The Look Geo Trekking Pedals are a dual-sided design, with an SPD cleat interface on one side and a grippy, composite platform the other. Seemingly aimed at novices, ebike riders and cargo bike audiences, they're also surprisingly good for general commuting and less adventurous trail duties. However, although solidly made and pleasant to use, they are a bit pricey.
I was slightly surprised – but pleased – to discover that these use the SPD pattern cleat system. Some might argue it's a cop-out and why didn't Look invent something new, but then we'd all be grumbling about another new system and the availability of new cleats and so on.
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The pedals come supplied with Easy cleats, Look's own take on SPD pattern cleats. They seem fully interchangeable with other brands – they've certainly behaved impeccably with all my other SPD pedals – and offer the same degree of knee-friendly float we've become accustomed to. Look claims that they make release 30 per cent easier than other cleats, but to be frank I've not noticed a pronounced difference when alternating between the Looks and other cleats.
At 84mm, the platform side is fairly broad, so promises a decent level of support as well as grip, regardless of shoe choice. Ours were the baseline model, which come with reflectors; its Vision counterparts feature LEDs.
Internals are reliable, albeit unremarkable. Sealed bearings turning on chromoly axles should prove reliable long term, with periodic stripping and regreasing.
Performance
True to claims, clipping in is very precise and release the right side of effortless, regardless of whether I was using the Look or other brand cleats. (The cleat mechanism tension is adjustable using a 3mm hex key.) I was pleasantly surprised by their rigidity and power transfer.
Yes, a racier dual-sided design, such as these Issi II triples, are that bit stiffer and discernible on longer rides. However, with the Looks fitted to my working bikes, I've been able to maintain a decent 80-85rpm tempo, tackling corners with similar gusto. It's worth noting that some of my bikes – including my fixed gear – have lofty bottom bracket heights and 175/165mm cranks.
The fixed might sound an odd choice of test rig, but a 79-inch gear requires regular out-of-the saddle efforts, when tackling 1-in-7 climbs or cantering away at the lights, for example. During these, with my full weight dancing on the pedals, I've never noticed any whippiness within the bodies or axles.
The cleat side seems to be weighted, making entry a bit easier, although determining the amount of effort required to flick the resin body over does take a bit of practice.
I was pleasantly surprised by how grippy the platform and its moulded spikes are. Not on a par in the wet with the textured rubberised surfaces on these Time Atac All Road Gripper Pedals, but giving reliable tenure when filtering through stop-start traffic on my tourer, where a mix of prompt acceleration and dabbing a foot down is called for.
In terms of shoe type, I've alternated between Quoc Pham touring and trainer types, with the occasional donning of Lake mountain bike winter booties.
Longer night rides on my rough stuff tourer have usually involved a bit of bridleway/green lane action, and I've been pleasantly surprised by how well the pedals have managed mud.
Value
Judging their value is quite tricky in some regards. In my experience, metal bodies stand up to everyday accidental carelessness better than composites, and while they perform well, the specification is lower rent on paper than a wealth of cheaper dual-sided pedals.
B'Twin's Road Half clipless pedals, for example, cost £25 and feature aluminium bodies, although the tester found these a little slippery. Wellgo's C002 Trekking pedals, also featuring aluminium bodies and cages, give change from £35, and Genetic's Chimera pedals are £49.99 and boast DU sealed bearings, chromoly axles and aluminium alloy bodies.
Then of course, there's Shimano. Its solid looking MT50s come in slightly dearer than the Looks at £59.99 rrp, but we also have the venerable M424s. They have a definite mountain bike bias but retail at £46.99. They are also widely (and heavily) discounted online.
Conclusion
In many respects, the Look Geo Trekking pedals do what they say on the tin, and to a decent standard. My sticking point is value: they're up against some much cheaper but just as solidly performing rivals – which is where my money would go.
Verdict
Quirky and likeable pedals, but expensive for what they are
Make and model: Look Geo Trekking Pedals
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
According to Look: "We are proud to present you the new range of GEO TREKKING pedals, our new standard when it comes to hybrid pedals, featuring one flat and one automatic side.
Right now, mobility is the word on everyone's lips.
The emergence of E-BIKES is bringing about new forms of simpler, more environmentally-friendly mobility, sustainably transforming our city centers, our roads and our way of getting around. Bolstered by 35 years of experience in the design of pedals, LOOK has always striven to respond to these new expectations with a well-considered, designed and tested range of products aiming to help and accompany users in their attempts to sustainably change the way they get around.
ONE CLIPLESS SIDE...
The GEO TREKKING pedal range has been designed to support you in your everyday journeys, between office and home, in the city, on cycle lane, amongst traffic or simply when adventure calls and you set off on roads or trails, in search of new horizons. Featuring a flat side and a clipless side, their versatility means that they can tackle every situation and all conditions, providing unparalleled freedom of spirit.
The CLIPLESS side is based on a mechanism compliant with the micro cleat standard, compatible with SPD cleat. This mechanism features across the entire range and enables simple and secure clip-in and clip-out. The retention adjustment system enables an adjustment from 5 to 10. All the pedals are supplied with the EASY cleat with 30% easier clip-in and more natural multidirectional clip-out, offering the possibility of a movement combining rotation and traction.
... ONE FLAT SIDE
The GEO TREKKING model features a body made from injected composite and lightweight molded spikes thus being suitable for a broad scope of practice. This model is also available in the VISION light version."
According to Shaun... I would describe these as a dual-sided commuter/leisure pedal with some light trail and touring potential. However, though well executed, they are expensive relative to the spec and competition.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Feel surprisingly solid – more so than I was expecting and the composites might suggest.
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Overall performance has been pleasing. The bodies offer excellent support with various shoe/types, without feeling overly cumbersome. The SPD pattern cleat mechanism offers excellent release, regardless of whether I've been using Look or assorted others' cleats. Despite the relatively wide profiles, I've been able to corner quite aggressively too, though it's worth noting that both test bikes have lofty bottom bracket heights.
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Though there will be no issue getting cleats, and the axles seem very solid, it's early days so difficult to say how the composites will fare in the longer term, especially on a workhorse or load-lugging cargo bike.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
6/10
Neither svelte nor unduly hefty.
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
7/10
Plenty of support, good grip (at least with touring and trainer-type SPD soles), and no hot spots or similar discomfort on longer, mixed terrain rides.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Value is by no means poor, given the performance and design brief, but this is a very competitive market. At one end of the scale there's B'Twin's Road Half Clipless Pedals at £25 – although the tester found the aluminium alloy platform side proved a little slippery – and at the other Shimano offers some very solid looking examples, specifically the PD-MT50s, which come in very slightly dearer at £59.99. Its venerable M424s, though, are £12 less than the Looks at £46.99.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Overall, I've been pleasantly surprised by how comfortable and efficient the Look Geo Trekking pedals have proven. The cleated side is easily engaged and disengaged, offers a decent connection and seems fully compatible with other SPD patterns. Climbing out of the saddle, bodies and axles feel sturdy, and I've used them off-road on my rough stuff tourer with pleasing effect.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Shimano compatibility; surprisingly comfortable, grippy platforms.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Price. There are some very capable commuter pedals for less money.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Middling, given there has long been plenty of choice at various price points. Perhaps the B'Twin Road Half clipless pedals aren't the fairest comparators, given the road bias, but they are less than half the price. Shimano's M424 has a more definite trail bias but is considerably cheaper and very solid, with plentiful spares availability.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? On balance, no – at least not at full rrp.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Possibly
Use this box to explain your overall score
Generally speaking, and in the functional sense, I like the Look Geo Trekking pedals and they deliver on their design brief, but there are a wealth of very competent dual-sided SPD/flat designs available with much smaller price tags, some with better specification.
Age: 46 Height: 1m 81cm Weight: 70kg
I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
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Shimano also have the PD-T421, which I use and find quite good. The flat side has rubber inserts and is very grippy. As part of the Clik'r range with easier clip in/out they are probably the nearest competitor to the Look pedals.