Speedplay Trims SYZR Price Tag with Chromoly Version, Offers Expansive Custom Spindle Program

Written by Zach Overholt Nov 24, 2015 2:00 p.m. ET

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It may have taken a long time for it to arrive on store shelves since we first saw the SYZR prototypes, but Speedplay’s new off road pedal is finally spinning. A big part of the delay was figuring out how to build a pedal that offered the same level of energy transfer as their road pedals, but in a design that was walkable and dirt friendly. To accomplish this, the SYZR uses metal on metal contact between the cleat and the pedal rather than rely on the rubber tread blocks of your shoe to transmit power. Combined with their unique cleat with adjustable float and ceramic rollers for easy in and out and you have an interesting take on an SPD style pedal.

Now that the stainless and titanium versions have been shipping, Speedplay is offering up a more affordable chromoly version as well as one of the most comprehensive spindle length programs available…

With the only difference being the chromoly spindle, the base model uses all of the same bearings and parts as its more expensive siblings. The slightly heavier pedal will sell for $165 per pair.

Since fit is a big concern to many, Speedplay is making the SYZR available with four custom spindle lengths of 50, 53, 59, and 65mm in addition to the stock 55mm spindle. These can be purchased as individual pedals, single spindles, or in sets of two (spindles) making the process of finding the correct length easier and less expensive. The stainless SYZRs will be available to retailers in any combination of spindle length for a slight upcharge as well.

speedplay.com

Zach Overholt

5,630 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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Markus

8 years ago

It’s always cute when companies announce these great options, however, for us customers it’s often tough to find actual retailers having all this options in stock. Especially when not based in the U.S. People with wider feet will know what I’m talking about.

Tomi

8 years ago

I don’t know of any off road clipless pedal that rely on rubber to transmit power. Please don’t blindly relay FUD from the companies marketing departments without checking the facts.

Ford

8 years ago

@Tomi – I don’t know about other pedals but at least with crank brothers they rely on the tread contacting the pedal to add stability. If they don’t the pedal feels really sloppy. Sure it’s not necessary for power transfer but shoe tread seems to be a pretty important part of the system.

Tyler

8 years ago

I have demoed a set of Syzrs for quite some miles. They are great until you get them muddy or sandy in my experience. With mud they do not clear well so you spend more time trying to get the cleat to engage. With sand (fat biking on a beach) they tend to not want to let go of the cleat causing hilarious slow speed crashes. Love them otherwise, but they pretty much end up being a good road pedal that is double sided.

cheffdog

8 years ago

I love my Speedplay Zeros for the road and I really wanted to like the SYZR’s for CX or MTB, but I have not liked them so far and switched back to SPD’s. They are more difficult to click in and they do tend to bind up with sand or mud. Also had issues with them coming unclipped unexpectedly on the MTB, which is not too fun.

8 years ago

Any Frog owners used these? Thoughts?

JMG DC

8 years ago

My son raced the first part of this year’s cross season with Syzrs. Fail. The noncentering element makes clipping in on the fly harder. He found that to clip back in, he had to get his foot at the angle he had when you clipped out. Switched to SPDs, which worked better. I tried them too, and had the same experience.

riley martin

8 years ago

the boat to get into this market is LONG GONE for Speedplay mtb pedals…..While there are many options out there to choose from. There really only two goto companies. Shimano and Crank Brothers…..

(maybe, just maybe throw Time pedals in that mix)……..”It’s cute”! but these will just drift off into obscurity (**** enter sound byte of a Foghorn blasting off)…….

George Petrovich

8 years ago

After investing and riding these pedals for a dozen rides, compared to the industry standard (SPD’s) these pedals require more finesse and force to engage. The real problem is that these pedals also disengage in the most dire of situations. Use at your own risk.

Chader

8 years ago

@riley martin
Maybe include Time?

How about the most significant fact that Times design is vastly superior in durability compared to the CB pedals? The primary flaw of any CB pedal is the fact that the bearings, spring retension or both seem to fail with anything more than casual use in decent conditions. I know some who have had great luck with CB, but they seem to be in the minority.

Times OTOH have a longer history with many versions over the years that seem to be nearly indestructible in my experience. I still use the same pair I bought in 1999 with nothing new other than cleats after about 8 years.

Personal opinion, but the Times and newer SPD’s are the top with CB being an also-ran, not the other way around.

matt m

8 years ago

tw – 11/24/15 – 4:33pm
Any Frog owners used these? Thoughts?

Yes…on a trainer. Went back to Frogs. Entry and exist feels too digital; too mechanical. NOTHING like Frog or Zero. Back to Frogs for me. Gonna start hoarding them!

matt m

8 years ago

BTW Speedplay if you’re reading, it’s really unfortunate you discontinued longer axles for the Frog. I had to dremel slots in my shoe soles to get the requisite heel space. These SYZRs are a solution to a question noone is asking.

robertw

8 years ago

I’ll give it a try but haven’t seen anything yet that tops Bebop.

duder

8 years ago

Once you try Time you can’t go back to anything else. They don’t break at the mere thought of rocks like the fragile as glass Crank Bros. SPDs are absolutely bomb-proof, and I love how they feel when they’re dry and freshly lubed, but they suck in the mud and their entry and release force varies wildly depending on how long ago you lubed them. Time’s aren’t quite as durable as SPDs, but they have the best all-around performance: great in the mud, never need lube, reasonably durable, available with XC or Trail platform sizes, and they’re pretty light too.

8 years ago

Matt,

I am consistently amazed at the abuse the Frogs can take and how long they last. Been using them (3-4 sets) for 20 years and they continue to deliver in the roughest riding conditions.

Sevo

8 years ago

Riley lost all credibility when he said Crank Brothers was reliable. Absolutely the worst pedal reliability wise.

Time still has my heart. Probably on spds again if time was not around. Something to be said about longevity.

Heffe

8 years ago

The new Crank Bros pedal designs look good. I have a pair but of course it’s too early to tell as they’re still brand new.

mortimer

8 years ago

Have tried everything from Keywin Mudmans, Shimano, CB, Look, generic SPD and those awful prone to mud problem Speedplay Frogs. Suffice to say all four MTBs have Time Atac.

Kernel Flickitov

8 years ago

Another vote for Time ATAC over these Speedplays and everything else. Crank Bros are total junque, hardly worth even mentioning for people in-the-know.

The Dude

8 years ago

once you find the settings you like on these, they are great, but their is a steep learning curve. I finally got them dialed in on the third ride, which required tightening tension dramatically. once I did that and limited float to about 6d vs the 15 stock it made a huge difference.

they are very different but I love them.

pTymn Wolfe

8 years ago

Time Atac are still the only mtb pedal to use, ever. Their durability, reliability and mud clearing can’t be compared. A close second would be any assorted flavor of Shimano Spd. Only a madman would consider Speedplay or Crank Bros as a viable mtb pedal.

Tim

8 years ago

Time ATACs are great, especially in mud. I remember switching to them from faux SPD’s in 1996; I rode the same pair for around fifteen years. They’re not without flaws, though. They’re thick- the contact point between pedal and cleat is far from the axle. They’re heavy. And the cleat is made of brass which is soft. Play develops between cleat and rail not too long after getting fresh cleats, especially if you pedal circles, i.e., pull back hard on the pedal with your foot when it’s at the bottom of the stroke.

Sspiff

8 years ago

+1 for Time. On ATACs since the late ’90s and don’t want to ever change. The newer XT/XTR level SPDs are nice, but they’ve still got nothing on Times. Only reason to change would be driven by market dominance, not a superior pedal.

Madman

8 years ago

Crank Bros are the best, love them.

benzo

8 years ago

A few people asked about Frogs. I used them for close to 25 years but this year for a variety of reasons I gave a good try to XTR. And there is no going back. For me XTR is vastly superior. You always know if you are in, you only get out when you want, the platform is big enough for out of cleat pedaling, and the connection is so much more solid. It took a couple of rides to adjust the cleat, but now my knees feel actually better. I suspect that the “walk on ice” of the frog can actually be double edged sword …

And they cost dimes (or close), found a pair of XTR Trail 2015 for $82 …

MERICA'F###YEAH!

8 years ago

I have a damaged right hip. I can ride and compete at high levels, but I HAVE to have a ton of float or I’m in excruciating pain after just a couple hundred pedal strokes.

If I could, I would run SPD’s. They’re 100% the best pedal out there.

But I can’t, so I had to find alternatives.

Crank Bros are flimsy, and the cleats wear too quickly.

Times are fantastic pedals, but my right cleat mounts a a pretty good angle……and it would wear the cleat out REALLY quickly.

I tried every pedal system I could get my hands on over this last summer. I hated having brass cleats, I hated having crank bros, etc.

Then I got a pair of frogs. They were great, but the plastic body did not stand up to pedal strikes, and the mechanism can get clogged with pebbles and dirt.

Enter the Syzyr. They are freaking awesome. The pedals are durable, the cleats are durable, and I have had ZERO issues. The major thing you have to learn is that yes, the outer part of the cleat has to be aligned with the pedal to clip in, which makes clipping in sometimes a little slower, but not enough to overcome the benefits of this pedal.

riley martin

8 years ago

i never said CB were reliable…..I know they have their issues…..Go to a CX race or a mtb race anywhere here in colorado and you see either Shimano or CB…..not saying that one is better than the other…these two just dominate the landscape out here….and both are with their own respective pro’s and con’s

Rich W.

8 years ago

I was a die-hard Time fan but destroyed the current model within a few rides. Based on reviews above, maybe I should give them another shot.

GTM

8 years ago

I am a Clyde and echo the comments about about these pedals. Used them for a few weeks. When clipped in they were great. However they would disengage which they even warn you about in the packaging. I tried adjusting but think I apply too much force. The final straw was when they go slightly muddy and I clipping in became nearly impossible. Went back to SPD.

FoolCyclist

8 years ago

+1 for Time ATAC – I still have all 4 pairs I have purchased. Some going back to 10 years. Only reason to change them out was to get a lighter set. Engagement and release is always the same no matter how muddy it gets. Have yet to break one. SPDs are solid too but seem to require more attention as far as lube and cleat replacement. CB are a joke, either shatter the plastic on the candy or break the eggbeaters to the point of not being functional. Time whether it be the aluminum or the XS and SL are just always working and ready to go. All my MTB and commuters have them.

Tom

8 years ago

Still using my Bebops. Natural float, easy walking, hard to clog, self-clearing. If Speedplay hadn’t attempted to sue them out of existence, they’d be much more available ns successful than they are. Still the best.

Derick Smalley

8 years ago

Any SPD and it’s knockoff Wellgo etc. > Time/Look/Crank Bros with Time being the best of the worst.

Tru lyfe phacts

M.C. Slammer

8 years ago

Long live the Frog! 25 years, zero issues. Almost impossible to clog.

dan

8 years ago

I am one of the rare riders who has had great luck with my very old egg beaters. Two pair 5 years old averaging over 10 hours a week year round and everything is still tight with easy entry and consistent release. My riding buddies are in shock that all the rock bashing hasn’t destroyed them or the bearings haven’t imploded in the middle of nowhere.