Ive been riding 5,000+ miles per year for the last 3 years now and before that I rode pretty consistently 1,000 - 2,000 / year for the previous 9-10 years.
I've used all of the major pedal systems.
As far as bang for buck goes, I find the egg beater 1's to be the ultimate in value / weight and durability.
My first hardtail mountain bike came with an old set of egg beater 1's. It was a single speed, and mashing hard on trails in southern California, I eventually snapped a spindle after about a year of hard use.
This made me lose faith in the egg beaters so I moved on. Though, at the time I didn't understand that it was single speed climbs with lots of my late 20's youthful torque which did them in and they were already a well used pair when I acquired them.
A few of years ago I was putting together a steel gravel / winter build for a long winter in Vancouver, BC.
I was enticed by the egg beater 1's again for the low price, making them an expendable item to be abused by rain and salt and then tossed at the end of the season. I was astonished to learn how lightweight they were, a feature I was not aware of with the first used pair I owned.
Not only did they make it through a long wet winter in Vancouver, but since returning to California, they have been my go-to gravel pedal. they are tuff, durable and light.
I also will often use them for training rides in winter on my road bike.
I dont like using my speed plays in the rain since they are pricey and quite a pain to do maintenance on, so I figured id continue to abuse the egg beater 1's and see how much longer they can go.
Well, they still keep going.
I appreciate the walkability of them with a shoe that has deep lugs. the small cleat system is really recessed and if you are wearing conformable SPD shoes, you don't even notice they are there.
For this same reason they are also great for road touring when you want to be able to wear your cycling shoes to walk around a small town at the end of the day.
Its now been over 2 years, with over 5,000 miles on the set (at least) and they still feel as smooth as when I first got them.
Many people (myself included) don't like the fact that they can't be serviced at home.
If you're like me, you like buying a quality product that you can maintain and keep in tip top condition.
(They do offer higher priced options which can be serviced)
But ive come to think of pedals as an expendable item. My speed plays are a nightmare to grease.
I do every other bit of mechanical maintenance on all of my bikes, but Speed Play grease management is a chore I no longer wish to tackle. Life is too short.
Yes its nice to know you can change bearings of your pedals over the years, but with regular abuse, any pedal body will eventually need replacing which means no pedal is for life.
They clear mud beautifully. Never once have I had to do some trail side cleaning of my cleats with a stick.
they also offer float similar to speed plays and Time. So if you have knee pain, they are a great option.
I dont have knee pain but I do appreciate some float.
Egg beaters get a bad rep because some are turned off by how they are "hard to clip in".
While there is a learning curve, once you get the hang of it, it's simple. I can do take offs from stand still on loose dirt inclines with these with no problem. And as long as your shoes have a few lugs, you can even get a couple of out of the saddle pedal rotations without being clipped in (if needed) to get going.
they dont look like they would be good for that, but they really are.
So it's really nothing an hour of practice in an empty parking lot can't solve. And once you get the hang of it, you keep the benefits of using the best value pedal system ever made.
Don't believe me? Just compare weights / prices of other pedals. You will be astonished of how affordable these are.
Given the mileage I have on my egg beater 1's, im willing to bet ive got another 2 years out of them.
For a pedal thats under $50, lighter than the high end Shimano alternative which is 3x the price, and a joy to use, I don't think you can beat these.
| Brand | Crankbrothers |
|---|---|
| Bike Type | Cyclocross Bike, Mountain Bike |
| Color | Black |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Material | Alloy Steel |
| Item Weight | 280 Grams |
| Style | Eggbeater 1 |
| Thread Size | 110 |
| Manufacturer | Crank Brothers |
| UPC | 641300147912 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00641300147912 |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 7.13 x 4.88 x 1.77 inches |
| Package Weight | 0.41 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 8 x 8 x 8 inches |
| Brand Name | Crankbrothers |
| Warranty Description | 5 year manufacturer |
| Model Name | Eggbeater Clip-In Pedals |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Part Number | 14791 |
| Model Year | 2014 |
| Included Components | Pedals come with cleats |
| Size | One Size |
| Sport Type | Cycling, Outdoor Lifestyle |
