Look Keo Blade pedal broken

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gilesharrison
Posts: 226
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:44 pm

by gilesharrison

Anyone else had any problems with these?

I have the Ti axle version with the 16nm spring in, they're about 1 year old (one season on my race bike so max 3000km). One of the pedals has cracked through the carbon pedal body where the pivot is. Although I finished the race on the pedal today, there is now no tension on the cleat and it is unusable.

I'm hoping that this will be covered under warranty but I was wondering whether anyone else has had problems. I've got two pairs of these and the others are fine. They've been excellent in use, so I'm not bad mouthing them, I think I've just been unlucky.

By the way, they've not been crashed or anything.

Thanks.

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BeeSeeBee
Posts: 490
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:00 am
Location: Bay Area, CA

by BeeSeeBee

Someone had the same issue late last year, sounds like Look warrantied them without question, so you should be in luck.
viewtopic.php?p=827693#p827693

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gitsome
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:03 am
Location: nyc

by gitsome

Yeah that was me, brought them in to dealer, got new pair, have been riding them ever since and love em. Dont know why it happend but LOOK didnt give me any probs, I emailed them w pics (to cust service) to get the go-ahead ok to return them to dealer and then gave dealer the contact name etc and they did the rest.

Good luck! Keep us posted
My wallet is the lightest thing on my bike.

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Kayrehn
Posts: 1776
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:06 pm

by Kayrehn

Does it look like this?

Image

Found it in my left pedal and I thought perhaps it's my own fault for over-tightening it after messing around with the axle (I upgraded to white industry titanium spindle). Bought it online so can't get any help with Look.

gilesharrison
Posts: 226
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:44 pm

by gilesharrison

My crack is similar in appearance but in a different area. Here's a picture.

I've emailed the UK distributors so I should get a reply pretty soon.
Attachments
043.JPG

gitsome
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:03 am
Location: nyc

by gitsome

Giles,

Thats exactly where my pedal cracked, LOOK wasnt too curious about it they just said, Yeah Bring It In To a Dealer, so thats what I did. Hope the replacement doesnt do the same thing... Great pedals otherwise
My wallet is the lightest thing on my bike.

maxxevv
Posts: 2012
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 4:51 am

by maxxevv

Wow... this looks more widespread a problem than I thought ! I've seen one and heard of another. Didn't realise that's happening elsewhere too ! :shock:

metanoize
Posts: 186
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:53 am

by metanoize

Around 2000 miles, mine, the left blade cracked and and the right rear had a piece fall off. I got a replacement from Look and immediately put them on ebay. I moved to the blades after a disastrous experience with Time iclic. I only weigh 130lbs!

Looking at the Shimano 7900, after 11000 miles, they still look like new!

maxxevv
Posts: 2012
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 4:51 am

by maxxevv

metanoize wrote:
Looking at the Shimano 7900, after 11000 miles, they still look like new!


That's pretty good for a carbon bodied pedal. I've had the 7810 for the past 5 years or so. Its done in the range of about 20,000km, maybe more. Amazingly, I'm only on my 3rd pair of cleats on them ( still has plenty of life left though.)

And it still spins like new despite all the scruff marks on the outside. Just got a pair of the 7900's after finally finding one for a price I was able to accept. Will see how it compares in the years to come with these (7810).

gitsome
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:03 am
Location: nyc

by gitsome

I dont use a computer so I dont know distance on the pedals, suffice it to say I like to ride a lot :roll: but they were a year-old at most. For a while I remember riding them and not realizing one was broken, it just felt squishy and didnt "click" in very well, just sort of held the cleat without a snap, then after a month or so it just got so mushy I did a closer inspection and found the crack. I was so pissed as I really really did like the pedals and hoped it was just a one-off event, but I am not that powerful or heavy so I've been paranoid ever since.

Maybe they have just gone too far in light-weight (can I say that on WW?) and need to beef-up that spot as well as the axle zone in the other photo. I wonder how the mtb Quartz pedals have fared so far I think they are same carbon composite material too.....

PS I still have my original Carbon Ti Keos and the springs have loosened up considerably (thats why I switched to Blades) but they have held up otherwise quite well and are excellent backups.
My wallet is the lightest thing on my bike.

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kac
Posts: 361
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:31 pm

by kac

I haven't disassembled these pedals (I just bought a pair a few weeks ago). Anybody care to speculate why these might be cracking? Does the axle not extend all the way through the pedal body, for example? The cracks seem to be a safety issue and I wonder what Look is doing about this problem.

KAC

goodboyr
Posts: 1487
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:56 pm
Location: Canada

by goodboyr

Pedal bodies are weak and crack, bearings develop play and need work............other than that, they are great pedals!

:roll:

metanoize
Posts: 186
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:53 am

by metanoize

kac wrote:I haven't disassembled these pedals (I just bought a pair a few weeks ago). Anybody care to speculate why these might be cracking? Does the axle not extend all the way through the pedal body, for example? The cracks seem to be a safety issue and I wonder what Look is doing about this problem.

KAC


They crack because Look didn't do a good job of quality control, and extensive testing. Maybe the design is just wrong!

From what I hear Look is selectively replacing them. I'm sure they'll come up with a new model called Look Blade2 or blade supreme, or blade evo, etc.....

PoorCyclist
Posts: 783
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:26 am
Location: California's country side

by PoorCyclist

They need a rebuild program for this, basically this pedal is like a consumable.
Just like the cleats, when as the pedals wear your clip in and out tension will decrease.
Try your old one against a new pair and you will see what I mean.

by Weenie


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gilesharrison
Posts: 226
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:44 pm

by gilesharrison

Just got a reply from Fisher (UK Look Distributor) asking me to send them back for inspection. Fingers crossed they'll just honour the warranty and send me a new pair.

I'll report back when I get news.

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