pedal questions... Crank Brothers Quattro SL or Ti

[luckeeesmom]

Hello,
I am new to road biking and just got a very lightly used Giant OCR 2 at the lbs last week. While a little wobbly at first I have caught on quickly and did a 10 mile ride on Sunday and a 6 mile ride yesterday. I am training to do a sprint triathlon in the summer and expect that I will want to convert from platform pedals to clipless.

I recently bought Specialized motodiva mb shoes because I got a great deal on them and they fit my feet really well. Since they take spd cleats I have been looking at the Crank Brothers Quattro due to the good reviews I have read and also the fact that they have a larger platform.

I am torn between getting the SL upgrading to the Ti. Online I found the SL for $88 and the Ti for $110. Does anyone on TE have experience with these pedals or is knowledgable about quality differences between the two models? Being new to biking I didn't know if pedals are a good component to splurge on or if my money is better spent on other components. Any advise is appreciated!

[Eden]

While $110 is a very good price for the Ti pedals (in fact I'd be very suprised if you can actually get them at this price.....), the only difference between those and the SL's is that the spindle is Ti rather than stainless steel, so they are a tiny bit lighter - like maybe 40grams, which is roughly 1.5oz.

[salsabike]

I am switching from Speedplay Frogs to Quattros and love the Quattros. Mine are stainless steel.

[luckeeesmom]

Yes they are a very good deal! I found them at a bike shop online out of indianapolis and they sell for 137.95 but they have a coupon code for 20% off your first order and since I'd have to buy the 2 bolt cleats ($20) for the cheaper set the titanium ones end up being slightly more.

So do you think the quattros will be ok for first time clipless pedals? I suppose everyone has to start somewhere!

[Eden]

I think they are great for first time clipless users. They are very easy to clip in and out of, and if you decide to switch to road shoes some day, the pedals will still be 100% compatible. (I use them too!)

[GeoCam]

That same bike shop sells the Quattro SL on ebay for $78, which includes shipping AND cleats!!

Yes they are a very good deal! I found them at a bike shop online out of indianapolis and they sell for 137.95 but they have a coupon code for 20% off your first order and since I'd have to buy the 2 bolt cleats ($20) for the cheaper set the titanium ones end up being slightly more.

So do you think the quattros will be ok for first time clipless pedals? I suppose everyone has to start somewhere!

[GeoCam]

The pink ones on ebay are even less - I sure wish pink matched my bike!

It doesn't say whether the included cleats are the SPD 2-hole or the road style 3-bolt type. I'm going to ask the seller that question. I am ready to get pedals and this seller offers a good price. Thanks to the OP for the tip!

[amelia05]

another satisfied quattro user here. They're easy to get into and out of, decent amount of float. The only thing I don't like about them is that occasionally I have trouble clipping in because the 4-sided clip spindle thingie is in juuust the wrong place to catch the cleat. I have to push it forward a little to get it to catch, which is not a big deal unless it happens when I'm trying to clip in at a busy intersection. Even then, the platform is big enough that you can use it like a standard platform pedal to get across and clip in after the "crisis" has passed.

I don't really have much else to add, but I second the comment about quattros coming with the 3-hole cleats but being compatible with the eggbeater/candy 2-hole cleats. The 3-hole cleat is the same metal cleat, but with a larger rubber platform around it. I like the 3-hole cleat better because it fits around the pedal and feels more secure, but I do use the smaller cleat on my mtb shoes and it works fine.

Another difference between the Ti and the SL, other than weight, is the rider weight limit. The SLs have no rider weight limit, the tech specs for the Tis say they're for riders 185 lbs or less. This may not be an issue for you, but it's the reason I'm waiting to put the Tis on my bike. 5 lbs to go!