Bruce
contributor
Reged: 12/27/03
Posts: 133
Loc: North of NYC
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So I am riding my bike the 4 miles to the office for the morning commute, and it is making quite a racket in the drivetrain someplace. I forget about it and take the bike out for the Thursday night training ride after work.
About most of the way through the warmup section, I start to notice that my left pedal seems lose. I wonder if the carbon crank is giving out, or what was going on. I decide to clip out, and the entire pedal comes OFF the axle! OPPS! The pedal head drops to the road and I am left with one pedal on the right side and one axle on the left. Not good.
So I go back, pick up the head, shove it in my back pocket, and decide to ride to the bike store. I pick the flattest route there. I can pedal with my left foot if I concentrate on keeping it on the axle. I can average around 18, not too shabby, considering I had just about 30 minutes to get to the shop before they closed.
I arrive at Bicycle World in Mt Kisco (highly recommended shop if you live in Westchester NY) and they swap it out with a loaner pedal as a temporary fix. I continue the ride, but of course, I have lost the group at this point.
Saturday, I go back to Bicycle World and Eric is able to replace the sealed bearing in the pedal, and it works like new. Apparently Bebop uses standard sealed bearings and you can swap them out. I had the bearing replaced in both pedals for $25, and I was back in business.
While I don't like the fact that the Bebops failed in just 3 years of riding, they were easy to fix, and that is a big plus.
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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Bruce
Pedal failure is really scary and dangerous. I'm glad you weren't hurt.
In the past we'd compared the Bebops to the Coombes. To revisit the Coombe vs. Bebob debate I noticed this laud of the Coombes on the College Park/Mt. Airy Bike website. Some of you may have met Larry Black and know of his passionate attention to detail and love for innovation.
Here is what Larry said about Coombe pedals:
May 3, 2005
Larry's comment and tip:
The Coombe pedal system is one of my favorite bicycle products of all time.
In 37 years of bike shop experience, few products share this 'best in category' honor or. The Al Kreitler Roller, The Chris King Headset, the Schlumpf Mountain/Speed Drive, and now the Coombe pedal.
William Coombe was a teenager when we opened College Park Bicycles in 1979. He convinced his mother to drive him over to look at a racing bike. Inspired heavily by its starring role in the recently-released Breaking Away, Will chose an orange Masi. Over the next few years, Will became devoted to working on this and other bikes, then bikes of neighbors, and then professional bikes from people who would drive to the suburban neighborhood home he shared with his single-parent mother and devoted supporter.
Expelling the family auto and sporting goods from the garage, he turned it into his bike shop.
'Will's Bikes' was the talk of insiders in the velo clubs. His work was meticulous and we even contracted him to work on high end bikes from our shop, knowing they would get very personalized attention and TLC.
Soon the car went back in the garage when they built a huge building in the backyard. I hooked him up with a lathe and milling machine from my neighbor and UM professor friend. These machines were state-of-the-art and took nearly a team of mules and rolling logs to move.
Mr Coombe was not heard from for many years until he surfaced in Colorado with the pedals on which he'd been working for many years. Coombe pedals represent the pinnacle of pedaling systems. We've sold and ridden every type and our personal collection is second only to that of Richard Byrne, the founder of speedplay and world's foremost collector of bicycle pedals. We even have some he needs for his own collection.
The Coombe pedal is in a class by itself. No springs, no moving parts, an extremely thin cleat that fits many shoes as if it were made for them. Strong engagement, two-way release, and simple.
Though classified as a road system, with a small patch of leather, rubber, or composite fixed to the shoe bottom, Coombe pedals are quite comfortable for walking as far as high performance road shoes go.
Cleats are available ion several configurations and feature special pins to allow individual tuning of float.
Your feet will thank you and you will thank Coombe for their contribution to your comfort, security, efficiency, and success.
I'm a big fan of the Coombes as well....
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Bruce
contributor
Reged: 12/27/03
Posts: 133
Loc: North of NYC
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Yes, Larry Black is a good guy for sure.
I looked at the Coombes when I was considering pedal systems. The Bebops were 40 grams lighter and only 2 mm taller stack height. I liked the fact that the Bebobs were both a road and mtn pedal. Not sure how the Coombes do after you walk around in mud, but the Bebops are fine.
Both benefited from the lack of Ti axles to keep the weight down. Breaking the axle really sucks.
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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Quote:
Bruce wrote:
liked the fact that the Bebobs were both a road and mtn pedal. Not sure how the Coombes do after you walk around in mud, but the Bebops are fine.
I couldn't clip into my Coobes after hanging around the officials tent last weekend, because there was mud in the cleat. The tolerances are super tight, which can also be a good thing because I feel secure on them. Last year he mentioned he was planning to produce an offroad pedal. When he does I'm sure I'll be selling my Time ATACs.
40 grams less is a slight advantage, true.
The Coombe's have 3 sets of bearings so hopefully that means the pedal body will stay put.
Quote:
Bruce wrote:
Both benefited from the lack of Ti axles to keep the weight down. Breaking the axle really sucks.
I'm not too concerned about this myself but I'm pretty much with you there. I'm about 180 and I'm of the strong and powerful sprinter type so now it is just something I don't have to worry about.
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Bruce
contributor
Reged: 12/27/03
Posts: 133
Loc: North of NYC
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I think the pedals are very close. They are both ahead of the big makers, Time and Look.
The Bebop has a roller bearing as well. Coombe's have two smaller roller bearings, and Bebop has one larger one. The bearing that blew out on me was at the end of the pedal and is used to secure the pedal body to the axle. Basically they screw the sealed bearing to the axle, and that keeps the whole pedal on the axle.
Not sure how the Coombe's attach.
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 138
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Are they still in business?I've tried to contact them by telephone and email.I have gotten no response for several months.
I agree that they make a great product,but support seems a little sketchy.
dan
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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Bill is notorious for wavering customer support. I think he does this as a sideline so you kind of have to bear with him. Usually if you call him that works. Try at different times. It can be frustrating but when you do get him you'll be happy. He is a great guy and interesting to talk with. Just busy like the rest of us...and it is worth the wait and trouble because the pedals are wonderful.
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 138
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I've had the pedals for a long time,and have a prototype of his new design on my desk.The problem is his phone mailbox is full and won't accept any messages,and he hasn't responded to emails.
Maybe somebody on the forum lives close to his shop and can knock on the door...
dan
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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Try not to get too frustrated.
What are the new pedals like?
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 138
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I'm not sure there are new pedals.He was considering a change that would allow his cleat to fit on the 3 bolt Look pattern,since Sidi changed their shoes from recessed/adapter plates to surface mount only.Time has also gone to the Look bolt pattern,so 2 of his 3 cleat options are fading from need.
Basically it is a bigger version of the Pro.
I don't think it went into production tho.
dan
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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I see, it is a new cleat. That would be a good idea.
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 138
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I made it as clear as mud.It was a new,larger pedal,and a new,larger cleat to match.I have the pedal body and it is larger than the pro.
I don't think he put this new pedal/cleat into production,tho.
dan
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Kevan
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 70
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Bruce, you monster! Breaking pedals now with your crushing cadence...
I've really enjoyed my Bebops but I'm running into a slightly different snag, compatibility with road shoes, in particular Shimano's shoes. I've tried Sidi's and Carnac's and I'll be damned if I'm willing to drop $500 on a pair of Rockets, but those dang Shimano shoes are the only ones that fit me like a glove. The problem is Shimano has completely dropped from their road line shoes with the SPD drilling, now everything of theirs, in road use, is 3-hole Look compatible. I did eventually find a shoe that fit properly, a Specialized with carbon bottom, but one of the cleats never functioned properly, so that was a waste of money. I asked Bebop if they were considering offering a cleat that could handle a 3 hole pattern and I received a terse response stating that they were working on it. I'm not sure if they ever will address this issue. In the meantime, I'm wearing my Shimanos to a nub and enjoying a pedal that does its job w/o complaint.
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Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Hey Kevan...start stopping at every bike store and the internet for the older style Sidi. Until the last year or two they were made differently. There is new old stock out there...I know I buy it! Now if you wear a 45 what is a new "old" Sidi worth to you? 
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