Hayden06F4i

Which pedals do the masses prefer? Look Keos Easy or Shimano PD-R540? These will be my first set of clipless pedals (still looking into shoes too) and i am not really sure which ones would be better overall. What are the pro's and con's for anyone that has had either of these pedals? both are the same price at $59.99.

https://www.bicyclebuys.com/pedals/PedalsRoad/0486667

https://www.bicyclebuys.com/item/0414445/RV


at this point im leaning toward the Shimano, but honestly, thats for no particular reason other than looks.....(no pun intended).

live311

If this is really your first set of clipless pedals, I would recommend MTB SPD pedals and low-end shoes. They're double sided with easy entry and exit. You can move up to decent road pedals and shoes after you get used to the caveats of clipless pedals, in general, and learn to take maximum advantage of the power transfer.

JMallez

At that price range i doubt there's any noticeable difference, but some reviews below might help...I have Look Keo Classic Pedals and haven't had a problem with them so far, materials and quality seem good, walking around is easy enough. I started with them a little over 2 years ago, and have gotten better, but occasionally they can be tricky if upside down and I'm crossing an intersection. Google the types of pedals, power transfer, hot foot, and other things to see which style works best for your anticipated riding...i also recommend road bike shoes.

Amazon Look Reviews
Amazon Shimano Reviews

knobster

I started off with the 540's a few years ago. Great pedals. Still have them today. Cleats are easy to walk with and wear well. Easy to clip in and out of as well. Good inexpensive pedal. I'd recommend them to a friend.

siran

I have a pair of Shimano PD-R540's. They're my first clipless pedals, so I really can't compare them to anything, but they work very well. Easy to get in and out.

KevinF

I have a pair of Shimano pedals. I like them; they feel really secure... I used to ride MTB-style SPD's, and they just had a much "looser" connection. You're not accidentally coming out of either one, but road-style SPD's just feel better. Hard to describe.

Anyway, as for the dislikes: clicking into Shimano road pedals can be like trying to step onto a hockey rink. If I miss clicking in (and I still do periodically) then my foot just slides right off. On some other pedals I've had, you can keep your foot on the pedal (even though you're not clicked in), get a few pedal revolutions going, and then click in once you have a little momentum. It can be a big deal if you're trying to re-start on a hill.

You can keep your foot on the Shimano pedals without clicking-in, but it isn't easy. I'm not sure if it's the pedals or the soles of my shoes or the combination... but I find them to be really slippery.

RonH

+1
I must agree that you should start with easy to use, two sided mtn bike pedals. (That's what I started with in 2000.) After you've had a few months of practicing clipping in and unclipping without falling, then you can look around at one sided pedals.
I've been using Look pedals since 2001. Started with Look PP-247 and now have Keo Classic.

JMallez

Starting on an incline with one leg unclipped is so hard, however I have become good at one legged pedaling! Agree, soles slippery and pedals slippery, don't ever put your weight on the pedal when not clipped in, the result is one less testicle :-s

RonH

True. Or a skinned ankle or possibly a very embarrassing fall.

supton

I've been using SPD's as my first clipless, but my wife went right to (something, not sure what, the typical road clipless). Both of us are happy, relatively. I notice that the ball of my foot is unhappy on longer rides--I don't know if it's shoe flex or what, could be poor fit. Takes a couple of hours to do that. OTOH, my shoes are easier to walk around in off the bike, and I think the steel cleats are long wearing; but the wife has some cleat covers which she can snap into place.

I'd buy the SPD's, and maybe later on try to score a set of something else to try out. I think it's like saddles or tires or even frame geometries--it's not like you're going to find what you want to ride for the next twenty years on the first try.

Metzinger

I've been attaching myself to my pedals by various means for the last 25 years. Every time I get back on my mountain bike, I'm reminded of how easy MTB style metal cleated type pedals are to work with. Double sided. Easy engagement. Easy disengagement. My beat up old Ritchey MTB pedals continue to impress me.

For road, I use the Kéo Classics. I have the springs wound up to to the maximum to stop my foot from slopping around when pulling up on a hard climb. The Kéo Easys don't have a tension screw. For adjustability alone, I'd steer toward the Shimanos, if the choice had to be between just those two.

kissTheApex

I also started with a MTB based pedal. Crank Brothers Quattro Road pedals. I used them for about 1000 miles with its road specific 3-hole cleats and I used to have a hot spot on my right foot pretty much after 45-50 minutes of riding. Very recently, I got Ultegra SPD-SL pedals and though I wouldn't call it any more difficult to get in and out compared to my old pedals, my feet feel much better with no hot spots. I always had a pair of road shoes, so the only thing changed are the cleats/pedals. Of course, everyone's different, but why don't you take a look at the Shimano SPD-SL 105 pedals? I believe they are wider than the R540 pedals and they have a metal wear plate compared to the plastic ones on the R-540. They're only $50 at Chain Reaction cycles (https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=22687) (you'll have to pay shipping though), and $70 (minus 15% with coupon code usa15 and free shipping, which brings it down to $60) at Probikekit (https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=M1111). Of course, with the volcanic ash distrupting flights, you may have to wait longer than the usual 5-6 day shipping from UK, but a couple of more days of wait shouldn't bother you, should it? You also can take a look at the Ultegra 6700 at performancebike.com. They are on sale for $99.99 and if you can find a coupon code you can get them as low as 76.50+tax (if applicable), though it is said Ultegra springs are tighter than the 105s but I can't attest to that. In retrospect, I wish I directly got into the SPD-SL pedals, but my disappointment with the MTB based road pedals may have stemmed from the fact that I used them with a pair of road shoes.

If you want the go the MTB route first, I recommend you buy the Crank brothers Smarty pedals from Chainlove.com. They turn up every once in a while for $19.99. that way, you won't need them more than their life cycle, and $20 is not much to loose. I still have those on my mountain bike and they're holding up well after ~800 miles. Hope this helps.

superdex

My wife had a pair of 540s as her first clipless, and hated them. She could not get out of the pedals to save her life. I switched her to a pair of Look Delta pedals I had lying around, and with the tension backed all the way off she's much more comfortable. Even still, she's still nervous with her ankle strength and I'm looking at possibly the Speedplays ...

deep_sky

Your wife should be doing ankle exercises if she can't get out of looks on the lowest tension setting. That takes hardly any effort at all. The double sided shimano spd pedals do come fairly high on the tension, i had to adjust them down some to get out of them relatively easily when i used them.

OP-
Forget the easys, they have terrible bearings. might as well go with the shimano spd ones to get used to the idea of clipless, then if you want a larger platform to push off of, get a better model of look pedals. i started on the easys and was constantly having problems getting fully clipped in because the pedal would hang at odd angles due to the terrible bearings, and i had to put that tape they put on handicap ramps on the underside of the pedals so i wouldnt slip off the pedal and bean my self in the crotch trying to get started from a stop. upgraded to the sprints, MUCH better.

PaulRivers

Well, err...if it was me, I wouldn't get either. Though they cost twice as much, I'd get the Speedplay light actions. They're road pedals, but they're double sided, not difficult to get out of, plenty of float...



It's worth the money to me just to not have to look down when clipping in or out. But they're also great pedals otherwise.