Look Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals review
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Look Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals review

Pedals that can take a beating

Our rating

4

100.00
125.00
95.00
187.00

David Caudery / Immediate Media

Published: May 17, 2021 at 10:50 am

Our review
Easy to use with plenty of adjustment and a low weight

Pros:

Durability; secure pedalling; easy to set-up

Cons:

Minimal benefits over cheaper Look pedals

Look’s Keo 2 Max pedals sit mid-range in the iconic pedal brand's line-up and bring the company’s top-end technology to a more appealing price point.

The carbon body is topped with a wide, stainless steel plate that aims to offer improved power transfer, with a 25 per cent increase in the surface area compared to the cheaper Keo 2 Classic model: 500mm² compared to 400mm².

The steel plate is shaped to match the cleats to ensure a perfect connection and consistent pedal-to-cleat contact at all times. Inside is an oversized chromoly steel axle that spins on both needle and ball bearings. A conical spacer replaces the old serrated washer to reduce friction.

All of this helps to ensure that the pedals spin smoothly, even under the most powerful pedalling.

Set-up was a breeze. The small cleats were easy to line up and use a regular three-bolt pattern. The pedal release tension is easily adjustable with an Allen key, and while I found the factory settinShimano SPD vs. SPD-SL pedals: what’s the right system for you?g ideal for me, you can slacken them off, which is handy if you’re new to riding clipless.

The pedals always hung at an angle on the crank, which minimises the time and effort to push the cleat in, and as with all Look pedals, getting in and out is very easy, making them ideal for a wide range of cyclists.

Engagement was reassuring with a pleasant ‘click’ and disengaging was similarly straightforward with a smooth push through the release tension and audible feedback.

On the road, the cleats remained firmly locked with no unwanted movement even during hard sprints, and the extra security of the large stainless steel metal plate is a good upgrade for more demanding cyclists who want the best performance.

The range of float (4.5 degrees) was adequate for my requirements but more or less float is available with a change of cleats.

Walking was a bit precarious due to the small size of the cleats, but they seemed robust enough to cope with the usual pre- and post-ride trots.

My testing time wasn’t enough to trouble the two-year warranty, but Look has a good track record for durability and I'm confident these are a good investment.

These are solid and reliable mid-range pedals but offer few benefits over cheaper models in the range, such as Look's excellent entry-level Keo Classic 3 Plus pedals.

How we tested

You know you’re a serious cyclist when you buy your first set of clipless pedals, right? But with so many to choose from, it can be hard to know which brand is right for you and what you need to look out for.

So we picked ten of the best out there to help narrow down your search and you’ll find plenty more in our buyer’s guide to the best road bike pedals.

Also tested

Product

Brand look
Price 187.00 AUD,100.00 EUR,95.00 GBP,125.00 USD
Weight 317.0000, GRAM (317) - 253g pedal / 64g cleat

Features

br_cleatTypepedalSystem br_Cleat_type
Features Chromoly Spindle

Carbon body

Stainless steel platform

0° to 9° degrees float

KEO cleat 4.5°standard, 0° and 9° options