So here I am again, your one of a kind newbie. Today i went again to the local LBS to see what pedals they had since my SPD pedals were all rusted up (apparently, i didn't notice). Talked to the bike guy again and 8 minutes later, i had all sorts of question marks in my face.

He recommended Look pedals to me comapred to SPD and its variations and speedplay. Upon reaching home, I go online to read the FAQs about pedals. Look and SPD were mentioned.

My quiestion is what would you guys recommend as midrange pedals for a soon to be triathlete? Price is not that important but I absolutely refuse to shell out 200 for pedals. I mean when i was a kid i was content with thios plastic ones with orange reflectors. Durability and performance are my top requirements as I don't want to shell out more money for pedals.

Bike is a softride with ultegra 9 speed

EDIT: Here's my current pedals. I'm an absolute noob when it comes to pedals and the local bike guy told me it was an SPD pedal. But another qustion then is: Are they just SPD or are they SPD -SL or other variations of SPD.

And... do you think I should replace them? I got these poedals included in the softride i bought from a neighbor...

http://img169.echo.cx/img169/4836/dsc000906qa.jpg

There are a number of options. I have had three different brands of pedals, Speedplay, Look and SPD-R. They all worked well. I liked the ease of entry, exit and float of the Speedplays, but I had issues with cleats wearing out. I over pronate and the cleat plates would wear through every 2500 miles and replacement cleats are expensive. If I the cleats on the Speedplays lasted longer, I would still be using them. I think the cleat wear I experienced is rare since most comments I read regarding Speedplays is very positive.

I am currently using Ultegra pedals and they work well. However, they are not as easy to get in and out of as the Speedplays.

There are a number of options. I have had three different brands of pedals, Speedplay, Look and SPD-R. They all worked well. I liked the ease of entry, exit and float of the Speedplays, but I had issues with cleats wearing out. I over pronate and the cleat plates would wear through every 2500 miles and replacement cleats are expensive. If I the cleats on the Speedplays lasted longer, I would still be using them. I think the cleat wear I experienced is rare since most comments I read regarding Speedplays is very positive.

I am currently using Ultegra pedals and they work well. However, they are not as easy to get in and out of as the Speedplays.

so what are you using now? I am looking at craigslist and a couple of speedplays look really awesome. Wait when you say replace the cleats, do you mean the shoes? I overpronate too

I have used all the mentioned brands and a few others, and have found the the Speedplay's are the best. They offer the most unrestricted float, plus they are easy to get in and out. The cleats are expensive, but I've had mine for three years and they are fine. Plus if you are looking at weight, they are the lightest for the money. By the cleats wearing out, it doesn't mean the shoes. The cleat on a Speedplay is bolted to the bottom of the shoe. The cleat itself has springs and such inside that wear out eventually. Hope this helped.

I also use Speedplays, and I like 'em. Look at the Review page, and you'll see that most people agree, but they are not without issues. Some folks don't like a lot of frictionless float (I use the Zeros, which have adjustable float which you can dial out if you want no float at all). Also, because the spring mechanism is in the cleat (thing bolted to your shoe) rather than the pedal as with most brands, it's more prone to getting gunked up if you walk around in them. The cleat is also larger and harder to walk in than most.
Those are the complaints; for the positives, I love that they're double sided (no looking down to clip in), love the float, like the bearings, like the adjustability, and plan to keep using them for the forseeable future.
As for pronation, I'm not sure that it's physically posssible to pronate on a bike; pronation refers to the inward (toward the arch) roll of your foot between heelstrike and toe-off when running and walking; overpronaters roll in too much, and often need to buy shoes with firm arch and medial side support. If you tend to pedal with your foot rolled one way or another, you might consider custom footbeds. I will say that Speedplay pedals don't have the widest pedal-cleat contact area, so they might not be the most stable side-to-side.

The speedplay pedal platform is very small and my foot tends to roll to the outside. Meaning I have more force on the outside of the foot. I don't know if that is over or under pronating. Anyway, that puts more stress on the inside cleat plate and it wears fast, 2500 miles. I tries lubing the cleat every week, but that did not help. I tried moving the cleat as far to the outside of my shoe, but that didn't help.

I agree the pedals are fantastic for someone that doesn't experience cleat wear in 2500 miles. I loved the no look entry, the float and the ease of exit.

Try Ritchey Road Logics out. I have ~15,000 miles on this pair and I like them. They can be adjusted as far as tension etc and go well with SPD-R.

I do not like the idea of too much float as my knees are gone, but hey, do what you like.

The speedplay pedal platform is very small and my foot tends to roll to the outside. Meaning I have more force on the outside of the foot. I don't know if that is over or under pronating. Anyway, that puts more stress on the inside cleat plate and it wears fast, 2500 miles. I tries lubing the cleat every week, but that did not help. I tried moving the cleat as far to the outside of my shoe, but that didn't help.

I agree the pedals are fantastic for someone that doesn't experience cleat wear in 2500 miles. I loved the no look entry, the float and the ease of exit.

Just FYI, the cleat plates that you refer to are identical right and left, so you could swap them around after 2500 miles and (presumably) get some more use out of them.

Im riding the Shimanos, I have DA on my good bike and the ultegra on my other and like them. They are light, and relatively durable for their weight. However, the Ultegras have developed an axle squeak in the last week. IT was corrected by some lube.

I ride with lots of guys with speedplays, and have but only a bystander view and say that they are problematic. Not always, but I've seen two catestrophic failure of the speedplays since last seadon, and someone got some new zeros, as they seemed to be the same size and shape as their x-1s... .so they slapped on the new pedals, but the cleats didnt match. Then, there also seem to be more screws in the setup to the shoe, so if you dont tighten things more often than not, you MIGHT find them working lose. But honestly out of our group of racers... If there is a pedal issue... its typically with a speedplay. However, they are STUPID LIGHT... but funny thing is that the cleat is huge and seems heavy realtive to its competition. Im wondering if they count that in the weight of the pedal. Either way. I think that probably 11 or 12 out of the core group of 25 I ride with have the speedplays. So, I cant say the problem is prolific, but it is noticible.

The most popular pedal this year... or at least the one Im seeing people convert to is the LOOK Keo. It was unfortunate that the Look pedals got so squeaky over the last few years, with the red OR the black cleats and so they had all but disappeared, except for the Cx-6s which cost an arm and a leg. However, 4 of the guys in our group went to the Keos and have been racing them pretty hard and love them... however, once again still a tad high in price.

Price for performance, though... for $140s go for the Shimano Ultegra. Light, good balance and suprisingly durable.

Speedplay:

First of all, in the interest of full disclosure, I use Speedplays. I switched from looks many years ago & never looked back.

Pluses:
1.) Dual sided entry, very easy clip in and out.
2.) Light.
3.) Can get unlimited float. Some people don't like this but after a few rides you don't notice it. Very knee friendly.
4.) Can get limited float (zero's) if that's what you want.

Minuses:
1.) Springs can get clogged if you walk on mud. I use the coffee house covers and have no problem
2.) Shoe installation. Many people have problems with screws working loose. I use locktite blue and have never had this problem
3.) Float. Some people hate the float.

Look:

Pluses:
1.) Readily available
2.) Many different price points and types.
3.) Compatible with all shoes

Minuses
1.) The dreaded Look Squeak. If you are on a ride and hear a squak, it will be someone with Looks.
2.) Hard to walk on without covers.
3.) Higher stack height than most other pedals
4.) Limited float

New Shimano D/A & Ultegra

Basically, My sense is that the new shimano is Looks without the Look problems. If I didn't have 4 bikes already decked out in Speedplay, I'd try these.

SPD

Plus:
1.) available ecerywhere
2.) Compatible with all shoes
3.) Can use with mountain shoes if you do a lot of walking (touring).

Minuses:

1.) Small cleat shoe inteface
2.) Clip in and out is not as easy as some.

Never used Time's, or others.

Len

The speedplay pedal platform is very small and my foot tends to roll to the outside. Meaning I have more force on the outside of the foot. I don't know if that is over or under pronating. Anyway, that puts more stress on the inside cleat plate and it wears fast, 2500 miles.

Rolling to the outside is supinating/under-pronating.

Just FYI, the cleat plates that you refer to are identical right and left, so you could swap them around after 2500 miles and (presumably) get some more use out of them.


Thank you sir! This should go on the tips thread!

I've used Wellgo and Shimano SPD's, Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL and Speedplay X5. I love the Speedplay and have no plans to ever try another brand.

BTW, I've raced in many Olympic distance triathlons and 1 Half Ironman. They are a blast! Tip: Learn a few kick-boxing moves to help you get through the swim starts. You'll soon learn what Im talking about. ;)

1) Zero cleats and X-series cleats (classic speedplays) are totally, totally incompatible, even though they look almost the same. It's not like Shimano MTB SPDs and knock-offs where they sorta work.

2) Speedplay cleats ARE heavier than look / time / SPD-L cleats, and they do NOT count them into the pedal weight. However, the total weight of most speedplay systems is still lighter than most look systems, though not by a ton. The Zero cleats weigh in at 100 grams, plus 200 for the pedals. Look pedals weigh about 350 grams for the pedals, 50 for the cleats. (All numbers approximate)

3) The vulnerability to muck and crap is absolutely true. I stepped in mud once on dry-looking grass at the midpoint of a ride, and I had to spend 15 minutes at the side of the road cleaning my cleat for it to work AT ALL. It's especially bad because gunk can make it hard to get in, but HARDER to get OUT. I had a scare moment or two. They work great if you keep them clean, though.

4) You will absolutely love not having to spend 1-3 seconds flipping your pedals about after each stoplight.

5) WALKING in speedplay cleats is just no fun at all, but you can cover them and they won't wear (as opposed to walking in look cleats, which isn't so bad, but you'll need new cleats the next day.)

6) Speedplay cleats are also a little funky to mount. You can overtighten the screws and have a tough time engaging the pedal.

7) I've never had any failures, problems, or had to replace cleats in about 3,500 miles so far. I have heard, though, that the Titanium axles aren't a good idea, and someone even told me that most pros who use speedplays actually opt for the stainless axles because of flexiness.

8) The float of Zeroes is different from X's -- it is 'totally free' to a point, then it is spring resisted. If you don't like the X-style of nothing-nothing-nothing-unclipped, try an X.

9) It's almost impossible to have a disastrous unclipping in Speedplays, because even if you somehow mistakenly disengage the system, the "O" cleat is still over the "*" pedal, and pressure will just make it re-engage, as opposed to slide off. You'd have to do something VERY strange during a sprint to get them to come off.

10) If you wear down the aluminum plates on the bottom of your cleat walking in them, that doesn't affect the mechanism. But, still. Buy the coffee shop covers. They are $10, make your life much easier, and new cleats can run up to $40. That's as much as a set of cheap look knock-off pedals!

Those are the older model shimano and take off stuff.... The SPD-R stuff I found to be unreliable and suspect for phantom clickouts, especially when climbing... and when you really need to get out like at a stopsign, they wouldnt... so... if you are going to do SPD anything, go with the SPD-SLs. Much better design and function. Trust me.

Try Ritchey Road Logics out. I have ~15,000 miles on this pair and I like them. They can be adjusted as far as tension etc and go well with SPD-R.

I do not like the idea of too much float as my knees are gone, but hey, do what you like.
Have an early version of these...hard to get into and out of and small contact patch. Decent bearings though. Plusses are that you can use a SPD cleat or the Ritchey one.

Now I have 2 pairs of Campy pedals...kind of like Look, but not quite. I llike em a lot. Cleats do wear, but no more so than the Looks.

I think alot of it is design. Yes, all systems are problematic depending on what you bought and if you dont adjust tension or clean your pedals. I have found that regular maintenance pretty much eliminates the issues you mention

I have no idea why folks like Speedplays. My OPINION on Speedplay is they break too much, their cleats are very prone to getting trashed, and who wants a shoe you cant walk in for more than 30 feet without trashing cleats. Then oh yeah, they cost too much. Seems like a waste, IMO. As to float, alot of things float, it does not mean they are all good things to use on a bike......
I agree...plus I could never find them on sale...they are like Oakley sunglasses with the price fixing. That said...I've heard they are highly recommended for those suffering from patella tracking problems or knee problems in general because of the massive float.

Those are the older model shimano and take off stuff.... The SPD-R stuff I found to be unreliable and suspect for phantom clickouts, especially when climbing... and when you really need to get out like at a stopsign, they wouldnt... so... if you are going to do SPD anything, go with the SPD-SLs. Much better design and function. Trust me.

I think alot of it is design. Yes, all systems are problematic depending on what you bought and if you dont adjust tension or clean your pedals. I have found that regular maintenance pretty much eliminates the issues you mention

I have no idea why folks like Speedplays. My OPINION on Speedplay is they break too much, their cleats are very prone to getting trashed, and who wants a shoe you cant walk in for more than 30 feet without trashing cleats. Then oh yeah, they cost too much. Seems like a waste, IMO. As to float, alot of things float, it does not mean they are all good things to use on a bike......

I have LOOK PP357s. That's all I've ever ridden, but I'm happy with them. It's not too bad to get into, great to get out of. Never had any problems with them, I always feel secure. The price was right.
They do squeak a bit, but it doesn't bother me at all. I just wipe down the platform and cleat with a rag and they're good to go.

That said, I'm curious about Speedplay. I'd like to try some and see what all the fuss is about. I know a lot of people riding them and they're all very happy/

I cannot imagine riding anything but Speedplay pedals.

- I've had no issue with Cleats (close to 6k miles on current set)
- I've had no issues with float (it's one of the reasons I like speedplays)
- I've had no squeaks
- I've had no hotspots
- I've had no breakage
- I don't care that I can't walk extremely far in my cycling shoes, I use them for riding. ( I wouldn't walk real far in any cycling shoe with cleats for that matter).

I ride X-2 model - Stainless Steel nice bearings.

I take care of my equipment. Pedals get lubed each season. Cleats get a drop of lube every 200-300 miles. My cleats have lasted so long that I have two extra sets.

As for cost, they are not deeply discounted. But, it's a one time purchase that can move with you from bike-to-bike. Cleats can move from shoe-to-shoe. I now have three pair of X-2's as it saves moving pedals around each time I want to ride a different bike. I bought one set new and then kept my eye out for deals on used pairs. I paid about $100 each for my other two sets and, for various reasons, they were like new. You have to be patient for deals on Speedplays .... the demand is there because people like them.

Just FYI, the cleat plates that you refer to are identical right and left, so you could swap them around after 2500 miles and (presumably) get some more use out of them.

Speedplay does not recommend this.

Also, this guy specified that he is heading down the dark path of triathlons. So, unless he plans on leaving his shoes clipped in and getting into the shoes when he starts pedaling, Speedplay is not ideal... keep in mind that you'll be running (albiet a short distance) close to 100 meters (or slightly longer) in those cleats.

So, if you plan on leaving your shoes clipped in (not really ideal depending on your shoe), then the pedal is not an issue, and Speedplay is probably the way to go. If you don't plan on leaving the shoes clipped in, then look or time have a better surface, otherwise you are basically running on pavement with a metal sole (SPD, Speedplay, or Crank Bros).

Well I had some questions about my goals and whether what I'm thinking of would be advisable. Let me preface this with I know very little about "real" bikes. I bought 2003 allez elite (it is 18 speeds so that is a triple correct?) last year late in season and didn't have much time to ride. (I'd always wanted a nice road bike, and I had a little extra cash. Was going to get the cheapest one I could find, but a LBS had a good deal on this from what I could tell)

1st. Budget. I'm a student and on a pretty tight budget. I noticed my brakes are scratching the rims like mentioned in some of the reviews on here so that is going to need to be replaced as well.
2nd. Right now I'm mainly using it to commute about 8-10 miles each way and some riding for fun when I'm not commuting, but I bought it with the intention of doing a triatholon at some point. I'm really enjoying the riding so far so I may just focus on it though. Right now I have on plastic cheap pedals that they tossed in when i bought it cause I knew nothing about pedals and wanted to do some research. I've been dredging through some posts about pedals and shoes on here and here are some thoughts I've had.

I've never used these before and since I may use this for some more casual riding from time to time. I was looking at the Eggbeaters Candy C pedals. They are cheap and from some of the opinions I've read on here other than them being looked down on by some road bikers they seemed pretty good to me (and bright yellow at every shop I've looked for them at). They are cheap, have a platform if I don't want to where bike shoes or have trouble clipping in. (since I'm still new to all this).

**Slightly off topic if you could PM me this so as to not throw the post off topic everyone would be happy, but I thought I'd go ahead and include it here rather than make a new post. Shoes. I'm leaning towards mountain bike shoes. Granted I haven't really done much walking when I'm riding (Just into the building where I'm commuting.) I'd like to think I could walk around some if needed. A lot of people seemed to like the Sidi Dominators, but they might be out of my price range right now. So I could use some suggestions for either more walkable road shoes or what some good mountain bike shoe recs might be. I'm not opposed to road shoes just a little weary without talking to some knowledgeable people.

I'm really totally lost with all this. And if certain shoes won't fit certain cleats. etc.

dude no worries. im also open to suggestions regarding shoes and pedals. feel free to hijack my thread. and im not being sarcastic

bump for an answer to my q

This is a personal thing. Some people would say if they still work just keep using them.

Personally, I take EXTREMELY good care of my equipment. First, if those pedals were mine there would never be any rust and they would always be clean. Second, I would have tossed those pedals a long time ago.

The bike I rode in the early 80s has pedals that look like new compared to those (yep ... I still have it and even ride it once a year or so <grin>)

Again ... it's a personal thing. You might be fine with pedals in that condition. For me, I like the equipment almost as much as I like to use it, so I like it in excellent condition.

I personally hate speedplays-I can't stand the feeling of my feet turning that much, and those cleats are expensive and fragile. I've twice seen guys have to limp home 1-legged because their speedplay cleat broke in the midle of a ride.

I like Looks, with the zero-float black cleat. Keeps my foot right where I want it, and it unclips quicker as well. Plastic cleats are robust and cheap.

Frogs were the way to go for me! I love the float, and the cleat is much more durable than the X series and zero cleats. No fuss about getting them dirty either, they were designed for mountain biking.

They are also incrediby easy to clip in and out of! The only time I've almost fallen over with clipless pedals (old pair of SPDs) was from trying to clip in, not out!

They felt really weird at first, but my feet/knees quickly settled into their respective "happy places" and have felt great ever since!

I was a long time SPD user and insisted on a cleat that would go in a recessed shoe (when you have to walk your bike for some reason any distance you will appreciate it even more). Plus I can walk in stores/restaurants/on the ferries etc without having to take my shoes off or walking like a duck.

I recently switched to crank brothers eggbeater style.. In particular:

http://www.crankbrothers.com/candy_sl.php

I paid $64.99 on ebay with a buy it now about a month ago on the same pedals in that linkm, except I got gray/silver. I find them easier to get into and definitely easier to get out of than the various SPD's. Plenty of float. Just an all around good deal.

If you don't want the platform you can spend a little more and get a lighter version without the platform.. such as.

http://www.crankbrothers.com/eggbeater_sl.php

Look:

Pluses:
1.) Readily available
2.) Many different price points and types.
3.) Compatible with all shoes

Minuses
1.) The dreaded Look Squeak. If you are on a ride and hear a squak, it will be someone with Looks.
2.) Hard to walk on without covers.
3.) Higher stack height than most other pedals
4.) Limited float

New Shimano D/A & Ultegra

Basically, My sense is that the new shimano is Looks without the Look problems. If I didn't have 4 bikes already decked out in Speedplay, I'd try these.

I rode Looks for 20 years and for a long time they were the best pedals available. I think the platform design still has a lot of strengths. Over the last couple of years I have transitioned all the bikes in the house to Campagnolo ProFit which are similar in design to the look.

My recommendations:
1) Campy ProFit - either Centaur or Chorus depending on your budget.
2) New Shimano - only listed second as I do not have any experience with them. Lots of riders like to keep the same company on their bike so this may impact your choice.
3) Look - listed third based on percieved improvements after switching to ProFit.

I rode Looks for 20 years and for a long time they were the best pedals available. I think the platform design still has a lot of strengths. Over the last couple of years I have transitioned all the bikes in the house to Campagnolo ProFit which are similar in design to the look.

My recommendations:
1) Campy ProFit - either Centaur or Chorus depending on your budget.
2) New Shimano - only listed second as I do not have any experience with them. Lots of riders like to keep the same company on their bike so this may impact your choice.
3) Look - listed third based on percieved improvements after switching to ProFit.

thanks for the replies guys. However, are your pedal recommendations taking into consideration that they would be used mostly in triathlons?

My recommendations:
1) Campy ProFit - either Centaur or Chorus depending on your budget.

Same here...I have a pair of the original Chorus Pro-fit ones and the new Record Pro-Fit Plus and honestly I can't tell any difference between em. I believe the Record pedals are supposed to have better bearings.

The pedals you picture are "SPD" style, single-sided (it appears) pedals. They are not "SPD-SL," which are the shimano look-type pedals. Whether to replace them or not -- see all the info below. Most people think that design of pedal/cleat is awesome for MTB use, but that due to wider platforms, there are better road designs. Still, if it doesn't bother you and you don't want to spend the money, they still WORK fine.

Dude, right now, the least of your worries is pedals if you're going to do triathlons. Dial yourself in, get some muscle in them legs, build your cardio system, etc...when it comes to pedals, lightweight and low profile is all you really need, which you may find in the Campy Record profits (I just bought a used pair for $74 off RBR classifieds, and considering they retail for $220 or so, its a mighty good deal). According to weightweenies they are ~276 g per pair.

If by mentioning Tri you mean comfort, look more for comfortable shoes than pedals.
I got a really good deal on my Record Pro Fits from Totalcycling.com, but now that the dollar isn't worth anything in Europe it might not still be a good deal.

thanks for the replies guys. However, are your pedal recommendations taking into consideration that they would be used mostly in triathlons?

Dude, right now, the least of your worries is pedals if you're going to do triathlons. Dial yourself in, get some muscle in them legs, build your cardio system, etc...when it comes to pedals, lightweight and low profile is all you really need, which you may find in the Campy Record profits (I just bought a used pair for $74 off RBR classifieds, and considering they retail for $220 or so, its a mighty good deal). According to weightweenies they are ~276 g per pair.

If by mentioning Tri you mean comfort, look more for comfortable shoes than pedals.

Yeah I'm working on that these days. It's just that after showing the pedals to the local bike guy, he kind of gave me this weird smirk which I would interpret as: "Dude, those pedals are rusty and looking wack, maybe buy new ones?" I mean i got these pedals along with the bike so it's the orignal owner's, and not mines. I have not tested trhe functionality of these pedals since I do not have the cleats/ shoes to do so. Whcih is why i am also asking if i should even replace these somewhat rusty paperweights. But i'll keep what you guys said in mind.

My OPINION on Speedplay is they break too much, their cleats are very prone to getting trashed, and who wants a shoe you cant walk in for more than 30 feet without trashing cleats. Then oh yeah, they cost too much.
been riding 'em since '99. have never broken, trashed or otherwise f'ed up cleats, and I am HARD on my stuff and particularly evil to cleats. They are very durable UNLIKE the many stupid plastic squeaking freaking Look cleats I've destroyed. Have walked around in dirt and mud in Speed X cleats to no disadvantage, no you shouldn't do this often but I've never suffered for it. They aren't a monumental PITA to engage like all Time road systems I've ever tried. I hate, hate HATE SPD-R and all abortions / abominations of the above system. Speedplay X-2s (stainless spindles) are tough as nails, don't break and are the meat n potatoes pedals of the American Cat 3/4 men's crit racing peloton (these are the guys who a) must pay for pedal systems and b) know enough to be choosy about them). That in itself says a thing or 2. Speedplay ti spindles will indeed fail if you are a Clydesdale crit horse gram counter moron who ignores the fact that the mfgr. says right on the box that you shouldn't be using them if you're above 170 lbs. - for that reason alone I'd not use them at ANY weight - stuff shouldn't break, period.

but that's just my opinion. Some people don't like the 'walking on ice' feeling, for that reason Speedplay came out with the Zeros (limited adjustable float) system. The entire Speedplay cleat assembly is lighter than a Look plastic cleat (that includes all bolts / mountings) BTW; I've weighed both on a gram scale (it was a boring rainy day in the shop and we were arguing about it).

Speedplay ti spindles will indeed fail if you are a Clydesdale crit horse gram counter moron who ignores the fact that the mfgr. says right on the box that you shouldn't be using them if you're above 170 lbs. - for that reason alone I'd not use them at ANY weight - stuff shouldn't break, period.

Indeed.... per my recollection of the two catestrophic failures of the speedplays, both were under pressure by larger riders. Not larger in the 200+ sense, but definitely in the 180+ range. But, they were the old x-1s. Funny thing is that one of them replaced them with the ti zeros... and easily weighs 190... anyway. That being said, what I was trying to elude to in my post is that a lot of people ride them, and the people I ride with ride hard, so... two failures in the last two years probably is not that high of a failure rate. And to wit, for all you newbies on the board, LFR knows her stuff... so consider the speedplays with the LFR seal of approval.

I will reiterate, though. If someone on a ride has a pedal problem, it is with a speedplay.

My take of the SPD-SL is not anything close to the spd or the spd-r. Its more like a look pedal with a lower profile, lighter weight, and no squeaks, and instead of the flat, quick wearing cleat, you have a three pronged, rubber-tipped flat cleat, and they work and have good entry and I have NEVER accidentally clipped out of either DA or Ultegra pedals, and the Ultegra took a full on hit when I got the dog going downhill at 32 mph three weeks back and got only a scuff.