Speedplay Clipless Pedals
 

Did a quick search and saw no one had started a thread on these yet. Might be the wrong forum, not sure how many of you guys prefer clipless pedals, but anyhow, I am getting some new ones for my new bike. One of my friends recommended Speedplays. I was wondering if any of you own a pair or have had personal experience with these and what you thought of them.

I checked out their site and I liked what I read. I haven't had a chance to try them out myself yet though. I will likely get to ride my friend's road bike later this week though and see what I think of them.

Anyhow thanks in advance for your thoughts.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I was specifically interested in the track pedals.

Speedplay doesn't make track pedals, what model exactly are you looking at?

Speedplays are good for quick on/off the bike, they're very easy to engage but for riding fixed I would use something with adjustable tension. What I never liked about this system is that the release mechanism is located on the cleat itself and you have to lube these quite frequently to make sure they work properly. Never get mud on them or you'll never be able to clip in.

Tried and true Shimano SPDs are awesome, i run them on my fixed and my road bike and have never let me down.

Isn't there a "track" version of the zero?

Ah, they don't? My friend at the LBS pedal told me they did ... but he could be wrong. I didn't research which pedal specifically. I asked him what brand he would recommend me for my new track bike and he recommended the Speedplays.

If you have any other recommendations I am definitely open to them. I've never had a bike with clipless pedals before so I am familiar with what is important.

Mostly, I am looking to get a more powerful stroke for the velodrome. That would be my primary want out of new pedals.

I have Speedplays on my road bike and love them. Very easy to get in and out of.

I ride speedplays with a Sidi shoe and I love them. Anytime I'm going to be riding for more than a few miles, I swap out my cages/straps for them. The power transfer is definitely noticeable. Totally worth it.

OK??

1. Speedplay DOES have a track pedal. Speedplay Zero Track Special

2. He could go with Speedplay Frogs, which are the MTB version and similar to SPD.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am really not sure what to look for in a quality clipless set. I was also wondering if anyone had shoe recommendations.

Again, when it comes to clipless pedals, I know little to nothing as I have always used cages.

Which is why I asked what model he was looking to get, can't be expected to know EVERY model of pedal speedplay makes now can we?

I see the info on it now, you have to go to the zero's specifications to see that model.

Only experience with speedplay I have is the X-series and they are good pedals, just have to do maintenance on the cleats a whole lot more than with other pedals I currently use.

OP if you're using these for track purposes then they will work very well, much better than street shoes and cages as far as power transfer, if you're looking to use them for dual purposes like street riding as well then the cleats will be annoying to walk with.

I use shimano SPD with specialized mountain shoes that I can walk around in and doesn't make that clack noise like road cleats do. If I were to race my fixed though I would use a stiffer shoe like my road shoes but its totally up to you what choice you make in pedals depending on what you want to do with them.

it's common for lots of fixed gear riders to prefer mountain style clipless pedals, along with mountain shoes. Much better to walk around in, as well as easier to engage in and out of them. Yeah, you might have known that already.

But definitely any Shimano SPD style pedal and shoe. I personally like crank bros stuff. I have Candys on my fixed gear, and eggbeaters on my mountain bike.

I just looked up the price on those "Track special" pedals and they're almost $200

Honestly if this is your first set of clipless pedals I wouldn't jump into that much debt to try something out you're not sure if you're even gonna want to continue using.

get the classic's custom

http://bicycling.com/blogs/sittingin...9/04/photo.jpg

I know several of my friends have mountain bike style clipless pedals. I was only thinking track coz I plan to keep my cages for riding in the street unless I just fall in love with my clipless set. I am going to give my friend's pedals a whirl to see if I like them at all, and if I do I will invest in some. I appreciate the info on them ... I really don't know much about the different brand offerings.

I would. You can always sell them to recoup your investment.

Speedplay Frogs are an entirely different pedal system than Zero.

Don't get "Light Action". Get the Zero or the Track Specials. You will see more Speedplay pedals at the track than any other.

I just switched from Ultegra SPD-SLs to Speedplay Zero this week.

To put this into perspective, Steve Hill (National and World Champion, our most decorated local racer) puts down 1200 watts of power on Speedplay Track Zeros. Taylor Phinney just won the Men's Individual Pursuit World Championship on Speedplay Zeros.

There are others, but Speedplay Zeros are generally preffered.

The only difference between the Zero and Zero Track is in the pedal (lollipop). There is a ramp that the cleat uses to disengage from the pedal. The Track Zero has little to no ramp on it. It takes a bit more effort to unclip. Sprinters prefer this.

Carleton, thanks for your advice ... you always know what people are riding at the track. I love it. :) I am leaning toward the Speedplays just because of what people close to me have said. Which do you prefer to ride at the track?

I switched form Ultregra to Speedplay because:
- Speedplays are waaaay more adjustable. Zero to 15 degrees float. Ultegra are zero OR 6 degree with nothing in between.
- You can set the heel-in and heel-out of the float. Heel-in is set to keep you from hitting your chainstay or crank arms with your heel. Heel-out sets when the pedal disengages.
- You can add stacks of spacers to adjust for leg length discrepencies (no one's legs are exactly even).
- Those with wider hips can get pedals with longs spindles.
- Sprinters can get an adjustment plate to put the pedal almost under their to effectively take the ankle joint out of the system somehow sending more power to the pedals (a pro that's sponsored by speedplay explained this to me).
- Speedplays are double sided (not that that matters much).
- The cleat doesn't wear out as fast as SPD-SLs. The SPD-SL system is exactly like the LOOK system.
- You can add a toe clip adaptor for added security: http://www.fixedgearfever.com/module...rder=0&thold=0 Pics: http://www.fixedgearfever.com/module...ails&album=135

Speedplays are good pedals, but something you need to know to sort out the 2 main camps of pedal supporters (Look vs. Speedplay) is this;

The 2 types of pedals require completely different engagement motions. Speedplays require a downward stomp, as do most mountain pedals. Ironically, the Frogs are more similar to the Look engagement, which is more of a forward motion to hook the front of the cleat in the pedal, flipping the pedal flat for final engagement.

At first glance, the Look style engagement seems rather difficult, but in fact it is relatively easy. People get rather passionate in their defense of one vs. the other, but you will rapidly get used to the first one you choose to use. I have used Time or Look pedals for over 20 years now, and I just couldn't get used to the Speedplays on the road. Frogs I loved. This doesn't mean that Speedplays are bad pedals; they aren't. They just weren't for me.

been using speedplay frogs for a few years, much better than spd's......you won't pull out of them accidentally which when riding brakeless is important

I agree.

It's a personal preference...and preferences change. Mine have. My favorites used to be Time. Then I went to SPD-SL. Now I dig Speedplay.

I really like the adjustable tension of the Ultegra SPD-SLs, but when I lock them down hard, I wind up twisting the cleat in the shoe when I clip-out. Which means, I have to tighten down the cleat so hard that I risk stripping the threads in the shoe.

The speedplays do take a while to get used to. I read somewhere that you use a foot motion "as if you were stomping out a cigarette on the sidewalk." Oddly enough, that got me to understand the motion to get in.

time atacs! win.

plus this:

"The Zero Track Sprint Special is identical to the Zero Stainless, but has extra-stiff release tension for maximum security".

http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?f...home.zerospecs

+100000000 :love:

Jack the release tension to 3 and you will never come undone by accident.
And if you like whip skidding/skipping swap the cleats for the 17 degrees of float.

for the track, you'll want SPD-SL.
for the street, you'll want Time Atac.

I've had the zeros paired up with some sidi's on my road bike. Loved them, no complaints. Don't know how the track versions are though.