Cycling through London this morning, one of the axles of my Sls just snapped. I’m sitting here at my desk, thinking of all the Eggbeater failures I’ve had over the years, and I think it’s time to switch.

So I now have to buy six sets of pedals and swap all the cleats on my shoes, so it’s not going to be cheap.

The default setting would appear to be Shimano, but I switched away from them about six years ago as they were a bit useless when faced with Chiltern mud. So what are they like now, and what should I be looking at for ‘normal’ riding.

All opinions and experiences* welcomed.

*to do with pedals, that is

ive been usuing time pedals. first the atac version and then the roc model and both have been great. dont clog with mud and lasted for ages

The new eggbeaters are theoretically better. Worth a shot?

I’m a Time convert too. So much better than SPD and bulletproof.

shimano, last ages and don’t hit your wallet so hard, it’s a recession, think with your cash

6 years and 6 sets of pedals and a number of cleats, that’s terrible!!!!!

cant comment on alternatives as have been using shimano for the last 5 years and in that no failures.
also are the design of shimano a lot different from 6 years ago, more open for better mud shedding,

Pixel, in what way are they better? I’ve had just about every part fail (the wings, the bearings, and now an axle breakage), so unless there’s been a general quality increase, I can’t see that spending another chunk with the same company is the right idea.

My XTR SPD’s are 7 years old IIRC. No worries at any point.

Another vote for Time here.

Used atacs for at least 10 years, never had a failure.

Buy a new pair of shoes, get some SPDs (new ones are much better mud shedders) and gradually move over from Eggs -> SPDs as the Eggs fail. Use the appropriately cleated shoes depending upon which bike you’re going to ride that day.

Pies, you might just have the right solution.

[scurries off to Merlin]

I find that Shimanos do clog quite a bit and infact I have had a few falls due to not being able to release. They are the only SPDs I have tried tho so cant compare.

Likewise, I’ve only used Shimano and haven’t had any problems. As you say though, they can clog in bad mud although I’ve always been able to get them to engage it just gets a more difficult.

The Time system has always looked like a good alternative to me. Reviews always mention the mud shedding ability of them and I like the fact they seem to offer a high degree of float.

Time atac for me – been using them since 1998

Been using Times for the last 5 years or so, since I switched to clipless. Never felt the need to try anything else. Bearings never seem to wear out. Great in the mud too.

The above is sound advice, I have a double omelette (2 sets of eggs) and read this with reluctant attention. I take it the warranty has passed? 6 pairs of pedals 😯 you have quite the habit!

I’ve been using eggbeaters for over 5 years and other than a bent axle from a crash I’ve never had any problems. OK they need regular maintenance but its not difficult.

On the subject of changing from eggbeaters back to shimano – I originally changed from shimano to eggbeaters as I was having trouble with my knee and thought the additional float could help – it did. Recently I built a hackbike using an old frame and various bits and bobs left hanging around the shed, including shimano spd’s. IMO they are awful comparedto the eggs – you feel like you are clamped into the pedal and I could also feel my knee starting to ache again.
If you look at the time atac pedals the way the cleat engages looks very similar to the eggs so one would assume the float is pretty similar. Mate of mine has ben using them for years and swears by them.

This may be a dumb question, but have you spoken to Crank Brothers (or relevant importer) about this? Such a degree of failures happening to a seemingly very loyal customer might get their attention.

Otherwise, another vote for Time ATACs. I’ve been using them since 2002 and the main drawback issue is that I can’t jump on my SPD-using mates’ bikes to take them for a spin. I’ve had to replace two sets of bearings in all that time in the Aliums. Rocs have been maintenance free and faultless.

Tried one set – i found eggies to be just awful. I was severely underwhelmed. I use shimano and have done last 19 years- had some atacs – early ones – nice but cleats wore out rapidly and the plastic pedal and sidi shoe combination = squeak hell…

my 58 kg racing snake of a mate snapped his eggie axle – how he did that i just dont know….

paul

I have an unmaintained pair of crank bros candys that are a year old and another pair on order. Am I going to die?

Hi Nick,

Happy to help out if you get in touch. We can rebuild anything or look at getting you on the new pedals. Drop me an email to

info@2pure.co.uk

Thanks
ran@2pure

Ade, I’ve spoken to them on sevral occasions before, sent pedals back to be reconditioned, and have had a good number of free services/rebuilds done at race events where they have a stand.

I ride quite a bit, and I’m 95kg, so the pedals get a hammering, but I’ve simply never had a pedal failure with any other make (I use flats on my DH bike), nor do I know of anyone who’s had failures with Shimano.

It’s true that maintenance on the Eggs will prolong the bearing life, but a snapped axle and the numerous wing breakages and failures I’ve had are not due to poor maintenance.

As I say, I’ve had enough. I’ve followed allthepies advice and have ordered some Shimano XTR (the same price as the Eggbeater SLs I’ve just killed) together with some new shoes. As the other pedals die (probably take a year – some bikes get ridden more than others) I’ll swap the Eggs for Shimano, assuming I get on OK with this set.

Ran, thanks for the offer, and your customer service is truly excellent; I just wish I didn’t need so much of it.

The pedal which snapped today was one you rebuilt for me earlier this year, as it happens! I think the only original bit left was the axle, which has now decided that London traffic is waaay too much to handle.

Another Time ATAC user here. I still have 2 pairs of the original grey plastic bodied versions going strong after more years than I can remember (certainly well over 10). Never performed any maintenance on either pair. I suspect the eventual failure is going to be the rails wearing through…

I use Ward Industries titanium spindles now with their 250lb rider weight limit to avoid this happening again
.
Broken pedals by Vegan Graham, on Flickr

Can’t fault 2pure’s customer service though. It’s just a shame so many people have to use it so often.

I’m a bit puzzled by the new version of the egg beaters.
The most common problems with the old ones are that the spindles snap, the outer bearings collapse, the wings wear out and the springs loose their tension.
As far as I can tell, the only significant change on the new ones is that the inner bush, the one bit that has got an acceptable service life, has been replaced with a needle roller bearing.

I use Shimano pedals. They seems to work well for me both cheap and expensive ones. I currently use a pair I’ve had for 15 years (and on many bikes) daily. Got some scrapes but they still work perfectly. Infact the longest serving piece of MTB equipment I’ve owned.

Time Roc Atacs for me or the basic Aliums. They just work. The more expensive Time’s wear out a lot quickr in my experience.

I too have had the pedal slip off the axle three times on different pedals and ended up with a nice scar in my leg for my trouble. I binned them thereafter. One of those great ideas badly executed in my experience.

Cheers

Sanny

its gutting functionally egg beaters work so much better than spds

better in mud, more angles of entry,mallets are lower profile and easier to ride in non spd shoes than shimano equvalents, look much nicer!

but the bearing life is just more hassle than its worth

trouble is i have crank bros on all 3 bikes (candy, acid, mallet) and ill have to ditch teh lot!

Pixel, in what way are they better? I’ve had just about every part fail (the wings, the bearings, and now an axle breakage), so unless there’s been a general quality increase, I can’t see that spending another chunk with the same company is the right idea.

I’ve not looked in detail yet, but they now come with a new style spindle to produce pressure points, new bushings instead of bearings and a 5 year warranty.

Disclaimer – I’ve no experience of new or old Eggbeaters (I ride Candys and was planning on trying the new ‘beaters), so I’m not trying to recommend or otherwise. Just food for thought!

I’ve got a six year old set of Mallets, used pretty much daily which have only required one service to keep them sweet. They’re truly excellent, if a little heavy.

However, they replaced a set of Mallets which lasted less than a year before the bearings on the driveside pedal went for a dump and spilled their guts all over Epping Forest, leaving me to ride one footed.

I’ve also got an 18 month old set of Candys, which seem to be on the brink of death as they’re audibly clicking each revolution. I can’t get the nut off the end of the driveside axle either, so it looks like I can’t service them. Suffice it is to say I’m not particularly impressed.

I seem to have had a mixture of good and bad experiences with Crank Bros kit, certainly not enough positives to keep me from checking out Shimano and/or Time alternatives in the near future.

Shimano FTW. Quite honestly never had a problem. Apart from the snapped axle on my XTRs in the summer, but every bike shop was amazed when I went in for spares, it apparently never happens so no-one had an axle in stock.

ade – Member
This may be a dumb question, but have you spoken to Crank Brothers (or relevant importer) about this? Such a degree of failures happening to a seemingly very loyal customer might get their attention.

If Crank Brothers aren’t aware of the failure rate on the pedals then they must be pretty stupid or perhaps deaf to complaints, because this has been happening ever since the pedals were launched.

I’ve documented my complaints on here previously – similar to nickf’s and I let CB know at the time, with no response from them – but what I’d be most concerned about is why it has taken so long for CB to rectify the problem*.

I’ve asked before, why wasn’t there a general recall of pedals which were failing in a dangerous way? Why did they carry on selling dangerous goods for so long?

Ran (2pure) is always prompt in posting and asking people to get in touch about faulty pedals, but really that’s not good enough – the pedals shouldn’t fail with such depressing regularity.

(*Have CB rectified the problem? All I’ve seen are a few mag reports saying that the new pedals should have more longevity than the last ones. They could be made of strawberry jelly and they’d have more longevity than the last ones tbh)

I use 540’s in the Chilterns, they do clog with mud/snow – but its not such a problem.

Just make sure that whenever any ‘movement’ is felt, you re-grease them.

you feel like you are clamped into the pedal I like that sensation, but I know it’s not for everyone. Never really had a clogging issue with new SPDs* and I only ever buy 520s. and after 5 years, only now thinking about replacing them as the left is getting a bit loose…

* they do clog occasionally when it’s hyper muddy but for 99% of the time they’re fine

2 sets of time atacs going strong for 10 years+ Don’t clog in mud and from experience our Test Valley mud is as thick as the chiltern slop

have had six years or eggy use, but i too am fed up with them breaking and wearing out (have SL’s, Ti, Twin Ti, C, and MXR ones)

i go through cleats like they are cheese (new and old versions), and have had two sets fail on me on the trail (bearing simply disintegrated) and typically when out of warranty

they get regularly serviced and greased but now finding the springs are worn and there is piss all tension on them now – and i really don’t like the random unclipping sensation when flying though the air

so i bought some M540’s and slowly doing what ‘allthepies’ has mentioned above -the M540’s are okay, but they don’t feel as nice as a new set of SL’s, they don’t have the float, don’t have the mud clearing properties, and are much heavier, but on the +ve side they are cheaper, adjustable and hopefully the cleats and bearings will last five times as long and no random unclipping moments

really want to try the eggy 3’s – but not at £95 a go (new xtr’s are £80)

If you want to sell the Ti’s or 2Ti’s let me know, or just the bodies actually!

I changed the bearings in mine the other day for the first time in 2 years, because I thought I should, they looked fine inside. I use the Ward Industries ti spindles too, nice and light, and seem plenty tough enough.

Time : I went through bearings every 6 months and the cleats are made from cheese.

CB : Dont like the feel of them in use, but do have a set in the spares box.

Shimano : m520, after a few months commuting on them I cant see the point of any other SPD type pedal! £20 a pair, so buy 1 pair, and then when the cleats wear out in 12 months, buy another, and slowly do your bikes that way.

Ran (2pure) is always prompt in posting and asking people to get in touch about faulty pedals, but really that’s not good enough

Hi, I am just trying to help here. Also, all warranty case notes are passed back to Crank Brothers so they can look at trends in failures and work on improving them. If these things don’t come back to us – and Crank Brothers – then it’s harder to progress things.

If anyone has an issue they just need to get in touch and we can help out.

ran@2pure

Well it rather appears they have taken the comments on board, as there’s now a totally redesigned pedal! I suppose it’s reasonable that some have lost faith, and it has taken quite a while, but the new ones look really good.