john
I have some and yes if you really want, you may try them, but really they function exactly like any eggbeater...
I have tried a number of pedal systems over the years and just kept staying with spds because of durability, walkability, and just good function... But recently have made the switch to eggbeaters after old SPDs got sticky in a crash, didnt release right foot, body twist and leg broke. (BTW i doubt this is an issue with newer redesigned spds, ie the ones without a bottom plate)
I had initially tried eggbeaters last year but didn't like them because the "q-factor" or "tread" was too great.. the pedals stuck out too far and it felt like I was riding bow-legged. And The float seemed too easy too, like I was going to un-clip too easy.
So I also tried SPD-SLs for a bit too. But they developed wear ridges on the pedal plate and subsequent slop within only a couple of months. So they got harder to clip out of, and sloppy. I was thinking of trying the normal LOOKs again but they are not made to walk on and the walking is done directly on the surface that interfaces with the pedal.
Oh i tried the newer Time pedals too. I really liked those. they were tough, light, easy to clip into, easy to walk with, BUT i couldn't get the cleat to pedal interface to not squeak while riding up hill and with the light float my feet were doing weird convuloted rotations... no matter how much wax, lube or etc... Just about drove me nuts...
Now I am pretty happy with the Quattro / eggbeater.
1. Not really any slop since the bars are spring loaded..
2. The quattro doesn't stick out as far as the other eggbeaters, and also they now have a cleat that is laterally adjustable. So although they still stick out a little further then other pedals systems I have used, it's not bad. (I am very particular about my q factor ie knock knees)
3. The interface of pedal to cleat is actually the two bars against the bottom of the shoe. The bars can wear into the shoe unless use plastic shim or other walking plastic thingy for road shoes. Also you can buy thin steel shims.. ebay...
4. You can put the cleats on mtb shoes for commutting or walking.. You will have to carve tread to get mtb shoe to work with quarttro. Walking with road pedals too is not too bad and you will not mess up the cleat.
5. there is some float before some very light resistance to pull put. It is subtle, but I am pretty use to it now. I have yet to accidently pull out, even when kind of trying to force it / test it. the release angle is out there pretty far.
6. Brass cleats, rounded bars, NO edges to catch and hold your foot while your body twists.
7. clipping in is a little harder than Look or spd-sl.. but i am use to it now and so it's not an issue.
8. Setting up the cleat is little harder since the where the pure float ends and begins is initially hard to detect. I can detect this now, but it may be more because the bars do wear into the cleat a little... so after setting the fore-aft and the lateral cleat position, I ended up just initially centering the rotation position of the cleat. Once I got use to the light float then I adjusted that...
Never tried speedplays. walkability issue...