Clipless Pedal Judgements

Pete

Art Harris wrote:
> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>> Speedplay Zero. Best pedal I have used. Double sided, very servicable,
>> light, great corner clearance, easy entry/exit. Adjustable float, plus
>> most adjustable cleat.
>>
>
> How are the cleats for walking?
>

The worst I've tried for walking but nice when on the bike..

Pete

rick b

Tom, Crank Bros makes a 5050 X-pedal ( http://www.crankbrothers.com/5050.php
) but these are flat and don't require cleats. Do you really mean the
Speedplay X-series?

r.v.

On Jun 16, 9:13 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> I've not used a lot of clipless systems but here's my opinion:

> Crank Bros X-pedals: These are the cheapest and simplest of the pedal
> systems I've used. They work well as long as everything is new. Strengths:
> Simplicity. Lightness. Good price. Weaknesses: The cleat wears quite
> rapidly - less than 1500 miles and you start bouncing out of the pedal. The
> wear pattern of the is such that you would easily click out if your heal
> turned inward while riding. While new they worked fine so it definitely is a
> wear problem. Supposedly they have a newer and longer lasting cleat that
> uses a different metal for the cleats. Hopefully this will fix that problem.
> Another minor problem is that the X-pedals are a bit difficult to ride
> without proper shoes. If you want to run up to the corner to mail a letter
> or ride a couple of blocks to the grocery for something you have to put on
> cycling shoes.
>
> OK - your turn to add pedals or to add or criticize my entries.

Tom Kunich

"rick b" <blue_x21@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1b786a00-ba11-4200-a391-d5d8d459b1c6@34g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> Tom, Crank Bros makes a 5050 X-pedal (
> http://www.crankbrothers.com/5050.php
> ) but these are flat and don't require cleats. Do you really mean the
> Speedplay X-series?

I was referring to their Eggbeaters.

John Thompson

On 2008-06-17, Art Harris <n2ah@hotmail.com> wrote:

> How are the cleats for walking?

That's why they wear out. I've been using the same cleats for years, but
I don't walk in my bike shoes. Just shove a pair of cheap Chinese
Tai-Chi shoes into a jersey pocket to wear if you need to walk.

Works for me.

--

John (john@os2.dhs.org)

andresmuro@aol.com

On Jun 16, 8:13*pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> I've not used a lot of clipless systems but here's my opinion:
>
> Look clipless - I've used these a great deal over 15 years. Strengths: they
> provide a nice strong connection to the bike with a clear feel when you're
> disconnected. Weaknesses: The cleats do not wear well. I get about 1000
> miles on them because every time I stop I put a foot down and that cleat
> will wear faster. Also you have to walk around toes-high using cleat covers
> otherwise you cannot stand safely on a slippery surface such as tile in the
> 7-11 as you're getting a softdrink. And strangely enough, they stopped
> making the best cleat covers. And now it also appears as if they've stopped
> making the "real" Look pedal and changed over to the Keo which is sort ofa
> 3/4 scale version of the old one. Including smaller cleats. Which are still
> made out of the same plastic.
>
> Shimano SPD - They just don't seem to provide a good connection in the one's
> I've used. I clip out all the time when I'm just riding along. Perhaps it's
> just the pedals I have. Strengths: they don't seem any better than any other
> pedal I've used. Weaknesses: even though I have an off-road shoe with deep
> soles the cleats still stick up a little above them. This makes marks on
> floors and also makes them quite slippery if you're not careful.
>
> Crank Bros X-pedals: These are the cheapest and simplest of the pedal
> systems I've used. They work well as long as everything is new. Strengths:
> Simplicity. Lightness. Good price. Weaknesses: The cleat wears quite
> rapidly - less than 1500 miles and you start bouncing out of the pedal. The
> wear pattern of the is such that you would easily click out if your heal
> turned inward while riding. While new they worked fine so it definitely is a
> wear problem. Supposedly they have a newer and longer lasting cleat that
> uses a different metal for the cleats. Hopefully this will fix that problem.
> Another minor problem is that the X-pedals are a bit difficult to ride
> without proper shoes. If you want to run up to the corner to mail a letter
> or ride a couple of blocks to the grocery for something you have to put on
> cycling shoes.
>
> OK - your turn to add pedals or to add or criticize my entries.

I used to use Look until I switch to SPD about 14 years ago. I have
had nashbar red spd pedals since they came up with them. They are
cheap and work great. I've used the same pair of Sidi MTB shoes for
both road and mtb riding since 2000. I.ve never had any problems
climbing, sprinting, pedaling hard and pulling up, which I always do
even though some people claim it doesn't work. In my MTB, I have the
tension very, very light and they don't disengage unless I want them
to. The local roadies would rather be caught dead than wearing mtb
shoes, even if they ride with spd pedals. I guess that they ability
to walk normally cramps their style.

Andres

Andres

dustoyevsky@mac.com

On Jun 23, 7:48*am, "andresm...@aol.com" <andresm...@aol.com> wrote:

> I used to use Look until I switch to SPD about 14 years ago. I have
> had nashbar red spd pedals since they came up with them. They are
> cheap and work great. I've used the same pair of Sidi MTB shoes for
> both road and mtb riding since 2000. I.ve never had any problems
> climbing, sprinting, pedaling hard and pulling up, which I always do
> even though some people claim it doesn't work. In my MTB, I have the
> tension very, very light and they don't disengage unless I want them
> to. The local roadies would rather be caught dead than wearing mtb
> shoes, even if they ride with spd pedals. *I guess that they ability
> to walk normally cramps their style.

Hmm, have you taken an actual poll, or is this last comment just a
sarcasm against "roadies"?

You know, the leg-shaving and much of the other clique-ish, "you're
one of us or not" behavior is generated from what it's like (dangerous
and a whole lot of stupid) to try to ride SAFELY in a group,
especially one that has been joined by a boneheaded outsider or two,
especially when said dumbbells _already know_ how to ride a paceline,
for instance, but refuse to, because, for instance, "nobody tells
_them_ what to do"? Or, because they "don't like roadies"? And they
get in the way and screw up the ride on purpose? Because they're angry
about being an outsider, and they're an outsider because they won't
get in the canoe and paddle?

I'm just sayin'.

A road club jersey is a red flag to some people... and that is
indicative of the mindset.

OK, the SPD's. If you could put any of the road cleats on a Dominator
in the same EZ-Instal manner as with the various Sidi road shoes, at
least where I live, Dominator use would go way, way up in road
circles. A lot of roadies are actually not so dumb (insert punchline
here), for one thing, and for another, when the 'crossers (including
local event winners and Nationals attenders) come on our Sunday
excursions (road), the Dom's/whatnot are admired. Yes, some rides make
a point of not stopping. Some rides make a point of enjoying stops,
and it's good when there are choices.

SPD might work very well for Road; personally, they have a problem
here from Spin class experience, even with substantial discount given
for the cheap and well-worn pedals (many in/out cycles) common in Spin
bikes, I haven't enjoyed the feel, while using the SH-51's, and have
no desire to try the '56's. But, I've ridden in fast (insert punchline
here) road rides where there was at least one person in SPD sandals
who got along just fine.

Personally, my compromise is the SPD-SL. Not perfect, maybe but they
work on the bike and they walk better and wear better than Look (old)
and Campy ProFit, the other two clipless I've had outdoors experience
with. --D-y

Peter Cole

dustoyevsky@mac.com wrote:

> You know, the leg-shaving and much of the other clique-ish, "you're
> one of us or not" behavior is generated from what it's like (dangerous
> and a whole lot of stupid) to try to ride SAFELY in a group,
> especially one that has been joined by a boneheaded outsider or two,
> especially when said dumbbells _already know_ how to ride a paceline,
> for instance, but refuse to, because, for instance, "nobody tells
> _them_ what to do"? Or, because they "don't like roadies"? And they
> get in the way and screw up the ride on purpose? Because they're angry
> about being an outsider, and they're an outsider because they won't
> get in the canoe and paddle?

I'd say the majority of "roadies" I ride with (pace line):

Never have ridden off-road.

Know very little about bike tech.

Have terrible bike handling skills.

Have bad pace line habits.

I don't think the "clique-ish-ness" has anything to do with safety.

I have a couple of pairs of "road" shoes, and a couple of pairs of
"road" pedals that have just collected dust for years. I bought them at
the advice of the LBS, before I knew any better. I've used dominators &
spuds for a decade now, on & off road. I don't shave my legs, either.

dustoyevsky@mac.com

On Jun 23, 2:00*pm, Peter Cole <peter_c...@verizon.net> wrote:
> dustoyev...@mac.com wrote:
> > You know, the leg-shaving and much of the other clique-ish, "you're
> > one of us or not" behavior is generated from what it's like (dangerous
> > and a whole lot of stupid) to try to ride SAFELY in a group,
> > especially one that has been joined by a boneheaded outsider or two,
> > especially when said dumbbells _already know_ how to ride a paceline,
> > for instance, but refuse to, because, for instance, "nobody tells
> > _them_ what to do"? Or, because they "don't like roadies"? And they
> > get in the way and screw up the ride on purpose? Because they're angry
> > about being an outsider, and they're an outsider because they won't
> > get in the canoe and paddle?
>
> I'd say the majority of "roadies" I ride with (pace line):
>
> Never have ridden off-road.
>
> Know very little about bike tech.
>
> Have terrible bike handling skills.
>
> Have bad pace line habits.
>
> I don't think the "clique-ish-ness" has anything to do with safety.
>
> I have a couple of pairs of "road" shoes, and a couple of pairs of
> "road" pedals that have just collected dust for years. I bought them at
> the advice of the LBS, before I knew any better. I've used dominators &
> spuds for a decade now, on & off road. I don't shave my legs, either.

Well, what can I say, it's a big world.

I used to shave my legs.

I went faster back then, too. --D-y