| There are a lot of styles of road clipless on the | | | | Looks Keo line engages well but the smaller cleat, |
| market, making it tough to figure out what would be | | | | compared to their older pedals, limit adjustment. With |
| the right option. Save yourself the cost of | | | | the Keo, I personally can't use them as I can't get my |
| experimenting by reading the low down on the | | | | feet wide enough. Again these are a composite |
| different pedal systems. Over the last few years | | | | bodied pedal so over time the platform can wear |
| we've seen an influx of pedal redesigns from Shimano, | | | | leading to slop between the cleat and pedal. To |
| Time, Look and Speedplay. Each of these has come | | | | combat this the have added a stainless steel plate but |
| with some improvements but they also have come | | | | only on the more expensive Keo Max. Three different |
| with some changes that may make a pedal not work | | | | cleats are available with different amounts of float |
| for you. | | | | from no float to 9 degrees. The older Look Delta |
| Shimano | | | | design pedals had more adjustment but were a little |
| Shimano is the only one of the bunch that has pedals | | | | heavier with a slightly taller stack height. |
| made from metal, aluminum to be specific. This | | | | Speedplay |
| improves there durability, particularly across the | | | | Speedplay Zero and X pedals are unique to the bunch |
| platform that you cleat makes contact with. As the | | | | in that they have the retention mechanism on the cleat |
| pedal and cleat wear you can get rocking so a more | | | | rather than the pedal. Of the pedals the Speedplay is |
| durable surface is desirable. The engagement is solid | | | | the most adjustable as there are different length axles |
| but the large button headed bolts limit the amount cleat | | | | available and different cleat mounting plates so there is |
| adjustment. The Shimano 105 and Ultegra versions | | | | lots of adjustment. This comes at a price though as |
| allow a little wider foot stance than do the Dura Ace | | | | different axles and adapter plates must be purchased |
| so you need to have your feet a little wider. The alloy | | | | separately from the pedals, increasing the cost quite a |
| pedal bodies of the shimanos should stand up to | | | | bit. The float of the pedals is free, so initially it feels like |
| crashes better than the composite of the other brands. | | | | your standing on an ice cube. This goes away after |
| Cleats are available with float or a fixed configuration. | | | | you've ridden them for a while but some people won't |
| Time | | | | like the feel, myself included. Speedplay pedals are the |
| Times pedal design has a nice feel to the float and a | | | | most aerodynamic so you can save a bit energy wise. |
| solid engagement. The cleats are limited in side to side | | | | Speedplay cleats are the most expensive of the |
| adjustment so you may not be able to get the proper | | | | brands mentioned as the retention mechanism is in the |
| stance width. To adjust width you swap cleats from | | | | cleat. |
| your right shoe to the left. This give 2.5 mm of | | | | Overview |
| adjustment which isn't enough in my experience. The | | | | Each company makes good quality pedals but if you |
| composite or carbon bodies are prone to braking off | | | | have unique fit issues the Speedplay may be your |
| at the tip if you are a little fumble footed when clipping | | | | best option. I personally run the older Look style as I |
| in. Cleat life is good as the actual engagement point on | | | | need a little more width to my pedal stance than the |
| the cleat is metal. | | | | current crop allow. |
| Look | | | | |