Three MCL tears. One broken kneecap. Decades of knee pain. For me, recreational cycling started as knee rehab, but it quickly became my hobby, my livelihood, my passion.
After 14 years of riding and racing bikes around the globe, one piece of gear has been with me since day one: Speedplay pedals.
Back when I started riding avidly, every physical therapist and seasoned rider I spoke to said the same thing: ‘If you have knee issues, get Speedplays.’
The 15° of float, the micro-adjustability, and low stack height were all meant to keep knee aches and pains away.
These were also the days when the bright green lollipop pedals could be seen under the feet of Peter Sagan and his fellow Liquigas riders. Fabian Cancellara, Cadel Evans and Taylor Phinney all used them, too. Pros praised them for their low weight, aerodynamic, dual-sided entry and better cornering clearance. I used them as injury prevention.
Fourteen years later? I’m still riding them. They may have gone in and out of fashion, but I swear by them. I even ride them on gravel (whenever I know I won’t be doing any hike-a-biking).
Why? Because when you find a system that works for your body, you don’t mess with it. And also because no other pedal system offers the comfort and adjustability that Speedplays do. You can completely fine-tune the foot angle and float independently for each leg. I’ve worked with several bike fitters over the years to dial in my setup so I can ride pain-free (there’s still plenty of suffering, mind you, but at least my knees don’t hurt!).
The pedal itself may be small, but the cleat is anything but. While it’s not the easiest to walk on (though the walkable cleats are a big improvement), the large pedal-cleat interface gives you a wide, stable platform. And the dual-sided entry is also a big bonus. No other road-specific pedal offers this feature.
And since Wahoo acquired Speedplay in 2019, things only got better. The newer models come with sealed bearings that no longer require regular greasing. The old system involved injecting grease every couple thousand miles but now they’re maintenance-free. After four years of heavy use, my Speedplay Zeros are still spinning smooth.
I personally ride the Zero model for the benefits of full adjustability, a stainless steel spindle and standard tension cleats. But if you’re new to Speedplays, or more of a recreational rider, the Comp model is a great entry point. This model has slightly lower cleat tension and a fixed 15° float for a more forgiving setup. But you still get the core benefits of low stack height, dual-sided entry, and the freedom to wiggle your feet without unclipping.
Right now, the Speedplay Comp pedals are 21% off for Amazon Prime Day. If you’ve got cranky knees, want a more forgiving ride, or just want to stop flipping your pedals at every stoplight, now may be the time to give Speedplays a go.
