Look Keo Blade Ceramic pedals

Updated and improved, the new Look Keo Blade Ceramic pedals are smooth spinning, well weighted and easy to clip into. They have a bigger, wider contact surface than the previous version, making each pedal stroke feel more solid and powerful. Issues with bearing lifespan have been addressed by dual sealings, removing the outer end caps and including longer-life grease, though time will tell how effective this is. They hang at a very convenient angle and feel incredibly secure to clip into. The combination of cleat tension and 12Nm pedal blades that you can swap in and out produces a really pleasing level of cleat and clip solidity. The riding experience is overwhelmingly positive.

These carbon-bodied Keo Blades with ceramic bearings – the middle of three updated models – aren't cheap at £210, but they are still £100 less than the new titanium-axled ones... If you're looking to spend a bit less, there are cheaper options in our guide to the best clipless pedals.

We covered the launch of these pedals in our tech news feature last month, Look launches 'fastest-ever' Keo Blade pedals; if you are avoiding the elephant in the room (your body) by looking for speed gains in your pedals, Look says the pedals' new aero profile reduces drag by 2%.

Although to the naked eye the new pedals appear significantly larger than their predecessors, the official difference is only 5mm. Look claims they weigh 110g per pedal; our pair weighed 231g on the road.cc Scales of Truth (1g less than the pair Liam tested in 2019).

The steel plate, embossed with 'LOOK', has been split into three parts, but is as prone to scuffing as ever. After just a few rides the insides can look quite tatty quite quickly – I've already managed to basically scuff away the logo.

Our test pair were fitted with 12Nm carbon blades. This tension rating is separate to the cleat float, and dictates how tightly the pedal will fit onto the cleat. Options range from 8Nm on the bottom of the range £145 Look Keo Blades, up to sprint-ready 20Nm. I found the 12Nm 'for standard use' perfect for my requirements. But if you have a history of breaking cranks or other components with your raw power, maybe a 16Nm or above is worth considering.

You can buy additional blades – there's a choice of 12, 16, or 20Nm in the Keo Blade Ceramic range – and they're pretty easy to remove with a small Torx key, but a new blade kit costs £38.99 (or £20 for an 8Nm blade, compatible with the cheaper Keo Blades). Shimano's Dura-Ace R9100 pedals have a hex bolt for adjusting tension, so that's an additional cost to factor in if you like to mix up your tensions.

The review pair arrived with a set of grey cleats. These offer 4.5 degrees of float which, combined with the 12Nm tension on the pedals themselves, was ideal for me. In practice, this means you can sway your ankle ever so slightly and recognise a very small amount of movement without it ever interfering with, or causing a loose-feeling pedal stroke. I have quite temperamental knees so I must have a bit of give in the cleats. Look also offers the more rigid black (0 degree) and slacker red (9 degree) cleats, priced at £16.50.

Look says there is now "60% easier clip in rotation" which is impossible to quantify. I tested the new pedals against my old ones with both new and old cleats, and I'd say it was predominantly the newness of the cleat that seemed to increase both the difficulty of unclipping and the feeling of security when clipped in.

> When should you replace your cleats?

That said, I mostly rode these new pedals with used cleats and the security of connection was excellent – to the point where I was very aware of upcoming traffic lights!

> How to get your shoe cleats set up right

The hang orientation is very consistent, and the spinning movement is slow, which gives you the best opportunity to clip in when you haven't quite come to a stop. The last thing you want is a pedal that struggles to stop spinning and these new Keo Blades avoid that issue entirely.

Once you're clipped in, the gliding spin of the ceramic bearings feels quite deluxe – the pedals are really smooth and well weighted.

The much-feared pedal creak did crop up a little on the right pedal. I added some grease to the thread and tightened it up further which silenced it, so nothing terminal.

Liam tested the previous Keo Blade Carbon Ceramic pedals back in 2019 and was impressed with the smoothness of the new ceramic bearing, though he wasn't tempted to switch from his own durable Shimano pedals. No issues with the bearings cropped up during his test period, but I've owned a pair of those same previous models for three years and had problems within the first 18 months. They still work, but one spins out from what is clearly a knackered bearing.

You get a three-year warranty included with the new Keo Blade Ceramics, so that gives some reassurance, but also a redesign of the spindle and both internal and external dual-sealed bearings sounds like it will definitely help to reduce any water ingress. Certainly, to the naked eye it looks like there is less scope for anything to penetrate the shell as Look has removed the outer end cap. Only time will tell, but during the test period, which took in some wet weather, there was no detectable deterioration.

Though they're not designed for it, I used these on a few gravel rides as well. As you might expect, once muddy, my cleats and the pedals did struggle to connect. It took a good clear-out for them to lock in once again. You're better off using SPD pedals for the rougher stuff.

Value

Look has settled on slightly higher recommended retail prices than when the pedals were released last month, and the three updated models are now listed as £145, £210, and £310. The most expensive titanium-axled option weighs 20g less per pedal than the other two with chromoly axles.

The cheapest option is the only one of the three to have steel rather than ceramic bearings. Otherwise, the shape, contact size and stack are the same, and they look very similar. So the question boils down to how much you value your ceramic bearings and the weight of your pedal.

Wahoo's Speedplay Zero pedals are a strong alternative to the Look Keo Blade Ceramics, coming in slightly under at £199.99 (the Looks' launch price). They are double sided and our reviewer George was impressed with their stack height and adjustability. He concluded that you could really feel the difference in power transfer compared with Look and Time pedals.

We haven't reviewed the Shimano Dura-Ace SPD SL pedals since 2017, when they were £224.99; they're even more expensive now at £234.99. The pedal platform of 66mm is still wider than the 64mm of the Looks, and Mat thought this was one of their biggest selling points. At 239g they are slightly heavier, but Mat was also very confident of their durability. They offer good adjustability, with a hex bolt for adjusting the tension, plus it's straightforward to open the pedals up and maintain them.

Conclusion

The changes implemented by Look into its Keo Blade Ceramic pedals are definite improvements. I'm confident the bearings will be harder wearing thanks to the additional protection, and the riding experience is improved by the wider platform. It was really useful being able to test these directly against their predecessors and I certainly prefer them. That subtle change to the contact area – despite using the same sized cleat – really does increase the feeling of power transfer, and I was really securely locked to the bike.

Verdict

Worthwhile upgrades result in a strong, secure and durable pedal