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TECH NEWS

Check out Speedplay’s updated pedals + new power meter model

Refreshed design offers steel-edged pedal body for increased durability; brand also confirms that pedal-based power meter, Powrlink Zero, will launch this summer

Wahoo has announced a major refresh of its Speedplay pedal range and confirmed that it will release a power meter called Powrlink Zero this summer – the first road pedal-based power meter to offer dual-sided entry.

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_ZERO(1).jpeg

The standard (non-power meter) pedals now have a revised pedal body designed for increased durability and triple-sealed bearings for minimal maintenance, while adjustable float (the amount your foot can move while you stay attached to the pedal) is now standard. Setup is handled by an 8mm hex key – or a 6mm hex key in the case of the version with a titanium axle – rather than a pedal wrench, so wrench flats have been removed from the axle. The range has also been simplified.

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_Family.jpeg

Wahoo says that it has worked hard to build high-quality seals into its revised pedals to prevent the need for regreasing. With typical usage, Wahoo says that the bearings have an expected lifespan of around eight years without the need for regular re-greasing.

The most obvious visual change across the range is a new steel surround to the pedal body. Wahoo says that in the past Speedplay's resin pedal bodies with a plate across the centre would compress slightly in use and that the new design prevents this.

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_AERO(3).jpeg

Wahoo doesn’t anticipate that the steel will need replacing as a result of normal use, but says that spares will be available if it gets damaged in a crash, for instance.

There are two Speedplay cleats, both of which feature float that’s micro-adjustable from zero to 15°, and a dimpled surface that’s designed to reduce drag. Wahoo says that the curved shape and rubberised material also help with walking.

The Standard Tension cleat comes with an integrated surround that shrouds the pedal once you’re clipped in – again to improve aerodynamics, as well as looking neat.

As the name suggests, the Easy Tension cleat has a lighter spring action (unlike most other systems, the parts that move when you clip in are on the cleat rather than on the pedal).

Both cleat options are compatible with all pedals in the new Speedplay lineup and are backwards compatible with all earlier Speedplay Zero models.

Many people found the Speedplay range difficult to navigate previously; the structure wasn’t immediately obvious. That has all changed now. Here’s the essential info in a handy cut out and keep format:

Speedplay Comp

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_COMP(1).jpeg

Axle Chromoly
Weight 232g
Cleats Easy Tension
Price £134.99

Speedplay Zero

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_ZERO.jpeg

Axle Stainless steel (four lengths available)
Weight 222g
Cleats Standard Tension
Price £199.99

Speedplay Nano

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_NANO.jpeg

Axle Titanium
Weight 168g
Cleats Standard Tension
Price £379.99

Speedplay Aero

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_AERO(2).jpeg

Axle Stainless steel
Weight 224g
Cleats Standard Tension
Price £239.99

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_AERO.jpeg

They all look pretty similar apart from the Aero. This model is similar to the Zero except that it’s single-sided with the non-usable side given a dimpled cover.

2021 Wahoo Speedplay_AERO(1).jpeg

Speedplay pedals are the same size as previously – meaning that they’re tiny compared with other road pedals, having a very low stack height and loads of cornering clearance.

Wahoo has also released some details about the Powrlink Zero pedal, the first dual-sided pedal-based power meter that will be released this summer.

2021 Wahoo Speedplay Powrlink Zero - 1 (1)

No, you can't see much; the image has been darkened to keep the details from prying eyes. We've whacked the brightness right up but you still can't see a whole lot other than that all the clever stuff is at the crank end – which is what you'd expect anyway!

Wahoo says that Powrlink Zero will come with a stainless steel axle and weigh just 276g – so just 54g more than the Speedplay Zero. It will use Speedplay’s Standard Tension cleats.

Although Wahoo isn’t releasing full details at this stage, it says that Powrlink Zero will be in line with other power meters on the market in terms of accuracy – so around +/-1%. It will communicate to head units via standard wireless tech: ANT+ and Bluetooth.

The price and exact release date have yet to be confirmed.

Wahoo Fitness

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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