Look Geo City Grip Vision pedals

The Look Geo City Grip Vision pedals offer the same great level of grip and comfort for urban riding as the standard Geo City Grips, but in addition to the customisable platforms, the Visions come with four integrated LEDs to increase visibility. They're a great option for anyone putting in urban miles on any kind of bike, though they're quite a hike in price from the non-Visions.

If you prefer to ride in normal shoes, are keen to upgrade the pedals your bike came with, and improve your visibility on the road, all at the same time, these pedals might be just what you need. They feature the same wide base and double-sided, non-slip Vibram rubber platform as the Geo City Grip, but with the addition of four integrated LEDs.

As with the non-Visions Hollis tested, the platforms sit atop a composite base and have a multi-directional tread, designed to increase grip and help channel water off the pedal. Some of the rubber ridges sit higher than others. The whole thing is designed to keep as much of the shoe in contact with the pedal, all the time, and it works exceptionally well.

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I've used the pedals on an e-bike, as well as knock-about-town hybrid. I particularly warmed to them on the e-bike, which I use primarily for commuting. Riding to work in casual shoes and experiencing a decent level of grip, without having to clip in or sense knobbly pins has been refreshing.

Even in heavy, persistent rain, they still offer great levels of grip. My commute is relatively flat, but on the occasions I want to ride out of the saddle to get over the odd lump, I've never once experienced slip. To top this off, there's no sense of pressure points or harsh edges pressing through softer soled shoes. The grip and large contact area mean that power transfer is as good as it gets for something you aren't clipped into.

The platforms are interchangeable. In addition to these black models there's red, lime green and camo, which combines all three on a grey background. I can't comment on the ease of actually changing the platforms, but Hollis described it as 'a cinch' in his review of the non-Visions. They certainly add an element of fun – an option to coordinate with your bike – and mean you can replace them should the pads wear out, though I suspect that would take some time; I've got Vibram-soled shoes and they are seriously robust.

The pedals are easy to mount using a standard 8mm hex key (to a torque of 25Nm). The bearings run smoothly, and the actual pedal construction is top quality.

Vision

It's the four integrated LEDs that set these apart from the City Grips. Look claims that the oscillating beam has a power rating level of up to 50 lumens, and a range of more than 900m, with a 180-degree angle. The LEDs are offset to point slightly outwards, as shown in the photo below.

I'll admit to being sceptical about the effect of a light on a pedal – surely my feet would obscure it, though my size 42s are hardly 'large'. However, at night and in certain daylight urban scenarios, the lights are surprisingly striking, with the orange glow standing out from your usual red and white bike lights. At night, with the addition of pedal rotation, they really do create a worthwhile visibility aid.

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I'm not so convinced of their effect during the day on the road – the Day Flash mode is striking, but no more so than a decent rear light, arguably less so given their position under the foot. Dip into a subway, railway bridge or specific cycle tunnel and they are more effective (as is any light). I can see how they would be useful for daytime riding for anyone navigating plenty of tunnels, if such a commute exists. Naturally, I'm writing this in BST; they will really come into their own for winter commutes.

The operation button on the units is very small, but there is a noticeable 'click' when you locate the trigger point. It's possible with thin gloves, but not deep winter gloves, for me anyway; just remember to switch them on before you 'glove-up'.

They are simple to operate: one prolonged click switches them on and off. Once on, one click cycles you through four different modes: Steady (20 lumens), Day flash (50 lumens), Night flash (10 lumens) and Flash eco (6 lumens).

The lights use a functional and reliable stop-start motion detector to preserve battery life. If you are static for more than about 30 seconds they go into standby mode. A flashing green light indicates this. The lights are super sensitive, and any motion (even just a gentle touch) will reactivate them, to the mode they were already in. If they don't detect movement for about 30 minutes, they will power down themselves – a great feature, in my opinion.

I'd say that Look's estimate of 20 hours when in eco flash is not far wrong. It's tough to measure exactly, particularly when urban riding – the lights are going onto standby a fair bit. I have found that three days of commuting (3 hours) is possible before recharging when on Day Flash, navigating several sets of traffic lights and junctions. Look gives a 2.5-hour estimate for this mode, so they are doing well.

A red light begins to flash when they reach 30% capacity, turning to constant at 25%. This comes on when the lights are operating. Given that the lights are amber, it's not difficult to see (when you take your foot off the pedal at a set of lights, for example), so there's little risk of being caught out, though it's not a disaster, given that they are 'additional' lights.

Charging

The light units pop out of the pedals for recharging. I tried to work out how without a set of instructions and failed. The instructions are online, which makes me want to go off a tangent here, for a moment. The packaging contained minimal plastic and no excess paper – one plastic sticky tab holding the box closed and a QR code to the instructions rather than an instruction leaflet. It's great that manufacturers are actively minimising plastic packaging.

Once you've popped the units out, they charge via a micro USB port. There's one supplied cable with a split head, so you can charge two units in one go. They go from flat to full in just under two hours.

The silicone charge port covers aren't particularly robust, and one has already broken off. I still use it to plug the port, but it's hardly ideal. Getting the tabs to fit snuggly in the port housing is fiddly to say the least – it's a really tight fit, and if you don't engage them properly they are dragged out as you insert the light into the pedal (hence breaking off, I think).

The unit clips securely into the pedal with a magnet. It really isn't a faff to get them in and out once you know how to, and I've had no concerns about them disengaging.

I've used them in some pretty horrific conditions and have had no issues with water ingress, supporting the IPX7 rating. If the port covers do break off (and get lost), it's possible that water may get in while riding in wet conditions. Look does recommend that they are kept clean and dry to secure performance.

Value

It's tough to draw direct comparison with other options; I've not found any other rechargeable pedals out there. There are a few that offer integrated LEDs that charge on pedalling – for example, these are only £14.99, but I can't comment on how well they work.

Whether you consider the Visions to be worth the money will depend on whether you deem them gimmicky or a valuable additional visibility feature. I'm not entirely convinced, to be honest, and think that for half the price you can invest in the Geo City Grips and use the money saved to buy a decent set of extra lights – perhaps to mount on your helmet, which will be at more practical height for other road users.

Conclusion

Overall, I really can't knock the pedals for comfort, grip and performance in all conditions. The lights work well and certainly increase your visibility, though the port covers and buttons could be improved. Given those flaws, and the fact that you can simply mount extra lights in more practical places for less than the difference in price between these and the Geo City Grips, it's hard to justify the price, but if you have the cash, they certainly work.

Verdict

Unquestionable comfort and grip in all conditions, but whether the increased visibility is worth the extra is debatable