New Pedals-Help!

[angmom]

I am thinking of trying a different set of pedals for my road bike and wanted input from anyone on their opinions of the different brands. I currently am using Speedplay but am not in love with them. I develop hot spots in my foot and also they can be extremely hard to clip out of. Any thoughts of ideas would be appreciated.Smile

[kermit]

I have look carbon Keos on my bike. They are very easy to clip in and out and the different cleat options are nice.

[Catrin]

I am thinking of trying a different set of pedals for my road bike and wanted input from anyone on their opinions of the different brands. I currently am using Speedplay but am not in love with them. I develop hot spots in my foot and also they can be extremely hard to clip out of. Any thoughts of ideas would be appreciated.Smile

What kind of Speedplay pedals are they?

[angmom]

They are Light Action. I keep them quite clean, lube them and still have lots of problems unclipping. Any advice is appreciated.

[indysteel]

I have Keos. I like them...but I often get a bad hot spot in my right big toe. Having read about a zillion threads, here and elsewhere, on hot spots, I can tell you that there's no one solution to them...or any solution for that matter. There are a lot of things that seem to be a factor: shoe width, insoles, pedaling technique, cleat placement, pedal system, and biomechanical issues, e.g, leg length discrepancy. Just to name a few.

I've tried nearly everything with no real success. I get by on wearing very thin socks and appying Tiger Balm every 20 miles or so to my big toe.

If I were you, I'd start by changing out my insoles. I use esoles, but lots of people have found success with Specialized Body Geometry insoles. Did you have a shop actually "fit" your cleats or did you use put them on yourself? If it's the latter, you might find a good fitter in your area and make sure you cleats are where they ideally should be.

[angmom]

Thanks for the tips on foot hot spots, I will give the esoles a try and see if that helps.
The cleats were installed by my local shop. If anyone has ideas as to why I'm having difficulties clipping out they would be greatly appreciated. On my backup bike I have plain SPD's and can clip in and out so easily. I've already had a few to many spills by not being able to clip out and don't want anymore. Hurts your pride and body!!

[Catrin]

I don't know how adjustable those pedals are, but perhaps they could be tweaked? I have Speedplay Frogs and have no problem clipping/unclipping...

[westtexas]

Have you considered that it isn't a pedal problem but rather one with your cleats? When I got fitted on my bike the guy changed the positioning and tightness of the cleats to my shoes and it made getting in and out of my 105s much easier.

[azfiddle]

Here's my 2 cents worth. I used a pair of older Shimano (comparable to old style Look with Delta cleats) and they were generally okay. I have used SPD's on my errand bike with no problems, but prefer the platform pedals.

I gave Time pedals a try on my new bike and spent the last 10 weeks trying to be happy with them because I could not really ever get the hang of clipping in with them, though I didn't have any problems while I was riding or getting out.

Just today, I finally went out and bought a pair of Look Keo Elle pedals and they were instantly SO much easier to snap into. I haven't actually ridden in them but what a relief to be able to clip in without a struggle.

[nscrbug]

I use Shimano Ultegra pedals on my Cannondale, and I just bought a pair of Shimano 105 pedals for $69 at Performance Bike for my back-up bike - a Trek 2100 WSD. I like the Shimano SPD-SL's because they have a wide, stable platform and I find them easy to clip in/out. And since both the Ultegra and 105's are essentially the same pedal (only a weight difference), they use the same cleats...so now I have an extra pair of brand new cleats when my current ones need to be replaced.

[Becky]

I second the speculation that there's something wrong with your cleats. Wrong position, gunk/grit in the cleats, or maybe even the wrong shims for your particular shoes. Speedplay road cleats, IME, are a bit more finicky to install. If the cleat isn't matched to the curve of the shoe's sole (using the shims), the cleat can "twist", causing the spring to bind and making it very difficult to clip or unclip.

This link shows the shims needed. A trip to the LBS for some assistance may also be a good idea.

[Kathi]

Another thought is the bike shop tightened the screws to tight. Back the screws off a quarter of a turn or maybe half a turn. Speedplay warns about this on their website. If there is dirt in the cleats you will have problems clipping in as well as clipping out. My bike fitter recomended, for SPD's and I assume other types of pedals, that you initiate the action of clipping out from your hip joint, not your ankle. I've never had to think about it that way with my Speedplays.

I've been using Superfeet Berries in my shoes but they are designed for walking so I decided to try Esoles. I took my first ride in them yesterday and really like them. I called the company for advice on what size to buy for my 37 Sidi's. They sent me a 36.5 and the insoles fit my foot and in my shoes perfectly, no trimming required. I couldn't find a dealer in this area, so I had to order online. Even though I had to pay shipping it was cheaper to order directly from the company than from other online suppliers. Shipping was very quick, I received my insoles within a couple days of ordering.

[Crankin]

I have never had an issue clipping out on my Speedplay X-2s. I third the cleat installation problem. Also, I have had issues clipping in on one side (the one I clip in and out of all of the time) and when it happens that means it's time to lube. A few tiny drops of Pedro's Ice Wax water based dry lubricant is the key.

[angmom]

I agree with you 100% in the belief that it is the cleats. My LBS actually replaced the cleats and I still had problems. It's probably me but I'm tired of feeling anxious everytime I need to clip out.
So I decided to give Look pedals a try and love them. From the first day I have never had problems clipping out! The platform also feels great and I feel more stable on them. Anyone need a pair of Speedplays!?
Thanks for everyones help and suggestions, love this forum!

[emily_in_nc]

I agree with you 100% in the belief that it is the cleats. My LBS actually replaced the cleats and I still had problems. It's probably me but I'm tired of feeling anxious everytime I need to clip out.
So I decided to give Look pedals a try and love them. From the first day I have never had problems clipping out! The platform also feels great and I feel more stable on them. Anyone need a pair of Speedplays!?
Thanks for everyones help and suggestions, love this forum!

You should definitely advertise them in the "For Sale" section of the forum as people might miss this thread. There are a lot of folks here who like Speedplays. If no luck here, try ebay. I've sold several pairs of Speedplays there (they were road models and I now use mountain pedals) for nearly what I paid for them! Plenty of demand.

Glad the Looks are working for you! A lot of folks seem to have problems clipping INTO them (not out), but if you' don't, then it's all good!