Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedal

by Simon · 29/07/2013

Prior to changing to the Speedplay cleat, I performed the no doubt common to many, draw-around-your-worn-cleats trick using a permanent marker, in the hope that I could easily replicate my previous position when I changed back to my usual pedals. Still I knew that the change back was always going to be an issue such is the fiddly nature of cleat set-up and positioning…

I attached just one of the Speedplay cleats onto a shoe, and fixed just one pedal onto the bike, leaving my usual shoe-cleat-pedal combo on my other foot. The SiDi shoes I am using do not have Speedplay specific soles, so you have to use a combination of adapters and spacers that allow the fitment of Speedplay’s unique four bolt mounting pattern.

Speedplay Zero comes with a lot of shims to make it fit the sole of just about any shoe

That aside, I have never used a pedal system that is so easy to set-up and so easily adjustable. I was literally blown away by how straight forward it was. The beauty of the system is that there is only one way to fit the cleat to the shoe. Once done, you then alter the float by adjusting small screws fitted to the cleat. No more fiddly rotating of LOOK style cleats, a couple of degrees here, a bit there to get your perfect pedalling alignment.

Bottom line is that the Speedplay cleat design works and I quickly had my ideal position in far less time than it’s ever taken with any other system. It is very clever and this initial ease of set-up started me down a new road – I fitted the other pedal and cleat.

Both Speedplay Zero cleats fitted – a big step

The upside down pedal system

You might think that was that, and I’d be singing the praises of this pedal from the rooftops to get this review done. But its been 6-months, which is a long time to write a review. The reason: accepting that I am now a Speedplay user has not been easy. Physically getting used to this ‘upside down’ pedal system is not hard, but mentally is a bit of a leap of faith.

For a start there’s the design. The cleat you fit to the sole of your shoe is the equivalent of the pedal in most other systems, having the metal circlip style clipping in mechanism. Isn’t there so much that could go wrong? Fortunately, it is relatively low tech and so the answer is “No”. The even more minimalist bit you fit to your crank – the infamous ‘lollipop’ – is little more than an axle and bearings with a thick metal and plastic disc on the end.