I have been riding a pair of $30 Ritchey SPD knockoffs for a few years and actually really enjoyed them. After all the talk on here about SPDs sucking for cross (even though we rarely see mud around here in the races), I finally picked up some Candy C pedals on clearance. My SPDs were just about worn out anyway.

I have done 2 rides on them so far, and I don't like them. They are harder to get in, not near as smooth or "no-brainer" as the SPDs were. I also have discovered that they don't unclip when I wreck as often. With the old pedals, I never unclipped while sprinting or what not, but when I wrecked the pedals always came free. Today (granted, on the MTB) 3 times I fell and a foot got stuck, not allowing the bike to move away from me.

So...
1. Will the Eggs get easier. I have heard of some need for "breaking in"
2. Are the better SPD all that bad? The 959, for example, seem to have a lot of mud clearance.
3. Is there another option I should consider?

You may need to trim or grind the tread on your shoes where they contact the pedal if you're having trouble unclipping. Do a little at a time till you can see that the tread has just enough space for the pedal. A bench mounted grinder or a dremel tool works really well.

I had to spend a little quality time with the dremel to make my shoes fit my candy pedals. I will say that for a MTB pedal, the candys don't really shed mud that well. Plain old leggbeaters do a better job in mud, IMO. Once you get your shoes trimmed a little, the release should get better.

The cleats and the pedals have a break-in time. I hate that time period, too. But, in general, the pedals will be awesome.

Orient the cleats for early release, this helps in cross. I didn't mind eggbeaters but bent the axles soon enough.

Spray Pam on the pedals before every ride for the first couple of weeks. This helps with release while they break-in.

That, and use the shims that came with them (or should have come with them). I put them on mine and they work much better.

I've shimmed and trimmed already. Did that after the first run. It was better. They still just don't seem to engage as easily as the spd did. I used to just slide my foot across the pedal and it snapped in without even thinking. Now I have to make an effort to make sure I am aligned, then give it a good push. Not something I would want to do after a run up.

I'll give 'em a few more runs and if they don't get easier I am going back to SPD.

I used mine a bunch of times on my cross bike during training (may 1/2 dozen times or so). I had no issues with clipping in or out during the 1st race I used them in. I'd give them a few more tries. Maybe use them in training to loosen them up a bit?

I have been riding a pair of $30 Ritchey SPD knockoffs for a few years and actually really enjoyed them. After all the talk on here about SPDs sucking for cross (even though we rarely see mud around here in the races), I finally picked up some Candy C pedals on clearance. My SPDs were just about worn out anyway.

I have done 2 rides on them so far, and I don't like them. They are harder to get in, not near as smooth or "no-brainer" as the SPDs were. I also have discovered that they don't unclip when I wreck as often. With the old pedals, I never unclipped while sprinting or what not, but when I wrecked the pedals always came free. Today (granted, on the MTB) 3 times I fell and a foot got stuck, not allowing the bike to move away from me.

So...
1. Will the Eggs get easier. I have heard of some need for "breaking in"
2. Are the better SPD all that bad? The 959, for example, seem to have a lot of mud clearance.
3. Is there another option I should consider?


I have gone through the same progreesion. I loved the SPD, but everyone said get egg beaters so I did. I rode a whole season on them and they never got better. I am now on Time ATAC pedals, and they are awesome. Better for mud than SPD, but still as easy to get into and have a platform for when you aren't clipped in.

I had the same experience as you, going from spd's (959) to eggbeaters. I sent them back, but perhaps I did so a little prematurely. Yes, even the 959's can be a problem getting into when really muddy. I'm curious what a break-in period will do for the eggs. I do love the ease of slipping out sideways in my spd's and the total confidence I have in approaching the barriors at full speed.

mine got better over time, but still don't unclip as brainlessly as mu 959s. Practice a lot on them because they just aren't the exact same animal. I actually lost quite a bit of technique confindence in the transition because of some endos from not unclipping. Bleh.

I ran the regular egg beaters for 4 races, but I found that I had a hard time re-engaging after a mount. I switched to Candy SL's and hated them my only race. I fell twice on steep ups because I couldn't unclip.

I spoke to Crank Bros and this is what they said.

1) DO NOT spray with PAM. It stiffens the spring.
2) Order a second set of shims. They'll send them FOC to you. ( I have not tried them yet)
3) They should not need a "break in period". That's their line, but I suspect something different.

I have 6 more races this year. I'm going to use them on as many training rides as I can. If they don't get better. I'm going to ATACs.

BT

Since they were so cheap, I bought a set of candys and regular egg beaters to replace my broken set. After a few weeks, I decided to switch back to the regular eggbeaters and found they do go in a bit easier and that I generally prefer them. I don't see much advantage to having a sleppery plastic platform to stand on, it doesn't give me any extra confidence and looks like it would tend to ice up. Just my opnion.

I like the "slippery plastic platform". But, to each his own...I've generally been happy with my Candys.

looks like it would tend to ice up.
Ha ha, nothing ices up in Texas. If it does, we all stay home.