kenshireen

I have started to ride again on my 1993 Look bike which of course has look pedals.
Over the years I have developed some arthritis in my knees.

I would really appreciate any suggestions as to what pedals would be the most "knee friendly".
I hope this was the correct forum to post this question.

Thank you

Campag4life

To me the most knee friendly pedal available is Speedplay because of its float adjustability. Many pros ride Speedplays as well and also what I ride. They have the added bonus of being able to move the cleat aft on the shoe of a tradition spindle position.

With your knees, you want to learn as much as you can about improving your pedal stroke. Also don't push a big gear...learn to spin.
Good luck.

CraigB

I agree. After 25 years of riding various delta-style (pre-Keo) Looks, I switched to Speedplay Zeroes this season. They definitely have more float.

Ridelots24

i've had bad knees for 12 years, speedplay X's is the best..

seymour1910

another vote for speedplay but I would point you toward the light action version. they are the easiest to get in and out of.

knobster

Depends on what type of shoe you're wanting to use. I prefer mountain bike type shoes such as the Pearl Izumi X-Alp and the Keen Arroyo cycling sandals. Because of this, I use Speedplay Frogs. Lots of float and very easy to clip in and out of. The cleat is a little smaller than SPD so I don't hear the cleat contacting when walking.

TrojanHorse

I got hit by a car in '98 and my knees have been thrashed ever since. The simple solution - Speedplay. I had X-2 pedals for years and now have light action. Both are excellent.

Look style pedals and Shimano style pedals are both excruciating to my knees. YMMV.

Sixty Fiver

Look pedals can provide up to 9 degrees of float while Speedplays can provide 15 degrees.

Some older models of Look pedals are adjustable so you can run varying degrees of float and the cleat type also determines float on non adjustable pedals.

For long distances Look pedals are quite comfortable as they have a wider platform and distribute pressure across the foot very evenly.

kleng

time xpresso, iclic and rxs, has both lateral and rotational float, while speedplay and others have only rotational

https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...s-carbon-32137

kenshireen

What is the difference between lateral and rotational... I assume lateral is side to side

fstshrk

My wife uses Speedplay Frog pedals on her Specialized Ruby. She likes them.
I use the red Keo Cleat on Keo 2 Max and get plenty of float. I think you should look into adjustable insoles with good support as part of your overall fit strategy.

moppeddler

I don't understand how pedals would make a difference on your knees. I have bad knees, and when I try to go at it a little too hard, they ache. How would this change if I changed pedals? I currently use SPD-SL's.

kleng

Yes you are right, the lateral helps the knee track better without locking it in so much.

carl_h

I'd look first at your saddle height and position.

I'm a Speedplay fan, but other than SPD, they're the only cleats/pedals that I've used.

TTON

Not road pedals, but what about Crank Brother Candy pedals? Any opinions on these?

Nashzel

I switched to Speedplay Frogs and they helped my knees. I had both replaced last year, so doesn't matter that much anymore, but I still like the speed plays.

TrojanHorse

Well, some people prefer pedals that lock your foot into a particular angle but my knees squawk loud and fast if I try it. I can't even tolerate those SPD-SL pedals. Some pedals have some slight amount of float but there's a sort of sprint return..

So it's a personal preference thing but I really prefer a significant amount of float in my pedals and my knees agree. People used to describe riding on speedplay like riding on an ice cube. I think the old X pedals were more like that than the newer ones but it's an apt analogy. In the past I've used diadora pedals, Time, Look and ultimately speedplay X-2 pedals until I got speedplay light actions.

fstshrk

But there is NO free float on the iclic at all. It is all sprung. You can reduce the tension but it still did not work for my knees. Went back to Keo.

stilltooslow

I have the Candy 3's on my fixie and love them. Also love the Speedplay Zero's on my road bike.

slowride454

I have arthritis in my knees and feet. I switched to speedplay light action and all the pain is gone. I still ride mountain SPD on my MTB and commuter. After even 10 miles the foot pain starts and by 30 miles my knees are done. Not so with the speedplays. centuries are no problem.

TTON

Which speedplay pedals is better for free float or all they all the same? frogs, zero, or light action?

moppeddler

What's helped me a lot is patellar tension bands