So I'm in the market for some new pedals to go on a new bike that is coming my way soon, and I'm looking to set expectations for cost. I'm coming from using an SPD cleat on some old Shimano A525s which have held up forever.

Disregarding the Speedplay is best (RA RA RA)!!! thread, I'm looking at the Look Keo Classics or the Keo 2 Max. I'm wondering if the $~50 cost difference is worth it for the stainless steel wear plate and the wider platform? My initial thinking was that I'd be going with the Classics, as the price was where I wanted it, and they are red, but if the Keo 2 Max is going to wear better and potentially last longer, then I can live with not-red pedals and spend the extra money.

Does anyone have experience with both?

I ride have some keo sprints (before they made the Keo Max) on one bike and Keo Max on another and honestly can't tell the difference. Both seem durable.

There's a bigger difference between the grip and non-grip cleats. The grip cleats don't engage quite as smoothly as the original design.

I do not thing the cost for the wear plate is worth it as KEO cleats are plastic and suffer the wear not the pedal. I rode the sprints and the pedal did not wear but went through many cleats

I recently got the Keo Max 2 pedals... maybe 500 miles on them and like them. The cleats with the raised grey wear areas wear significantly less fast on pavement than those without. I got them at Ribble for $103. https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/roa...ls/lookpeda142

I have been using various KEO pedals since they where introduced and would go with the KEO max. After 30,000 km, my KEO carbons had significant wear on them and switched to KEO max carbons, they still spun very smoothly and use them on the trainer. The $50 will give you a few more seasons out of them. I do use the classics on my beater for the cost savings, because the winter road dirt and salt will destroy any pedal. The max also has better bearing which I have noticed.

The Classic has lower retention power, like really really low. I find that I unclip inadvertently. The Keo 2 Max is better but not great, but that's what I have right now. I also have a set of Keo Carbons and they were the best in terms of retention power, but I occasionally inadvertently unclipped from them too.

Weak retention? I assume you turned the tension screw up. Blades have a couple of different tension blades available AFAIK. FWIW, Contador and Cavendish use Keo Max 2 pedals (not blades).

Maxed the screws, yes, on all my pedals. The Classics are now on the tandem, the Missus's bike, and laying around.

I don't pull up and out, it's more of a lateral thing - it feels like my foot slides off the pedal when I'm standing and pedaling. I've dabbed just rolling along in the parking lot (at the first race where I had the Classics I switched back to the Carbons just before the race because of that). It wasn't a problem until I got the Keo Classics. The Keo Carbon was fine, the Classics were a joke. The Keo Max 2 is only slightly better than the Classic but since I don't have a choice one bike has those, the other has the Carbon.

Thanks guys. I think I've found a deal on both the Keo 2 Max and the 2 Max Carbon that puts them in the range that I was planning on spending on the Classics.

First....i have over 30 years on Looks. Currently have blades and carbons.

Cut the walking pad off with a knife and get a cleat cover if you walk. I hate the walking pads. Makes clipping in more of a chore.

I use blacks and have never had my foot come out of the pedal. In all that time I have broken one pedal which was an ergo adjustable model.

There is more of a difference in pedals than the plate. Spindle, bearings....better lasts longer and has less resistance.

What are these walking pads of which you speak? I recently got some Keo "grip" pedals with hard grey raised areas on the bottom, is that it? The regular Keo cleats don't have them, but tend to wear out faster from the little walking I do.

The grey areas are actually softer to allow you to walk on the cleat without the plastic part on the ground. I cannot stand the feeling when you clip in with them, so I cut them off with a knife and if I need to walk I use a walking cover. I carry a set in my jersey pocket in case I get a flat or something so I am not stomping around on the cleats.

I'm not sure why you guys seem to wear cleates out...I read this out here all the time. My shoes have had the same cleats for going on five years. But I typically only walk in the garage to my bike, then out the door to the button to close the door, and am not off the bike (I hope) until I get back into the garage. If I get a flat, like I said, I have the covers.

You all do know that Looks have wear holes on the bottom, correct? When the litlle holes are gone, time for new cleats.