I’m old as dirt. My first two race bikes employed toe clips and toe straps and that set-up was bad. For many reasons it was bad and any retro-hipster who thinks otherwise is wrong. When Lemond and Hinault started racing on the white Look clipless pedals, everyone but Sean Kelly quickly switched. Talk about a quantum improvement, it was long overdue change. Look made improvements to their models, like the notion of float, and other manufactures jumped in. The new paradigm was a cleat on the pedal, like the original quill pedal system but with a spring loaded snap-in, twist-out pedal. Everyone was happy.
Everyone is happy until you have to replace a worn out plastic cleat. Did I walk a lot in my cycling shoes? Did all liquor stores have rough cement floors with giant moving sanding belts in front of the cash registers? I don’t remember that but I do remember replacing cleats too often and the duplication of cleat position was tedious. I could live with that, practice makes perfect but it was the creaking that drove me to madness. No amount of wax could stop the occasional creaking the cleat and pedals would make while climbing. Rule #65 was being violated before it was a Rule.
Wiser friends had already switched to Speedplay pedals. I was a little wary; they looked weird. One day into using them I understood: total frictionless float, two-sided entry, mindless pedal release. There is no cleat alignment issue as the pedal has no fixed position in the cleat. I was overcome with regret. Why had I waited so long? Why did I stick with creaking Look French pedals? Life is too short for such rubbish and I wasted too much of my cycling life with them. I’ve been using the X-series stainless steel pedals and the original pair was happily going on eighteen-plus years until I replaced the pedal needle bearings and bodies…I don’t want to talk about it. If you employ the good aftermarket cleat covers, and use a little white lightning teflon on the cleat spring bales, the cleats can last a few years. The pedal bodies have grease injector ports. Inject, wipe clean and that is the maintenance routine, easy and fun.
I’ve never used another model of Speedplay so I can’t speak to the advantage of limited float. When riding my right foot does a weird swing out toward the bottom of each stroke. To my mind that is a good thing, the float allows my leg to do that, without that maybe some extra knee wear would occur.
Frank and I have discussed the great pedal switch and his major obstacle to switching pedals is having to switch the whole n+1 stable over and that is not cheap. For Frank and VHM that stable may be five bikes. That’s a lot of pedals. Inertia. Commitment. It’s a big problem. Or one takes Marko’s approach: different shoes for each bike.
I have brand loyalties but if another cycling product is superior in form and function I hope I will see that and move on. Campagnolo gruppos and Chris King headsets are two brands on my bikes that I don’t see moving away from but I would ditch either of those before I would stop using Speedplay pedals. I’m that convinced.
This film is from Peloton’s website. It’s an interesting look at some American cycling manufacturing including Speedplay.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@Gianni stay tuned for the next Lombardia on the 29th of September, I think that on the Muro di Sormano we'll see a lot of walkers!
@the Engine I've become obsessed with the Principle of Silence. The noise I finally traced to the pedals was very, very slight, and I only got to it by process of elimination. Even destroyed a BB cup using the wrong tool taking them off to regrease and reset. It was clearly in the crank, but maddening.
I just got new Sidis with new SP cleats. The former was purely a vanity item, as my old shoes are still fine. I've given some thought to going with the Titanium Speedplays, but alas, they have a max rider weight limit that I exceed. Have dallied with a Ti stem as well, but Seven wants $500 for one - yikes! But choosing SPs has been easy. Love 'em.
@the Engine Out tonight and have a big clunk coming every rev under load from the BB area. Will head to the LBS tomorrow - I need a new chain and shoes anyway (Giro's its gonna be). Can't work out whether the BB needs grease - unlikely at 3,500 or so k's or the SP's need a shot of lube. Hopefully an easy fix.
I was having BB30 issues. Clunks, clicks etc. Took the cranks off, regreased everything then bought a torque wrench. I thought it was tight enough but I was way under what it should have been - 50NM. It was a bit scary torquing something up that high, but everything is now just fine and . . . quiet. Alas, I now have torque wrench I'll only use for one job, but at least I know I'm doing things right. I have another, lower calibrated torque wrench for all the other smaller bolts etc. Worth a shot.
@Gianni, thanks for the tip about the white lightning teflon. How often do you apply it to the cleats? I have been using chain lube on the cleats. The only issue I have had with the pedals is that they do become noticeably difficult to click into if I do not lube the cleats every 2 or 3 rides. Does the teflon last longer?
@wiscot
My best guess is that it's the BB - the monsoon has got in to it somehow - I'll go to the LBS as I'm now a complete bufoon with tools.
Back in the day I could strip my Raleigh to its basic components in a freezing garage - but I was 14 and knew no better.
And nothing was made of carbone.
And there were no Allen keys.
Or QR's either.
@Duende
SP recommends using the teflon. I just bought a can of the spray and spray both cleat springs liberally before every ride. I'd avoid chain lube as it tends to pick up bits of dirt and whatnot easier in my experience.
been a speedplay convert since 2005. Only problem I have is if I need to dismount (to pee- I am a girl remember) and there is any mud/dirt/sandy soil etc it clogs up the cleats...I am the rare speedplay wearer here in Belgium
@Gianni with you all the way . My attraction to Speedplay started when Tyler used them (in his Hard Man from Marblehead Days, prior to his Monkey Blood Doping Denial Days). Anyhoo, I loaded in and save for about the first few tries to click in (they are different to begin with) have NEVER looked back. They hold my shoe so much better than any other system I have used.
@Cyclops
I hear what you are saying on the need for LOOK pedals with a LOOK frame. However I now run Speedplays and LOOK. The world didn't end, but not long after I started this combo, an Australian won the Tour de France - so not far off. As for your call on Colnago and Shimano? They go together OK. My picture of Freire rocking a rainbow Mapei kit, Colnago C50 and Dura-Ace isnt uploading, so this will have to suffice.
Try Speedplays - for more than a few minutes. With the power you obviously generate in your sprints (as your photos attest), you need a solid power transfer...
@Pedale.Forchetta
I hope you will be there with camera and press pass. Maybe it's time for Fabian to book end his season with another Classic. The Muro di Somano, I can't wait.
And by the way, if anyone is looking for a fairly rare, barely used (like new) set of Speedplay stainless pedals that come with a slightly narrower q-factor than the standard issue (courtesy of a bike fit that ended up not being the answer for me), they are available - free to a good home.
Let me know here - or go through one of the Keepers...