do not buy eggbeaters unless you really like servicing them. they have a bunch of o-ring seals between the clip mechanism and the internals, which degrade over time, meaning you have to keep pulling them apart and cleaning them. not a bad job, if that's your thing, but there are plenty of other things to do in life!
times have the clip mechanism all separate to the internals, so you just don't get the contamination inside.
i switched from crank brothers to times ( on 4 bikes, yes i persevered for a long while with CB, and it cost a lot to change, but after breaking an axle in half on a climb, i eventually got the message ) and would never go back. i have aliums, atacs, and the platform ones, and TBH, the aliums are probably the best of the bunch. they just offer a little more support than the atacs, but aren't quite as bulky as the platform ones. they have a very similar action to the egg beaters, shed mud and snow just as effectively, with none of the drawbacks, and are generally cheaper.
here you go
my now ex GF rode a set of these for 5 years. i took 'em off the spindle to service them, as i figured they must require some attention by now, saw that they were spotless inside, and just stuck them back together again.
no experience of the looks. they're a relatively recent introduction to the market i think.
