Shimano PD-R535

Price Paid:  $35.00 at Bob's Bike Shop Rome

Favorite Ride:
Kentia Bridge Iwakuni Japan

Bike Setup:
96 Lemond Gan steel frame. Champy Flight Deck, Mavic Front Crank (yes Mavic), Dura Ace Hubs, Mavic Aero Wheels. Bontrager tires and Seatpost. Specialized BG saddle.

Summary:
I am new to cycling and bought a used Lemond roadbike. Replace the Time pedals with Shimanos. It did take a little getting used to clipping in but once I am in I feel very confident and secure in these pedals. With other pedals I still felt "on" the pedal. With these I feel like I am "part" on the bike. I ride 3 to 4 times a week. 10 to 20 mile per ride.

Strengths:
Bang for the Buck. Secure feel. Low profile. Strong back/up stroke.

Weaknesses:
They do get banged up easily, but I am not concerned with looks.

Similar Products Used:
Time, Look.

Price Paid:  $55.00 at supergo

Favorite Ride:
everyday

Bike Setup:
03 fuji and felt sr71 that is for sale with these pedals

Summary:
Easy to use

Strengths:
Good bang for your buck

Weaknesses:
Its not being one sided as others have said.How many road pedals are two sided?

Similar Products Used:
545's

Price Paid:  $100.00 at The Bike Shop

Favorite Ride:
Balzac gas plant loop

Bike Setup:
Obsolete consumer road bike with mountain bike triple chain wheel and cranks. Bottom-of-the-line Specialized "Body Geometry" road shoes.

Summary:
I wanted to get into an "enthusiast" cleat system, and this was the cheapest way to do it. For the highway riding that is typical of what I do, I found them completely satisfactory with my bottom-of-the-line Specialized "Body-Geometry" shoes. I crashed them pretty good once and they didn't bend.

Strengths:
Nice "solid" feel - cleat system gives good power transfer, no rocking. Demonstrated strength - I crashed hard enough to "expend" a helmet, put a scar on my ankle and leave a deep groove in the resin of the pedal frame, but the shaft did not bend. Is it cracked? Maybe, but I put another 4000 km on the bike since then, so probably not...

Weaknesses:
Single-sided design makes them hard to get into, and you can't push on the back side. This makes them difficult in city traffic (I don't know how to do a track stand). Only very expensive shoes have the central slot required to properly align the cleat with your foot - everything else extends an SPD slot, and you can't really get the cleat lined up.

Similar Products Used:
Welgo PD-9 (no longer available, unfortunately - the cleats were very low profile so with a recreational shoe you could actually walk on rubber rather than steel.)

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Freedom Machine

Favorite Ride:
Beach Road

Bike Setup:
Avanti Kona w/ 105 groupset and WH-R540 wheelset

Summary:
These came std on my Avanti Kona. I was quite happy with them wrt the cleat system, which has the rubber bumpers - much nicer for walking on polished floors. But they do tend to seize on long rides - another reviewer suggested that they're picking up dirt. I couldn't see any in the mechanism (I checked after the second fall!) but its possible the rain had washed the lube out...

Strengths:
Low profile, cheap, good cleats

Weaknesses:
Harder to clip in than Looks (smaller front hook area). Can get stuck on occasion

Similar Products Used:
Looks

Price Paid:  $79.00 at Sarasota Schwinn

Favorite Ride:
Long Boat Key, FL

Bike Setup:
Iron Horse Victory, Ultegra Group

Summary:
Many moons ago I used the Time ATAC carbon pedals when I lived in Boston. Great pedal but small platform. These have a large and comfy playform but are one sided. Just like any pedal, it takes a little practice to get used to the clip in and out but once you get the hang of it, it's a piece of cake. Very comfortable ride.

Strengths:
Price, weight, feel.

Weaknesses:
One sided. And I'm assuming that they won't last as long as a more expensive pedal but time will tell.

Similar Products Used:
Time ATAC carbon