UKC

Evening / morning all,

I know this might not be quite the right forum, but I'm trying to avoid registering on yet another forum...

Just picked up a roadie for my current commute and was about to put the Keo Easy pedals on them not realising that they were, apparently, an "introduction" to clipless pedals. Having used SPDs and variations thereof for twenty years I feel that this is unnecessary for me.

Does anyone know how low the tension is set at? I was never one to have my SPD tension maxed but I didn't have them super loose either. However part of me thinks that since I'll be in and out of them quite a bit, low tension is possibly a good thing. Thoughts? Bike commuting is a bit of a new thing for me - despite being an aspiration for years.

Thanks,

Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin:
I have used them a lot. They are a great basic pedal, the tension on the pairs I've had has been fine and not too loose. It roughly compares to the medium keo blades, whatever that is supposed to be, about 16nM?). And they're really light.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

Thanks Aly.

I didn't want to put them on the bike to find that the tension was too light.

Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

In general, tension on a commute is not an issue and light is easier given how frequently you'll be stopping at lights (especially if you're in London). My regular commuter is set really light compared to my road bike which is fiercely tight.

PS SPD double sided are the way to go for commuting - easier clipping in and no wear worth speaking of on the cleats.

In reply to Robert Lavin:


It only takes a couple of minutes. I might be wrong, but I think you only need the tension to be high for flat out sprinting.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

I bought a second hand pair and found the tension to be far too light for me. Maybe for commuting it would be okay but then you are probably better with SPDs.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

If you haven't used them my strong advice would be to take them straight back to the retailer and swop them for some Shimano SPD-SLs. The quality of the Keo pedals is dismal, I tried faithfully to stick with them for three years and got fed up with the wear to the cleats and top surfaces, the wear to the walking pads on the cleats, the play that developed in the bearings and the final straw, the plastic pedal bodies actually unscrewing from the axles and dripping off mid ride. In the end I prevented this by glueing the threads with Bostik but I wrote to the UK distributor to complain about the generally poor quality and received a reply from the brand manager that said "I use them and I think they are OK".

We sent back the third set to Wiggle for a credit and exchanged them for SPD-SLs and haven't looked back since. The quality of the Shimano pedals is far superior, they are wearing well (i.e not wearing) and the platform is broader, meaning better support and safer walking to the cafe. The soft polymer walking pads are also wearing better and not pulling out. The construction is of better quality too and the clipping action identical to Keos.

Oh, and the tension can't be adjusted on the Keo Easy.

In reply to Rigid Raider:

Only saying as I find - but I've been using Keo Classics on all 3 of my bikes for getting on for 8 years. Yes - cleat wear is an issue if you walk about a lot, but probably no worse than any other plastic cleat. I've not had any reliability issues with the pedals themselves. I'm 70kg - so not too much weight / power on them. Only small issue I've had is that a creak can develop at the interface between cleat and pedal body. It was sorted by a quick squirt of WD40 on the bearing surfaces. With the exception of my TTbike all have Campag groupsets, so i've got an aesthetic problem with having shimano pedals on the bike! I'm sure it would be against 'The Rules'

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

Try furniture polish on creaking pedals (just watch out at the start as everything becomes v slippery!)

In reply to NickK123:

Bit of a thread hijack but, since I have come by a very nice pair of speedplay specific shoes, and need some pedals anyway, has anyone enjoyed Speedplay pedals?

In reply to Siward:

I used my cousins speedplays when I was on holiday in the US a few years back. The easiest pedals I've ever clipped in and out of. A word of caution. however, a mate of mine who was using speedplays took a shortcut that involved a short walk along a sandy path. Got sand stuck in the cleats. when he remounted he clipped in ok but had an embarassing moment at a junction when he tried to unclip. It took about 10 minutes sat on the grass verge plus the help of 3 clubmates to unclip his shoes from the pedals.

In reply to Siward:

Yep. I have them on all my road bikes.

Get some "Klever Kovers" for the cleats and they'll basically last forever. The pedals need greasing now and again as the bearings do seize up if you don't.