Pamestique 

You should be wearing a road, not MTB style shoe (smooth bottom - no platoons). The pedals are not compatible with MTB shoes. They will come with an adaptor. The cleats I felt, where harder to install than other cleats but I could do it.

mocolotion

Hey, it's springtime and I'll never call someone a prick just because they're posting wildly subjective statements as facts and then backing them up with wishy-washy passive aggressive bs like this!

El Conquistador De Amore

I had speedplays and found them to be uncomfortable. I was getting hotspots no matter how much I played with the cleat placement. I went to Shimano spd-L 6700s and I like them a lot.

Shimagnolo

I would think hot spots are symptom of a too-soft sole, not a cleat/pedal problem.

MileHighMark

I've been using Frogs exclusively for longer than I can remember. No problems with SIDI Dominators as far as hot spots, etc.

Pamestique 

I thought that at first and then I went and bought $300 carbon sole shoes - stiff as a board, the hot spots got worse. According to the sports med guy I saw... it's the cleat and the way it operates. Just wasn't for me...

Pamestique 

This cleat (Frogs) is very different from the standard Speedplay. It can be worn with an MTB shoes and the placement is alittle different...

MileHighMark

I used the original road Speedplays before converting all my bikes to Frogs. No problems with the former, aside from them getting "sticky" when I had to hike-a-bike on really steep dirt roads.

Brando_T.

Switched to Speedplay pedals to try to solve some knee problems, and they were very helpful. I have light-action pedals.

Many people have problems with the amount of float, feels like their feet are moving all over the place.

Check to ensure your current shoes are compatible with the 4 hole Speedplay cleat. Not all shoes are. Some shoes are specifically designed for the Speedplay cleat.

This is a pretty great post on Speedplay pedals: https://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2011/0...edplay-pedals/

magohn

So I picked up a pair of the Speedplay "light action" pedals last night. I fitted them and rode on the trainer with them for awhile.

First impressions:

My SPD-SLs were a LOT harder "mechanically" to get into and out of - no preference on this.
The Speedplays will disconnect if I pull my leg "upwards" on the upstroke - not sure if thats how it should be but I dont like that.
Lots more "allowed" foot float movement with the Speedplays - I like that.
The Speedplay cleat uses 4 screws that they say to just tension and then add 1/4 turn - seems a possible avenue for a loose cleat - time will tell.

Overall, Im on the fence right now. Ive only used them on the trainer for a few miles and so tonight I will head out on the road for a true test ride. VERY easy to click into and out of but Im not sure thats good if it allows overall easy disconnects. As stated, I was able to disconnect from the pedal (on the trainer) by yanking my leg upwards. However, with the new allowance for "float" perhaps my foot was twisted and so it popped off the pedal.

I will report back tonight. For now, Im holding onto my SPD_SLs "just in case"

CraigB

Aren't the Light Action models supposed to be easier to get in and out of than their other road models? If you find it's too easy to disengage, maybe the shop would apply the price toward one of the other models.

magohn

They are but I read multiple reviews that though easy to get into and out of they do hold strong when not trying to get out of - ie. when riding. I will see what happens tonight.

TrojanHorse

I had X-2 pedals for years and now light actions for 2 years and I can tell you that I've never, ever accidentally unclipped, whether standing, sitting or otherwise. It took me a while to get used to that "riding on an icecube" sensation but now it's second nature. The X-2 pedals were more slippery feeling than the light actions.

The light actions have some sort of little slidey thing that's supposed to control the float range but mine never stay put so I just ignore it.

I installed one cleat incorrectly when I got the LA's and couldn't get that pedal clipped in... basically rode 5 miles with the cleat sitting on top of the pedal, ooops. I'll just assume you weren't as dumb as I was, it was a really rookie move. The only other problem I ever had was when I walked through some dirt and rocks in my shoes and then clipped in, I had a little something that interfered with the clip, but once I shook it off they were right as rain again.

Biggziff

Locktite blue.

magohn

Thanks for the feedback. Im pretty sure they are clipped in all the way as I hear the "snap" as I press downwards. Im leaning towards it being getting used to the available "float" now and I need to limit myself to allowed movement. Also, any ideas on what the tiny slider on the cleat is for? A tiny slider exists that states "heel in/ heel out" (cant remember exactly - Im at work) but there is no mention of it in the manual.

THANKS!

TrojanHorse

https://www.speedplay.com/pubs/instru...0101213Web.pdf

Hard to say but I think it's supposed to be for adjusting the amount of float (and how far you need to move your heel to unclip) but like I said, that little slider never stays put for me and I don't worry about it.

magohn

Thanks for the link - appreciated.

I just got back from a 6 mile loop (small hills etc) and was pleasantly surprised. The pedals held and I did not "pop out" of the pedals once. I think my issue is that Im used to the super-tight SPD-SL pedals that really need torque to get out of. The speedplays need hardly any torque to get out of so I need to control my feet more.

I do need a pair of the cleat protectors for walking off road. Im used to the plastic cleats on SPD-SL that kind of grip to concrete. The speedplays have a metal surround on their cleats so contact with concrete is slick

I will report back Saturday after a 40 mile ride - that'll flush out any issues.

Tall Cool One

I rode Speedplays for my first 2 seasons of road cycling. Last fall I had a bike fit done and the fitter felt that the speedplays were allowing my size 50 extra wide feet to bow away from the bike on my pedal stroke. He recommended that I try Shimano SPD-SL's. I went with his recommendation and I prefer the SPD's. I feel they are easier to click in to, provide a more stable base under 6' 7" 240 lbs of pure cycling inefficiency, and are MUCH easier to walk around in than my Speed Plays. I also feel like I have fewer hot spot issues and more percieved power is reaching my crank.

I don't want you to think this is a slam on Speedplay. I'm just reporting this case study of one. In this case, I feel I am getting better performance out of my SPD's. I originally chose the Speedplays because I was drawn to the concept of just stepping down and locking in to a pedal without having to flip it around. The SPD's are weighted so they automatically go to the same position every time.

I hope you find a good solution for your situation.

TrojanHorse

The metal cleat is indeed difficult to walk in - I lost my cleat covers somewhere. I've seen people put shoe goo on the outer metal part to give them a decent walking surface but the fact remains that they are difficult to walk in.

ZippyThePinhead

Speedplay Zero user for a couple of years now. I used SPDs before, but a misaligned cleat caused me knee pain, plus I wasn't satisfied with the float offered by the SPDs. That said, I know many riders who use SPDs on road bikes, and like them.

The Speedplay pedals are not cheap, but you can sometimes get them for a discount on eBay. These covers are more convenient than the Coffeeshop covers sold by Speedplay.

Regarding pros and cons, I like the Speedplay Zeros and I especially like the float. However as others mentioned they are sensitive to dirt in the cleat, and it doesn't take much to make it hard to clip in. It's an occasional problem only.

magohn

Im doing something wrong here.

Mounted the bike back on the trainer as its raining hard tonight. Again, on the upstroke I can literally pull my foot out of the pedal with very little effort. Not sure why it didnt happen on the road - wishful thinking perhaps.

Anyways, I took the cleats off the shoes and refitted everything to make sure all was OK - all looked fine. Got back on the bike and again, my feet almost fall out of the cleats without trying. They DO click in but with a straight foot I can pull away from the pedal easily.

However, I kept playing around and somehow I got both feet clipped in and all of a sudden both sides were fully locked in. It turns out Ihave to click in and then "wiggle" my feet and I hear a second click. Then my feet are in like iron - awesome!

So the question is: Am I supposed to wiggle or do they need a break-in period?

Thanks all.

iconicflux

I have the basic speedplay pedals and I absolutely love them. I think clydes especially should get a shop to help with the setup of the pedals. There are some shims you can use to get the cleats juuuust right with regards to how they fit on shoes and shops are great for helping with that and their overall forward/back placement.

Also, pick up a bottle of the speedplay oil. It really does make the action better.

iconicflux

If you look at how they work you should notice that there's one plate that slides forward and backwards a little bit. What's probably happening is that you're getting your front clipped in but something is tightened a little too much. It sounds like the plate is having a hard time sliding forwards enough so there's not enough room when you're trying to clip in the rear. The wiggling is just making it easier.

I'd put some oil in it and work the oil in and see if it gets better.

TrojanHorse

Did you install the cleats yourself? Are you sure you got all the parts installed correctly? I only say that because I, intrepid biker extraordinaire, installed mine incorrectly and I'm a heck of a handy gent. It's not overly hard to get the little brass cover plates mixed up and put on the wrong foot. Other things to check - are the cleats flat against the shoe? Speedplays ship with a few different shims, and if you put the wrong one in it's possible to create a situation like you're describing.

My light actions go in easily, and stay in no matter what. I put some pressure on my pedals too! You should get the iron-awesome feeling without all the gyrations, honestly.

magohn

Hmmm - I didnt know the cover plates were sided. I just 'willy nilly' fitted a plate to each side. I cant see how they could be fitted incorrectly as each side as the 'cut-out' and each side has the recessed nut slots.

I do have speedplay oil - I will try that.

I did not need the shims as the mounts fitted to the bottom of my shoes with no gaps.

Why do it myself? I love to figure out how things work I want to be able to fix things myself if Im 20 miles from home and the cleat falls apart.

THANKS so much for the great feedback. Somethings not quite right but Im confident Im getting closer with all your excellent feedback