Lets talk bike Pedals and Shoes
I used to use speedplay.... I really liked them but got tired of the maintenance and swapped to look pedals for the last few years... Since I retired my shoes after last IM I have been riding in my older shoes and speed plays again while I shop new shoes.... I missed the ease of use of the speedplay and am considering going back.
Speedplay Pro's -- ease of use with double sided clip in , lower stack (this is pretty significant) , lighter compared to equivalent
Speedplay Con's--- they require maintenance , Less 4 hole cleat mount shoes to choose from
Any other pro's/con's speedplay's vs look ???? FWIW the pedal choice will be the Speedplay Ti or the Look Keo Ti
Shoes- Sidi T2/T3 has been my shoe of choice .... On one hand I should just go with what has worked in the past and buy another pair of T3... And the equivelant road shoe (should fit the same)... On the other hand I am always searching for a better shoe... The sidi's have been fine but occasionally get hot spots on bottom of feet in hot conditions and rough roads... I paid for a pair of custom shoes a few years ago and hated them so NOT going the custom route.
The 4 hole cleat mount is available on DMT , LAKE , SIDI, Northwave shoes.......
Has anyone changed to one of those shoes from Sidi?
Feedback on DMT, LAKE , Northwave in general? Road or Tri ?
Comments
Shoes: most important is do they look pro and match/go with your bike and kit
That said, all the cool/smart kids out here ride Specialized. High quality shoes.
We have all Speedplay light actions in our house. They're cheap (roughly $100), have a bit of rotational play and are "2-sided" ... all of which you know...except I don't think you got the cheap ones. :-) When I remember, I drop a bit of lube on my cleats and once or twice a year I grease the pedal. That's it! What more do you think you need to do with them? Maybe the problem was getting the super duper ones instead of the entry level. :-)
I sure has heck wouldn't tell Rich to change his shoes/pedals just because I'm happy with what I have... but using what you have is cheaper, too!
I use Sidi shoes for tri and road although I use a cheaper pair of Shimano tri shoes for indoor training. I get a good discount on Lake shoes via the Zoot team so will probably try those when my current shoes need replacing. That said, the Sidi's show no sign of wearing out anytime soon and since I don't use them on the trainer they aren't getting gross too quickly either.
Also, Speedplays for all my bikes now, road, TT, MTB. Simple, free float for knee injury prevention. I will ,say that for the road bike, I use the MTB pedals, so I can walk around easily when off the bike.
I have used both Look and Speedplay pedals. More extensive use of Look than Speedplay but I feel I can offer a somewhat educated $.02 on the matter.
The huge problem with Speedplays are:
I love the Speedplay pedals and the theory behind their cleat system. I used them a bunch on my road bike. They suck for me when it comes to triathlon for the reasons previously mentioned. The Look Keo Grip cleats work 1000x better for me.
I eventually ditched the Speedplays on my road bike as well because I wanted one cleat system for all my bike shoes and the Looks were just a better option, IMO.
The only downside to Looks are the single side entry but that's mitigated after just a few times practicing. Upside is they require zero maintenance and you can run/walk in them quite easily if you get the Grip version of the cleats.
As for bike shoes...
I currently use Specialized road shoes and Bontrager tri shoes. I used the Specialized TriVents for a few years but they changed the shoe up a bit starting with the 2013 model which made them more narrow. I have really wide feet so when my 2011 or 2012 models needed to be retired I bought some 2014 TriVents and they just flat out were too narrow and hurt my feet. Went with the Bontrager Hilo tri shoe and those things are wide and unbelievably light.
Is it only the light actions that require no maintenance beside an occasional grease? I replace the cleats in the spring, and that's it (outside of the occasional wiping out of the cleats and a drop of lube). I just don't know what you guys are talking about. But maybe this is maintenance you speak of.
(But if the Looks are great...then great! And agree that the Shimanos and Looks look very similar.)
I have a pair of Sidi shoes that still look brand new after 3-4 years use. I'm sure there are many good shoes, but these work for me.
Spent first 10 years on Look because the mechanic suggested them and I knew no better. Switched to Speedplay 10 years ago because of knee issues, haven't strayed from them since. I grease them once a year, only have trouble running in the cleats in sand or mud. My current Sidi T3s are integrated Speedplay shoes, so the cleats are built into the sole and not bolted to it. Less metal hardware. The result is weight savings on the things that move 90rpm and a lower stack. I had to lower my seat several mm to accommodate them. Lower stack = some minor aero savings, at least according to Sidi.
There may very well be a better combo out there for me, but I'm content, so I haven't looked.
Just my two Lincolns.
Mike
The speedplay maintenance is not a big deal but you must stay on top of the grease.... I almost got shut down on a training ride when the bearings in one speedplay pedal started to seize up , the torque required was actually bending my shoe in order to pedal .... What did I do ? Well I spit on it to lube it up ! I actually put the bike on its side got down and spit down the spindle and spun it... Was enough lube to make it home .... They also always seem to have one pedal that does not want to spin freely... I here ya on the walking etc but I sure like using them....
I would like to mention one other speedplay negative ... This can also fall under maintenance and operator error.... I have fallen over twice in my speedplays while unable to unclip.... Rust (maintenance negligence) and dirt (user ignorance)... So maybe I'd be safer on Look afterall!
I've had a demo pair of BONT for a few days, they are ok but still feel narrow like the Sidi..... Trying a pair of Lake's (speedplay version) since they were such a good deal but they do not make the speedplay version in the wide option.... Leaning towards looking at some available WIDE fit shoes ...Doing some research on sizing tables with various shoe makers I have measured my feet... They are both 100mm wide and my Sidi shoes 85-90mm wide depending on insert or outside of upper so its no wonder the Sidi's feel narrow.... BONT and Lake both make a wide....I believe specialized does and Sidi does in a road shoe but not triathlon... Would love to find a brand and size that fit better than what I have had in the past to eliminate hot spots (in road and tri-versions)... The pedals at this point will be secondary...
Tim...I haven't been through many road shoes, but I did give up on the Shimano's I bought initially (entry level), and went with a more expensive Specialized shoe (~$280 4-5 years ago?). I was having problems with hot foot with the Shimano, and despite an insert, it persisted. I didn't do much (any) research, and just assumed that a more expensive shoe would be wider (and it certainly looked wider just with the eyeball test). My LBS pushed Specialized and so that was it.
I have been riding on this same pair of Specialized road shoes for 4-5 yrs now and have NEVER had another hot spot problem again. I don't have a wide foot, but just a normal foot (I guess!). I definitely think the hot foot problem is usually compression of nerves between the metatarsal heads from a shoe that's not wide enough.
I think your plan to find the right shoe first, is the best approach. I've only used Look pedals, and am very used to them and never plan to switch (primarily due to the dirt clogging issues with Speedplay....mainly an issue with tri racing of course). I've only fallen once due to unclipping error (my very first ride in them).
Unfortunately, the hot foot issues are most common when your foot gets warm/hot, and so it's not an easy one to figure out quickly unless you can find a "loaner/tester" setup with a shop and go for a lengthy/warm ride. Sounds like you may have that option? I have no stock in Specialized, but sure have liked mine. One of my top buckles is a little wonky after a crash, but I can still make it work....I plan to use these until they fall apart, and then get another pair of Specialized.
I race in a pair of Mavic tri shoes, which I only use for RRs and races and only pee in them on races. I go sockless in these and wash them thoroughly after each race (they still smell a little pee-ish though
). I haven't had a hot foot problem in them either, but perhaps that's because I'm sockless in them? I got them super cheap and they've worked so I'm sticking with them for racing.
Happy hunting!
As for pedals, I started with speedplay but hated them for all the 'con' reasons mentioned. I changed to shimano ultregra on both bikes the day my cleat broke off my shoe and stuck to the pedal and I had to limp home. Haven't had a complaint since changing.
speedplay man.
I have all four hole speedplay shoes. lake road and tri. dmt road. all good. usually use road for irons. my current iron pee shoe is the dmt road with all Velcro - I do not like anything mechanical that can go wrong. my latest Lake road shoe with the Bont system are really comfy - some great deals out there.
love the feel of having the cleat right next to the foot.
yes speedplay have the maintenance issues.
running in cleats. imo, no one should ever run in cleats, regardless of type. injury waiting to happen. I run to start line barefoot. I think overall much faster. if want to run in cleats, use $10 cleat covers. throw away at start or put in pocket.
I grease my speedplay pedals often. easy. I change out my cleats often. these are cheap. I use Light Action.
as you know, tightening the cleat screws too tight makes them unusable. I have problems with the cleats coming loose, I assume due to my size and high relative power. from Ebay I get longer bolts that have a allen wrench head. I think I get M4 x 12 to 16 mm.
I have never tried other speedplays. just the Light Action. cheap and just like the idea of not messing with play adjustments.
the other speedplay pedals have the advantage of different lengths to adjust Q factor. though I just buy generic extensions that screw onto the pedal and this screws onto the bike.
not sure about the northwave adaptor. I think it works with all three holed shoes. but not sure.