, but I like being able to walk in my shoes, and it hasn't been bad enough to make me switch yet... When I do, I'll probably go to speedplays...

K6-III

Speedplay X/3 pedals.

seely

They won't.

smurfy

I'm still using the old Tioga Clipman pedals (I have two sets of them). I only use clipless pedals when I go on "performance" road rides, which is not very often. I guess I should get more modern ones but for me it's probably not worth the expense.