pedal recommendations?

[tch]

OK, I know this is like Campy vs. Shimano.....but does anyone have anything substantive to say about differences/pros-cons between the Look Keo and the Shimanos? I'm wearing out my old Look 396's and thinking about new. I'd normally just go ahead and buy the new Look product, but maybe there's a reason to look around.
Ideas? I have three bikes, I'm not into mountain-style pedals, and I want a big platform with some rotation.
Thanks.

[timto]

Not that I 'walk' in my road shoes, just you gotta get to your bike, then from your bike on surface x right?

Having said that - I found the walkability of the shimano 7800 series cleat way better than the look keos I have now. I also felt the engagement of the 7800 to be 'snappier'. That's very subjective I know.

With the 7800 or later cleats they have a very wide spaced walking stub which is secure and provides a stable feeling. With the look keo cleats you gotta use a cover and that seems a clumsy solution when shimano solved it without having to carry covers around.

Otherwise both pedals are great. I wanted to be grouppo agnostic on pedals so went with look but feel the shimanos are overall a more quality product in terms of finish and function.


YMMV

[Smiley]

The Shimano cleats do not wear out as fast as my old time pedal cleats. For me that is worth the switch to Shimano

[PaulE]

pedals with the metal contact surfaces seem a little sturdier than the older version with the replaceable plastic contact surface. The all metal version also feels a little heavier, but I didn't go to the trouble of actually weighing them. The plastic surface on the Shimano will wear and need to be replaced, you will see it and feel your foot move around on the pedal a little more when it's worn. The cleat is the same for both pedals, I have both versions in Ultegra on different bikes and use the same cleats with all.

[benb]

I'd really try and avoid the Shimano pedals with the plastic body insert if you can.

I wear those stupid things out incredibly quickly. I replaced them in April and one of them is pretty worn already. (~1000 miles before it started being noticeable)

It feels kind of like the pedal gets loose as they wear and they make a little more noise... though you can only really hear it sprinting up a steep hill where you're really cranking, and yet still going slow enough to not have wind noise.

That plastic piece drives me nuts.. but not nuts enough to buy new pedals.. I will probably be putting up with it for a long time as I've never killed a nice pair of pedals.

[93LegendTG]

I rode Looks for years and after enduring the endless squeeking problems switched to the new Times. I couldn't be happier.

[Spud]

I first rode Shimano's and thought they were fine for a while- I liked the walking cleat feature. However, after some time I realized that I did not like the float in the pedal. Even though the cleat gave some float, a couple degrees in either direction I felt like the pedal always wanted to bring me back to dead center at 0 degrees which would then give some slight knee pressure. I played with the cleats and couldn't solve it then I switched to Keo Carbons and I immediately noticed a market improvement in the quality of the float (grey cleats-4.5degrees) and they weigh much less which is a nice bonus.

[tch]

Thanks for the feedback. I got some ideas.

[pauly]

Speedplay Frogs - lot's of folks love 'em. I do.

[Charles M]

I pretty much stick with Keo's now.

They're quite a bit better than the old Look pedals for squeek and also the float is a free float versus older models that were a bit self centering ir sticky float.

Platforms are similar for both pedals. cleat prices migh vary a bit.

I use cleat caps for walking and there's no diff between them for that. the both suck.

[paczki]

I use cleat caps for walking and there's no diff between them for that. the both suck.

That's why I switched to Crank Brothers!

[ejh]

get the KEO's Ive been riding LOOK's since they came out. They work great and are light. If you are interested I have 2 sets of low milage 396's I can make you a deal.

[Enigma]

These.

[bostondrunk]

I've tried most of the current pedals, and I was also a long time 296/396 user.
I still have a new set of 396's tucked away just in case, along with about 10 sets of delta cleats.

I tried Shimano Dura Ace, and hated them because of the type of float. It is not nearly as free floating as Look pedals. If I wanted my foot to move/rotate, I had to actually force it to, it wasn't free float.

Tried the new Time pedals, and for whatever reason, I kept pulling out of them. Probably something I was doing wrong, but regardless, they weren't working for me..

Then I tried Keos, and they were great, but I ended up getting a lot of play in the axles over and over again, so I got rid of them.

Now back on speedplay Zero stainless, which I've used in the past, and like them.