Speedplay SYZR

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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han1337
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:55 pm

by han1337

They are out there now..
And I am thinking about trying them for my MTB.

But I have not read a good user review yet.

Has anyone here tried them?
How is clipping in / clipping out?

by Weenie


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MileHighMark
Posts: 199
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:50 pm

by MileHighMark

I've been riding them almost exclusively since Interbike. Was on Frogs, but the lack of (tactile/audible) warning before unclipping was getting on my nerves. Also didn't like the fact that the Frogs' float wasn't adjustable ala Zeros, etc.

Clipping in with SYZRs is different than SPDs. You need to use the toe of your shoe to engage and clip in. An exaggerated toe-down motion works best. You can't "hook" the front of the cleat and then press down with your heel--it's more of a downward/forward motion that's biased to the toe/front of the shoe.

Clipping out also requires a more toe-biased action. It's more like SPDs than clipping in, but you concentrate rotating your foot at the toe rather than the heel. The SYZR float is unsprung, but you can feel the tension ramp up before you approach the exit angle. Adjusting rotation is easy via the small grub screws.

Haven't had much in the way of mud here (yet), but what little I have encountered didn't cause any problems. The interface between the cleat and pedal is amazingly secure--there's no slop or play when you pull up or back.

Disclosure: Speedplay provided pedals at no charge for test/review purposes.
GRAVELBIKE.COM - ride everything

han1337
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:55 pm

by han1337

MileHighMark wrote:I've been riding them almost exclusively since Interbike. Was on Frogs, but the lack of (tactile/audible) warning before unclipping was getting on my nerves. Also didn't like the fact that the Frogs' float wasn't adjustable ala Zeros, etc.

Clipping in with SYZRs is different than SPDs. You need to use the toe of your shoe to engage and clip in. An exaggerated toe-down motion works best. You can't "hook" the front of the cleat and then press down with your heel--it's more of a downward/forward motion that's biased to the toe/front of the shoe.

Clipping out also requires a more toe-biased action. It's more like SPDs than clipping in, but you concentrate rotating your foot at the toe rather than the heel. The SYZR float is unsprung, but you can feel the tension ramp up before you approach the exit angle. Adjusting rotation is easy via the small grub screws.

Haven't had much in the way of mud here (yet), but what little I have encountered didn't cause any problems. The interface between the cleat and pedal is amazingly secure--there's no slop or play when you pull up or back.

Disclosure: Speedplay provided pedals at no charge for test/review purposes.


Which one do you find easier to clip in while riding a bad trail, SPD or Syzr ?

MileHighMark
Posts: 199
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:50 pm

by MileHighMark

I prefer the SYZRs for ease of entry. All the SPDs I've used were very shoe-dependent when it came to ease of entry/exit.
GRAVELBIKE.COM - ride everything

nunokas
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 3:18 pm

by nunokas

Hi.

For 320$ they better pedal for me on the climbs because in weight they definitely aren't atractive :roll: :)


Regards

User avatar
nickf
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm

by nickf

Ok i have some miles on mine now. I like them. A lot. Nice positive engagement. No slop when clipped in. Plus a nice positive disengagement. Frogs kinda just fall out. I did play with the pedal spring tension a bit. I like the firm tension when clipping in but on a technical course it proved to be hard to clip back in. I dialed it back some and now it's spot on. The float is easy enough to dial in, like the road pedals you can adjust left and right independently. When clipped in the float is firm. The pedal contacts the cleat and not the sole of the shoe. Solid connection. The kit included plates to install on the cleats to make the float not as stiff. Sandwiches between the cleat baseplate and inner plate. Going to try that next. I'm coming off of frogs and eggbeaters. They are just sloppy compared to these. Frogs lacked any feel when clipping in and out. Eggbeaters are just bad. I used them for years. These are hands down better then both. I do admit it's a little learning curve to clip in. The others systems just fall into place. These take a little more effort to snap in. I'm also curious to see how long the cleats last because they are not cheap. I'm sure they are durable but those small ceramic rollers could be problematic. Will need to keep them lubed.

han1337
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:55 pm

by han1337

I got my set today(steel version), because your comments where so positive, coming from eggbeaters, which I brought because of the weight.

The Eggbeaters did their job ok, but there was one thing that was really getting on my nerves.
When engaging on the trail, sometimes I was not clipped in, but I didnt feel it as the engagement is not really noticeable, there is no click.

Then I slid off the pedal (which happens easily with the eggbeater when you are not clipped in, as there is no real surface to turn them over) and nearly crashed.

I was riding with a strong group and I dont have much experience on my MTB.
Having enough troubles keeping of with them on the technical terrain, I was completely overstrained with the clipping in and out all the time while trying to avoid crashing all the time :D
It is really important for me to know if I engaged the cleat and to engage without looking while bombing down the trail ...

Otherwise the eggbeaters clip in well, but there is no real guidance to clip in.
Some times it just takes me a bit longer to clip in, which is not acceptable out on the trail ..

On the road I am using zeros and I love them to death, I would never use any other pedal.
That is why I considered the SYZR


Will post again when I have them figured out ... just mounted them and trying to adjust them.

kolarzyk
Posts: 93
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:17 pm
Location: Europe

by kolarzyk

I used them for one week and got back to Shimano 959. SYZR have quite good and porobably durable design for easy riding and people who like lots of float but the don't work for riding in real MTB. Sometimes the clip in very easily otherwise not(don't know why) and it's hard clearly to say if you are clipped or not. You think you are then you slide off, what can be paintful. These pedals tend to clip out on some rocky, root(or both) sections or in turns or berms just places where working with heels is very helpfull but when you really need to get your foot out they hold you. They are missing clear point of engagement and disengagement what Shimano always had to offer.

han1337
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:55 pm

by han1337

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/categ ... yzr-49951/

the bikeradar review does not look good for speedplay syzr

velomane
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 1:44 am
Location: Winnipeg, Canada

by velomane

Man, that's too bad. I was looking forward to these, but that review nearly closes the door for me. I'll be sticking to my Frogs for now.

CGT
Posts: 342
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:33 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

by CGT

Sounds like a pedal designed by someone who's never tried mountain biking.

sstefanov
Posts: 93
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:18 pm
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria

by sstefanov

I have been riding the Syzr for 3 months now. Here are my observations:

1. The pedal platform is great. You do really feel connected to the pedal in a way that no other mountain pedal I have tried.
2. The float is great. It is like you are stepping on ice. No resistance, tunable amount in and out, great.
3. The cleat is biggish, and on my SIDIs Dragon 2 SRS the threads do interfere with the cleat/pedal interface. I had to trim them a bit. If I did not do that clipping in and out of the pedal was not consistent and float was not too.
4. The pedal is quite different to clip into compared to the other pedals I have used. It does require getting used to, but once you get used to it, it is no easier or harder than the other pedals I have used.
5. I have had not real problems in the mud, but I have not tried it in really muddy situations.
6. Up to now I did not have a single premature clip out yet.

The pedals I have used for years up to now are: Time ATAC XS, Shimano XTR M970 and Xpedo MForce 8Ti.

From my point of view, they are a very good. The float and connected feel is great and is worth the other drawbacks, if any.

Stefan

han1337
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:55 pm

by han1337

200 km in, I have to say that I like them very much.

The platform is feels more efficient than Shimano or Crank Brothers which I have used before.
Also when you are really sprinting you dont feel so wobbly like with the other pedal systems.

The feel is very similar to the zeros that I use on my roadbike.

Till now I have not had much mud, so I cant tell anything about how they do in the mud.

Clipping in and out feels fine, I like that when I cannot clip in instantly I can pedal a bit while beeing clipped out because the platform is so big.


I think that I have had what bikeradar meant "sudden clipout" this is the same on my zeros, when I ride over some stones and put pressure on the pedal I might loose the direction in which i wanted to put the pressure and put it wrongly on the side of the pedal a bit and then float till the end of the range and bam .. clip out.
This only happens when I use a lot of force and "slide of the pedal".
This happened to me on my zeros from time to time, but it is not a big issue, because when you are used to this, you will know who to avoid it.

But clipping out completely random has never happened to me till now, *knock on wood*

Till now I am positively impressed by the syzr, lets see how things go for another 1000 kms.

From my current view I dont understand bikeradars bad rating and would probably give them a better one myself.

velomane
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 1:44 am
Location: Winnipeg, Canada

by velomane

Thanks for the report. Keep us posted if things change. What conditions were you riding in during the first 200k? Were you doing alot of clipping in and out?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

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bikemaniack
Posts: 331
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:33 pm

by bikemaniack

What I see is,that they are quite expensive. You have to pay 145 Pounds for standard pedals,that weight 315grams,and 350 rod 275 grams...sick

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