Review of Speedplay Syzr

noLungs

noLungs

Member
i can't believe I am the first to post a pedal review in the its rightful sub forum:cool::D.

I recently bought a second hand gravel/cross bike to get out of road riding more. The dirt is just where it's at. At the time of purchase I decided to try new pedals as I am a big flat pedal user on mountain and SPD on my road bike (2 bolt). So I went with speedplay because of their new design and talks of ease on the knees.

Here is a break down on my opinion of the pedals in my hands as I was mounting them. They feel super solid. I bought the cromo models and they really feel like they can take a beating. The hard plastic ring around the pedal looks like it could take a beating. There looks to be a lot of mud clearing ability, not like egg beater clearing but slightly better than like an XTR. The cleat being steel was confidence inspiring as it pertains to longevity. I was really sold and the large metal to metal contact to reduce hot spotting.

Yesterday I got everything mounted up and set up for my fit. I picked the FLOOP for the inaugural ride. Elevation gain is minimal, I new the sections to avoids for this learning process and i could really make it a road/gravel ride unlike with my Bronson or plus bike.
All of this would have been great...

The pedals are flat out dangerous. I can't count how many times I would ride across a little dip or small bump, and I mean small, only to have both feet get ejected at the same time. I only got a mile in before I decided the bike was to dangerous. On the ride back I took the streets thinking I would be able to avoid rough stuff. I rode onto a curb, both cleats were ejected and I dropped onto my saddle, messing up the wedge retention method then eating you know what.

Bottom line, do not, I repeat, do not buy these pedals. They look and feel sturdy, the cleat feels like it won't wear like an SPD, they look like they clear mud decently well. However, none of those trails can be determined without being reliably and safely clipped in.

Thank you for listening to my rant/review.
 
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Holy crap @noLungs , that sounds awful. Do you think there was something wrong with them? They couldn't possibly have been designed that way, could they?

I keep coming back to Shimanos because the retention is so consistent and reliable. Crank Bros are a bit vague and the brass cleat wears out super quickly. The HTs I just had would sometimes hang up upon release, causing the dreaded locked-in fall. But with Shimano - click, click. You know you're in. And more importantly, the release is consistent. Same - every time - and adjustable. Plus the cleats last forever, IME.

Yes, my XT Trail and XTR Trails have come off the spindle on 3 occasions, and THAT is why I went to the HTs. Shimano replaced them for free three times, but who wants the problem to begin with? I hope Shimano has fixed that problem by now.

Again, sorry to hear bout your dreadful experience, and I am glad you weren't hurt more seriously.
 
herzalot said:
Holy crap @noLungs , that sounds awful. Do you think there was something wrong with them? They couldn't possibly have been designed that way, could they?

I keep coming back to Shimanos because the retention is so consistent and reliable. Crank Bros are a bit vague and the brass cleat wears out super quickly. The HTs I just had would sometimes hang up upon release, causing the dreaded locked-in fall. But with Shimano - click, click. You know you're in. And more importantly, the release is consistent. Same - every time - and adjustable. Plus the cleats last forever, IME.

Yes, my XT Trail and XTR Trails have come off the spindle on 3 occasions, and THAT is why I went to the HTs. Shimano replaced them for free three times, but who wants the problem to begin with? I hope Shimano has fixed that problem by now.

Again, sorry to hear bout your dreadful experience, and I am glad you weren't hurt more seriously.
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I believe there must be a defect in mine. I just spent an hour at the lbs to have a second look. We are going to call speed play tomorrow for more info and if need be an RA.

I have found mixed reviews on the internets on these pedals so maybe there is something to be said about the pedal design.

I am with you on the Shimano pedals. My XTRs may not be the easiest to get out of but that is exactly what I want. I will most likely return the pedals (if allowed) and mount my XT trail pedals.
 
@noLungs ,
I have been using Speedplay Frogs for over 20 years. They provide the "ease to knees" you are looking for. Easiest pedal to un lip from on the planet. I would check Frogs out prior to giving up on Speedplay.

I agree there has GOT to be something wrong with those Syzr's. Speedplay has been in biz for a long long time.
Thanks for the review! I hope this is just a preliminary....
 
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Mikie said:
@noLungs ,
I have been using Speedplay Frogs for over 20 years. They provide the "ease to knees" you are looking for. Easiest pedal to un lip from on the planet. I would check Frogs out prior to giving up on Speedplay.

I agree ther has GOT to be something wrong with those Syzr's. Speedplay has been in biz for a long long time.
Thanks for the review! I hope this is just a preliminary....
Click to expand...
@Mikie ,
Thank you for sharing your experience with Speedplay's frog pedals. I have heard plenty good about those pedals. I will be sure to post responses to this post once I get some resolution from speedplay
 
I've been wanting to try the Syzr pedals for some time. I like the idea of the cleat providing the stability (like road cleats) and not the lugs on the shoes. As the lugs wear on my shoes, I can feel the shoes rocking on the pedals. I have some tread contact sleeves on my Eggbeaters right now.

Hopefully it's just some kind of defect with the pedals. I still want to try them out.
 
noLungs said:
@RS VR6 my lbs replaced the set so I will have further detail on the pedals soon. The cleat was the main draw for me.
Click to expand...



Did you get the pedals replaced and did that come out as you hoped or as you expected (if not the same)?


I have been using Speedplay Frog pedals since 1999 and having a friend with a bicycle shop I have tried almost everything else when it comes to pedals. Most of them seem to rely on a spring to keep you clipped in and the harder the spring the more stable they are, the harder they are to clip into and out of. Shimano SPD pedals are not the worst, neither are the Eggbeaters, but for me they were not good enough. No matter how I tried to adjust the cleats they always seemed to have my knees pointing in wrong directions and after a few hours the knees did hurt. The free float on the Frog pedals are something that takes a while to get used to if coming from all other pedals (for me it took 10 minutes) but apart from that they are superior to all other pedal systems (in my opinion). Being so happy with the Frog pedals that in my opinion has one fault only: The plastic shells cannot take a beating, so they must be replaced now and then if you are as bad a rider as I am. Unfortunately the plastic shells are expensive. Apart from that they are non-destructible if you grease them every now and then (I do it 2 - 3 times a year riding in very dry mountains with a lot of lava rubble) and have the chromoly or stainless version if you are more than 85 kilo saddle weight. I use the titanium having at least 10 kg to go before they are supposed not to be strong enough. So to continue being so happy with Speedplay pedals I read about the Syzr for so long that I thought I needed a pair and when I found a good deal on eBay I bought a new pair of stainless. SorryI spent the money so bad. The Syzr are depending on a spring to clip in and out of, and even though that spring is adjustable with a little screw (2 on each pedal) they are not much better than Eggbeater and SPD pedals. Harder to step into than the Frog pedals, not more difficult to get out of than the rest of the pedals on the market but far from the ease of riding with Frog pedals. I will keep adjusting the Syzr pedals a while and then probably sell them and stick to my Frog pedals.


Now if you ride Frog pedals and think they are not keeping the shoes glued hard enough to the pedals I advise you to put a thin slice of silicone rubber (same size as the delivered rubber with the cleats) under the rubber part that come with the cleats; the thicker the piece you add the more you will be able to pull in the pedals when riding up-hill; you will also have to push slightly harder when clipping in, but clipping out will still be easy as with no other pedals. Screw the cleats on the shoes and do not fasten; put the shoes on the pedals and turn the shoes until the heel of the shoes is just clear of the crank arm; tighten the bolts on the cleats and you are ready to go.


Just remember: The way to clip out of Frog pedals: Turn the heel out away from the bike.
 
john_hovard said:
Did you get the pedals replaced and did that come out as you hoped or as you expected (if not the same)?


I have been using Speedplay Frog pedals since 1999 and having a friend with a bicycle shop I have tried almost everything else when it comes to pedals. Most of them seem to rely on a spring to keep you clipped in and the harder the spring the more stable they are, the harder they are to clip into and out of. Shimano SPD pedals are not the worst, neither are the Eggbeaters, but for me they were not good enough. No matter how I tried to adjust the cleats they always seemed to have my knees pointing in wrong directions and after a few hours the knees did hurt. The free float on the Frog pedals are something that takes a while to get used to if coming from all other pedals (for me it took 10 minutes) but apart from that they are superior to all other pedal systems (in my opinion). Being so happy with the Frog pedals that in my opinion has one fault only: The plastic shells cannot take a beating, so they must be replaced now and then if you are as bad a rider as I am. Unfortunately the plastic shells are expensive. Apart from that they are non-destructible if you grease them every now and then (I do it 2 - 3 times a year riding in very dry mountains with a lot of lava rubble) and have the chromoly or stainless version if you are more than 85 kilo saddle weight. I use the titanium having at least 10 kg to go before they are supposed not to be strong enough. So to continue being so happy with Speedplay pedals I read about the Syzr for so long that I thought I needed a pair and when I found a good deal on eBay I bought a new pair of stainless. SorryI spent the money so bad. The Syzr are depending on a spring to clip in and out of, and even though that spring is adjustable with a little screw (2 on each pedal) they are not much better than Eggbeater and SPD pedals. Harder to step into than the Frog pedals, not more difficult to get out of than the rest of the pedals on the market but far from the ease of riding with Frog pedals. I will keep adjusting the Syzr pedals a while and then probably sell them and stick to my Frog pedals.


Now if you ride Frog pedals and think they are not keeping the shoes glued hard enough to the pedals I advise you to put a thin slice of silicone rubber (same size as the delivered rubber with the cleats) under the rubber part that come with the cleats; the thicker the piece you add the more you will be able to pull in the pedals when riding up-hill; you will also have to push slightly harder when clipping in, but clipping out will still be easy as with no other pedals. Screw the cleats on the shoes and do not fasten; put the shoes on the pedals and turn the shoes until the heel of the shoes is just clear of the crank arm; tighten the bolts on the cleats and you are ready to go.


Just remember: The way to clip out of Frog pedals: Turn the heel out away from the bike.
Click to expand...

What a first post! Welcome to the forum... Step out into a more traveled area of the board and introduce yourself. :thumbsup:
 
john_hovard said:
Did you get the pedals replaced and did that come out as you hoped or as you expected (if not the same)?
Click to expand...
I did get the pedals replaced but the outcome was the same as the original set. They continued to unclip without a heal twist. I ended up throwing XTR pedals on from another bike. Your praise of the frogs makes me consider giving them a go. I hope you didn't interpret my post to be an outright anti Speedplay post. I had Zeros on an old road bike and thought they were the absolute best. In fact I may buy another set for my current road bike. I just think they missed the mark on the Syzr.
 
noLungs said:
I did get the pedals replaced but the outcome was the same as the original set. They continued to unclip without a heal twist. I ended up throwing XTR pedals on from another bike. Your praise of the frogs makes me consider giving them a go. I hope you didn't interpret my post to be an outright anti Speedplay post. I had Zeros on an old road bike and thought they were the absolute best. In fact I may buy another set for my current road bike. I just think they missed the mark on the Syzr.
Click to expand...

So far I am not too happy with my Syzr pedals either. If I cannot get them dialed in so they are easier to clip into I will go back to my Frog pedals. I have not yet clicked out of my Syzr unwanted. They will click out if you point your toes downand put your weight on the pedals. My problem with them is that If I want to click into them after a break uphill on a trail I cannot do it quick enough to get going. The long screws on the pedals will adjust the power needed to click in and out of the pedals and so far I have not found out how to adjust them so they are any good.
When tried a bit harder I will write if I found a solution or have gone back to Frog pedals.
 
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Wow this and Double watch!
@john_hovard ,
First off, great first post. Second, a hearty welcome to imtbtrails.
...and thirdly... way to go on an excellent promotion of Speedplay Frogs. Everybody makes fun of my Frogs, but they are a far superior pedal to anything out there. I too have been riding Frogs for well over 20 years now. You pretty much nailed it on every accord. I however have only destroyed one shell that I'm aware of.

I should probably do a product review on Speedplay pedals and not derail @noLungs excellent product review.
 
Mikie said:
Wow this and Double watch!
@john_hovard ,
First off, great first post. Second, a hearty welcome to imtbtrails.
...and thirdly... way to go on an excellent promotion of Speedplay Frogs. Everybody makes fun of my Frogs, but they are a far superior pedal to anything out there. I too have been riding Frogs for well over 20 years now. You pretty much nailed it on every accord. I however have only destroyed one shell that I'm aware of.

I should probably do a product review on Speedplay pedals and not derail @noLungs excellent product review.
Click to expand...
I am eagerly waiting for that review. Always looking for better pedals.
 
First thank you all for the kind words of welcome.


Syzr review


My first impression of the Syzr pedals were not that good. Probably because I came from Frog pedals and I admit: I do not recall if I had problems with them when I first tried them after the SPD pedals, though I do not recall any: I had none?


Now after some weeks with Syzr pedals I am sorry or glad to say: most of the negative I thought about the pedals was not correct. It took longer than I expected to find out how to get the pedals to function almost like I want.


What I did most wrong was to have as much float as possible instead of as much as needed. My right knee is a bit worse than the left so it need a more float in order to have no problems. Another thing was that I did not lubricate the cleats so they did not align so easy when clipping in.


After having tried lowering the saddle and releasing the pedals with pressing the heels towards the bike instead of out, I read on the web site from Speedplay that the cleat need to be lubricated: http://www.speedplay.com/pubs/instructions/SYZR_Instr_1_15_15_Web.pdf page 3. Some people do not read instructions first.


I put my saddle up again and adjusted the float to very little for my left foot and a bit more for the right foot, lubricated the cleat and the pedals (with silicone oil as I had none of the Speedplay oil which I think is really just a thin oil) and went out again.


Suddenly the entry was without problems and even when clicking out of the pedals pointing the heels away from the crank-arms like Speedplay instruct, there was no problem clicking in again.


One more thing: Custom Speedplay SYZR Lift Pedals are available for fitting needs such as a leg-length discrepancy or a hip-alignment in 2 – 4 – 5- 7- 9- 11- 13 and 15 mm making a pedal higher and you can also get shorter or longer spindles than the standard 55mm. That looks like an interesting option: http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.syzrcustomoptions


Here is what I think of the pedals:


Good: float, when clicked in, the pedals let you pull with full power without releasing; all other pedals that rely on springs in order to keep the pedals connected to the shoes will release if pulled hard enough (read: all other pedals I know of except the Frog pedals).
After being used to the pedals click in and out is easy.
The spindle is easily maintained and need only grease now and then in order to keep the pedals for a very long time (same system as the Frog pedals; I had a pair of Frog pedals for 14 years).
I have no way to find out if they are any good in mud like Speedplay claims as there is no mud here, but even though walking in sand and lava rubble entry is easy, better than with the Frog pedals.


Not so good: The cleat need to be lubricated before each ride if you want easy entry and exit.
If you ride with toes down or try to click in with toes down the cleat will not engage or even clip out, so that tell you: Do not ride with toes down, but with feet in horizontal position, do not stand up on the pedals and point your toes down.
The pedals are quite expensive (but last a long time).


All in all: The best pedals for me come from Speedplay. Frog or Syzr? I cannot say which one is best.


The best pedals for us all are the ones that make riding a bike fun.
 
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