supahjew

Right now I have a hybrid with SPD cleats, and I love the system. But in a few days I'm getting an Allez Elite Triple, so I need to attach some sort of pedals to it. Looks like LOOK is the most popular system with it's 3 cleat design, but HOW DOES IT WORK?!? I just can't tell by the GIFs, and too lazy/embarrassed to ask my LBS

...or should I just stick to SPD, is one system any better than the other?

Cheezerod

3 bolt system...but anyway it works the same way SPD does in essence. the toe piece locks in and the heel piece pushes down and is clipped into a spring loaded system. the difference in my opinion is the larger cleat is easier to get clipped and unclipped. plus when you get clipped in there is no missing the large clicking noise made by the spring loaded locking plate agianst the underside of the cleat. its a great system really! it has it problems though. other than the newer system Keo it is alittle heavier than others and the cleats are knowen to sqeek at times. there are fixes for the sqeeking but just leting you know the whole story. if you have never riden them i would say for sure give them a try!!

dr_cantalope

I've got a pair of LOOK Keo's and they work fine, very easy to clip in clip out. They were my first pair of clipless and after reading about how it would take me time to get used to it I was a little nervous at first, but honestly it was pretty intuitive really quickly. They make a carbon fiber version, but I couldn't justify the extra cost for a really miniscule weight difference.

NoRacer

I use both--LOOK Keo (in a pair of Pearl Izumi Vortex road shoe) and Shimano PD-5xx SPDs (double-sided entry). I started with the SPDs in a lugged MTB shoe.

After giving the LOOKs a week of commuting, I reinstalled the SPDs. The LOOKs will be saved for longer rides, but the SPDs, IMHO, are much faster and ergonomic (user friendly?) to get into, especially when the lugs of the MTB shoe help guide your foot into the proper position to engage the cleat into the binding. While commuting with the LOOKs, I found myself fumbling around trying to hit the pedal just right to engage the cleat.

HAMMER MAN

been using look since they came out with the clipless i believe in 1980-1982.
still have 2 pairs of the orginal black look pedals

bike4life

I recommend sticking with your SPD system for now. Switching to a road bike is a big change, so if you continue with SPD, that will be one less change you need to deal with at this time. Later - a month, a year, whenever - you can switch if you want. You may not, I'm still with SPD after two years on a road bike and think they work just fine. As an added plus, the cost saving can be spent on other bike goodies.

SDRider

I have LOOK Carbon KEOs on both of my road bikes. They are easy to use and after a couple hundred miles you won't even have to look down to clip in to them.

My only complaint is the cleats themselves have no grippy surfaces. It would be nice if they did something similar to the SPD-SL so that walking around would be a little safer.

If you are running Shimano I would check out the Ultegra SPD-SL pedals as well.

operator

Beh, if you're going to switch do it anyways. It's not rocket science. Unless you're really newb it'll take all of 5 minutes to get used to Looks, if that.

steel_on_wheels

Don't worry about getting used to the looks. I was really scared and apprehensive when I read all the posts about falling over and stuff (because of clipless). I had never tried clipless, so I did fall over maybe 4 times. Not too bad...I don't think I've fallen since I got used to them (which was like 6-7 times of trying after I got them) I have a pair of looks and I love them!!! It is a tiny bit of a hassle to get the second cleat in the look, but it only takes like 5 seconds to flip the pedal to the right place and then clip in. It's really not bad. Another alternative, perhaps...get a pair of cheaper looks (My fqv's cost like less than $50 from nashbar). They will last you long enough and you will be able to use looks without going broke. If you really like them, in a couple of months or more, you can upgrade if you're concerned about weight. But they're good enough that I'm not getting rid of them anytime soon. All in all, I really can't help you compare with the other systems because looks are all I've ever tried. But I really like looks...and I heard that they prevent hotspots more because of the large surface area. I hope you find the right pedals!

gurana

I have LOOKS. It is my first clipless system. My biggest pet peeve with it is that they are impossible to walk in. Now, the reason I went with these is because it's for my road bike and I never really planned on doing any activities that would require me to ride somewhere then walk around; I have another bike for that. However, walking around in them has been a major PITA even just stopping to use the restroom. It's not a big deal but it's something to consider. I can't really give you a means of comparison to say which is easier to use, but I've had no difficulty using them (did fall over a few times though).

For anybody else with LOOKS, is there some sort of solution to the walking thing? With the size of the cleat, it doesn't really seem like there would be any solution to getting a different type shoe to help with this (like with SPDs). I'm not really familiar with the LOOK keo system, do those have some sort of solution for allowing you to walk around a little easier?

Wil Davis

I have Looks on my two road bikes, and they are more comfortable than the SPDs I have on the MTB. At first the Looks feel very strange to walk in, but they're easier and they slip less if you use cleat covers. Last year I was riding on a local bike-path and had an unrepairable flat about a mile or so from the nearest road. I called a cab, and found it easier to jog with the bike than it was to walk, even with the cleat covers. I suppose it must be a bit like getting used to dancing in high-heels…

- Wil

PS: another solution might be to try something like the Lake CX-120 shoes, the soles of which have a ridge around the cleat, and more of a heel making it a bit easier for walking.

johnny99

I recall that Looks were available in the USA soon after Hinault used them in the Tour de France in 1985 and LeMond used them in 1986. The basic design has not changed much since then, though there have been improvements in quality and weight. The Look bicycle pedals work very much like Look's downhill ski bindings.

Regarding walking, put some cleat covers in your jersey pocket and snap them on anytime you need to walk. They help a lot. Several brands are available; the plastic ones are thinner , the rubber ones are grippier.

instntkrma

Don't buy any Nashbar/Performance "LOOK-Style" pedals. The knockoffs are deathtraps.

curiouskid55

My Look Keo cleats work for about 3 months then the fronts break off. They are a little fragile so you must be careful to always have your cleat covers with you and put them on immediately after you dismount. Also cleat covers make walking much easier and safer. I have carbon shoes so it would be like wearing glass shoes with ice bottoms.

dr_cantalope

+1 I Have LOOK Keo's and everytime I dismount I feel like I'm walking on ice. Is there a solution of that?

SDRider

I'm pretty sure they make cleat covers.

I have Specialized road shoes and they have rubber bits on the heel and toe of the shoe which helps.

Seriously, check out the Ultegra SPD-SL pedals. They are very similar to LOOK but they are easier to walk in (briefly of course).

barba

I have the Ultegra SPS-SL pedals ($70 shipped at probikekit.com) and I like them far better than my Looks. The cleat on the Looks was like stepping on ice everytime I had to stop. The SPD-SLs, while not exactly a comfortable walking shoe, feel like a fairly stable platform. The pedal also is weighted well, and I rarely miss the clip in (a problem I often had with the Looks).