Pedals for Road Bike? Look v Shimano...

[KiwiJack]

hello
I have had my road bike for a few months now and have been using a Shimano SPD pedals (small double sided) - so I can use the same shoe on my MTB and spin bike in the gym - but I think it is time to get a proper road pedal!!! - so I was wondering which is the better entry level road bike pedal? I'm looking at a Shimano r540 or a Look Keo (not sure the code, but about $10 more expensive!!) - any help and advice is most welcome
thanks

 

[Nevermind]

Both pedals are good. I'm a Shimano fan because if you don't have very rigid soles on your shoes, the platforms are stiffer than the Look's. I'd say you can't really go wrong with either.

 

[elapid]

There are other people on the forum that will have better information than me, but IMO pedals and shoes should be considered together. Previously, pedals with a larger surface area were important because they provided the platform and stiffness to push down and generate power. However, now the shoes with their stiff soles provide that platform and stiffness instead of the pedals. This is why small surface area pedals like Speedplay are also popular.

So consider your shoe choice when buying pedals as well. That being said, I have ridden Keos for years and would not change. I like their clip in mechanism and degree of float with the gray cleats (4 degrees I think).

Check here for user reviews on the Shimano R540: http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/drivetrain/pedals/shimano/PRD_299007_2503crx.aspx

Check here for user reviews on the Look Keos: http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/drivetrain/pedals/PLS_2503_760crx.aspx

 

[davidg]

Time

 

[Bustedknuckle]

hello
I have had my road bike for a few months now and have been using a Shimano SPD pedals (small double sided) - so I can use the same shoe on my MTB and spin bike in the gym - but I think it is time to get a proper road pedal!!! - so I was wondering which is the better entry level road bike pedal? I'm looking at a Shimano r540 or a Look Keo (not sure the code, but about $10 more expensive!!) - any help and advice is most welcome
thanks

With a steel plate to protect the pedal surface rather than plastic, I think shimano are a better pedal.

 

[mistahsinclair]

hello
I have had my road bike for a few months now and have been using a Shimano SPD pedals (small double sided) - so I can use the same shoe on my MTB and spin bike in the gym - but I think it is time to get a proper road pedal!!! - so I was wondering which is the better entry level road bike pedal? I'm looking at a Shimano r540 or a Look Keo (not sure the code, but about $10 more expensive!!) - any help and advice is most welcome
thanks

I had previously been a Look fan (and user since about '95) until I recently decided to revisit pedal selection.

I went through all the options (Speedplay, Time, Ritchey, Look, Shimano, Campy, etc) to get a feel for the right way to go.

I went with Shimano.

Pedals are personal preference though, but the feel of the construction and the bearings in the Shimano was better in my opinion than all the others (even though the rest of my bike is Campagnolo!).

 

[forty four]

if you have any form of knee pain i highly recommend speedplay pedals they offer purely free float not under any spring tension like the looks etc.. which i have used also.

 

[Black Dog]

The new keo's have a metal plate on the pedal body where the cleat makes contact. I use keo sprints and have no complaints (you can get them for around $100 from probikekit.com. The quality is ok. If you are going to go up-market (ultegra or dura-ace) then you will get better value from shimano. Performance wise they will all feel the same on the road.

 

[180mmCrank]

Sidi + Keo - best combination I have ever tried - great performance and float that is easy on the knees.

Looks great too

 

[Glaucon]

I switched to Shimano Ultegras after tiring of fighting a losing battle with the dreaded Look pedal squeak and have never looked back (except to notice that everyone had already passed me)...

 

[elapid]

Sidi + Keo - best combination I have ever tried - great performance and float that is easy on the knees.

Looks great too

+1. My preferred combination as well. My Sidi road shoes are still going strong 8 years later, and I have just ordered Sidi MTB shoes which I hope will get me through 8+ years of trails and cyclocross races. I swap my Look Keos between my two road bikes and have also had these for 4 years and 20,000+ km without any problems (and no squeeks).

 

[Black Dog]

+2 for the Keo Sidi combo. Been using the same shoes for 9 years (they are still working great) and the Keo's do not have the LOOK squeek that I battle before I made the switch.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

if you have any form of knee pain i highly recommend speedplay pedals they offer purely free float not under any spring tension like the looks etc.. which i have used also.

Two types of Sppedplay, the Zero with adjustable float and the X series with 'unlimited' float. The X series, with all that float isn't a panacea for knee pain. Too much else involved to make this blanket statement.

For the metal plate for Look, yes for the very high end ones but the 'Classic' do not and the cleat can 'wear' that part. The lowest end shimano pedals are a great value and work/feel just like the Ultegra/DA ones, just somewhat less quslity bearings and heavier...same cleat as those above it.

 

[David Suro]

Shimano Pedals are Awesome

There was recently a recall of Look Keo pedals due to the fact that the platform and spindle would detach on earlier models, leading to obvious catastrophic problems.

The Shimano 105/Ultegra/Dura-Ace pedals have been practically unchanged for over a decade and there has never been a problem with them.

Shimano Pedals have a durable stainless-steel body that holds up well to being slammed into the asphalt during tight cornering. The nickel-plated spindles resist corrosion, even in the salty and wet Florida air.

The Shimano pedals are less expensive than the Looks. The choice is easy.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

There was recently a recall of Look Keo pedals due to the fact that the platform and spindle would detach on earlier models, leading to obvious catastrophic problems.

The Shimano 105/Ultegra/Dura-Ace pedals have been practically unchanged for over a decade and there has never been a problem with them.

Shimano Pedals have a durable stainless-steel body that holds up well to being slammed into the asphalt during tight cornering. The nickel-plated spindles resist corrosion, even in the salty and wet Florida air.

The Shimano pedals are less expensive than the Looks. The choice is easy.

I agree. shimano examines the existing products and often improves on that product to make a better one, IMO. Pedals are a good example(except for SPD-R). shimano pedals are just redesigned LOOK pedals. Essentially same cleat, attachment system to shoe, cleat to pedal, etc.

Shoes are another.

 

[James Huang]

A few corrections/clarifications

Hi all,

Just thought I'd chime in quickly here.

First off, Shimano pedal bodies are aluminum, not stainless steel. With that being said, they're still extremely durable if you stuff one in a corner. Bearing assemblies are also quite easy to service and if you have the right tool they're also adjustable for preload/wear, too.

Yes, the cheaper Shimano pedals do use a plastic plate and it does wear over time. But it's also replaceable like the newer stainless steel plates, too. Dealers can order the replacement bits direct from Shimano.

Weight: Look pedals are generally quite a bit lighter given the composite bodies. Not as forgiving in crashes but not really an issue if you keep the bike upright anyway.

Float: Look and Shimano pedals both have a few degrees of float plus optional cleats for more or less movement depending on your preference. Exactly *how* they provide that movement is different, though. Look builds the free play into the rear of the cleat so the rotation is centered about the toe. Shimano cleats have free play at both the front and rear so the float tends to be centered more at the ball of your foot (a bit more natural feeling) plus there is a tad of lateral translational movement as well. One isn't necessarily better than the other but they do feel different and some people prefer one or the other.

 

[BroDeal]

+2 for the Keo Sidi combo. Been using the same shoes for 9 years (they are still working great) and the Keo's are do not have the LOOK squeek that I battle before I made the switch.

+3

My oldest pair of Sidis is a pair of Genius 3s. I can't remember when I bought them, but it has been a long time. They still look and work great, as well as any of my newer Sidis.

 

[badboyberty]

+2 for the Keo Sidi combo. Been using the same shoes for 9 years (they are still working great) and the Keo's are do not have the LOOK squeek that I battle before I made the switch.

I found the only way to cure the "Look Squeak" in my Deltas (actually Vitus badged clones) was to swap to Keo's, worked brilliantly, no squeak for 3 years...

 

[danyela]

I have been riding with Shimano pedals for the last 2 years, and in that time got incredibly worn out and started giving me knee problems. I was advised to try Look pedals by the local mechanic, and have to say that they are much better than the good old Shimanos. They hold your cleat in nice and tight, but still have a good float and are actually easier to clip out than the Shimanos because the cleats have a teflon coating which makes them nice and smooth to use

 

[unsheath]

Im currently using both the Look Sprints and Ultegras on my bikes and have to say I prefer the Shimanos for no other reason that I find snapping in a tad easier. There's no discernible difference when actually in motion.

 

[mherm79]

shimano's are cheap and durable. i bought the r540 for my wife because she doesn't do a lot of riding, for myself i have 105 and ultegra's on my bikes. work well and look good.

previously i had look a5.1 - easier to click in and i also think the cleat shape is less prone to wear when off the bike and walking to the showers / cafe shops.

i think i'll eventually go back to look, they are the original clipless pedal manufacturers.

 

[Cliveds]

New Look Pedals

Look have some new pedals coming out in the next few months. Keo 2 Max has a wider contact surface than original Keo. I am excited to try them and expect them to be the primo pedal for the next few years.

Contador already won the TDF on them.

 

[Chris0701]

My first clipless pedals were standard Look's and I absolutely hated them. I didn't like the feel, they didn't feel particularly secure and the cleats wore down too quickly.

I then changed to Time's which I liked the power of but the float was too much. Finally changed to Dura-Ace SPD's and they were the last pedal I bought, fantastic in all respects.

 

[Timeless]

There was recently a recall of Look Keo pedals due to the fact that the platform and spindle would detach on earlier models, leading to obvious catastrophic problems.

I think you are confusing Look with Time. It was Time pedals that were recalled.

Mine went back to the factory to be fixed but the pedals have still come of the spindle twice since (without catastropic results, just embarrasment).

I am now trying Look.