Reviews

Speedplay Zero Aero

Speedplay plug gap in road bike market for aero pedals

Having already filled up one niche in the market with their cobble-specific Zero Pavé pedals, Speedplay have produced another set of task-specific pedals, this time filling that aerodynamic shaped hole in the market with the aptly-named Zero Aero.

The pedals were launched last year and already boast one impressive name on their resumé, having been Sir Bradley Wiggins’ pedal of choice when he broke the hour record in 2015. Stats-wise, they’re pretty tasty with a listed weight of just 158g, but it’s important to remember Speedplay’s cleats weigh more as well so you need to factor that into the whole system weight.

Speaking of cleats, that’s where the smart aero details happen. First off, they’re compatible with both three-hole shoes and Speedplay-specific four-hole shoes so you don’t need to worry about buying new footwear should you want to switch systems. The cleats themselves have a cover, and that cover has a u-shaped, contoured profile covered by golf ball-like dimples.

When you clip into the pedals, the bottom of the pedal fills the hole in the cleat to make one aerodynamic system, although Speedplay haven’t made any claims as to how many watts you might save by running these.

The Zero Aero pedals already boast one impressive name on their resumé, having been Sir Bradley Wiggins’ pedal of choice when he broke the hour record in 2015

Another benefit of the new cleats – and one not to be sniffed at – is Speedplay’s claim these are the easiest set of cleats to walk in they’ve ever made.

Standard Speedplay cleats are both the wrong shape and texture to do more than wobble carefully from the bike to the café in, and the new ones increase contact area with the floor and offer a rubberised outer for better grip. It should lower the chances of an embarrassing slip on the pub’s tiled floor, but you still won’t be able to pirouette to the bar like a bike-riding Michael Flatley.

One significant drawback of the Zero Aero pedals over anything else in the Speedplay range is you lose the dual-sided entry that makes the American firm’s pedals so popular, though, chances are, if you’re in the market for aero pedals (something which just a few years ago would have been laughed out of town), then that’s probably something you’re willing to sacrifice.

Price: £324.99
Website: Speedplay
UK distributor: i-ride

Other popular Speedplay features carry over, though, including the option of knee-friendly, micro-adjustable float anywhere up to 15 degrees, as well as a fixed position. There’s also the large, stable platform offered by Speedplay’s pedal and cleat combination, and a low stack helps with power transfer.

In reality, you’re drilling down into the most marginal of marginal gains by the time you start considering the aero benefit of pedals but if you’re Bradley Wiggins and you’re taking on the hour record, then every little helps.