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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Speedplay Light Action

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Old 10-03-13 | 08:57 PM
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Speedplay Light Action

Any thoughts on Speedplay "Light Action" pedals? I have an opportunity to pick some up on the cheap. Main difference from what I can see is they're "unrestricted float."
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Old 10-03-13 | 09:37 PM
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I have tried them and thought they were nice. They are easier to get in and out of than the other pedals in the SP line. If you have a deal in line I would say jump on it.
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Old 10-03-13 | 09:59 PM
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I bought some when I was trying to eliminate some nagging knee pain. I'm 175lbs. so I am not exactly the target demographic but I've never seen a reason to switch. I can just slap the cleat down on the pedal, in one motion, to clip in which is nice with all of the traffic lights around here. I've heard that despite what Speedplay says you can run zero cleats on light action pedals. I paid $50 used for mine w/ cleats which is one of the better deals I've gotten on cycling gear.
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Old 10-04-13 | 07:27 AM
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na, get Zeros so you can adjust the float. not like they're super hard to get in and out of.
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Old 10-04-13 | 08:55 AM
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I've used them for a few years.

I won't use anything else.

I like the float, and it's very easy to clip in and out.
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Old 10-04-13 | 09:12 AM
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This is the reason I still use SPD's, float.
I use the multi-release cleats that have 6° float.
Don't really care about the Fred points I get from this, my knees love me so much more since changing from Spd-SL's

Edit:
My neighbor who suffered a stroke has no feeling on his right side, & I was able to help train him use the same cleats.
I might give these Speedplays a try if my knees tell me to.

Last edited by Ghost Ryder; 10-04-13 at 09:15 AM.
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Old 10-04-13 | 09:12 AM
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I've put about 2000 miles on Light Action pedals using Zero cleats so that I can adjust the float. No issues whatsoever. Not sure why Speedplay alleges that the combo won't work. Easier to get in and out of and I have cerebral palsy on my left side and can only wiggle my big toe so I really appreciate being able to get out without too much force. I've never popped out of them unintentionally while riding other than one time a groundhog ran into the road and straight into my front wheel so hard that my shoe unclipped. Might have happened with Zeros too though.
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Old 10-04-13 | 09:15 AM
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Originally Posted by MDfive21
na, get Zeros so you can adjust the float. not like they're super hard to get in and out of.
Na, adjustable float is not important.

If you found a great deal on Light Actions, get them.
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Old 10-04-13 | 09:40 AM
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From: Virginia Beach, VA

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Had knee pain, read some reviews, bought some light action Speedplays, crashed once getting them 'worn in', (came to a stop and I couldn't unclip), now I love them, but most importantly knee pain is completely gone. Easier in and out than my SPD SL's I was using. Probably will stick with them until they wear out/break.

If you do get them, I also highly recommend keeponkovers.com Don't know they exist, but make walking easier and protect your cleats as well. Absolutely love them.
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Old 10-04-13 | 12:58 PM
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Just to add in case you see any deals on the X series-I have X2s and I've never had a problem getting in and out of them, not sure if I would want much lighter release than those already have.
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Old 10-04-13 | 01:29 PM
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Picked them up today. It's good to know the Zero cleats will work just in case. Thanks everyone!
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Old 10-04-13 | 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by MagicHour
Just to add in case you see any deals on the X series-I have X2s and I've never had a problem getting in and out of them, not sure if I would want much lighter release than those already have.
I have used X series and Light Action pedals, and both seem to take the same amount of effort to get in and out of. The only reasons I switched from X series speedplays was they were worn out, and I was given a pair of Light Actions.
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Old 10-04-13 | 02:18 PM
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I think the X actually had more float! My cleats wore out and I just bought new light actions about 5,000 miles ago.

Look into keeponkovers.com if you end up getting them, they're fabulous for preserving your cleats and preventing wear as well as giving decent traction when you put your foot down.

I personally can't ride on cleats that only float 6 degrees... but that's me and my knee.
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Old 10-04-13 | 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Ghost Ryder
This is the reason I still use SPD's, float.
I use the multi-release cleats that have 6° float.
Don't really care about the Fred points I get from this, my knees love me so much more since changing from Spd-SL's
I haven't measured myself but yellow bottomed SPD-SL cleats purportedly have 6° of float as well (Red are fixed). Regardless of the actual number of degrees, they work fine for me and I could honestly deal with even less float (I also have good knees though).
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Old 10-04-13 | 09:58 PM
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I used LA from 2006 through 2012 then bought Zeros and gave the LA my wife. I had no problems with them at all. They are great pedals I was just having upgrade fever and my wife needed pedals.
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