I want to share this email exchange I had with ICI/PRO member Julie Zweck-Bronner.

Hi John,

You have said you teach at a facility that has the Freemotion bikes. I was wondering if that facility uses the pedals that came with the bikes or different pedals. We will get 40 Freemotion bikes in May and are wondering how to accommodate our riders that have LOOK cleats. Should we spend the money to switch out to all Schwinn Triple Link pedals like on our Star Trac bikes we currently have? There was some talk about using the Triple Link Pedals off the old bikes to save money, but I worry they are too worn to put on brand new bikes. Do you also find that many riders wearing bike shoes do not like the basket/cage staying on the underside of the pedal as they ride?? Thanks for your insight.

You're going to have so much fun Julie.

If you are getting the S11.9 I think they come with a good two sided pedal with SPD/shoe basket. Where I'm teaching they switch out everything for triple links as that's just what they do.

If it was my studio I would work toward getting everyone to switch to SPD. Look doesn't make the traditional "LOOK pedal" anymore. Now they have the KEO which looks like it should work - but it doesn't.
I would swap the best 10 triplelinks onto the new bikes and leave the rest.

Unless of course you normally have 30 cyclists with LOOK cleats every class, then you already know what to do 🙂

Sportsmith has the best pricing on Schwinn Triple Link Pedals I've found and I want to say that Jeff Wimmer at StudioCycles.com has refurbished Triple Links.

Can I have your permission to create a post about your question?

Thanks John, yes you can post and thanks for your insight. Do you think avid bikers who wear bike shoes prefer the triple link because the can remove the cage/basket on the flip side of the pedal unlike the pedal that comes with the FreeMotion bike? That has the spd on one side and the fixed/permanent cage on the flip side. Sounds kind of anal but want to address all concerns. Thanks again, Julie ZB

Julie LOOK pedals were the most popular for years (but are no longer) and cyclists wanted to use their shoes - I don't think they care if the basket is there or not.

SPD is rarely used by road cyclists (they were first used by mountain bikers) but are best for indoor because they work on a recessed shoe = easy to walk in and safer - road shoes were never meant to walk in and are very slippery on any polished surface.

Rather than speculate, I suggest you ask your students and act accordingly.

Thanks John we will take a poll!

I haven't heard the results of Julie's poll, but I have conducted one myself at the two clubs where I teach that use the Triple Link pedal with some interesting (yet very unscientific) results:

  • About half of the riders using LOOKs had purchased their shoes/cleats specifically for indoor use.
  • Another 25% originally had LOOK cleats on their road bike = their shoes just happened to fit the pedals we used indoors.
  • Almost no one was using the original LOOKs on their road bikes anymore.
  • Almost everyone had multiple pairs of shoes. 

I feel it's very important to be as accommodating to cyclists, but times are changing. If you're looking at an equipment upgrade a simple email poll using Survey Monkey will tell you a lot + identify those few participants you will need to accommodate if/when you make a change.

Originally posted 2012-03-14 08:36:34.

John
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