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Speedplay pedals - really that expensive??

Feeling oddly aggrieved with Speedplay, they sell a product which seems like the answer to the constant niggling knee and foot pain I experience on the bike, but even a set of the basic speedplays plus custom spindles seems to come in at £250!!

Multiply that over three bikes and it starts to get reeeeaaallly silly. I guess I could swap one pair of pedals around, but I've had bad experiences with regular pedal swapping (e.g. eventually knackered crank threads).

I've experimented with pedal washers but have reached the rather limited extents of what I can do (2mm, not even the thickness of my overshoes...). Pedal extenders are the opposite extreme at a  minimum of 20mm extension.

What am I missing, is there a non-silly way to try these pedals? Any other way to experiment with increasing pedal width (to allow for my excessive toe out) without remortgaging the house?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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22 comments

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Paul5f | 5 years ago
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Buy the cheapest Speedplay pedals and buy the correct titanium spindle length on eBay for £20. That’s what I did and have swapped them between 2 bikes for 2years without problems. If you really don’t want to keep undoing the spindles buy a set of spindles for each bike and just swap the pedals with an Allen key. 

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John Berham | 5 years ago
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Of course it is more important things in cycling)

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IanEdward | 5 years ago
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I've got an unused set of the super-long axles for sale, as soon as the replacement right axle turns up tomorrow...

After all this I've discovered it wasn't the pedals, it was pushing a bloody singlespeed around all the time!

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longassballs | 5 years ago
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Is the shipping still €15?

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IanEdward | 5 years ago
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Credit to Dulight, a new axle is in the post, literally hours after they would have recieved my email with pictures of the faulty axle.

Had secretly been hoping for a refund as I'm now in two minds about whether I even need/want Speedplay pedals any more (on going physio means I'm now getting on with my existing Looks better than I was...).

Anyway, credit where credit is due to Dulight.

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barongreenback | 5 years ago
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If you want a cheap set buy the servicing kit (which is basically the pedal body) and then buy the relevant axle and bearings from ebay.  I built a pair of titanium spindle pedals for under £100 and they've been going for 2 years now.  I paid full whack for my first pair but decided that I was too lazy to keep swapping them between whatever bike I was riding outside and the one on the turbo.  I use extra long spindles as I have size 14 feet and walk like a duck  10

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matthewn5 | 5 years ago
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I've bought Speedplay stainless pedals second hand off groups or Ebay. They seem absolutely fine. Haven't worn any out yet. Have four sets now! Have thought about those Ebay special titanium spindles but haven't gone there yet.

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snsb | 5 years ago
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I am just about to list my speedplay items on ebay (probably this weekend) to include :-

DMT shoes size 45.5 only ever worn on turbo and without a mark on them

Chrome alloy zero cleats

Chrome alloy pedals 

Titanium spindles never fitted 

Rubber covers for cleats 

Only ever tried out on the turbo with maybe four or five hours use.

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IanEdward | 5 years ago
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Pilot Pete - did you ever have any QC issues with Dulight?

Just received my replacement superlong axles. One axle looks great, no complaints, but the other has an allen key socket that appears to have been machined on a Friday afternoon, by the work experience boy, who was drunk.

I actually think it will work fine as the flats appear to grip the allen key deeper in the socket, but at the visible end two of the six sides make no contact with the allen key!

Wondering how much of an arse-ache it will be returning/swapping, or if I should just experiment with them and then purchase bona-fide Speedplay axles once I know the length is right...

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Pilot Pete replied to IanEdward | 5 years ago
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IanEdward wrote:

Pilot Pete - did you ever have any QC issues with Dulight?

Just received my replacement superlong axles. One axle looks great, no complaints, but the other has an allen key socket that appears to have been machined on a Friday afternoon, by the work experience boy, who was drunk.

I actually think it will work fine as the flats appear to grip the allen key deeper in the socket, but at the visible end two of the six sides make no contact with the allen key!

Wondering how much of an arse-ache it will be returning/swapping, or if I should just experiment with them and then purchase bona-fide Speedplay axles once I know the length is right...

Iv’e never had any quality issues with Dulight supplied parts. I would email them with pictures and see what they say.

Regarding buying service kits, I’ve never seen a Zero kit in stock anywhere and I have looked because as I mentioned above, one pair of Zeros on my winter bike have worn bodies causing rock when clipped in...

 

 

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Pilot Pete | 5 years ago
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It’s the pair...

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fukawitribe replied to Pilot Pete | 5 years ago
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Pilot Pete wrote:

It’s the pair...

Cheers mate, just wanted to confirm - late birthday present I think..

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IanEdward | 5 years ago
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Swapping wouldn't be too tedious I don't think, mainly once a week from the commuter to the weekend/turbo bike.

But at £140 all in I could probably stretchto two sets eventually...

Need to give sore knee another 4 weeks recovery, then will experiment with a 20mm extender first...

Anyone know anywhere in Central Belt Scotland to get 'fitted' for Speedplay?

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fukawitribe | 5 years ago
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Whoa. @Pilot Pete - do you happen to know off the top of your head if that's for a pair ? I also like that they have a super-long length - would be perfect. 

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Rapha Nadal replied to fukawitribe | 5 years ago
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fukawitribe wrote:

Whoa. @Pilot Pete - do you happen to know off the top of your head if that's for a pair ? I also like that they have a super-long length - would be perfect. 

The link he provided would indicate yes.

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fukawitribe replied to Rapha Nadal | 5 years ago
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Rapha Nadal wrote:

fukawitribe wrote:

Whoa. @Pilot Pete - do you happen to know off the top of your head if that's for a pair ? I also like that they have a super-long length - would be perfect. 

The link he provided would indicate yes.

That what my confusion was from, doesn't explicitly say how many spindles '1' in the order implies. Given what they are, 39 euro could be one or two although hopefully the latter.

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Pilot Pete | 5 years ago
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Yea,

Dulight quality is great, I even had a pair anodised gold before fitting them to match a build! I just buy the chromalloy for the bodies, replace with titanium Dulight spindles (I just go for standard length).

There’s an article on the web somewhere about removing the bodies - heat the retaining screw with a soldering iron to melt the thread lock otherwise you can damage the bolt head.

As long as you use a needle nose grease gun (doesn’t have to be the Speedplay gun) and regularly grease them (especially after wet rides) then in my experience the bearings last years. I’ve got three sets and never replaced a bearing yet, although I have bought a service kit in anticipation...!

The Dulight spindles take a (Allen) hex key - 6mm from memory. I put coppaslip on the threads before hand tightening, then just nip them up with the key. Ensure the threads are scrupulously clean and free of debris before you start and the coppaslip will prevent them from seizing. As I said I just give them a bit of a clamp with the key and don’t lean on it trying to get them as tight as possible! If you have a torque wrench that would make more sense.

You can just swap them from bike to bike but that will become a bit of a pain, I personally would have two sets, then you don’t have to swap, but can if one needs stripping/ rebuilding.

I have replaced the bow ties a few times as they wear with use. Again, the Dulight ones are good quality. They also supply the correct bolts, which is important as they are the only thing ultimately holding your cleat to the pedal, so you don’t want them to fail. As mentioned, Rock Brothers quality was appalling and would have been dangerous as the bolts were a loose fit and too long (only by a mm or so, but that meant they would protrude and damage your shoe.)

What I have noticed on the pair on my winter bike is that the pedal bodies themselves have started to wear and there is a perceptible rock from side to side when clipped in. Now, if only I could find somewhere selling aftermarket Zero bodies...

PP

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IanEdward | 5 years ago
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Certainly makes it seem more attractive, I'd heard bad things of some of the aftermarket axles, poor machining leading to accelerated bearing wear etc.

My other concern was needing a set for every bike, but did a bit of reading and see no reason why I can't swap the pedals between bikes, painful experience stripping threads as a teenager means I'm clinically careful now when fitting/removing pedals!

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Pilot Pete | 5 years ago
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I always buy mine from Dulight in France...much cheaper and fantastic quality...

https://www.dulight.fr/en/road/259-speedplay-zero-titanium-spindles-long...

i also stick with them for replacement bow ties etc - don’t be tempted by Rock Brothers, their quality is appallling (wrong size screws and two bow ties which hadn’t been countersunk!

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macrophotofly replied to Pilot Pete | 5 years ago
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Pilot Pete wrote:

I always buy mine from Dulight in France...much cheaper and fantastic quality...

https://www.dulight.fr/en/road/259-speedplay-zero-titanium-spindles-long...

i also stick with them for replacement bow ties etc - don’t be tempted by Rock Brothers, their quality is appallling (wrong size screws and two bow ties which hadn’t been countersunk!

 

Wow thats a great deal - I can't see the point of buying the Titanium Zeros now - surely you buy titanium spindles from Dulight (EUR40)and upgrade a basic £100 pair of speedlights yourself! Thanks for the info.

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IanEdward | 5 years ago
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I can find the zeros for £100, and replacement axles for £100, although only in one size. RRP one the axles is £150...

Captive market I guess...

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longassballs | 5 years ago
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How much are the custom spindles?? Chromoly speedplay with cleats are £100.

I don't have any medical conditions but love my speedplay. I've recently been riding spd-sl a bit on my old turbo and it feels very restrictive.

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