Upgrade from SPD to ?

mark- What problems are you seeing with Time? Durability, or function
(problems clicking in/out, float, etc.?) BRBR

Cracked toe piece on first nearly new one. Loose spindle/clicking on the second
set of nearly new, Warranty pedal losened up almost immediately...No more
Impact for us.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

mark- I just checked roadbikereview.com, and there were some complaints about

durability of the pedals/cleats (started pulling out), and a smallish
contact area. The "pedaling on ice" part sounded like it might take
some getting used to. Would it contribute to knee or ankle problems by
allowing bad knee/ankle positions? BRBR

My experience is with Zeros(have them on both bikes) and have not had pullout
problems and the walking on ice doesn't really apply to the zero as well..some
resistence when 'floating'. As for the small platform, the three bolt adapter
that the cleat attaches to really eliminates some of the SPD-esque hot spots,
IMHO.


Float, lot or none, is not a panacea for knee/hip/foot pain. A decent bike fit
is((most times). As for Do the speedplay use any road shoe, or do they
require a special
speedplay shoe? BRBR

Mark-
Do the speedplay use any road shoe, or do they require a special
speedplay shoe? BRBR

Ant shoe with three bolt drilling, like all road pedals of today...

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

In article , Mark Heiple
writes:

My main reason for upgrading is the SPDs are a pain to click into. The
cleat & pedal are so small, I have a hard time getting in. I have to
hunt around until it finally clicks in. I usually have to pull up to
make sure I'm really clicked in. Lately, I've had a few occasions where
they have pulled out, both when climbing a hill and when my pedal stroke
gets sloppy from being tired. On the plus side, I can walk in the shoes
(about the only plus).

What kind of pedals are you using? It sounds like my experience with the Onza
HOs. So far my Shimano pedals (515 and 858) have had no such problems.

Tom Gibb

In article ,
(TBGibb) wrote:

In article , Mark Heiple
writes:

My main reason for upgrading is the SPDs are a pain to click into. The
cleat & pedal are so small, I have a hard time getting in. I have to
hunt around until it finally clicks in. I usually have to pull up to
make sure I'm really clicked in. Lately, I've had a few occasions where
they have pulled out, both when climbing a hill and when my pedal stroke
gets sloppy from being tired. On the plus side, I can walk in the shoes
(about the only plus).

What kind of pedals are you using? It sounds like my experience with the Onza
HOs. So far my Shimano pedals (515 and 858) have had no such problems.

Tom Gibb

I don't have the box any more and the name wore off, but I think they
are Rockwerks MTB pedals. When I got them, I was told they were just as
good as Shimano but cheaper.

Mark Heiple wrote in message ...

What kind of pedals are you using? It sounds like my experience with the Onza
HOs. So far my Shimano pedals (515 and 858) have had no such problems.

Tom Gibb

I don't have the box any more and the name wore off, but I think they
are Rockwerks MTB pedals. When I got them, I was told they were just as
good as Shimano but cheaper.

I think they lied. I was out on my bike that has the Shimano SPD 324s
and even though I hadn't ridden the bike in about 7 weeks, I had no
problem engaging the pedals. I still prefer the SPD-SLs that I have on
my LeMond, but if necessary I could easily live with the SPDs.
Life is Good!
Jeff

In article ,
"dookie" wrote:

be sure to check out the new shimano spd-sl pedals. essentially look
knockoffs, but better built and cheaper. i got my ultegra's for $95.

dookie



I was at the LBS yesterday looking at pedals, and I think I've narrowed
my choice down to either the Shimano SPD-SL (probably Ultegra) or the
Speedplay Zero.

All of the former Look guys at the LBS have switched to SPD-SL and like
them a lot. Entry/exit is just as easy as Look, cleats are much more
walkable - they have a rubber coating that gives some traction.

Do the pedals always hang down so you can always just step into them, or
do you find yourself flipping them over with your toe before you can
clip in? The LBS guy says he is sometimes flipping the pedal over.

The speedplays also look real nice - they sound like they have the
easiest entry/exit of all. The double sided pedal is also nice - don't
have to worry about position, just step in.

The walkability of the speedplays sound a lot worse, and also rather
maintenance intensive. From what I've read, the Zeros are a big
improvement over the X series for maintenance.

Has anyone tried glueing rubber feet on the speedplay cleats to try to
improve traction? Metal on concrete would be kind of slick...

"Per Elmsäter" wrote in message ...

It seems to me your main reasons for upgrading to a roadpedal will not be
met. As far as I understand SPD pedals are by far the easiest to click into.
They are also very easy to click out of but not by mistake. My road pedals
( SPD-SL) are much harder to get into and much harder to get out of. The
float in my SPD's is much bigger than on the -SL. If you're having problems
with yours that is probably because they are getting worn and need to be
replaced or your pedal needs to be maintained and set at the correct
tension. If you don't experience enough float that may be because you don't
have the SH-51 cleat. If you have the SH-55 cleat I understand you are
concerned because it really sucks. You don't feel if you are attached and
you can pull loose from any angle.

The reason I have roadpedals ( SPD-SL) on my roadbike is only because of the
bigger platform that gives me less pressure on my feet. Apart from that I
would prefet my SPD pedals any day, especially with my SH-M221 shoes with a
carbon sole.

I think the one of the main problems that the OP has, is that he has
some offbrand, crappy pedal. But I disagree with a couple of things.
The SH-55 doesn't suck, if you don't feel clipped in, adjust your
pedal. They have the same amount of float as the SH-51, but offer what
Shimano calls "Multi-Directional Release". I have never pulled out of
my SPD pedal, unintentionally, using SH-55s. There is a good chance
that his off brand SPD style pedal isn't even compatable with Shimano
cleats. Or he may have, and I'm not sure of this, but isn't the SH-52
a non float SPD cleat.
I have both SPD pedals, on one bike and SPD-SL on my other bike. It
may take a little longer to get used to the SPD-SL, but they are not
hard to get into or release, if adjusted properly. And with the
SM-SH11 you get 6 degrees of float, although you get 8 degrees with
the SH-55/51. I'm not sure if float is as much an issue for the OP, as
being able to mount the cleat, to the shoe, at an angle.
I have a friend who has a pair of the two-sided Shimano SPD road
pedals. Whatever model came with the '03 Giant OCR 1, I think they are
the M505. He had a lot of trouble getting into them and when he
misses, he was banging up his shins. So, I think if you have a non
platform verion of the SPD, they can be difficult for some people.
The bottom line is what works for one guy, might not work for the
next. He may be be very happy with a road pedal.
I went to a road pedal, due to to getting the hot spots with my SPDs.
I probably could of solved that with a better shoe, Another thing, my
friend uses road shoes with his SPDs and finds them treacherous. With
the Look style SM-SH11 cleat, although clumsy to walk in, they are not
slippery. Whatever the OP does, he should replace the pedals that he
has. That is just this man's opinion. Take it for what it's worth.
Life is Good!
Jeff

Mark- All of the former Look guys at the LBS have switched to SPD-SL and like

them a lot. Entry/exit is just as easy as Look, cleats are much more
walkable - they have a rubber coating that gives some traction. BRBR

This LOOK/Campagnolo user for 10 years switched to Zeros and I like them a lot.

Mark-
The walkability of the speedplays sound a lot worse, and also rather
maintenance intensive. From what I've read, the Zeros are a big
improvement over the X series for maintenance.
BRBR

The innards of the X series and the Zero are the same and neither are
maintenance intensive. Zeros are the most versatile of the pedals mentioned.
Easiest to get into, best clearance, lightest weight, including cleats...


Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

On Mon, 08 Sep 2003 20:40:33 -0400, Mark Heiple
wrote:
My bike originally came with SPD road pedals (single sided, ICON I think)
. They were also a pain to click into - same hunting around problem
tryng to find it. Plus being single sided, and not weighted in any way,
I was always flipping them over. Seemed like they were always upside
down when trying to clip in.

That's exactly the description of the Wellgo R4
pedals that came on my road bike, except that
mine were SPD-R. I have nothing to add to your
description.

I think that clipless pedals that come with a
bike, at least for road bikes, may well be
gaurunteed to be crap.

That's why I got the Rockwerks - double sided. They solved the flipping
the pedals over problem, but not the hunting around problem. I finally
got to the point where I could usually keep the hunting around to a
minimum, but still annoying.

Those must be terrible too.

It could also be the shoes.

I can tell you this: Shimano PD-M545 SPD pedals,
with Shimano I-can't-read-the-model-number
hiking style boots (with recessed cleat), fall
into place. I put them on the pedal, I ride, it
is clicked in without a though scant moments
after applying foot to pedal.

Now that the pedals and/or cleats are worn enough that I'm pulling out, I
want to try something else instead of staying with SPD.

It's worth a try. While SPD works so well for
so many, maybe it just doesn't work for you;
possibly you move your foot differently. Either
way, no sense in trying too hard with something
you're not happy with.

If nothing else works for you, you'll try SPDs
again when you're ready. If something else
works for you, you'll be very happy.

--
Rick Onanian