I have Time ATAC pedals on all my bikes. I like the walkable recessed cleat, and most shoe makers have higher end MTB/Gravel shoes that are rival road shoes.
There is more contact area with these pedals that comparable SPD pedals, I love them!
I have been on the Look Keo 2 composite pedals for a season and a half now and I liked the weight and performance of those pedals but lacked any confidence in them when coming off of stops. The bearing grease and bearings were such that the pedal if not turned over very slowly to engage with the cleat the pedal would spin multiple times under my foot or be upside down. In almost every start I had to look down at my foot to prevent this from happening - it got very annoying. I decided to try and repack the pedal with a heavier grease to try and remedy this and in the process damaged the composite nut on the pedal. (super brittle) Having been on Shimano pedals prior to these and liking how they turned over and engaged - I decided to go back to Shimano because of my grease repack mishap in hopes that this issue would be solved, and it was. The Shimano pedal engages with the cleat correctly and without spinning almost every time without looking or creating the spinning pedal issue. I do notice a bit more lateral float in these that I don't particularly care for and could change cleat colors to see if it is better but its minimal enough that I won't bother. The Shimano cleats to me are also more slippery when walking in them over the Look, but that is neither here nor there as it relates to the performance of the system. Overall - the confidence I gain in not having to watch my foot engage the pedal to prevent it from spinning is worth the few issues I have with them.
Switched to SPDs on both summer and winter bikes using cleated shimano mtb shoes and winter boots. Love them. Shave 10-15% off my daily commute with these new pedals, pedaling is so efficient and smooth. Adjustable, easy to get in and out, tight or slightly less, they work super well and easy to install. The flat shoe side is way large enough for ordinary shoes when needed. Just factor about an added 1/2' in height when using cleats, by adjusting your seat height.
My left leg is slightly longer than my right leg. Left unattended, the difference in length resulted, for me, in some, although not major, discomfort in my knee and hip. Also, when I rode without a spacer, the difference in leg lengths resulted in my left knee moving away from the bike during my left-side downstroke. I used a 1mm spacer in my right shoe and it seems to have solved the problem. I have also tried 2mm. I didn't notice any different result using the 2mm.
I like that the spacers come with extra-length mounting bolts. These are extremely useful. They were mandatory when I tried the 2mm spacer. Without them and with the spacer in place, I could not get my cleat to attach firmly to my shoe.
I've been using the spacer for years. They can be reused when new cleats are installed. I've replaced them mainly when I've gotten new shoes.
