UKC

Hi All,

I've bitten the bullet, bought a better bike and upgrading from toe clips to a full clipless system. Next season I'll be concentrating on road cycling more than climbing etc so think making the move is worthwhile(?)

would you recommend SPD or SPD-SL (I wont be doing any walking on them), just purely based on performance?

Also, should i get a cleat with a float?

Any help/advice/recommendations would be great!

GB

In reply to GingerBread22:
I found mtb spd to be awkward but spd sl better, the cleat is raised away from the sole so changes the geometry quite a lot.

In reply to GingerBread22:

rather than spd why not get some keo's

In reply to GingerBread22:

SPD-SL are for pure road cycling. SPD's are for MTB , leisure and touring and are good where there is ever any walking involved.

The stock cleat which you get when you buy SPD-SL pedals are the yellow ones which have about 6° of float. The red ones have no float - you shouldn't need these.

E

In reply to GingerBread22:

If you're new to cleats then SPDs are fine on a road bike as they're double sided and easier to get in and out of. If you want the best of both worlds get SpeedPlays, but they are expensive!

In reply to GingerBread22:

Another vote for Look Keo's -- I've got then on both my bikes so there is no issue over shoe compatibility.

In reply to GingerBread22:


I have both on different bikes, and I must say it's hard to notice a big difference in performance between them, but I suspect it's one of those marginal gains things where perhaps SPD-SLs give you 1 or 2% better efficiency and that sounds nothing. But for example, on this ride http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.fi/2012/06/big-ride-kangasala-vantaa-190-... I worked out I must have turned the pedals 30,400 times, so a few percentage difference there is really a difference!

The second VERY important thing is that road pedals on a road bike look right! You will ride FAR better if you look the part.

The float is on the yellow SDP SL cleats is excellent. I got knee problems from my old Miche pedals, just swapping to the pretty cheap and basic SPD sls solved that for me, I think simply because of the float.

Do not estimate how crap SPD-SL cleats are for walking anywhere in though! Want to stop at shop halfway round your ride for a mars bar? Be careful! Think ice skating. So for any type of touring or biking to somewhere to visit etc. SPDs are much better. Had to push my mountainbike for miles through unrideable forest whilst bikepacking at the weekend, and in my Mountainbike shoes it was only very frustrating and hard, rather than an utter nightmare.

In reply to TobyA: I do notice quite a big improvement in comfort and power application with my spd-sls compared to the spds on my commuter, however I expect that may be more down to the shoes than the pedals.

Though I still don't feel quite as secure on my cross bike with spds on. For purely road, I would now stick to SLs

In reply to GingerBread22:

I also have both. I find I can pull my feet out of the spds when I get out of the saddle and attack up hills. This does not happen with the sls. The spds are easier to setup and have more float, or it feels like it.

A final thing I think the sl pedal system is bombproof and dura ace is still cheaper than the top spec of other pedals systems. I looked at getting uber light of the other types and they were both more expensive and more prone to various failures. I decided that for the riding I do this small weight saving was not worth the extra price and lower durability.

I do love the look and design of those zero pedals though.

Good luck.

Toby

In reply to GingerBread22: Thanks for all the responses/advice guys! Looks like i'll be going with SL's- From what's been said, I think i'd need a float due to a right knee problem(?)- I ruptured my ACL, twice. 6 degree float seems pretty standard?

So guys, tell me, how much improvement should I see from toe clips to clipless system?

GB

In reply to GingerBread22:

Depends on your pedal technique, but a good analogy is if you pedal like you're scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe you won't go too far wrong. Enjoy!

In reply to GingerBread22: As people have mentioned, Look pedals seem decent- cheaper, lighter and come with cleats, for example:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exustar-Look-Compatible-Racing-Pedals/dp/B005Q5KTDC...

Is there a reason I'd by SPD-SLs for more money over Look pedals?

In reply to GingerBread22: You can get pd-r-540s (bottom end sl pedals) for about the same price as bottom end Look Keos. Both should come with a set of cleats.

One thing, although you state you don't intend to walk in them, it may be worth getting covers for the Keos. My other half uses them and found just the cafe stop wanders damaged the front of the cleat so it wouldn't engage properly. They're easy to replace, but a faff if on the road. SL cleats have little protrusions that wear, rather than the engaging surfaces, so this is less of an issue.

In reply to GingerBread22:


Do they? I've never noticed much difference.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=86167

or

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=50512&utm_source...

One plus point - The 105's the pedal body plate is replaceable. Once the Keo's are worn that's it.
In fact my Dura Ace pedals came with replacement plates.

E

In reply to GingerBread22: Thanks,

It's a little confusing, these look great and it says cleats included: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exustar-Look-Compatible-Racing-Pedals/dp/B005Q5KTDC...

On the links Enty posted, it doesn't mention cleats- do all pedals come with cleats as standard or?

In reply to GingerBread22:

I had some Exus old style Look copies for years, only replaced them last year because the rear clip had become worn. They had a metal body & were a bit heavy compared with the Keo's I've replaced them with.

Plus for the ones you link to over the entry level Keos is that they have tension adjustment.

Look & Shimano SLs come with cleats; grey 4.5 degree float for Look & yellow 6 degree for Shimano

In reply to GingerBread22:
>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exustar-Look-Compatible-Racing-Pedals/dp/B005Q5KTDC...

They look worth a punt for 23 quid mate.

E

In reply to Hat Dude: Thanks for the advice and past experiences.

Enty: Thanks for the advice and thoughts; I think they're worth a punt too, like you say, they're only £23 with cleats so it'll be an okay set up to get me used to clips. For that price, I can always switch to a better set in a few months once I'm used to them.

GB