Look launches “fastest-ever” Keo Blade pedals that also offer “increased rider comfort and durability”

Look – or Look Cycle, if you want to be formal about it – has introduced new Keo Blade road pedals that are said to be more aero than previously while offering “increased rider comfort and durability”.

Keo Blade pedals have been around since 2011, the defining feature being the use of a carbon blade in the cleat retention mechanism which, Look says, is 20% lighter than more traditional metal springs. The carbon design is also said to offer a longer lifespan in similar conditions.

Look describes the new Keo Blade pedals, which it has been developing and testing over the past three years, as its “fastest ever”. Obviously, those pedals don’t move of their own accord; what Look means is that the new pedal body profile has been redesigned with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, so you’ll move slightly quicker for a given level of power. That's the idea, anyway, and it means Look joins Wahoo in offering pedals with aero gain claims. The Wahoo Speedplay Aero pedals (£239.99) have a dimpled underside and a low stack height for a purported wind-cheating boost. 

“A lower frontal surface and an all-new leading edge aero profile work together to reduce drag, saving 2% over the previous Keo Blade design,” Look says.

Of course, your pedals account for only a small fraction of your total drag, and 2% of not very much is, you know, 1/50th of that, but a win’s a win, we guess.

Look’s Alexandre Lavaud says, “All the data we collected in the wind tunnel showed that this new pedal has better aerodynamics than all our competitors, even the most well-known, the Wahoo Speedplay Aero."

Look hasn’t published data to support this claim yet but says it’ll likely make this available in a white paper in the next couple of months.

“Starting at 95g per pedal with a contact area of 705mm (64mm wide), the new platform strives for the elimination of hot spots regardless of shoe sole material and offers riders increased pedalling stability,” says Look.

> Best clipless pedals for cycling

The previous-generation Keo Blades had a published platform width of 67mm and an area of 700mm². The top-level Keo Blade Carbon Ceramic Ti had a claimed weight of 95g, so that’s unchanged (see all the tech details way down below).

Look boasts that the Keo Blade’s contact area is larger than Shimano Dura-Ace (255mm²) and Time X Pro (692mm²), and just a little below Wahoo Zero (713mm²).

In terms of complete weight, including cleats, Look says its mid-level Keo Blade Ceramic is lower than these competitors around the £200 price point: it’s a claimed 290g, versus 306g for Shimano Dura-Ace, 311g for Time X Pro, and 322g for Wahoo Zero.

> Read our review of the previous-generation Look Keo Blade Carbon pedals

Look also says that the new Keo Blade has “a 60% easier clip-in rotation” than previously thanks to an improved weight balance.

You may have noticed that we get statistics to support every product update in cycling these days, but “60% easier clip-in rotation”? Look says that this means you get “an unrivalled clip-in and clip-out feeling and sense of safety, allowing for quicker disengagement whilst offering firm and secure support with no unwanted movement when clipped in”.

Okay. We have a couple of pairs in for review, so we’ll soon let you know whether we find that to be true out on the road.

Look’s Alexandre Lavaud says, “We have rebalanced the products. The metal springs on other pedals are a certain weight that makes it easier for the pedal to tilt [when you’re not clipped in]. But the Keo Blade is a really light component and very centred on the pedal, so we have overbuilt the rear of the pedal body to reduce the torque of rotation and make it easier to clip in.”

Look says it has improved the durability and reliability of the Keo Blade pedals too. How has it done that?

“The latest design incorporates features to resist water intrusion, such as a new spindle design, internal and external dual-sealed bearings, and a re-formulated long-lifespan water-resistant grease,” it says.

> Here's our review of the previous Look Keo Blade Carbon Ceramic pedals

There is no outer end cap now; that side of the spindle is fully shielded by the pedal body, so no water or dust can get in there. Look says that’s particularly important for its pro riders whose bikes are frequently cleaned with jet washers.

“Further durability improvements include a high-grade stainless steel contact surface, a new strengthened body design for 200% higher robustness and impact resistance, plus an updated retention lever shape for greater cleat-to-pedal durability,” says Look.

Another statistic? They’re spoiling us. Look says it’s partly the removal of the outer end cap that has allowed it to make this improvement in strength.

The steel contact surface that Look mentions is now a three-part design rather than the single plate that ran across the middle of previous Keo Blade pedals. The steel isn’t replaceable.

As previously, you can quickly switch out the Blade for one of a different tension or replace like-for-like to extend the life of your pedal. Options from 8Nm to 20Nm are available; Look says that the 20Nm Blade is really aimed at pro riders, particularly sprinters.

All pedals in the range have a total stack height of 14.8mm, the same as before.

The new Keo Blade pedals are available in three flavours, all made at Look’s HQ in Nevers, France:

Keo Blade
Body Carbon
Cleat Keo Grip 
Axle Chromo +
Bearing Steel 
Retention 08Nm Comp 
Contact surface 705mm² 
Q-factor 53mm 
Total stack 14.8mm (pedal 8.5mm + cleat 6.3mm)
Weight 115g
Price £139.99

Keo Blade Ceramic 
Body Carbon
Cleat Keo Grip 
Axle Chromo +
Bearing Ceramic 
Retention 12Nm Carbon
Contact surface 705 mm² 
Q-factor 53 mm
Total stack 14.8mm (pedal 8.5mm + cleat 6.3mm)
Weight 115g 
Price £199.99

Keo Blade Ceramic Ti 
Body Carbon
Cleat Keo Grip
Axle Titanium 
Bearing Ceramic
Retention 16Nm Carbon 
Contact surface 705mm²
Q-factor 53mm 
Total stack 14.8mm (pedal 8.5mm + cleat 6.3mm)
Weight 95g
Price £299.99

www.lookcycle.com