# Eggbeaters and Road Shoes



## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

For the longest time, I rode Crank Bros Eggbeaters with mountain shoes. About two years ago, I switched to road shoes. Love the shoes, but I'm not sure they provide enough stability with the Eggbeaters. I've noticed some play in several directions. I replaced the cleats, and then upgraded to the new Eggbeater 3, but I'm still noticing some play. Then I just clipped my old MTB shoes into my pedals, and I noticed that there is waaay more contact. 

On the road shoe, only the "wings" of the pedal mechanism touch the sole, but on the MTB shoes, the shaft of the pedal at both ends also touches the shoe, because the shoe has raised tread. 

The play causes ankle and knee pain, and I'm guessing also a loss of power. Do you think the 3-hole cleats would fix the problem? 

Has anyone tried the 3-hole cleats? Is the brass part removable and replaceable from the composite part?


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

With the eggs you're always going to have that loose feeling.. Mountain bike shoes are softer and the rubber sole contacts the pedal to minimize the movement. On a road shoes ultra stiff sole you aren't going to get that. There really isn't much you could do to change this besides use different shoes.


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Change...*



ZoSoSwiM said:


> There really isn't much you could do to change this besides use different shoes.


or switch to road pedals to go with your road shoes for road riding.


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## otiebob (Jun 25, 2002)

Has anyone tried the 3-hole cleats? Is the brass part removable and replaceable from the composite part?[/QUOTE]

Yes - it gives a little more stability on the egg beaters as far as preventing some of the side-to-side play. The metal cleat can be removed from the plastic base but it is threaded differently than a standard mtb CB cleat.

I know some folks who use the new Candy pedals with the 3-hole cleat and really like it but realistically, I'd concur with others, and suggest a road-specific pedal system. Speedplay might be a good idea if you like 2-sided entry.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

this is your solution










or Looks or Times, that will also work


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

Hmmm. I've been happy with the CB pedal system for a long time. I guess Speedplay would be the next closest option, but I'm not sure I'm really ready to change to a new pedal.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I have some light MTB shoes by Mavic that I use with eggbeaters. The weight of the shoe/cleat combo is the same as my DMT road shoes with road cleats. Like others say, the MTB shoes work better with the eggs, so I'm not sure what benifit you are getting by using road shoes - seems to me like the worst of both worlds - not comfortable, and you cannot walk in them.


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## black_box (Jun 7, 2008)

check the bottom of your shoes for small indentations made by the wings. You may need to get the crankbrothers "shoe shield." Some people wrap tape or rubber around the ends of the spindle so that it contacts the shoe and spreads out the load a little more.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

I've happily used SPDs on both mountain and road bikes for years. I tried egg beaters for a short while but found no real advantages and no real problems with them either so switched back to what I was used to, SPDs. I find the SPDs move around less than the egg beaters but I'm not sure they would offer any advantage for you.


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

otiebob said:


> Has anyone tried the 3-hole cleats? Is the brass part removable and replaceable from the composite part?


Yes - it gives a little more stability on the egg beaters as far as preventing some of the side-to-side play. The metal cleat can be removed from the plastic base but it is threaded differently than a standard mtb CB cleat.

I know some folks who use the new Candy pedals with the 3-hole cleat and really like it but realistically, I'd concur with others, and suggest a road-specific pedal system. Speedplay might be a good idea if you like 2-sided entry.[/QUOTE]


I read a lot of Speedplay reviews. Some people love them, but it looks like a pretty expensive system, and I see a lot of complaints about the durability of the cleats. 

The 3-hole cleats are more expensive than the 2-hole version. I'm thinking about buying a pair, then when I wear them out, I can probably drill two holes in the center and mount the cleat through the composite, and use the existing SPD holes in the shoe. 

I imagine a MTB shoe is another option, but I like the stiffer sole the road shoe provides.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Eggbeaters contact point is meant to be the axle ends, not the 'wings'. So in a sense, they are meant to be used only with MTB shoes. 

Using the 3-hole cleats makes road shoes into mtb shoes, effectively. 

The pieces don't come apart easily, but it scarcely matters. The plastic surrounds wear much more quickly than the cleats (for whatever reason, they chose to use the 'premium' brass cleats for the 3-holes.


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

Hmmm. So any suggestions for a stiff, light MTB shoe for a narrow foot, at a decent price?


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

TiCoyote said:


> Hmmm. So any suggestions for a stiff, light MTB shoe for a narrow foot, at a decent price?


mine are similar to these, I think one step down, and were less than $100 on the bay

http://www.mavic.com/en/product/footwear/mountain-bike/footwear/Fury


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

I use Crank Brothers Candy pedals on my fixed gear without issue & a partner uses them on his regular road bike. I also use egg beaters on my MTB & Speedplay on my road bikes.

Maybe you just need something with a platform or a different pedal style from CB's?


On the stiff MTB shoe for a narrow foot; I would recommend LAKE, Mavic, or Diadora (Mavic and Diadora happen to be on sale at Performance bike & blueskycycling has a great deal on LAKE shoes).


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

Would this solve my problem? 









https://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/PE309Z01-Shimano+Pd-7410+Cleat+Pontoons.aspx?sc=FRGL

It's cheaper, lighter, and more readily available than the 3-hole CB cleat.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

Yes, the 3-hole Egg Beater cleats on a road shoe will help your problem.

Have you looked into the Egg Beater Quattro pedals? I run the Egg Beater on my cross bike, the Mallet on my commuter, and the Quattro on my road & tt bike. It's nice to know I can use any shoe combination on any bike, but the Quattro works the best on the road. The pedals are light enough, offer stability, and are made specifically to work with the 3-hole cleats.

Edit: forgot the best part about using one system: when something breaks/wears out, you have spares!


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I used the Quattro for 2 seasons. I gave them up because they were always sloppy feeling and noisy. Crank Brothers don't produce them anymore either..


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

Yeah, CB discontinued the Quattro after the 2nd generation. I imagine they weren't popular enough to be sustainable. Also, a lot of people complained that the metal separated from the plastic on the platform. 

I was thinking about the Candy or the Acid, but I'm not sure that the platform will actually give me any contact.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

ZoSoSwiM said:


> I used the Quattro for 2 seasons. I gave them up because they were always sloppy feeling and noisy. Crank Brothers don't produce them anymore either..


Crap. That's the worst news I've heard all morning.:idea: 

Mine only get sloppy feeling whenthe cleats get worn, but I like the large amount of float. I'm not going to like finding a new pedal system now...


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

Yeah, CB discontinued the Quattro after the 2nd generation. I imagine they weren't popular enough to be sustainable. Also, a lot of people complained that the metal separated from the plastic on the platform. 

I was thinking about the Candy or the Acid, but I'm not sure that the platform will actually give me any contact. The Acid does look pretty similar to the Quattro though.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

Yeah might wanna buy a few extra sets of cleats while they still make them. Just checked their site.. def not on there anymore. Cleats are still available directly at least.


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

I think they are positioning themselves as an all off-road manufacturer. They don't even list "road" as an appropriate use for the Eggbeaters anymore. It's a shame really. I think they make a sturdy, lightweight, cost-effective product that is elegant in its simplicity. Maybe MTB shoes are the way to go. 

Hey, are Lake or Diadora shoes better than Specialized? It looks like a comparable Lake and Specialized are $100 and $150 respectively, and Specialized only does online sales through its own website, so there isn't much competition on price.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

TiCoyote said:


> I was thinking about the Candy or the Acid, but I'm not sure that the platform will actually give me any contact.


Well, I can tell you that the road cleats on my road shoes offer a little too much contact for use on my Mallet pedals; so much so that I can only disengage by turning my foot to the inside. I do remember them feeling more stable on regular Eggbeaters as well, but I recently sold my old pair so I can't check this for you- not sure if the feeling came from extra contact or the carbon soles.


:mad2: My head's still spinning because my oldest pair of Quattros is nearing the end of their life; my Ti set is still going strong but might as well figure out if I want to try the Candy or just switch brands...


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

I found Smartys okay for road use, but ended up switching to SPD-SLs. I'm sure Candys would do the job.


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

So, after reading your posts, and talking to a friend, I decided that riding a pedal intended for a mountain shoe on a road shoe was just a flawed idea. A road pedal offers certain advantages that a mountain pedal lacks (wide contact area, tight interface) . So, I bought a pair of 2011 Look Keo Classics. Ebay, $76, NIB. Look has been making pedals for a thousand years. They're high quality, reliable, low maintenance. I'll ride them for a season, and if I hate them, I can always go back to the EggBeaters with a mountain shoe. 

I considered the Speedplay, but it's essentially an upside-down EggBeater (the cleat is the pedal and the pedal is the cleat). They're more expensive, and require more upkeep. I don't like the SPDs on the spinner bike, so I wouldn't want one on my road bike. There are tons of Look knockoffs, including the Shimanos, but why get an imitation? 

I'm gonna test them out on the rollers today after work.


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## TiCoyote (Jun 28, 2005)

So, after reading your posts, and talking to a friend, I decided that riding a pedal intended for a mountain shoe on a road shoe was just a flawed idea. A road pedal offers certain advantages that a mountain pedal lacks (wide contact area, tight interface) . So, I bought a pair of 2011 Look Keo Classics. Ebay, $76, NIB. Look has been making pedals for a thousand years. They're high quality, reliable, low maintenance. I'll ride them for a season, and if I hate them, I can always go back to the EggBeaters with a mountain shoe. 

I considered the Speedplay, but it's essentially an upside-down EggBeater (the cleat is the pedal and the pedal is the cleat). They're more expensive, and require more upkeep. I don't like the SPDs on the spinner bike, so I wouldn't want one on my road bike. There are tons of Look knockoffs, including the Shimanos, but why get an imitation? 

I'm gonna test them out on the rollers today after work.


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