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Pedals to replace Speedplay Frogs?

6564 Views 21 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  YOGAVNTURE
Finally running out of parts with replacements completely unavailable... so it's time to get something new.

The more float the better, and I actually like that the Speedplays only release in the horizontal plane and not the vertical plane.

Thoughts/recommendations?
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I've never tried Time, but I've found Crank Bros pedals have a good deal of float. And as long as you are maintaining your cleats, vertical release shouldn't be an issue.
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Probably not the answer you are looking for but I replaced my Frogs with SPD. Miss the float and not have a spring attachment but having 3 sets of expensive petals slowly become useless was a bummer - I went with the most generic pedal that exists. I spent a solid two hours the SPD's dialed in to get them centered absolutely right. Kept a mechanic's pick in my truck to clean out the bolts and circled back on a loop.
Longtime Frog user, here (1999 - 2020) that ran into the same issue as you over the past summer. I really loved how easy they were to get in and out of, and liked the massive, unrestricted float.

I've switched to Time pedals. Using the XC6. Not as easy/fast to get into as Frogs (I doubt anything short of flats are), but I do feel a little more securely attached (less rocking side to side).

With the Times, you have some free float, and then the tension starts to build until they release (which unlike the frogs, actually pops you out). I have been using the cleats in the 13 deg cleat configuration, and they are OK. I am not sure if the 17 deg cleat configuration gives you more free float or if you just have to overcome more tension to get out. I'll probably try it at some point.

I am not sure what you mean by releasing in the horizontal plane, but you cannot release from Times by pulling up. You must twist your heel.

Overall, I still prefer Frogs, but no sense pining for the past. I'm becoming perfectly OK with these.
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I switched to Frogs sometime around 97-98, ran them up until 2016 when I tried a set of Shimano M8000 XT SPDs and realized they were much better than the earlier versions I had originally used. SPDs are all I have since used. There was a time when Frogs were a very viable option over other pedals on the market, but these days other than the very unique float, I believe there are much better pedals to be had. Shimano SPDs come with a set of SH51 cleats, which only release when kicking the heel out and this will be what you want. The cleats are relatively inexpensive and last a long time, a big plus for me over the Frogs. Even though I used and liked them at the time, personally I always thought the Frogs were way overpriced for what they were and cost of new cleats was ridiculous.

A couple years ago, I actually gave two sets of Frogs to a gentleman in Ohio. Not sure what he is doing for cleats. For me, the pedals lasted forever. The resin bodies would be all beat to crap and you could twist out in both directions, but the metal part, axle and bearings kept doing their thing. The cleats were a different story.
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I had Speedplay a long time ago and moved to Eggbeaters because in the day they had a good combo of float that worked in mud and were popular.

IMO most all popular bike stuff is good these days, and someone pointed out the red metal cleats do wear.
Never rode speed play, but I did ride crank bros forever and recently switched to HT clipless pedals with 8 degree float. They have a really nice feel that’s reminiscent to road SPD with one of the wider float cleats.
Another former longtime Frog user here. A few years ago moved to XTR SPD's and never looked back. After I adjusted to the SPD's, I wish I would have made the move sooner, I don't think you will miss the float as much as you might think.

I recently moved to flats but that's another story.
I used to be a devoted Frog user but I don't miss them at all. SPDs are my go-to now.
I’ve been on frogs pretty much since they first came out. Luckily I bought spare parts prior to them being bought out by wahoo and I’m still riding them on both of my bikes, (ti spindle on my AM bike and stainless on my DH bike). I love them and I’ll stay on them as long as I can find spare parts. You can still buy aftermarket bearing kits and axles online. I just need to take care of the cleats and and shells. I’m not sure what I’d buy when I run out of parts. The float is great, but so is the simple no moving parts design and really light weight. It’s hard to beat all of those things. I keep hoping that wahoo or some other company will re-manufacture them. Sorry not to be of more help. Curious to what you end up with.
I’ve been on frogs pretty much since they first came out. Luckily I bought spare parts prior to them being bought out by wahoo and I’m still riding them on both of my bikes, (ti spindle on my AM bike and stainless on my DH bike). I love them and I’ll stay on them as long as I can find spare parts. You can still buy aftermarket bearing kits and axles online. I just need to take care of the cleats and and shells. I’m not sure what I’d buy when I run out of parts. The float is great, but so is the simple no moving parts design and really light weight. It’s hard to beat all of those things. I keep hoping that wahoo or some other company will re-manufacture them. Sorry not to be of more help. Curious to what you end up with.
Not sure what spare parts you stocked up on but the cleats are the issue. Cleats are basically unavailable anywhere. Go on eBay and sellers are price gouging them for $100+. Some even have listings for $400.
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Huh. I have a mint pair of the old mushroom style cleats in a box somewhere :unsure:

For me the issue is that eventually the tabs on the metal puck on the pedal wear out from the underside up.
I was a Speedplay Frog user for 20 years (98'-2018). When I bought my new bike I decided that I wanted something with a little larger platform, and a less float. I ended up going with the XTR SPD Trail pedal. I thought there would be a major adjustment period, but I started out with the tension set really low, and gradually increased it. The pedals inspire so much more confidence. After running the SPDs, it felt like I was skating on ice with the Frogs. I'll echo what others in this thread have said: I haven't looked back since switching.
I don't miss stabbing my foot down onto the pedal, not quite catching the clip mechanism, then having my leg jut downward forcefully as the pedal gives me a deep tissue massage up the back of my calf.
I don't miss stabbing my foot down onto the pedal, not quite catching the clip mechanism, then having my leg jut downward forcefully as the pedal gives me a deep tissue massage up the back of my calf.
Huh. That happened to me literally never in 20 years of use. I found these to be the easiest, fastest, most no fuss pedals to get into. I could drop a foot in a corner and be clipped back in by the bottom of the next pedal stroke. For me, it was [email protected] near impossible to miss. I just just needed to be in the general ballpark.

Of course, if my expereince with these pedals was the norm, they would have been far more popular than they were. It is crazy to me how wildly different my expereince with these are from most people. I also found them fine in mud (as long as it was not sandy mud) which apparently most people did not.
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Huh. That happened to me literally never in 20 years of use. I found these to be the easiest, fastest, most no fuss pedals to get into. I could drop a foot in a corner and be clipped back in by the bottom of the next pedal stroke. For me, it was [email protected] near impossible to miss. I just just needed to be in the general ballpark.

Of course, if my expereince with these pedals was the norm, they would have been far more popular than they were. It is crazy to me how wildly different my expereince with these are from most people. I also found them fine in mud (as long as it was not sandy mud) which apparently most people did not.
Same here, I’ve never had that issue either. Seems like he wasn’t using the correct technique to get clipped in. It’s not a spring loaded lock in system like spd’s so there is no “stabbing down“ needed to get clipped in with frogs.
Same here, I’ve never had that issue either. Seems like he wasn’t using the correct technique to get clipped in. It’s not a spring loaded lock in system like spd’s so there is no “stabbing down“ needed to get clipped in with frogs.
Well, obviously. I get along much better with caged SPDs.
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I'm in that " Frog user with worn cleats " bandwagon.
Been using them forever and even Magnum before that ( Remember these ? )

Considering Time ATAC as replacement.

Don't understand why nobody buys the rights and produces some ( And put a little $$$ in advertisement )
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Don't understand why nobody buys the rights and produces some ( And put a little $$$ in advertisement )
I smell a business opportunity for you.
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Don't understand why nobody buys the rights and produces some ( And put a little $$$ in advertisement )
Or if someone just made replacement mushrooms for the older style cleats.
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