Originally Posted by
blazin
As others have already said, the durability of Eggbeaters--bearings specifically--is quite limited.
While I run and enjoy Eggbeaters, the key for me is to treat them like a disposable item. Sad but true. I've not had good luck with the bearing replacement kits. I find that replaced bearings last even less time than the originals. I've come the conclusion, thus, that futzing with the replacements is not worth the time/cost trade-off. When your current pair dies, buy a new set of 3s and just slap them on the Ti spindles from the 11.
I gave up on Eggbeaters. What did it for me was that the pedals were gripping the cleats sloppily (i.e. there was noticeable up-down play when clipped in), and it didn't resolve after changing to new cleats. This problem was not related to bearing wear.
That said, those were 11 year old Eggbeaters. To be fair, the spring could have worn out - albeit I'm not sure this is plausible. I didn't use the pedals that much. They were on my cyclocross bike, and were also used for short commutes sometimes.
Speaking of bearing wear, the
owner's manual suggests that you periodically check the end caps to make sure they're tight. They're supposed to keep crud out of the bearings. The end caps can loosen, and this will also cause side to side play. In fact, if they loosen too much and come out, you can lose the entire pedal body. Occasionally you'll see photos of Eggs where the rider says the thing slid off the spindle, wtf?! This was the likely cause.
Also, Crank Brothers did get new ownership (Selle Royale Group) in 2008, I believe. I'm pretty sure my old Eggs were previous to that change of ownership. It seems like they did a big internal reorganization in the mid 2010s as well (see comments
here). Their current products may be more reliable. That said, Shimano's pedals have long been reliable and high quality. Shimano doesn't have end caps coming loose all the time. Why should I bother with Crank Brothers?
Another potential con of Eggbeaters for gravel is this. If your gravel bike shoes don't have a super stiff sole, then it's possible the relatively small platform on the Eggs may be a disadvantage and may cause discomfort. If your shoes are super stiff, then it may not matter as much.