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Adjustable float Speedplay Light?

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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

Adjustable float Speedplay Light?

Old 02-11-15, 01:24 PM
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CZS
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Adjustable float Speedplay Light?

My last go-round with Speedplay Zero's I was having some difficulty clipping in, but really liked being able to adjust the excess float out of the pedal. What I'd like to do is end up with at an adjustable light action pedal. Has anyone had any success doing this?

My first thought would be simply to use the Zero cleat with the Light pedal, but I'm unsure whether the cleat or the pedal itself controls the release tension (eg: are the pedals essentially the same and only the spring in the cleat is different?)

Any advice on whether or not this is achievable?
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Old 02-11-15, 01:44 PM
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Elvo
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The LA's aren't any easier to clip in. There is a break-in period with speedplays.
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Old 02-11-15, 01:52 PM
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The cleat has the springs. If you are having trouble clipping in, you have probably tightened the screws on the cleat too much. There is a reason they come coated with Loctite, and the instructions are pretty clear about not over-tightening them. I rode Speedplay X series pedals for about a decade, and the only time I had trouble clipping in was on really horribly rainy rides, just because of all the excess road grime and dirt that would get wedged in the cleats when I touched down at stop signs.
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Old 02-11-15, 04:33 PM
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emveezee
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Originally Posted by Elvo View Post
The LA's aren't any easier to clip in.
Wrong. The light actions are easier in and out.
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Old 02-11-15, 04:46 PM
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Yes, the LA's are easier in & out (hence the name), but they do have a short break-in period where they're a little harder.

I personally prefer the LA's and don't mind not having the float adjustment.

And to that point, I believe the LA/Zero cleats/pedals are not interchangeable. Both the cleats and pedals are slightly different between the two.
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Old 02-11-15, 04:48 PM
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emveezee
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Also, I don't know the answer on your question of how to make an adjustable float light action, but my opinion is it's not a good idea. The light actions are so easy to clip out of that I wouldn't want to reduce the float. As the end of float is the exit point on speedplays, I feel like reducing the float on light actions could result in accidental clipping out. With zeros, there's so much resistance that adjustable float makes sense, but not so with the light actions.
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Old 02-12-15, 01:13 AM
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TrojanHorse
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Ah, the old X series - now THAT was some float!

If you don't want a lot of float, why would you buy speedplay pedals? Just curious. They're a godsend for people like me who need the float but they're damn expensive if you don't.
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Old 02-12-15, 04:22 AM
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Pirkaus
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A little dry lube in the cleat helps with engagement and release. I use Tri-flo
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