Look CX7 failure - bad design

The CX7 is Look's top of the range pedal that includes a design feature
that allows the Q-factor to be adjusted. Effectively the Q-factor is
adjusted by sliding the carbon foot plate along the spindle. The carbon
foot plate is attached to the spindle by two screws but is held in
place by a small piece of red plastic that Look calls a "crank wedge".
This small piece of red plastic is exposed on the underside of the
pedal, ideally placed so that it can be snagged by your shoe cleat. If
it breaks then the foot plate effectively slides to the outer edge of
the spindle, effectively rendering the Q-factor adjustment useless.

Look stress how they test the pedal spindle of the CX7 (their most
expensive pedal) for millions of revolutions to ensure it doesn't fail
yet they incorporate a fragile piece of plastic as a key part (if not
"the" key part) of the design !

"Rik O'Shea" wrote in message
oups.com...
The CX7 is Look's top of the range pedal that includes a design feature
that allows the Q-factor to be adjusted. Effectively the Q-factor is
adjusted by sliding the carbon foot plate along the spindle. The carbon
foot plate is attached to the spindle by two screws but is held in
place by a small piece of red plastic that Look calls a "crank wedge".
This small piece of red plastic is exposed on the underside of the
pedal, ideally placed so that it can be snagged by your shoe cleat. If
it breaks then the foot plate effectively slides to the outer edge of
the spindle, effectively rendering the Q-factor adjustment useless.

Look stress how they test the pedal spindle of the CX7 (their most
expensive pedal) for millions of revolutions to ensure it doesn't fail
yet they incorporate a fragile piece of plastic as a key part (if not
"the" key part) of the design !

Rik,

I've got a couple of sets of the CX7 and have broken or lost a couple of
those red keys. I have not noticed that the platform moves as a result...I
keep the mounting bolts tight and have had no problem.

I do agree that the keys could be better designed...

Lee