Pedal suggestions anyone?

[Newman8]

Have eventually managed to identify the mystery creaking on my bike as the pedal axles! Originally thought it was the bottom bracket & after either changing or servicing every other part I can & consulting with LBS, it would seem 90+% sure to be the pedals - which are Look Kéo Classic.

For many years I used Shimano 2-bolt spd pedals on my all-round commuter/road bike & they were really durable - never had a problem. Switched to 'proper' 3-bolt 'Look' road pedals a couple of years ago & was really happy up to this point. However, I don't really think that a couple of years & maybe 6000 miles of use, is really satisfactory wear & tear & also to find that (like so many things) they can't be serviced or repaired...
So my question today is: what's a better road pedal than the Kéo Classic, without paying the earth. Any suggestions that people on here really like or don't like?

(Ps. I don't want to switch shoes at present, so am not considering spd's again).

Thanks...

 

[vickster]

@Globalti i think has a strong preference for Shimano SPD-SLs over Look pedals...others on the other hand like Keos

I find Shimano pedals robust fwiw, albeit SPDs

 

[Smokin Joe]

I use Exustar. Light, cheap, and they've been in service now for about five years with no issues.

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/exustar-keo-pedals-e-pr100pp/#pid=10989

 

[Kestevan]

Shimano SPD-SL pedals every time for me.
The basic, bottom of the pile R540 are cheap (~£25) and hard wearing. If you're feeling more flush the carbon bodied 105s are still reasonable priced - I've had these on my commuter for a couple of years with no problems whatsoever.

Never used any of the higher group ones as I don't think the very small weight saving justifies the increasingly silly costs over 105.

 

[Spiderweb]

I use Look Keo Classic & Sprint on 3 of my bikes never had an issue.

 

[Globalti]

Thanks @vickster and yes, the quality of the Keos is shocking. When I started road cycling I chose Look Keos for no reason other than they were French so I thought they would be nifty and cool ski-derived technology. How wrong I was; I suffered about 4 years of creaks, worn bearings, worn out platforms and latterly, pedal bodies that actually unscrewed from the cartridges, dropping off mid-ride. I sent two pairs back to Wiggle and got replacements, I wrote to the brand manager at the importer (Fisher?) and received an annoyingly bland letter saying "Well I use them and I think they're fine". Well you probably get a new pair every 6 months Chief. The third or fourth pair of Keos I sent back to Wiggle and got them to send me Ultegra SPD-SLs instead and they are quite amazingly good in quality; in over a year of use they have not shown any sign or wear or of unscrewing from the cartridge. In fact when your Keo body does come off the cartridge you will be somewhat shocked at the amount of water penetration and rust and the shoddy quality of the outboard bearing, which is just a plain bush.

Even the Shimano plastic cleats are better quality, the yellow wear pads are still attached and haven't dropped off or worn away and the are a little wider and hence more stable than the Keo cleats. Neither the cleat nor the pedal is wearing in such a way as to make them a sloppy fit together like the Keos.

 

[Newman8]

Thanks for replies - LBS (well, if you call a 3-hour round trip by bike local) only stocks Shimano, so prob looking at just the different levels of SPD-SL - maybe 105 then... Had wondered if a higher level of Looks might be better than the basic Classics?

 

[Ajax Bay]

I don't really think that a couple of years & maybe 6000 miles of use, is really satisfactory wear & tear

I agree - not good enough. Reflecting the experience of others up thread, my experience of SPD-SLs (I have the old 105 version on my main bike) is excellent - 25,000km and still going strong. Scrubbed clean each time I clean the bike.
The current 105s are carbon etc - probably overkill for the use/riding/bike described in the OP. The R540s seem to be £25 online and cleats will be another £12 [Edit: cleats quite often included with pedals]

 

[Globalti]

Had wondered if a higher level of Looks might be better than the basic Classics?

No. Same shonky quality all around. Ours were Keo Max.

 

[pawl]

I have look pedals on my winter bike for10 years not the,the Keos.Unable to rember the model,they have spuperceded by the Keos.

They will probably disintegrat into dust tomorrow.

 

[Ajax Bay]

look pedals on my winter bike for10 years not the,the Keos.

Look Deltas

 

[pawl]

Look Deltas

That's the name.Thanks


Just been looking for some new cleats,pleased to find they're still available.
If they last as long as the current ones the will probably be obsolete.

 

[vickster]

I agree - not good enough. Reflecting the experience of others up thread, my experience of SPD-SLs (I have the old 105 version on my main bike) is excellent - 25,000km and still going strong. Scrubbed clean each time I clean the bike.
The current 105s are carbon etc - probably overkill for the use/riding/bike described in the OP. The R540s seem to be £25 online and cleats will be another £12.

I seem to think the basic pedals come with cleats?

 

[Ajax Bay]

the basic pedals come with cleats

You're right - certainly the Wiggle ones do (CRC site less clear).

 

[vickster]

You're right - certainly the Wiggle ones do (CRC site less clear).

Same company nowadays? I tend to click and collect from Evans (on a price match if possible), saves missing the postman and having to traipse to sorting office