Time Xpro 12 vs Shimano Dura Ace pedals

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flowerbomber
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 4:40 pm

by flowerbomber

Hello,
I’m considering these two pedals and does anyone has any experience with the Xpro pedals? They seem good and how do they compare with the Dura Aces? Moving from Speedplay Zeros so any help would be very appreciated
Cheers! :beerchug:

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flowerbomber
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 4:40 pm

by flowerbomber

The Dura Aces that i’m looking at is the PD-9100

LiquidCooled
Posts: 218
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:46 am

by LiquidCooled

I haven’t used the Time pedals, so I can’t compare them. But here’s an article that sort of does:

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/08/ct-reco ... ke-pedals/
2017 Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc
2003 Cannondale R1000 (CAAD7)

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petert123
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:02 pm
Location: London, UK

by petert123

flowerbomber wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 11:09 am
I’m considering these two pedals and does anyone has any experience with the Xpro pedals? They seem good and how do they compare with the Dura Aces? Moving from Speedplay Zeros so any help would be very appreciated
I've been riding Time's for near-on 30 years, but I've been thinking of going the other way to try Speedplay! Thing about Time is they have always been light, natural float, low stack. Also, the cleats do last at least a year or so - I don't walk around in my shoes much at all, I ride instead - look after them like anything else and they will last. The one thing that makes me want to try something else is that the bearings don't last that long before there is some play in them; eventually I pull them apart and grease them, but finally I replace them - this is after around 10000 miles a year, so perhaps I should expect this?

jlok
Posts: 2395
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:30 am

by jlok

I have the Xpro 15 (should be the same as 12 apart from the bearings and a bit more weight saving) and R9100 pedals.

Fit: Your feet can be a bit more forward with R9100.

Float: Xpro has smooth float. I use blue cleats for r9100 tho. Both are fine for me.

Pedal body: There is no sharp edge on R9100, survived a crash even tho the body is scratched deeply.

Bearings: CeramicSpeed is smooth when broken in. R9100 is smooth right out if the box.

Service: You can disassemble r9100 easily to lube. Xpro requires a special tool to open the plastic cap. Not decided to be serviced.

Being WW here, I'd say go for the Xpro. if that doesn't fit you, fall back to r9100.
Rikulau V9 DB Custom < BMC TM02 < Litespeed T1sl Disc < Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc 1 < Propel Adv < TCR Adv SL Disc < KTM Revelator Sky < CAAD 12 Disc < Domane S Disc < Alize < CAAD 10

flowerbomber
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 4:40 pm

by flowerbomber

jlok wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:32 pm
I have the Xpro 15 (should be the same as 12 apart from the bearings and a bit more weight saving) and R9100 pedals.

Fit: Your feet can be a bit more forward with R9100.

Float: Xpro has smooth float. I use blue cleats for r9100 tho. Both are fine for me.

Pedal body: There is no sharp edge on R9100, survived a crash even tho the body is scratched deeply.

Bearings: CeramicSpeed is smooth when broken in. R9100 is smooth right out if the box.

Service: You can disassemble r9100 easily to lube. Xpro requires a special tool to open the plastic cap. Not decided to be serviced.

Being WW here, I'd say go for the Xpro. if that doesn't fit you, fall back to r9100.
The bearings are user-serviceable right? And how does it feel like when pedalling (contact surface and those things)

flowerbomber
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 4:40 pm

by flowerbomber

petert123 wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:28 pm
flowerbomber wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 11:09 am
I’m considering these two pedals and does anyone has any experience with the Xpro pedals? They seem good and how do they compare with the Dura Aces? Moving from Speedplay Zeros so any help would be very appreciated
I've been riding Time's for near-on 30 years, but I've been thinking of going the other way to try Speedplay! Thing about Time is they have always been light, natural float, low stack. Also, the cleats do last at least a year or so - I don't walk around in my shoes much at all, I ride instead - look after them like anything else and they will last. The one thing that makes me want to try something else is that the bearings don't last that long before there is some play in them; eventually I pull them apart and grease them, but finally I replace them - this is after around 10000 miles a year, so perhaps I should expect this?
The speedplays are really good imo if you want to try something else but I don’t like them cuz they feel too free and the contact area is really small

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petert123
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:02 pm
Location: London, UK

by petert123

flowerbomber wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:28 pm
The speedplays are really good imo if you want to try something else but I don’t like them cuz they feel too free and the contact area is really small
I invested in a non-titanium version to try out on my winter bike; actually I bought them months ago, but had trouble getting them to click-in - dropped them at the time but think it's time to get them going - issue had to be that I needed to lube to cleat, probably dry.

BdaGhisallo
Posts: 3250
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 1:38 pm

by BdaGhisallo

I have ridden both and I think the main determinant in choosing between the two is the kind of float you want and how much of it you want.

The Time design offers fantastic angular float with a tiny 2.5mm lateral float. The float on the Xpro feels very smooth. It feels as if the cleat goes where the foot wants it to go and does so without having to make a conscious effort or thinking about it.

The float on the Shimano yellow cleat, the one they spec as being a total of 6 degrees in angular float, also has a fair bit of lateral float that is not advertised. Your foot can move laterally about 5mm on each pedal and I find that I need to consciously think about it and move my foot where I want it. I hate lateral float that alters my 'q' factor. I want my feet to be a fixed distance out from the crank arm - a distance that I set when I set up my cleats.

The Shimano blue cleat offers 2 degrees of float and, most importantly for me, allows for no lateral movement of the cleat. This is the one for me. It takes a little more effort to precisely position your cleats but once you do, the connection to the pedals is unparalleled.


Mechanically, you won't find a better pedal than Dura Ace. The bearings are the best around and the bodies are extremely robust. They last forever and the cleats are very hard wearing. Additionally, I find the Shimano cleats a lot more stable for walking. The Time cleats have the same pontoon style walking support but the pontoons are much taller on the Time cleats.
Last edited by BdaGhisallo on Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hawkwood
Posts: 334
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:27 pm

by Hawkwood

jlok wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:32 pm

Service: You can disassemble r9100 easily to lube. Xpro requires a special tool to open the plastic cap. Not decided to be serviced.
The `special tool' I used on my Xpressos was a pair of pliers, once inside they were a doddle to service. I've just switched to the Xpros and haven't had a chance to check how they come apart, but I'm guessing it will be the same.

boots2000
Posts: 1393
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:28 pm

by boots2000

Time Xpro are really good in terms of their float and ease of entry (not that 9100 are difficult to clip into)- But Time is really easy.
What I didn't like about the TIme was creaking- If my pedals and cleats were not perfectly clean, the pedals wuld creak.

jlok
Posts: 2395
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:30 am

by jlok

@Hawkwood yes a piler will work. But the cap is filmsy and plasticky. Mine got undone by itself and I tried to screw it back properly but couldn't. It went to warranty.

Even tho it's not as robust as R9100, I'd still buy Xpro for the weight saving.
Rikulau V9 DB Custom < BMC TM02 < Litespeed T1sl Disc < Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc 1 < Propel Adv < TCR Adv SL Disc < KTM Revelator Sky < CAAD 12 Disc < Domane S Disc < Alize < CAAD 10

AJS914
Posts: 5392
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

I've been a Time user for 25 years - I love their float system. I haven't had any squeeky cleat problems with Xpresso pedals though I don't walk around much or walk off pavement so they don't really get dirty.

Hexsense
Posts: 3254
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:41 am
Location: USA

by Hexsense

flowerbomber wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:28 pm


The speedplays are really good imo if you want to try something else but I don’t like them cuz they feel too free and the contact area is really small
Contact area is a complicate subject.
Some said if your shoes are very stiff, you shouldn't feel the contact area, it just doesn't bend. And Speedplay said cleats work as additional contact area.

But I see that it is only the case if the connection is tight. With no slop and rock motion. My Speedplay can have some slop and tilt rocking easily if there is something wrong. Such as base plate not mounting flat on the shoe, base plate worn down, pedal body itself worn down etc. Then that slop make connection not tight, and i can feel like i notice the small contact area, not by bending the shoe but by the unstability of shoe on narrow platform.

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MyM3Coupe
Posts: 374
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 10:32 pm

by MyM3Coupe

I’ve had both and use Dura Ace. Mechanically superior to the Time pedals, with effortless spinning bearings and bulletproof bodies. I use the blue cleats and love them. The Times are nice but they use a “recentering” float that pushes your foot back to neutral that messed up my knees. Switched to Shimanos and problem solved.

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