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What clip in pedals to choose


emmett77's picture

By emmett77 - Posted on 01 May 2012

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

I am looking to change from my Shimano M520 pedals. They have seen better days. Can anyone advise of a good replacement. I was thinking Crank Brothers Eggbeater 3 or Time ATAC XS. Are the bearings in the Eggbeaters as bad as they say and do I need shoe protectors with either of these.
Thanks, Emmett

GAZZA's picture

I use, and will always use Time pedals now.
Yes, get some shoe protectors for them.
That's my opinion but as always, you'll get an answer from every corner with different opinions on lots of pedals. That's the good thing( and bad) with this site. Loads of great advice but sometimes you come away no wiser!!

philberesford's picture

All the way for me. I love em! Shoe protectors are a good idea.

fastfreddie's picture

I have used TIME pedals for the past 15 years,they are bullet proof and can take a bashing out on the trail without falling apart.Freddie.

Tempest's picture

Is there a specific reason to change away from Shimano?

Your 520's might be flogged (although I have a set that is 8 years old and still going strong) but a new set isn't going to break the bank, and even moving up to some much sexier looking 540's or XT's isn't going to break the bank either.

After being on Time, I went back to Shimano, they just suit me better. I know a lot of people who have come back from CB's too. In fact, on one bike they are the only Shimano part (and I have been hunting a pair of SPD compatible Ritchey's to go 100% shimano free for a laugh).

CB's are known for breaking easily and lately, poor quality control.

Time's are much more reliable, but more expensive too.

Both get through their (brass) cleats a bit faster than shimano (steel cleats).

Floydo's picture

Just get another set cheap, tough, reliable, and you don't feel bad when you smash them on a rock. Not like the other day when i smashed my new XTR trail pedals. I flogged my 520's and they are still going strong. Just remember to clean and give the springs a spray to stop them rusting.

Scratchy's picture

Depends how much you weigh for the CB as the Ti version of those (and the Speedplays) have a weight recommendation (your weight as you ride that is).

The CB have a very different feel, not a positive engagement like the spds. Having spent all my riding years on SPDs I spent 4 months on the CB and just couldn't get used to them.

520s are fine but a little porky. Considering how long they last I waited until the XTRs were on special. No regrets and they are as light as SPDs come (300gms). Interestingly I have some Wellgos SPD copies of the same weight but the new Shimano have a much better platform.

philberesford's picture

Yes they do wear, but don't all bearings? Consider the amount of weight, power, hammer, dirt, rotations, strikes your pedals get. Like with any part of your bike if you service it well it'll look after you (would hate to have a pedal fail 50km's from the car). Bearings are a consumable item but they're quick and cheap to replace when need be.

Also what Scratchy said about weight. I'm a featherweight 62kgs so find the Eggbeaters perfect for me.

Note: I have never ridden SPDs

warpig's picture

all the way for me.

SCARY expensive, SCARY high maintenance, SCARY hard to clip in and out, but knee problems are history. Awesome pedals, but not for technical riding.

paulwhitfeld's picture

Shimano XTR!

emmett77's picture

Thanks for the info guys, my current pedals don't offer enough float. I had a knee op last year and I need just that bit more movement than the 520s offer. I clean and regrease my bike after every ride including the pedals, but yeah they have taken a beating over the years and don't offer enough float.

pharmaboy's picture

I thought my 10yr old 520's were stuffed, so i took the excuse and bought some of the new trail versions - put new cleats that came with them on my shoes - and all problems with the 520's evaporated in a puff of new cleats.

SPD's are quite possible the most bulletproof product ever produced by shimano, and better yet, there seems to be no actual difference between the cheapest manifestation compared to the most expensive, well apart from 80grams or so

hawkeye's picture

New cleats and a drop of chain lube in the contact points solve most ills on Shimano pedals.

AdrianG's picture

First off: Context. I look at what I need, then I look at what fulfils my requirements. Without wanting to diss anyone, brand name is not one of my needs.

So what am I looking for? Performance, durability, quality manufacture, usability, cost, 'x' factor.

All my pedals (road and mtb) are Xpedos. Who're they? OEM manufacturer that's gone out on their own. (And likely are still manufacturing for the big brands.)

Operate flawlessly, running for years now, and half the cost and weight of Shimanos. They're SPD-compatible, so no issues with shoes; simple to fit and nothing required to enable you to walk around. Absolute trouble-free operation.

Sold via internet; www.cyclingdeal.com.au or eBay. Here's an example; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/XPEDO-TITANIUM-MTB-CL....

A beaut range of products. Not a big name, but then no company starts with market domination. It gains pre-eminence over time through the products or services it delivers. These deliver. Smiling

Hope this helps. Adrian.

philberesford's picture

Seriously is that their company name? Ex Pedo? For real? Not sure i want to see their logo. Now if ever there was a company that could really use a rename and a rebrand. lol

AdrianG's picture

... I wasn't too concerned about the name. Smiling

thshs's picture

They were previously known simply as Pedos !!

philberesford's picture

Eye-wink

browny's picture

I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I haven't had a wholly great experience with the redesigned Shimano pedals. In the dry they have a nice tight, solid engagement but when things get a bit wet and dirty I find them hard to get in to and also have had a few slow speed stacks when they don't want to let me out. Almost seems like they have closed the tolerances up a bit.

None of these issues with the older style of SPD's.

Also the XTR pedals only lasted around 6-9 months before they were totally flogged out. About half what I'd normally expect.

Scratchy's picture

Perhaps shimano has got rid of some of the mud shedding capabilities by offering a wider contact point with the shoe. In WA I don't need mud clearance so I enjoy the better shoe contact of the new Shimano.

Expedo has been around for a while. I don't know if it is there own fabrication or made by another fabricator. Good to hear some good reports. The vast majority of pedals on mountain bikes (when I lasted looked) were either made by Wellgo or VP. All your DMR, Ritchey, Sunn, etc. etc (probably Expedo) are made by either Wellgo or VP. At their top end they do good pedals, although I have to say weight isn't the issue for me, it is the contact between the sole and the cleat. Time (Z pedal?), Crankbros (Candys, Mallets etc) and Shimano (Trail XT,XTR and the redesigned XT and XTR) give a more stable platform for your foot. I would go for these models over the Time (Atacs?) Crankbros (eggbeater) and Shimano (540, 520) which don't offer the same contact (although better mud clearance).

I have had some sealed VPs for yonks and they were good, felt like both feet were balancing on a beam though.

Edit. Just had a look at the Xpedos on ebay linked. The maximum rider weight is 85kg!!! (Same as the Crankbro titanium) Speedplays I think are 90kg. Remember this is fully kitted up so with camelbak add 8kgs?
I'd go Shimano. They are bombproof and you can huck with abandon.

AdrianG's picture

Re the rider weight limit Scratchy refers to; that's for their lightweight titanium model. (Lightweight? Try 210g per pair. Honest!) The regular (cro-moly?) pedals are unlimited.

DARN good products.

Pedal platform size may be a consideration for some, but perhaps it depends on the rider's pedaling style. Never been an issue for me, perhaps because I'm a spinner, and never crank out big slow gears?

warpig's picture

They have HEAPS of adjustable float, hence the improved knee problems. They've also pretty much cleared up a 12 month case of shitty plantar fasciitis caused by running. They also offer a rearward extension plate so you can go midfoot if you need to, but so do SPDs on most MTB shoes of course.

I should note that I use the road versions which are called Zero. The MTB versions are called Frogs, and look a bit clunky to me.

Oldernslower's picture

Used spd since they came out in about 1990/1 and haven't used anything else since I've still got my original SPD shoes (M031??). However, now looking at a change as the quality seems to have dropped off as the new XTR pedals did a bearing within a year. But have a question that maybe the knowledgeable people on here can answer. I re-drill my shoes so that the cleat is more mid-sole than the normal placement of under/just behind the ball of the foot. (midfoot placement helps knees, calf cramps and endurance) My query relates to Eggbeater and the Speedplay frog. Can their 'cleats' be mounted midfoot without modifying the shoe eg via a plate? I'm assuming they fit standard SPD 2 bolt pattern?

Warpig, didn't know that spd had such a plate available - any link to info?

Does anyone know of a shoe that allows mid foot placement of the cleat and doesn't cost as much as the Biomac shoes http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/02/b...

Can relate to the float issue - I need to twist the cleat so as to get appropriate float - when they reset the bones in the leg they didn't get the foot on straight lol

warpig's picture

The SPDs don't NEED anything added on the shoes I use (Louis Garneau: awesome shoes, BTW). The extreme rear position they came with is at least as far rearward as the position I got with Speedplay zeros and the ($$$$$$$$) rear extension plate. Not sure if Speedplay frogs are suitable for the rear extension plate, but it should be easy enough to find out.

My conclusions from 5000 km with Speedplay zeros is that they must be close to the ultimate pedal system for CYCLING. They are a very rigid system, with HEAPS of adjustable, frictionless float and the capacity for true midfoot cleat position. However for NON CYCLING they are close to useless. If you want to clip out to drag a foot round a corner, walk anywhere etc. they are a major PITA. They're both hard to clip out of, and find when you want to clip back in again. They also need very regular maintenance: if you let the lube (which you need to apply every second ride or so) build up even a little bit clipping in and out can get tough.

So if you want a pedal for clipping in, STAYING clipped in and pedaling (ie. road or ultra fast CC), and can afford the freight, they're awesome. For AM or trailriding, or even commuting with lots of stopping, I'd recommend (and I use) SPD.

herzog's picture

One advantage of using Shimano SPD's is that they are the most common.

This can be a good thing if you want to try out a mates bike, or swap bikes on a group ride etc. Odds are they will be running Shimano so you can just jump right on.

philberesford's picture

That might be true, but all my mates run Crank Bros so the same could be said for them also. Go figure.

......'s picture

XTR.

emmett77's picture

Have gone with XTR, on their way, will see how they go.

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