Wonder if the community has some opinions and experience on going from Shimano SPD pedals to Eggbeaters, in terms of pedaling efficiency, transfer of power, etc.
The 179g is extremely appealing 
Thanks!
I had a couple pairs 5 years ago and they blew up, literally fell apart both times. I stayed up on maintenance and everything, not a fan.
Since then Iāve been using shimano xtr pedals without any problems, same set hasnāt failed. For years of abuse.
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Are u able to transfer power equally efficiently in both ?
Used a cheaper version of Egg Beaters for yearsā¦.switched to SPD in 2019 and never looked back.
Easier engagement, more positive release, and a more stable platform. YMMV.
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Did you sense that this perception of stability meant better power transfer with SPD?
No, not at allā¦.it just felt more stable. I donāt think anyone would be able to accurately assess if there was ābetterā power transfer.
I canāt recall to be honest, that was a while ago.
This was a few years ago, but a local sponsored MTB racer I rode in a group with was complaining about the egg beaters falling apart. They usually popped the end off the spindle and were useless at that point. But he didnāt want to change away from them. His number one comment was that he would never buy them himself, but would ride them if the sponsor kept providing them. (Donāt know what model he was using) He said heād gone through three pairs in about 16 months, but that was using them 100% of the time, for local rides and races. Iām sure they took a beating, but I remember that discussion because I was looking at trying them, and his comments and stories about them failing turned me off them. His other comment was he was surprised he hadnāt gouged his legs, yet, with the end of the broken pedal spindle. Yeah, hard pass for me. (I use SPD-SL pedals on my Aspero, for what I do that might classify as āgravelā. I am certainly no expert on it, and there really isnāt much of it around here. There are more dirt trails and asphalt around here, and what might classify as gravel are roads that use chip-seal stone mix which is crazy to ride on)
Not an eggbeater user but Iāve been riding their candy pedals since I started clipless. Basically just an eggbeater with a small platform around the works. The 11 version of them is 249g per pair which weighs less than Shimano XTR pedals. Never had a problem with them, only sent them back a couple times for refreshes and finally retired a couple pairs of 2s after I wore down the aluminum bits flanking the clip parts. Replaced them with the 7 which has the ātractionā pads which are basically little plastic replaceable wear bits that should solve the problem I had with my previous pairs. Iāve thought about the eggbeaters since they seem economical weight wise no matter the version/cost level in that youāre only getting what you need to clip in. However the threat of pedal strikes and the fact that I occasionally take gravel descents with one foot un-clipped but resting on the cage means the candy is my best choice.
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I was just trying to recall if I know anyone who runs egg beaters still and I canāt think of anyone I know. Several of my buddies finally converted to spd for reliability after having several egg beaters explodeā¦nearly always at a very inopportune time. For me, reliability trumps a few grams. I have XT pedals that are 10 years old that have yet to fail me. I pull them apart once a year and grease them, and thatās it. They just work.
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I have two pairs that have mostly seen commuter miles but theyāve held up very well.
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I have Eggbeater 11s on my Gravel, MTB and now trainer bike. Iāve been on Eggbeaters for 5 years. Love them and theyāre great. I did have a cheaper Eggbeater fall apart during a race a couple years ago, but never an issue with the 11s. Let me know if you have any specific questions/concerns.
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@oldandfast your instincts are good, here, because Eggbeaters are great for gravel but they have one fatal flaw. They shed mud better than any other pedal. No matter what you can always clip in quick. They are lightā¦not like some pedals that have a light pedal but a big heavy cleat.
The fatal flaw is reliability. They just donāt last. But if you are a tinkerer who doesnāt mind rebuilding your pedal every yearā¦especially before big racesā¦then Eggbeaters might be just the thing for you.
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I have ridden candyās for 2 years, but I never got used to them (been riding spd since 1995). Technically they held up fine, but I never got used to clipping in and out. With SPD Iām always instant clipped in on the first try, that was not the case with the CB pedals. Clipping out is also āvagueā there is no feedback when you are released, itās just gradual untill you are out, with SPD, you get a very noticable click/pop when you release.
Since the Spark came with a wider crankset (55mm chainline), i wanted to narrow it down as much as possible and converted back to SPD with XTR short spindle pedals. I was instantly happy with the pedals again 
for me nothing else anymore 
I really gave it a fair chance, but I think the SPD mechanism is too much in my muscle memory after all those years.
But itās highly personal and depending on your environment I think the more expensive CB pedals can hold up fineā¦ But you should try it for yourselfā¦
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Iāve used Crankbrothers pedals on my bikes - including the Candy pedals - for ~15 years. I suspect the current models are pretty robust, and Iāve never had a single problem or failure in all my use.
Unlike the Eggbeaters, thereās a platform for your sole to make contact with on the Candy pedals. I prefer them to SPD-SL and SPD, and as with SPDs recessed cleats mean walkable shoes.
On my turbo bike I use Candy 2s, and use Candy 1s on my road bike (& when I rode a bit of UK āgravelā). The Candy 1s weigh only 45g more than the range-topping Candy 11s, but are 1/8 of the price, and are the 2nd lightest of the various Candy models.
Iād consider the Candy range for gravel, instead of Eggbeaters, if I were the OP.
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Do you think this fatal flaw extends to the Titanium $450 version?ā¦.it would be crazy to have reliability issues in such an expensive piece of equipment.
My main concern is that going from SPD to Eggbeater I could be feeling āweirdā, ānon stableā, because of the different platform and somehow this could affect my pedaling and power output.
I have the Mallet Es after years of spd and spd-sl and had quite a learning curve unclipping again (including the fall of shame) but now that I have gotten used to them I donāt really notice any difference
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Yeah, good point. Iāve never used the higher-end products from the last few years. You should probably read the opinions of other posters in this thread that have that equipment.
One other complaint you may hear about eggbeaters is that they make your foot uncomfortable because the force on the pedal is localized. I never experienced this problem, though. For me they were always a comfy pedalā¦and this would be over the course of 150km or more.
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179g per pair when I think my xc100 is 222g each. Sure there is a battery and stuff but that is pretty incredible.
I use spd on both bikes and the occasional spin class so im not looking to switch but i get it.
I did save +250g by switching from some $100 giro shoes to the high end shimano gravel shoes on sale for $150 and i absolutely love them.
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It wonāt affect power outputā¦at least not in a meaningful way.
Whether you like them as a āplatformā vs. SPD is entirely individual.
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