Look Keo Blade versus Time Xpresso pedals | Spd Pedals

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Even better, those attributes hold true throughout nearly the entire SPD-SL range. For example, the PD-R550 is simply the best budget road pedal going; spending more earns you lower weights and improved bearings, but essentially no difference in stability, security, or longevity. The top-end Dura-Ace pedal does offer a lower stack height and increased clearance angle, thanks to its slimmer bearing design, but it’s a minor advantage that not many will consider to be important.

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, triathlon races

As a city dweller, escaping the city limits for a mountain bike ride in the woods is one of my greatest pleasures. There’s nothing quite as soothing as leaves rustling, birds singing, and brooks babbling, all against the backdrop of voluminous knobby tires rolling over singletrack. Granted, most of my off-road exploits still take place within commuting distance of Manhattan, but were it not for the faint thrumming of automobile traffic on some distant expressway, it would be easy to convince myself I was 100 miles away from civilization.

That’s not my experience: when clean and in decent condition,  I find they’re solid even with quick or sturdy upstrokes on hills, and that they need a bit of a ‘flick’ to disengage, which suits me fine.

One company, Speedplay, has bucked the consensus. Its pedals are double-sided, the mechanism is part of the cleat and that cleat has a four-bolt mounting. A three-bolt adapter is included with them, as few shoemakers have a suitable shoe in their line. More about Speedplay below.

Adidas Terrex Trail Cross Protect “They are built with D3O® foam around the ankles to soften blows and keep you riding. A breathable upper is secured with laces and a strap for a snug, supportive fit.” These kicks bring padding and protection much higher than most of the competition. €130.

Now I couldn’t use anything else. They are just pheneomenal compared to the various Looks I usually use. They need broken in first of all as the spring is super stiff, but once done then it only takes a little force to clip in. Actually finding the insert point is a few weeks of muscle memory (I stuck them on the indoor trainer first which sped this process up).

You can adjust the tension too. I ran a shade under half, which prevented my feet from lifting out without adding too much lateral restraint on top of that provided by the pins.

Or just buy a shoe from their RT range which are road shoes with smooth ‘touring’ soles. I have RT82s currently. They use the same last as my XC mtb shoes so it’s an easy swap and I know I’m comfortable in either.

On road: Speedplay just shit. [Queue outrage from the zealots who use them. But they are.] Having started out on mountain bikes and Atac pedals, used Time for years but never got on them after they switched from RXS to iClic (or vive versa, I don’t recall). Have now been on Look Keos for better part of a decade. They work and you can get a range of different price points.

In terms of price and functionality, these pedals sit in between Shimano’s entry-level GR500 flat pedal (£59), and the high-end Saint M828 flat pedal (£129).