Egg beater pedaling vs Shimano double sided SPDs

New set of Crank Brothers Egg Beater pedals

Last Friday during a delightful social occasion that involved delicious curry, drinks and an amazing crumble, I managed to get a brilliant trade in pedal swapping with one of the dinner party hosts... (who I must add, had the most incredible fixed wheel frame set on the wall, which was nearly as mouthwatering as the food served).

I got a cracking deal in swapping my - very well used, brilliant for purpose however largely impractical (when riding fixed at least) - Shimano Double Sided SPD Pedals... with some nice plain and simple Crank Brother Egg Beater pedals.

This proved to be a brilliant swap, not only for what seems to be a large price difference, but also because I now have twice as much luck getting clipped in after traffic lights, junctions, or waiting for Hattie at the top of a hill, and better still... they come with interchangeable covers: red, blue and black.

I have of course opted for blue, and they go almost too well with the blue chain, hubs, bar tape and tyres.

Pro's of Shimano Double Sided SPD Pedals

Great for entry level riders who are nervous about clipping in, you can always stick to the clip-less sides to begin with...
Brilliant for an 'around town' bike that you might want to ride out of the city, giving you two shoe options
Look nice and don't stand out too much on a more retro frame
Not too heavy compared to many double sided pedals about
Very easy clipping in, and can be adjusted if needed (Making them long lasting, so I'm told. Mine have done about 2000mi so far)
Very shiny

Con's of Shimano Double Sided SPD Pedals

When riding fixed it's difficult to flip the pedal over to the cleat side for clipping in whilst the crank is in motion
Double sided pedals are always going to be heavier, even if these are light-ish in weight for what they are
Not blue

Pro's of Crank Brother Egg Beater Candy Pedals

Light weight
The cleats (not standard SPD's as the myths go, but instead ones that came with the pedals) are great for not collecting mud
Can clip in no matter which way up the pedal is facing
Interchangeable colour inserts (blue, red and black)

Con's of Crank Brother Egg Beater Candy Pedals

Difficult to clip in to at first (a little further back than I am used to - although this could be as a result of a slightly different sized shoe)
Need to ensure adequate clearance (I couldn't wear shoe covers with them as they interfered)
Apparently they get looser and looser over time, and cannot be adjusted

Very pleased with the swap though, I feel the pros out way the cons. Not entirely sure they are the exact match to the ones below, however they are incredibly close. Perhaps a newer model below.

I wasn't the only one riding clipped in today either. Hattie managed to ride over 1K with Shimano shoes and double sided SPD pedals in South East Asia, then France... refusing to clip in after a horrible 'SPD wobble and fall' experience on the busy roads of China, but today overcame her fears. I was very proud. What a beautiful day for it too.