When changing to SPD, I saw no reason to start mid-level and went straight to XTR. They offered a secure engagement like nothing I had used before. The audible click was almost as positive as the actual snap I could feel when clipping in.
A couple of years down the road, I felt the urge to get something lighter. No, the XTR isn't a pig, but there are many lighter options out there. With The Lumberjack 100 looming, I decided to go big and try out some Egg Beater 11 Ti pedals.
Since the pedals had been redesigned, my hope is that the few issues I had with the previous generation pedals had been remedied. At a claimed 174g per pair (176g according to my scale) the new pedals are a full 130g lighter than my M-980 XTR pedals. Yeah, they are close to half the weight of the XTR. That's no small amount, by the way.
Out of the box, the fit and finish are top-notch. The blingtastic nature of the Egg Beater 11 fit well with the theme of my Niner Air9 RDO which is built to be super light, and perfectly race-ready.
Mounting them was uneventful, as it should be. Bad news would ensue if your $425 pedals don't thread in nicely. Setting up cleats is a process for myself, I set up cleats for others frequently, but on my own shoes can be a challenge. Once happy with the position, I started logging some miles.
To date I have about 600 miles on these pedals, almost entirely off-road. The pedals haven't been subjected to too much mud, though they've seen a little water. The pedals have seen a lot of dust, though, with the dry conditions we've seen this year. 600 miles in and they spin perfectly, adjustment is as it should be.
A true test of these pedals comes next weekend at The Lumberjack. Until then I plan to log a few more short and sweet workouts to keep my legs fresh and my mind on the pedals. Once Lumberjack is done these pedals will see cyclocross duty.
Much more to come....
