Speedplay SYZR Mtn Pedals - reviews

[eolson124]

I'm in the market for new mtn pedals and am looking at the Speedplay SYZR. Please reply if you've ridden them and care to comment. Thanks.

[jmal]

I have a set. I got about 100 yards into a trail and turned around to get my Times. I tightened the spring tension really tight and my feet were still popping out when I hit roots out of the saddle. I still have them and will probably give them another shot at some point. I have been on their road pedals for 18 or so years and love them. I'm not so sure free float is such a good thing for MTBs. If you dial out all the float, I'm not sure what the advantage over SPDs is. I guess the cleat provides the support rather than shoe lugs, but I don't think this is terribly important. I think they might be good for riding dirt roads where I would like a recessed cleat, but also like the float of my road pedals.

[allezdude]

I've been on a handful of rides only. The engagement is a little tricky compared to their road pedals or even frogs. The float is a bit disappointing- Not nearly as much float range as the zeros. float range feels about the same as SPDs (although without the annoying forced centering). Appearance -wise they are a bit chunky as well. The cleats have 2 prongs that protrude from the front and I would be worried about catching them on something during hike a bike.
Anyway I'll try to post a few pics later today.

[mecse]

I have a set. I got about 100 yards into a trail and turned around to get my Times. I tightened the spring tension really tight and my feet were still popping out when I hit roots out of the saddle. I still have them and will probably give them another shot at some point. I have been on their road pedals for 18 or so years and love them. I'm not so sure free float is such a good thing for MTBs. If you dial out all the float, I'm not sure what the advantage over SPDs is. I guess the cleat provides the support rather than shoe lugs, but I don't think this is terribly important. I think they might be good for riding dirt roads where I would like a recessed cleat, but also like the float of my road pedals.

I was just reading the description. I've thought of trying these, but, well, it seems like this is a problem? The instruction manual (http://www.speedplay.com/pubs/instructions/SYZR_Instr_1_15_15_Web.pdf)has the following warning:


SYZR Pedals are not designed to be ridden using a toes-down foot orientation. Applying weight or force to the pedals in a toe-down foot position may unlock the engagement mechanism, particularly when spring tension is adjusted to a low setting. Always ride SYZR Pedals with your feet in a flat (horizontal to the ground) orientation to prevent inadvertent release from the pedals. The flat foot orientation is especially important when descending on bumpy surfaces or when pushing hard on the pedals.

[djg21]

I was just reading the description. I've thought of trying these, but, well, it seems like this is a problem? The instruction manual (http://www.speedplay.com/pubs/instructions/SYZR_Instr_1_15_15_Web.pdf)has the following warning:

I'm a longtime Speedplay road pedal user. I tried frogs when they first became available in the early 90s, and quickly went back to Shimano. My experience was that the little ridge that prevented inward rotation of the heel would force the cleat to rotate on the soles of my shoes and then I could neither enter or exit the pedal correctly. Thus happened to me in a race in Moab in awful mud, and it was miserable.

I was thinking about trying SYZRs, but the warning you quote scares me. While I pedal heel down generally, when I'm on my MTB bike in difficult terrain, I doubt my foot is always in an optimum position. I'll stick to my SPDs and wait to see what you earlier adopters say!

[thirdgenbird]

Exactly. The areas where they tell you to be especially careful are the ones you can't. It reads more like a negative review than a users manual.

[weiwentg]

I was just reading the description. I've thought of trying these, but, well, it seems like this is a problem? The instruction manual (http://www.speedplay.com/pubs/instructions/SYZR_Instr_1_15_15_Web.pdf)has the following warning:

If the pedal is that sensitive to how your foot is angled, then who, pray tell, is the market for this pedal? It would have to offer an immense improvement over the competition to justify me trying them. Even if I didn't pedal toes down, I certainly couldn't be sure I'd always pedal flat footed on rough terrain.

[jmal]

I have been using my Syzrs again, and after playing with spring tension and being a little conscientious of my foot position, they are working fine for me. I haven't had a single accidental disengagement after my initial experience. I've been on a few local rides with plenty of rocks and roots, as well as one big mountain ride. Tomorrow will be another day in the mountains and I expect that they will continue to perform well. If they prove to be durable, they will be my favorite pedals for MTB.

I'm not sure why I had problems initially. I know I thought I had the tension tightened all the way, but later I was able to get much more tension on the springs. Too much actually, so I backed it off a bit. I'm riding mine with full float and they feel great on my knees. I tend to ride flat footed, or slightly heel down, but on occasion I ride slightly toe down out of the saddle. It doesn't seem to be a problem, but as the warning says, riding toe down with light spring tension allows the cleat to release very easily.

[jmal]

I'm a longtime Speedplay road pedal user. I tried frogs when they first became available in the early 90s, and quickly went back to Shimano. My experience was that the little ridge that prevented inward rotation of the heel would force the cleat to rotate on the soles of my shoes and then I could neither enter or exit the pedal correctly. Thus happened to me in a race in Moab in awful mud, and it was miserable.

I was thinking about trying SYZRs, but the warning you quote scares me. While I pedal heel down generally, when I'm on my MTB bike in difficult terrain, I doubt my foot is always in an optimum position. I'll stick to my SPDs and wait to see what you earlier adopters say!

The Syzrs are a world away from Frogs. Though I haven't ridden the in mud yet, the spring mechanism is such that you would not have the same problem you experienced with the Frogs.

[oldpotatoe]

If the pedal is that sensitive to how your foot is angled, then who, pray tell, is the market for this pedal? It would have to offer an immense improvement over the competition to justify me trying them. Even if I didn't pedal toes down, I certainly couldn't be sure I'd always pedal flat footed on rough terrain.

I think the 'value' is adjustable float and speaks to those who are looking for such a feature(only MTB pedal that does this).

[jmal]

I think the 'value' is adjustable float and speaks to those who are looking for such a feature(only MTB pedal that does this).

And friction free float. That is the feature I like most.