Pedal w/Largest Platform?

1) 'Platform size' as having any importance at all is yet another marketing myth. If you want to be generous, you could call it a historical artifact.

2) I don't know what sort of driving moccassins you are trying to ride in, but my platform is the size of my shoe's outsole. How it's connected to the pedal spindle matters not-at-all, with one exception (see #4 below.)

3) Speedplay's platform size is the size of the top of the lollipop. The rest of that big, heavy, poor-working crapsicle of a cleat does nothing to support downward force. Practically speaking it could slightly stiffen a terribly flexible sole, but a better solution would be to get a proper cycling shoe.

4) If anything matters about platform size, it's width, or better stated the ability of the cleat to resist side-to-side rocking. Odd as it might seem, good old fashioned Eggy's are among the best in that crowd, when used with an appropriate shoe/cleat combination. The Look, Shimano etc. triangular pattern are in the same class, depending on the details of the engagament mechanism. Speedplays are OK, but nothing spectacular. Dead worst are spd's, though this thread hopefully doesn't consider those.

5) A few years ago, Speedplay had a bunch of graphics and supporting area measurements on their website to show how their pedals had the 'best' platform size. They took them down after (a) carbon soled shoes made the point moot, and (b) a certain popular bike tech writer noted the facts of #3 above on a certain well-read cycling web site.

You asked for opinions. Sorry if they aren't the ones you wanted.

mseanschmidt said:

First, what does OP mean?

Click to expand...

Original Poster.

One problem with the Quattro cleat is the plastic surround is kinda flexy. Wonder if your problem with the cleat (whatever it was) had anything to do with how they felt?

Sometimes feelings can be deceiving, too. I wonder if that 'solid' feeling might be more about a restrictive or more limited float rather than any of the things that 'platform' can help. This isn't about a 'right / wrong' thing, just that things aren't always what they seem.

Click in a shoe and take a close look. The only part of the cleat that qualifies as 'platform' on a look/shimano pattern cleat is the bits right around the back screws, near the axles. In comparison, the Quattro is nearly the size of the entire surround. But the look/shimano pattern is wider, so if rocking was part of the sensation, it might be part of the problem, in addition to the flex of the Q's surround.

One thing you might try is a set of 'road' cleats, instead of the Quattro cleats. I don't like it quite as much, but it's more solid and doesn't creak like the Q can.

On the useless tips side of things, it can be helpful to start asking questions without assuming you already have the answer. I'm not making an accusation, simply noting that if you presented these facts as a question rather than following the red herring of cleat size, you'd probably have had more constructive responses.