Originally Posted by
sam_cyclist
I couldn't even clip into the pedals at all when I first started. I clipped in and out repeatedly to loosen them up. Clipping in and out is still pretty stiff, but no longer near impossible.
Speedplay recommends some dry lube on the inside of the cleat so that can help also.
But repeated clip ins and outs, both sides, both pedals, is really the best way to loosen them up. ZS
Zero's are by far the stiffest cleats to clip in and out of by far of all the systems I've tried. Ironically, frogs are just about the easiest to clip in and out of.
I think looks are easier and more intuitive to clip in and out of, but the free float, light weight, double sided design are strong selling points: and the fact that not every other rider lends a coolness factor as well.
It's really not clear to me why speedplay designed the pedals to be so stiff in engagement/disengagement, but I suppose they had their reasons.
Speedplays are far from perfect, and slightly quirky, but I feel good supporting an american company and I do think it's cool to be riding a system that not every one else uses (shimano, spd, look).
I would have no problem trying look in the future: they have free float and very easy engagement/disengagement at a low price.
But speedplay's abundant free float differentiates them from the competition.
Best to apply dry lube to the pedal..rotate on edge and apply to each side and let lube drip drain over the body and let dry.
Coolness factor is a joke. How cool are pedals? Reason for Speedplay success is because they are so good period. Their strengths are greater than their weaknesses.
They aren't quirky in function...just more fiddly to set up however...where many go wrong that struggle with engagement effort..if the mounting surface isn't planar. The more planar the four corners of the cleat, the less sensitive to small screw torque. Non planar cleat corners and big sensitivity to even modest screw torque inhibiting click in.
As to not being clear when Speedplay designed the pedals to be so stiff in engagement is...because of the interference of the cleat retainer...the higher the cleat retainer spring rate and tongue/groove overlap, the higher the pull out force that better riders will prefer. These metrics are proportional and why Zeros are better than other versions for the better rider who has higher pedal forces including upstroke when climbing.
Not mentioned here is one of the principle reasons why I ride Zeros. Speedplay offers an extension mounting bracket whereby you can move the cleat rearward by more than 1/2 inch. This is a big factor for greater fore/aft adjustability of the cleat on the shoe as I prefer to ride with the cleat center behind my first metatarsal. I pretty much run my Speedplays wide open on float...a lot of float a major benefit of Speedplays.