The new Speedplay SYZR cleats have been redesigned. © Cyclocross Magazine
Speedplay has been attempting to produce a pedal system for off-road use for years now, seeming to show off a slightly new system biannually at Sea Otter and Interbike, and feeling confident that the finished product would be released to the public within a matter of months. Back in 2010-11, mountain bike blogs and media outlets called it the Duke Nukem of pedals; today, most of us don’t even remember that reference to the video game that eternally seemed to be on the cusp of availability. We got our first look back in 2008, and did a post on a “refined version” in 2009 and then one in 2011 on a version that we thought was close to production.
Unlike the previous iterations, the cleats Speedplay showed of at Interbike 2014 have ceramic-roller-cams that prevent binding during release.
The adjustability of the float looks similar to that of years past, with two bolts able to reduce or eliminate cleat movement altogether. This year, Speedplay has two flanges adding to the cleat, which we have been told by Brian Bonham, Marketing Coordinator for Speedplay, are funnel guides called Target Acquisition Technology, that are designed to help guide the pedal onto the cleat.
The Speedplay SYZR pedals are tentatively set to be released at the end of the year. © Cyclocross Magazine
The pedals are a familiar design, although a model utilizing a titanium spindle will also be available. The cost of the stainless steel system, which weighs 320g for the set of pedals without the cleats (which are an additional 64g), will be $229. Although they didn’t have the full weight savings of the titanium model on hand, the MSRP on the upgraded model will be $420.
We asked them about their target market, and the representatives from Speedplay were hopeful that their pedals would allow riders with knee and other joint pains to enjoy retention systems for off-road use. They were also optimistic that the system could be effectively used for cyclocross.
They are looking at a release date before the end of the year.
