Road Pedal- Speedplay or Quattro?

[Aggie_Ama]

I am getting new road pedals and I can't decide what I want. The two that I am looking at are Speedplay Zeros and Crank Brothers Quattros. My main requirement is that they pedal have dual sided entry.

One employee at the LBS said she hated the Quattro, one told me he hated the Speedplays. Yet another employee told me he liked the Zeros but they were hardest of all Speedplays to clip in and out of. I want the Zeros for the float adjustment option.

Right now I am riding a SPD Road Pedal and it is easy to clip in but a PITA with only one side entry. I also have a really loose tension, so I don't want something difficult to clip in or out. Anyone want to share their opinions on either of these pedals?

[LBTC]

Hi, Amanda!

I have not tried Speedplays, so I can't give you a comparison, but I do have Quattros and LOVE them! I have had no difficulties with these pedals since I got them, even using a mountain bike shoe.

Are you able to try them before you buy them? Good luck!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[bike4ever]

Ask your LBS if you can try both pedals while on a trainer. Yes this will take time by the shop, but you are their customer. You need to make the decision for yourself.

[Pedal Wench]

I have Zeros and I love them. I don't have Quattros, but I do have Candy's on my mtb. I really prefer the Zeros. At first, they are harder to clip into, because the spring is tight, but within a week, they're loosened up. Also, when installing the cleats, you have to be careful not to overtighten the screws, because this will also make it harder to get into. I like them because the shape of the cleat guides your foot in. You just put your foot close to the right place and it slips right in. I guess with both, it's easy to pedal without being clipped in, like in traffic when you might need to quickly unclip.

[KnottedYet]

If you like really loose tension, easy to clip in/out, and dual-sided entry; have you considered Speedplay Frogs?

I use them on my Waterford roadie, and am very happy with them.

http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.frog

[Trekhawk]

Ask your LBS if you can try both pedals while on a trainer. Yes this will take time by the shop, but you are their customer. You need to make the decision for yourself.

Im with bikemom - if your LBS is happy to do this why not try both and decide for yourself.

PS I love my Quattros but I havent tried the others so I might like them just as much.

[emily_in_nc]

I'm one of the folks who had a h*ll of a time clipping into Speedplay Zeros. I sprung for the titanium ones (had a big coupon from Performance) and loved them once I got into them (since I didn't need or want the FULL float of the X-series pedals), but clipping in with my second foot was very, very tough, despite using them on the trainer for quite some time trying to loosen them up and having DH adjust them numerous times. He had the screws as loose as they could be and not be dangerous to use. I can't tell you how many times I had to ride 1-2 miles without being clipped in on the right. VERY annoying on group rides when I couldn't take the time to coast over and over trying to clip in!

I did some research and found out that Speedplay itself acknowledged that smaller folks (me, 5'2", 105 lbs) could have difficulties clipping in (thus the "Light Action" models were created). And a couple of LBS owners responded to my queries on another bike forum and stated that they didn't recommend Zeros for their smaller female customers as they required more torque to clip in than some gals could generate consistently. I don't know your size, but it's something to keep in mind.

My DH (155 lbs, 5'10") LOVED his Zeros and had no problems clipping in. I have no problems clipping in with Speedplay X-2s and have ridden them for years.

I ended up selling my Zeros on Ebay -- got almost what I paid for them, fortunately.

Just my two cents....

Emily

[Aggie_Ama]

Emily- I think given my size and ability to really mash on a pedal I would have the same problem.

I rode for the first time today on my mountain bike with the Candy pedals and I really like them. My LBS doesn't have the Quattros, so I am going to see if they can order them. They used to have them in stock and I want to have them put them on so the fit isn't all out of whack. I just need to go in and talk to the owner (he fitted me).

If the Quattros don't work, I will probably sell them and try the Speedplay Light Action pedals. Of course the LBS would have to order those as well.

[traveller_62]

This is a great thread for me because I'm just about to order my first set of Speedplay pedals and I was debating between X2's and Zeros. Think I'll go with X2's.

I've heard that the cleats for Speedplay cleats are relatively high maintenance. Is that the experience of the seasoned Speedplay owners out there?

-CB

[emily_in_nc]

I've heard that the cleats for Speedplay cleats are relatively high maintenance. Is that the experience of the seasoned Speedplay owners out there?

Not really. So long as you squirt them with a little White Lightning (or similar dry lube) every now and then, mine have been fine (X-series). The only time I've gotten into trouble is when I had to walk in them on dirt or sand. They do clog up, and you'll have to find a stick or squirt water in them to get the gunk out or you WON'T be able to clip in. A good solution is coffee-shop caps (cleat covers), which Performance sells. Make sure to get the ones specific to the type of cleats you have. Keep 'em in a jersey pocket and slip them on if you have to take a nature break or walk on dirt at a rest stop, and nothing can hurt your cleats.

Hope this helps!

Emily

[Running Mommy]

I have the x2's and LOVE EM!! But I like the float. Some folks don't.
All my husbands friends tease me about my "lollipop" pedals, but I don't care. I like em, they work, 'nough said!

[traveller_62]

I put in my X2 pedal order today and also got the X series cleat covers (thanks for the tip, Emily). I'm looking forward to trying out these pedals. I think my knees will appreciate the float.

I'm SO itching to get out on the road again to put in the spring base miles. I can't face too many more indoor trainer rides. Watching the Tour of California last week has contributed greatly to my itchiness.

I rode my fixed gear this weekend because the temperatures up my way in Maine warmed up to the low 30's for the first time in a long time. There is still ice on the road in places-- but it was just too nice out to stay inside.

- CB

[Pedal Wench]

Not really. So long as you squirt them with a little White Lightning (or similar dry lube) every now and then, mine have been fine (X-series). The only time I've gotten into trouble is when I had to walk in them on dirt or sand. They do clog up, and you'll have to find a stick or squirt water in them to get the gunk out or you WON'T be able to clip in. A good solution is coffee-shop caps (cleat covers), which Performance sells. Make sure to get the ones specific to the type of cleats you have. Keep 'em in a jersey pocket and slip them on if you have to take a nature break or walk on dirt at a rest stop, and nothing can hurt your cleats.

Hope this helps!

Emily

That's the main reason I prefer the Zero's. They don't have that problem with dirt and sand. Or, I should say, as bad a problem, although I still recommend the cleat covers.

The screws are a bit picky. Too tight and the cleats are harder to clip into, and too loose and they fall out.

[7rider]

Just throwin' in my $0.02 here.
I have Speedplay X2's. They have been great. The coffee shop covers are a must-have -- saves on the wear and tear on the expensive cleats and allows you to walk without sliding (too much) and picking up rocks, etc.
As for the cleats:
I was nervous about how much or how little to tighten the cleats, as I had read all sorts of horror stories on roadbikereview.com. So, I took them to my trusted mechanic, Pepper, and had him adjust them for me. I was amazed at how hard he torqued them down. He didn't treat them with kid gloves at all. Still, I haven't had any trouble snapping in or coming out of them.
I give them a squirt of dry lube every so often - I'm probably overdue right now. Overall....pretty low maintenance.
As for pedalling:
When I first started using them, they felt really strange. Out-of-the-saddle climbs were an experience. I felt like I was stepping on a melting ice cube. I felt like my legs/feet were all over the place. It took some time for me to learn what I term leg-discipline. Once I got over that, they've been awesome.
Highly recommend them.

p.s. For what it's worth, I had Candy C's on my moutainbike - same basic system as the Quattros. I took 'em off. Couldn't stand 'em. I went back to SPDs for off road. Not the same, but just goes to show you...to each her own, and sometimes you have to try different setups to find what really works for you.

[traveller_62]

As for pedalling:
When I first started using them, they felt really strange. Out-of-the-saddle climbs were an experience. I felt like I was stepping on a melting ice cube. I felt like my legs/feet were all over the place.

I've heard this as well about the Speeplays...that you feel at first like you are pedalling on ice or ball bearings. So we'll see. I'm making the change because I'm doing more endurance rides in hilly country and my knees were starting to give me problems on long rides last year. My SPD's also were causing "hot spots" on the bottom of my feet after long rides.

Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences and comments about pedals. Very helpful as usual.