Switched from Keos to Frogs

Well, I finally took the plunge. After reading the thread below (and I have been considering it for some time), I switched from my Look Keo pedals to Speedplay Frogs on my road bike and I am very happy with the change. My main reason was to have more walkable shoes, but I hesitated because I didn't want to give up the stiffness of the road shoe sole for a more flexable mountain shoe.

My observations of the diferences are as follows: It didn't take any time at all to get used to them. At first, I couldn't tell if I was clipped in because there is no spring tension and a lot more float than I am used to. It is almost too easy to clip in and out, and walking with the mountain shoes (Sidi Dominators) is so comfortable and no chance of the shoe slipping out from under me when I come to a stop and put my foot down. One difference, you can't unclip by turning your heal inward, as I did with my left foot on the Keos because of a weak left ankle. However, since there is no tension on the Frogs, I had no problem turning my ankle outward to disengage. Since I have never used any other cliples system than Looks, I was used to having my feet locked in tight with very little foat. The Frogs are a plesent surprise and I am very happy I made the switch. Also, now when I look down, I am looking (for now) at a nice new, very CLEAN pair of shoes. As far as the shoes go, my other shoes were Sidi Genuis 5's and the Dominators feel exactly the same. I don't really notice any difference in the stiffness of the sole. There is just a slight sensation that the platform is smaller (which it is), but I think that is also a function of the greater amount of float which feels kind of "glassy".

I'm glad I made the switch (now I have to convince DH to do the same), and I don't care if I am "Fred" for putting mountain pedals on my carbon road frame. You have to do what works!! Hope this thread helps others who are considering various pedals.

I love my Froggies.

(and they are on a road bike. So many folks use Frogs on their road bikes nowadays that I don't think it's considered Fred anymore.)

I've been contemplating switching my pedals. I've used classic Looks for as long as I remember and I had SPDs before that. When I'd switch back from SPDs to Looks (between mtn bike and road bike) I liked the feel of the Looks better.

I've heard such glowing reports on the Frogs, I am tempted. I like the idea of not sliding on my cleats and being able to walk in my shoes.

The pedals, however, look SO tiny. I feel the same way about SPDs too. When I ride, I'll ride with one foot out of the cleat depending on what's going on. The Look pedals are large enough to do that with no problems. Can I do the same with the Frogs?

I really need to go to the LBS and check them out. I am still not sure how they work (the pedals look like nothing!), I only know that DH and I are tired of the slippery "duck walk" off the bike :D

I'm glad I made the switch (now I have to convince DH to do the same), and I don't care if I am "Fred" for putting mountain pedals on my carbon road frame. You have to do what works!! Hope this thread helps others who are considering various pedals.[/QUOTE]

+1 I love my Speedplay Frogs with my Specialized Mtn shoes and I also ride a carbon bike :)

I like that I do not have to think in advance to unclip, without the tension I can unclip right before I stop.

~ JoAnn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by teigyr

The pedals, however, look SO tiny. I feel the same way about SPDs too. When I ride, I'll ride with one foot out of the cleat depending on what's going on. The Look pedals are large enough to do that with no problems. Can I do the same with the Frogs?

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Yup. I do it all the time. The platform is about 3 fingerwidths across.
(but they are so easy to get out of that I don't pedal with my foot unclipped as much as I used to)

Knott, did you get your monthly check from Speedplay yet?;)

I'm still waiting.... :D

Teigyr - Frogs work kind of like a jar and a lid.

The pedal is the jar, and the cleat is the lid.

To get out of them you "unscrew" the lid by moving your heel outward. No tension, no moving parts.

The nifty thing is if you start to fall you will instinctively push your foot toward the ground, which "unscrews" the cleat and you are free!

If you can get someone to show you how they work, it will make more sense than my description. Wanna ride this weekend, and I'll show you?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zencentury

Knott, did you get your monthly check from Speedplay yet?;)

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Yep, monthly Frogs and Wool commission. :D :p :)

Teigyr, I had all the same concerns you have, and I didn't want to put out a whole lot of money for shoes and pedals without knowing if I would like them, or if I would be giving up too much of the advantages of Looks - platform size, stiffer sole of the road shoe, etc. However, I must say that I am very happy with the switch to Frogs. My feet feel "freer"; not so locked in. At first, I felt like the platform was kind of small, but I think this was more the fact that there is more float than I was used to. After I had been riding for about 5 minutes, I really forgot about about all that, and didn't really notice any difference in the platform size or the fact that I was wearing mountain shoes. I felt like I had the same amount of force on the pedals; could pull up on the pedals, stand when climbing, etc. The best part is being able to step off the bike without sliding on the cleat, especially on a downhill slope. I don't think you would be disappointed if you made the switch. Before clipless pedals, I used to ride with toeclips and metal cleats (old style road shoes) with no float at all so my feet were really locked in. Look Keos have a fairly tight spring also and I was so used to that that now, I really feel "liberated" with the Frog pedals.

the nice man at the bike shop said that the Sidi dominators and Genius are the same shoe with basically a cleat tread and the other without.

Thank you :D

The jar and lid description makes perfect sense. What sways me more than anything are all the testimonials, checks nonwithstanding. I really like the Looks but alas, there are flaws.

Knot, PM is on its way :)

p.s. I might be confused...Speedplay is Frog. But are Frogs Speedplay? I'm seeing Speedplay pedals with no mention of Frog. And are all the pedals the same with the exception of weight and material?

Speedplay is the brand. They make lots of different kinds of pedal. Even flats!

Frog is one of their models. It started life as a mtb pedal, but so many people put it on their road bikes that it's really not in any category anymore.

www.speedplay.com