Hello,

I'm debeating buying new cleats for my Shimano 105's (5700's) or buying a pair of Speedplay Cromoly Zeros.

I am considering the Speedplay's mainly because of the dual entry.

I would like to know if going from SPD-SL to Speedplay is worth the investment? I do ride with minimal stopping and weigh around 165 lbs. All and any opinions about the advantages and disadvantages about Speedplay's welcome.

RH

i went from spd-sl, to speedplay and then back to spd-sl just because the speedplay pedals have a lot of slop in them. they were hard to dial in. i mean, if you plan on getting a pro fit, id say go for it, but if you're just playing the guessing game of what feels good, i say stick with the spd-sl cleats.

also, i dont know how true it is for other people, but in my experience the little extra surface area of contact that the spd-sl pedals give over the speedplay pedals eliminate hot spots on the foot and just make for an all around smoother transfer of power. again, i am not basing this on any studies or anything, purely conjecture.

Speedplay Zero pedals have a lot of float, not "slop", and they can be dialed in with the simple (simple as in very easy) set screws on the cleat to give you as much float as you want, or even zero float.

The only really tricky thing about speedplays is the cleat install. If you don't want to fuss around and swap shims, it's best to find a reputable shop to install them for you (it helps if you buy the pedals there). Improper installation makes them the worst pedals ever.

I went from Look pedals to Speedplay and I'll never look back.

If you can follow simple instructions you can install them. They are no more difficult to install than any other cleat system.

I switched to zeroes and a few months later I was able to do centuries, climb 7k in a single ride, average 19 mph on my local rides, and hang with the pack on the weekday night world's ride. I would recommend buying the cleat protectors ($20) to prolong the life of the cleats.

Wow!

I switched from Nasbar pedals to DA, & I still sometimes have to take a nap after a ride.

Zeros are great. Lots of float, which I love. Some people find it disconcerting on their first ride if they're not used to it I guess, but I you quickly adapt to the feel. You can always dial the float out. They are light and low profile. Speedplay lists all their advantages online and they're pretty much right. Trickier than some to walk on and you have to be careful not to clog the cleats with debris. But if you're getting road pedals they're for riding not walking right?

Speedplay is great if you like having a lot of adjustment for play.

Had trouble dialing in my Speedplay Zeros until I understood the system. Been using them for 10 yrs. now and have no reason to change. I use SPDs on my cross bike and am not particularly fond of them. Probably going to Speedplay Frogs in the Fall. BTW adjustment just means you can adjust them for your needs. If you have "slop" you're doing something wrong.

I just recently switched from SPD-SL to Speedplay Zero. I like a lot of float, and Speedplays are great for that.

Advantages I see over SPD-SL:
1. Ease of proper installation location. Fore/aft adjustment is independent from lateral adjustment (for q-factor), which is independent from foot angle (which is adjusted via the adjustable float mechanism). The ranges of all these adjustments exceed that of SPD-SL style, so it's more likely that you can achieve ideal cleat placement with Speedplays.
2. Speed of entry. A lot of folks refer to the dual-sided entry -- I couldn't care less. What I care about is being able to enter quickly, and I can enter Speedplays quickest.
3. Lowest stack height on the market (distance between sole of shoe and pedal spindle). To me, this results in more "connected" pedaling.
4. Color options so you can bling your awesome style, yo.

Disadvantages:
1. Maintenance intensive. The cleats need to be lubed on a somewhat regular basis. When they're not lubed, it takes noticeably more force to enter. Also, the pedals themselves have to be greased using a grease *** & appropriate grease. With SPD-SLs, I performed zero maintenance on my Dura-Ace pedals in 8 years, and they functioned just as good as on day one. I'll caveat this by saying the Speedplay pedals can be re-built, so overall longevity and cost may be less than owning SPD-SL pedals, but that assumption would take greater than a decade for me to determine.
2. Walking. The cleat base is metal, which makes walking akin to ice skating. I would say purchasing cleat covers are a requirement, not an option. Personally, I use the keep-on covers as I don't walk around in mud, and I don't have to worry about taking them off/putting them on.


For me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. When I was doing my research, Speedplay fanboys didn't really bring up the downsides of ownership, so I wanted to point those out so you can make an informed decision.

Edited to add:
My experience with "float" on SPD-SL cleats is that it's not true float . . . it's movement range, but the cleat auto-centers your foot back to 0 degrees of float. So you can angle your foot while pedaling in SPD-SLs, but the cleats will auto-center back to 0.

Speedplays are not like this. Float is legitimate, resistance-free float. The first few times you ride it'll feel very unstable, because your muscles are used to being auto-centered by the SPD-SL cleats, and you won't get that with Speedplays. After a few rides, your muscles will adapt to stabilizing your foot at whatever position is most comfortable for you. This experience of legitimate float can be somewhat disconcerting initially, and it likely what others refer to as "slop." The pedal/cleat interface is NOT sloppy -- it is very solid and secure.

I bought a used bike about 8 years ago that came with Zero's. I initially swapped them out to my normal pedals (DA Look) but soon tried them out. I've been using them on all my road bikes since. The disadvantages have been mentioned and are all valid. I don't use covers and go through one or two sets a year. At $40 a pop, it can get a bit expensive. I haven't tried Shimano's newer style pedals but I doubt I'll ever have the need or want to change.

If you have knee problems, Speedplays are a necessity. I'll put up with the maintenance to keep the knee pain away.

Thanks for the link to the covers!

I went from flats to SPD-SL and I'm still tired after a 40 mile ride. What potion of magic did you bless your speedplays with that would magically make your legs stronger and have more endurance? BTW no interest in riding a century ever.

Speedplay vs. SPD-SL to me boils down to how much you have to stop on your rides. I prefer the SPD-SL becasue around here, I can ride for an hour+ without having to clip out more than once or twice. When riding in areas with lots of stops, I would lean more towards the Speedplays. I like zero float and like the bigger footprint of the SPD-SL and it just boils down to preference. I would also sat that if you don't have any aches and pains with your current setup then I would not switch.

re: mtce on Speedplay Zeros.....every couple months I might spray a little lube into the cleat spring. And, about three times in 8 yrs. I pulled them off to clean thoroughly. Cleats lasted 8 yrs and were still good but worn when I replaced them. In my experience they are not mtce intensive. BTW I have never owned or used cleat covers.

Going to Speedplay for the sole purpose of dual entry is kind of missing the point. Most people go to Speedplay because it alleviates their knee problem with the extended float. Dual entry is just icing on the cake.

Which one is easier to clip into in your experience between Speedplay & SPD-SL?

Speedplay for sure. You just stomp and go. The SPD you have to hook the cleat, then snap down.

Only thing with the Speedplay cleat...is that it takes a few rides to break in the spring clip. Before the break in...it'll take a bit more pressure than normal to snap into the pedal.

Don't let the "maintenance" of the SP pedal deter you. I spray my cleats every few rides with some PB Blaster dry lube. Lube my pedals maybe once or twice a year. You can buy a grease gvn for 5 bucks at Harbor Freight. When the pedals start to free spin when you spin them by hand...then you know its time to lube. Lubing maybe takes 5 mins per side. You can see the black grease get pushed out of the other side of the pedal body.

I use a dosing syringe and it works just dandy. You can find them for a couple bucks wherever they sell cough syrup and the like.

Oh...I was going to do that...but wasn't sure if the syringe has enough pressure to push the grease in.

That makes things ever easier!

Ditto!

I've only done it with the pedals off, but it's pretty trivial - stand everything upright on a paper towel or rag and give it a push. On the bike, it might be a little harder to generate the pressure and keep syringe from wiggling out of the divot.

you will never "look" back...

I've had both Look and Speedplay. I prefer the speedplay pedals considerably - it's easier to adjust the cleats and to replace cleats and duplicate the position. Also speedplay has the most options for accommodating Q factor.

Friction Facts rates speedplay (0.160W) as more efficient than Look (0.230W) and then Shimano Ultegra (I'd presume DA is about the same) (0.360) in that order.

Anyhow, for entry, I don't see a tremendous difference between Look/Shimano and Speedplay. I'd rate Speedplay as slightly better for entry. However, the cleat adjustably is much better and the float is really a big deal to me. The primary reason I went to them is to fix a Q factor problem I have that really alleviated a lot of foot pain.

Keep On Kovers are fantastic. Highly recommended.

J.

I went from Eggbeaters to Speedplay zero's and it was probably the best single change I ever made to one of my bikes. It was all about the tremendous amount of float to me.