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Most reliable clipless pedals?

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Old 03-14-07 | 11:51 AM
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I like eggbeaters, but for my city bike I want to try the power grips.
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Old 03-14-07 | 11:52 AM
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Bikes: schwinn suburban conversion with chopped risers LOLZ!

I ride eggbeaters and like em, but I must admit that seeing so many broken and warrantied ones has gotten me in a frenzy to collect sets of ATACS so I can switch my steed over.

Eggbeaters copied Time anyway with the dual bar entrance.

Isn't there a pedal in Europe that looks just like the eggbeater called the Time 4x4?
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Old 03-14-07 | 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by bonechilling
If anything, I would
argue that SPDs offer great protection than ATACs and
Eggbeaters, and increased efficiency, but they're not always
the most practical choice for city riding.
Huh?

what kind of protection is a pedal offering?

--------

I quit using SPDs in favor of eggbeaters - even though the internal resistance of the crankbrothers pedals really annoys me. They should seriously throw some good bearings in there and ditch the bushings.
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Old 03-14-07 | 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by endo shi
I ride eggbeaters and like em, but I must admit that seeing so many broken and warrantied ones has gotten me in a frenzy to collect sets of ATACS so I can switch my steed over.

Eggbeaters copied Time anyway with the dual bar entrance.

Isn't there a pedal in Europe that looks just like the eggbeater called the Time 4x4?
That's funny. the Look 4x4 is an Eggbeater pedal (not a copy, the exact pedal) on a Look axle with dual bearings. Probably the best, albeit expensive, eggbeater available (note my previous post complaining about the crankbrothers bushings).
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Old 03-14-07 | 11:58 AM
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I've tried eggbeaters (and other crank brothers variations on eggbeaters) and SPDs. The eggs are better in most ways once you get used to them. They are extremely simple and you will not pull out when sprinting. Crank Brothers has awesome customer service, and I am a loyal fan for that reason alone. I bent the spindles on a pair of eggs once and they sent me new spindles...no questions asked.
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:00 PM
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Originally Posted by garagegirl
I like eggbeaters, but for my city bike I want to try the power grips.
I got some Power Grips from Nashbar for $15 for my winter bike
and they are definitely worth every penny. I think they might be
the perfect compromise between clips and straps and clipless.
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:02 PM
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Bikes: schwinn suburban conversion with chopped risers LOLZ!

Originally Posted by JeffS
That's funny. the Look 4x4 is an Eggbeater pedal (not a copy, the exact pedal) on a Look axle with dual bearings. Probably the best, albeit expensive, eggbeater available (note my previous post complaining about the crankbrothers bushings).
Ah, Look not Time. Interesting. I saw some on a dude from Finland's Flickr page. Any idea why they're not sold here. Patent issues?
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:06 PM
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SPDs are fine, just don't use the silver cleats. I've come unclipped riding fixed once, and it was because I had the cleat set in a bad place and was flopping my foot around. I used to use the silver cleats, but switched after coming unclipped while hopping on my MTB. the silver cleats are designed to pull straight out, the black ones aren't.
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by endo shi
Ah, Look not Time. Interesting. I saw some on a dude from Finland's Flickr page. Any idea why they're not sold here. Patent issues?
They are sold here, I saw 'em in a shop locally. They're actually built on liscence from Crankbrothers, so everything is nice and legal.
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Aeroplane
Fight the rumors! SPD for LYFE.
I have different SPD pedals on all my bikes, never had any accidentally unclip.

I suspect riders with this problem don't have a 3mm allen key.

Times & Crank Bros are not adjustable, correct?
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by heliumb
I have different SPD pedals on all my bikes, never had any accidentally unclip.

I suspect riders with this problem don't have a 3mm allen key.

Times & Crank Bros are not adjustable, correct?

I have unclipped with SPDs with them really cranked down to maximum tension..yes I have a 3mm allen key. They have a greater tendency to unclip when wet. In fact I think I have only had accidental unclips when riding in the rain. I have only tried the silver cleats and can't say whether or not the black cleats will prevent unclipping.
Crank brothers pedals are not adjustable, but they are designed to tighten as you pull up on them, and there is no way to vertically pull out without literally ripping the cleat out of your shoe. I've never pulled out unintentionally with an eggbeater.
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:24 PM
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Originally Posted by octopus magic
They are sold here, I saw 'em in a shop locally. They're actually built on liscence from Crankbrothers, so everything is nice and legal.
That's what I assumed.

If anyone can get your hands on one, I'd love to know if it seems to spin freer than the eggbeater.
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Old 03-14-07 | 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by mihlbach
I have only tried the silver cleats and can't say whether or not the black cleats will prevent unclipping.
The black ones only unclip horizontally, that must have been the prob.
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Old 03-14-07 | 01:09 PM
  #39  
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I digz my Eggz. I have Eggbeater Cs on my blue bike, Eggbeater SLs on my white bike. I can vouch for never coming unclipped ever, and the cleats that are on my shoes are currently beat to ****. I'll replace them with the ones that came with my SLs, but not until they wear out. I've ridden probably 1700-2000 miles on my blue bike since July when I got my Eggbeater Cs, and they're just now starting to get a little creaky/weird and needing to be greased/rebuilt. I've ridden them in rain, snow, slush, salt, poop, landmines, and alligators and they've been awesome.
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Old 03-14-07 | 01:18 PM
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Time FTW, they are better than SPD = secure hold, durability, maintenance & work in all conditions. This makes them a better value as well.
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Old 03-14-07 | 02:51 PM
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I love my atacs as do most of my friends after their eggbeater kept consistantly loosing tension and unclipping at the most inopportune time and yes they had new cleats and everthing

one wreck in the middle of a race taking down the whole pack and the other clipped out during a skid comp raising his voice 3 octaves
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Old 03-14-07 | 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by SamHouston
Time FTW, they are better than SPD = secure hold, durability, maintenance & work in all conditions. This makes them a better value as well.
I have had my atacs full of md and grass and they still held tight
only bummer is cleat wear they wear out about every 4 months daily usage
I also wear my shoes all day long on and off the bike
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Old 03-14-07 | 03:45 PM
  #43  
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The newer Eggbeaters are nice and less problem-prone, but I ditched my old pair anyway, in favor of ATACs on the MTB and Aliums on the commuter.

I find the Crank Bros. designs are a bit inferior, at least in the long term. Somebody mentioned the bearing/bushing stickies (which ATACs have too, though, since they're mud pedals,) but either which, most two-sided pedals have two engagement springs, often four, while the four-sided Crank Bros. only have one. Which is sort of OK, but after a while, the two contact points wear down the tines, and the pedal gets all unspringy-like. Which is also sort of OK, if you don't mind rebuilding the pedals every year.

And using Eggbeaters offroad, they tend to unclip if you smack them on a rock or log, just by nature of their design.
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Old 03-14-07 | 04:14 PM
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Crank Bros CANDY's ! I use both these and Eggbeaters and the eggbeaters didn't do it for me. The small platform on Candy's really help guide your foot for a quick clip in.
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Old 03-14-07 | 04:21 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by nexus6
Crank Bros CANDY's ! I use both these and Eggbeaters and the eggbeaters didn't do it for me. The small platform on Candy's really help guide your foot for a quick clip in.
Damn right.

The candy's are awesome for anything offroad, and because they tighten over your cleat with upwards force, they are good for skidding as well (for whatever thats worth. I think its pointless personally), but most importantly hopping your wheel over obstacles off road, and the mud resistance.

Look Keos aren't bad for the road either. I've had no problems so far in 8 months of hard training/racing.
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Old 03-14-07 | 04:23 PM
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SPD's, black cleats. Double sided pedals uber alles. Next question.
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Old 03-14-07 | 08:24 PM
  #47  
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Another vote for Crank Bro Candys. It's the same as the eggbeater, but with a little bit of a platform, which is nice (and not that much extra weight, if you're worried about that). The best thing about Crank Bro pedals is that you have some float. At least more than with SPDs. I used to have SPDs and my feet would go numb after a lot of riding since you don't have much wiggle room. With the Crank Bros you can wiggle a little. In any case, my feet are comfy for long rides and don't get numb. And I have NEVER unintentionally came unclipped with them, while skidding, skipping, anything.
Also, you can get their "smarty" pedals for less money, if you are on a budget. It's the same clip-in system, but they are only slightly heavier and a lot less expensive (I saw them on sale at Performance for like $39).
** and you don't have to clean or service them, even if they get all muddy. The dirt just dries and comes out itself.
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Old 03-14-07 | 09:27 PM
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I've ridden with a variety of two-sided SPD pedal brands.

The cheaper ones did not clip out elegantly, but they never clipped out unintentionally.
I got trapped in a cheap set once during a fall.
No fun.

A very expensive and ULTRA light set of SPD pedals clipped out unintentionally twice (over a year), even though I had them adjusted to their tightest setting.
Checking out the reviews of these pedals, other people had the same experience.

I now have the new Shimano 970's, and they clip out beautifully when I want to clip out, and otherwise feel as positive and secure as anyone could want.

I have a mid-range set of Shimano pedals, SPD clipless on one side and platform on the other, on my Ice Bike.
These pedals have performed flawlessly through two brutal winters.

I think, as a system, SPD performs well.
The specific brand and model of pedal probably makes more difference than the system.

I like SPD.
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Old 03-15-07 | 07:47 AM
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I have a pair of Time Atac XS en route with FedEx right now. Truck out for delivery. Can't wait to try em out.

So, that's my vote.
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Old 03-15-07 | 10:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Retem
I have had my atacs full of md and grass and they still held tight
only bummer is cleat wear they wear out about every 4 months daily usage
I also wear my shoes all day long on and off the bike
Yeah, I love the way my ATACs perform, but cleat wear is a bit of an embuggerance.

The whole idea is that the soft brass cleats wear down and preserve the pedal's life, but I bought my pedals and cleats for £20, and then had to spend £12.50 on new cleats, making it more economic to have aluminium cleats and just buy new pedals.
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