Look pedals (keo sprint)

Hi!

I recently upgraded by pedals on my road bike. I was new to road cycling last year and had mountain bike shoes with spd pedals. This year, I decided to get a "pedal system" and chose sidi shoes (very pretty!) and Keo Sprint pedals. Well, tonight was the first time I tried them in traffic/on the street. At the first red light, I couldn't get upclipped and I almost went down. Luckily my friend was with me and she saw me struggling. She suggested that I go to a parking lot and practice some more. I was so embarrased because I ended up just riding back home with only one foot clipped in - just in case .

When I got home, I could hear the cleat making a jingling sound-- I had lost a bolt and washer from the cleat that I was trying to unclip with! I have not idea what is the ideal way to get comfortable with my new pedals. I don't even understand how tight the bolts need to be. The guy at the LBS told me something about keeping something loose for awhile. I don't know if he meant the cleat or the tension in the pedals (?)

Anyone out there with Keo sprint pedals with advice on how they got used to clipping out or how advice on the cleats themselves? I have noticed that I am able to clip out when the pedal is at the 6 o'clock position and not anywhere else on the pedal stroke.

I'm so frustrated. I am thinking of putting my old pedals back on.

Oh man, that sucks! Although I don't have the Keo Sprint, I have the Keo Elle, and to my understanding, all the pedals are comparable, the higher end ones are just lighter. And some cleats offer more float than others. I believe the red cleats offer more float than the grey ones.

If you are just starting out with these, you want the tension on the pedal to be loose. But not too loose that you will unclip without wanting to. You definitely don't want to have a loose cleat!

Did the guy at the LBS put on your cleats and pedals? And did he have you go on the trainer and find the right tension for you to clip in and out with ease? I love my Keo Elles, and I find it easier to unclip when the pedal is at the 12 o' clock position. For some reason though, a rock or screw got stuck inside my cleat on my right shoe, and I can hear it every time I pedal.

I say stick with what you feel is most comfortable to you. It does take some time to get used to these kind of pedals, but eventually, it becomes automatic.

You want your cleats to be pretty dang tight so that they don't slip when you try to unclip. But I agree with your LBS guy about backing off the pedal tension until you get used to them.

I recommend practicing on the trainer or in your backyard, at the park , etc. until you get the hang of it. Crashing on grass hurts less ;) Also, in my experience, it's easiest to unclip on the downstroke, anywhere from 12:00 to 6:00. But everybody finds their own "sweet spot" with practice....you'll get the hang of it. There's a steep learning curve at first...and then it gets much better- hang in there!

FWIW, the Keo Sprints have a higher "low" tension setting than the Keo Classics do. Kind of like ski bindings... Maybe your LBS would be willing to swap the Sprints for the Classics?

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Originally Posted by Becky

FWIW, the Keo Sprints have a higher "low" tension setting than the Keo Classics do. Kind of like ski bindings... Maybe your LBS would be willing to swap the Sprints for the Classics?

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My pedals are scratched I think. Yes, I do remember reading the tension somewhere. I think I got too much pedal, too soon! I am interesting in racing, and trying to upgrade my components as I go forward (my bike isn't fantastic, but that's another story and purchase). I think I will need to just suck it up and practice with the pedals at the lowest tension they came with.

Thanks!

I've had a cleat screw work loose. Tighten them snugly. But if it continues to be a problem, try a drop of loctite on the threads.

I also keep a couple of extra screws in my saddlebag, just in case. Even If I never need them, somebody else might.

I have the same set up as you...keo sprints (and sidi's) for both bikes. I have the tension on my pedals set as loose as they can be-That setting works great for me. Otherwise I feel like I am struggling way too hard to get out of the pedals. To help with your tension there is a diagram on the pedals that tells you which way to turn for tightening or loosening. The clips to the shoes you want as tight as possible. You don't want those to move at all. Try them a couple more times in a stationary position before going back out on the road, to see if you like the tension settings. You are already familiar with clips/pedals with your spd's, this is almost the same. (The hardest part I had to get used to was going from double sided spd's to this pedal style and my pedal kept flipping over and I had a hard time clipping in on one side. )

They're great pedals. Just practice using them out of traffic for a bit.

It sounds like you got the cleat loose, and that would make things even more difficult for some one who is just learning. Imagine trying to twist your foot out, but the cleat is moving along with your foot so it stays in the pedal. That won't work. Keep those cleats on snug!!

With those, you aren't going to pull out of the pedal by accident if they are set on the loosest tension. The screw is at the back of the pedal (there's a + and - sign and arrows). The cleat should be screwed on the shoe tightly! That could've been one reason you couldn't get out--you were twisting the cleat off the shoe instead of the cleat out of the pedal. IMO, I think that no matter how tight the tension is on those particular pedals, clipping out feels the same. What I cannot do when the tension is too tight is get clipped in! I can pretty much jump up and down on the thing and it won't engage.

If you still struggle with it after tightening down the cleats and loosening the pedal, there's always the "Keo Easy" pedals that have less tension.