Look is a pioneer among the best road bike pedals, having introduced the first clipless road pedal, the PP65, back in 1984. However, it was only in 2011 that the company unveiled the Keo Blade platform, a system that eschewed a metal spring in favour of a carbon blade to retain the cleat interface.
The Keo Blade has become the gold standard for road bike pedals, offering a bulletproof and durable system that I’ve personally used for years. But just how far has Look pushed the design and performance envelope with the new Look Keo Blades, if at all?
I’ve been testing the range-topping Look Keo Blade Ceramic Ti pedal for a few months now and have been impressed by the performance and durability it affords the user. That said, I’m not entirely sure the £160 premium over the standard Keo Blade is justified.
Construction
You’ll be hard pressed to tell the new Look Keo Blade apart from its predecessor, but there are clues such as the ever-so-slightly bigger platform. The new pedal body profile has been redesigned for enhanced aerodynamic efficiency, featuring a lower frontal surface and a reprofiled leading edge, which is claimed to reduce drag by 2% compared to the previous Look Keo Blade. The pedals now look more purposeful in appearance than before – burlier even – and this has had little impact on weight.
Look claims 95g per pedal, which matched perfectly with the weight recorded on our scales: a total figure of 190g for the pair. The total stack height remains unchanged at 14.8mm (pedal: 8.5mm and cleat: 6.3mm), which is still higher than those of its rivals, the Shimano Dura-Ace pedals and Wahoo Speedplays. The pedals employ a contact area of 705mm (64mm wide), claimed to ‘’eliminate hot spots and offer riders increased pedalling stability.’’ Looking at the spec sheet, the Keo Blade’s contact area outperforms Shimano Dura-Ace (255 mm²) and Time X Pro (692 mm²), but comes up just short of Wahoo Zero (713 mm²).
Three rear pockets with Lycra edging and a zipped security pocket
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
The Keo Blade Ceramic Ti’s are built around a carbon pedal body complete with titanium axles with ceramic bearings. Like its predecessor, the pedal incorporates a stainless steel plate, but instead of a single piece, it now features a three-part design – something which seems more aesthetic than functional. The plates are not replaceable, which is a shame as they tend to scuff and mark easily.
To ensure improved durability, Look has redesigned the spindle with new internal and external dual-sealed bearings, as well as used a reformulated water-resistant grease. This is a good move, as previous Look Keo Blades were prone to water ingress and corrosion, which particularly hindered functionality and accelerated wear and tear on the bearings.
Tension is adjustable via the carbon blades, which are available in four options: 8, 12, 16, and 20Nm. My test pair came fitted with 16Nm blades – one of the tighter fitting options that provide a secure fit. Look states that the 20Nm blade is aimed at pro riders, particularly sprinters.
Just in case you were wondering…
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
The ride
Installation is simple, but it’s worth noting that the titanium axled Keo Blades require a 6mm hex tool, as opposed to the 8mm needed for the steel axled pedals. (A 15mm spanner will also work for the titanium axle).
Existing users of the Look Keo Blade pedal will feel right at home when it comes to use – it’s all very familiar here. Look also claims the new pedals provide a “60 per cent easier clip-in rotation due to an improved weight balance.” While this is more nuanced than pronounced, in practice, it does feel easier to clip in and out of the pedal, and this will also depend on what blade you’ve got fitted.
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
The pedals are well-balanced in the sense that, when not laden, they hang with the underside facing away from the shoe, making it easy to clip in on the move. If you botch it when pedalling away from standstill, they don’t spin uncontrollably like some other pedals, allowing you to correct and clip in quickly.
During the test period, I used these pedals in a range of weather conditions, from extreme heat and sub-zero temperatures to wet-weather rides. While my previous-generation Look Keo Blades suffered from moisture contamination, Look has undoubtedly improved the durability of the bearings thanks to the internal and external dual-sealed cartridges. They’re still spinning freely with no discernible grinding when spinning the axles.
The pockets are quite high and were awkward for me to reach
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
While Look claims a 200 per cent improvement in “robustness and impact resistance”, again, this was something I didn’t actively attempt to test. The pedals were subjected to a few knocks here and there and have fared well in this regard, with no chips or cracks. In one particular instance, the pedal clipped a kerb without any signs of damage or displaced stainless plates – issues that have plagued previous Keo Blades.
Value and conclusion
The new Look Keo Blades represent more of an evolution than a revolution, and that’s no bad thing. What Look has done is refine its recipe and iron out areas that plagued the previous model, namely, bearing and pedal body durability. To this end, the improvements have resulted in a noticeable step up in quality and functionality – the aero claims are impossible to quantify in real-world scenarios.
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
The big question here, however, centres around which Look Keo Blade pedal system to choose rather than whether you should opt for a rival brand. While the Keo Blade Ceramic Ti pedals feature all the bells and whistles, such as ceramic bearings and titanium hardware, the US$414 / £299.99 / €310 represents a significant outlay when you consider there are two cheaper and equally as good pedal options in the range. This includes the US$268 / £199.99 / €210 Keo Blade Ceramic and the US$185 / £139.99 / €145 Keo Blade, both of which weigh 115g per pedal. The differences lie in the bearing and axle materials, neither of which is a deal-breaker.
If you’re a weight weenie after that sub-7kg build, looking for marginal gains or have the money to spend, by all means, get yourself a set of the Keo Blade Ceramic Ti pedals, as they are genuinely a well-made product. However, if the 20g (per pedal) weight penalty and steel bearings and axles don’t bother you, the regular Keo Blade is the model I’d recommend.
