Bebop pedals are liked by road riders looking for a light, double-sided clip-in pedal with a low stack height and generous float. They’re also worth considering for mountain bikers who want to use the same stiff soled shoes both on and off road.
They’re not as good as mountain-bike-specific alternatives if you’re jumping on and off the bike in muddy conditions because the cleats, which hold the retention springs, stand proud and block if you walk on them in mud, making entry and exit less reliable.
In decent conditions they’re great, though – easy to click into and twist out of, with 20 degrees of free float that’s a help for riders with knee problems. We tried the cheapest chromoly steel spindled models, which weighed 213g a pair, plus 75g for the cleats.
Slightly lighter stainless steel spindled models cost £120 and lighter titanium versions £240. All have durable needle and ball sealed cartridge bearings, push-down entry and twist-either-way release. A low (11mm) stack height means you get a powerful ‘connected’ feel when clipped in, but this can cause compatibility issues.
Deeper mountain bike shoe soles may need to be trimmed for axle clearance and we had to fit spacers under the cleats on our Specialized S-Works shoes to get a secure pedal engagement. Long-term durability is, by reputation, good. We reckon the Bebops’ best performance is in drier conditions.