Wahoo Speedplay COMP, ZERO, NANO and AERO road bike pedals presented – The remake of a classic

Optimal adjustment and increased durability, that’s what Wahoo promise with their remake of Speedplay road bike pedals. They aim to achieve both via adjustable cleats and a revised pedal body. We tested the COMP and ZERO models to bring you all the details and findings.

Wahoo meet Speedplay

When Wahoo took over the pedal specialists, Speedplay, in September 2019, it soon became clear that it was a win-win situation for the two US companies. One of Speedplay’s key reasons for the sale was improved market access through Wahoo’s global sales organization. In return, Wahoo got instant access to the pedal market without having to develop a new product themselves. As such, Wahoo are back up to speed against their fiercest competitor, Garmin, who already have pedals in their portfolio and also positioned themselves against Wahoo in the roller trainer segment with the purchase of Tacx in the spring of 2019. Exactly 15 months after the takeover, Wahoo are now presenting a revised Speedplay pedal range and thus integrating Speedplay into their portfolio. While they were at it, Wahoo decluttered Speedplay’s somewhat confusing product line-up. In future, there will be just four models, COMP, ZERO, NANO and AERO. The key specs of the models can be found in the following table:

	Pedal material	Axle material	Weight (Set)	Price
COMP	Grivory	Chromoly	232 g	€ 149.99
ZERO	Grivory	Stainless Steel	222 g	€ 229.99
NANO	Carbon	Titanium	168 g	€ 449.99
AERO	Grivory	Stainless Steel	224 g	€ 279.99

The AERO is based on the ZERO, though differing in the pedal body: you’re only able to clip in from one side, as the underside is aerodynamically optimised. All pedals and cleats of the new generation are cross- and backwards compatible, meaning that you can use the new cleats on your existing pedals.

Wahoo Speedplay Road Bike Pedal: What’s always been good…

The basic concept of the pedals has remained unchanged. Fortunately, this kept some of the great advantages offered by Speedplay in the past. This includes being able to clip in on both sides of the pedals and the shoe being closer to the pedal axis (lower stack height) compared to other pedals. A low stack height offers improved performance, as your feet tend to tilt less around the pedal axis. With the cleats, Speedplay pedals also allow you to position your feet individually and adjust the freedom of movement of your heels (float).

The cleats are designed so that they can be moved independently on the longitudinal and transverse axes of the shoe and the float can be continuously adjusted between 0 and 15° using two screws on the cleat. The unique part is that you can set the inward and outward float of your heels independently of each other. Using both, you can adjust the angle of your feet on the pedals to find the optimal position for you, which works very well in practice and isn’t possible to this extent with other brands. The only new thing about the cleats is that there is a second variant with a lower spring preload. This variant, called the Easy Tension cleat, makes it easier to clip in and out. The Standard Tension (black) and Easy Tension (grey) variants are colour coded. Wahoo have also retained the option of customizing the length of the pedal axle. The standard axle of the ZERO pedal with a Q-factor of 53 mm can be exchanged for longer versions with a Q-factor of 56, 59 or 65 mm at selected bike fitters and Wahoo dealers. This option is not available for the COMP and NANO models.

… What’s been improved…

When looking at the new Speedplay pedals, the first thing you notice is the revised design. You now have metal extending all the way around pedals, which should prevent wear and tear and thus improve durability. The inner workings of the pedal body have also been revised. In future, Wahoo will use sealed bearings for all axles, which should make them maintenance free. On paper this is a huge advantage over the previous models, as you no longer have to grease the bearings. More testing will be needed to reveal how the bearings perform in the long term. Another welcome innovation is that you can now fit the pedals with an 8mm Allen key instead of an open-end wrench. Hallelujah! This cleans up the look of the axle and removing or fitting them won’t cause any cosmetic damage, no matter how firmly they’re tightened.

… And where there remains room for improvement!

Since the design of the cleat hasn’t changed, its disadvantages have also remained. On the one hand, the cleats are still designed for shoes with four holes. Since most road bike shoes only come with three holes, you’ll likely need an adapter. That raises the stack height, negating a large aspect of what sets the Speedplay system apart. On the other hand, the moving part of the system, the clamping ring, is located in the cleat, which entails increased maintenance. The cleats have to be cleaned and lubricated regularly to prevent unpleasant creaking.

The best for last: Wahoo have announced a power meter based on the Speedplay ZERO pedal. The Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO will be launched later in the year to take on Garmin’s Vector pedals. We’re excited!

Wahoo are carefully improving and building on the Speedplay range of pedals, making a solid entry into the pedal market. The American brand are able to score with the proven advantages of being able to clip in on both sides and the adjustability of the cleat for optimal ergonomics. The fact that this increases the maintenance required for the cleats is tolerable when measured against the advantages. Wahoo Speedplay, we like!

Tester Tobias
Test duration 1 month

For more information on the Wahoo Speedplay series, visit wahoofitness.com

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Words: Tobias Hörsch Photos: Wahoo & Tobias Hörsch