Just wondering if anyone's using the SQlab 511 mountain bike pedals. The big attraction is the option of a longer spindle to increase stance width, particularly on road/gravel cranks, but I'm wondering how well they work as actual pedals. I have a set on my indoor trainer bike and they're mostly good, but subjectively, they seem to allow more side-to-side rocking than Shimano pedals, I think because there's less support for the sole unit on either side of the shoes' cleat box, though I suppose there may also be wider spaces between the cleats and the retention mechanism.
Any long term experiences? How do the bearings/bushing hold up? They seem to have revised them relatively recently, so I guess this may have changed. Other thoughts? Thanks!
I have them as I have size 15 feet, they are kind of an old fashioned spd, in that they don't have and flat bits that the sole of the shoe presses against, so they feel a little unstable, but if you need the extra spindle length like I do, then there are very few options.
Thanks. I'm just using them to get a slightly wider stance on my indoor trainer bike - road cranks, so only 146mm - which is causing classic 'too narrow stance' symptoms. Like you say, very few alternative options unless you want to use bolt-on pedal axle adaptors - either 16mm or 20mm per side - or spring for the very nice looking, width adjustable, but insanely expensive Wolf Tooth pedals, which only give an additional 4mm per side anyway.
The large SQ Labs - +8mm per side - feel good width wise, but a bit sloppy relative to Shimano. Contemplating another pair for my gravel bike, but as actual pedals, they feel a bit less than optimal. Then again, there aren't many alternatives.
The sqlabs road pedals are miles better, they give the same contact area as standard look or shimano road pedals. IMO the MTB pedals are 25 quid pedals that cost a 100 quid more because of an extra 8mm on the spindle.
I wish I could just get a longer spindle for some shimano xt pd-120.
Bike Fit James recently said that he sells them because they are the only option for pedals to adjust stance width but they're not great pedals. Then the Wolftooth came along with their adjustable pedal, that seems to be getting rave reviews in lots of places but as you say, they're quite spendy.
What is the rest of the drive train setup? I've been running an old set of deore cranks on my gravel bike for this very reason.
Double post
What is the rest of the drive train setup? I've been running an old set of deore cranks on my gravel bike for this very reason.
I can barely remember tbh, erm, compact double - 34/50 and a ten-speed GRX cassette/mech on the back for the trainer bike. The Gravel bike's running 1x11 GRX, 40-tooth up front I think. I've just stuck some 16mm pedal axle adapters on the gravel bike and that feels okay but I don't really trust the adaptors not to bend/break etc. I could, I guess, fit a mtb crank with spacers on the indoor bike, maybe go single ring. Or I could get some SQlab road pedals for the indoor bike and share them with my road bike for the odd day per decade I actually ride it...
But yes, maybe a mtb crank on the gravel bike would fly if I can fit a large enough chainring. I may have to do and count teeth and dig into crank axle spacers. I think I actually have some. But mostly I wish Shimano would make SPD pedals with 8mm longer axles or someone would machine some custom replacement pedal axles to suit 🙁
I wonder if it would be interesting to get some extended axles machined up to modify Shimano pedals?
I wonder if it would be interesting to get some extended axles machined up to modify Shimano pedals?
I did wonder that, you can get some titanium axles that are 4mm longer (iirc) but thy are light weight and I'm not, so aren't suitable for me, and 8mm seems about right for my clown shoes anyway. It would be interesting if someone knew how to make that happen, ie machine some extended axles, could post details on how they could be commissioned. Maybe if the costs were acceptable enough we could put a group order in. I would probably get 5 sets to future proof my riding.