First and foremost, clipless pedals are designed to hold you tightly to your bike. But they"re also the power transfer point from your feet to the drivetrain. And when you factor in rotation weight and energy dissipation, a pedals stiffness-to-weight ratio becomes a crucial component of watt conservation. Not surprisingly, though, Look Cycle designed the new Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals to provide a wide, stiff platform, so that none of your watts go to waste. These pedals are used by almost all of the hard-hitting pros on Omega Pharma, Vacansoliel, and Astana, as well as by domestic pros on US teams: Kenda 5 Hour Energy, and Optum Pro Cycling. And the reason for this popularity is about to become absurdly evident. The original Look Keo pedals were a crowd-pleaser, but the carbon bodies had the tendency to wear quickly. The solution was simple, yet brilliant. Look placed a stainless steel wear plate atop the center of the carbon pedal. This eliminated wear. But Look did more than add a plate to its pedals, it redesigned the shape so that it"s wider. In fact, the Keo 2 Max is among the widest clipless pedals around. This 57mm platform width increases the surface area that contacts the cleats. However, it doesn"t impact the pedals" cornering clearance, as the Keo 2 Max is narrower on the bottom. Surprisingly, we find that they corner better than the original Keo design. Look also went to town on its axles. It increased the diameter to 12mm on the crank side for greater stiffness, and it kept the stack height to a minimum, at 15.7mm. There are two roller bearings on the crank side, and a needle bearing on the outside of the spindle that ensures a smooth running pedal, season after season. And to further ensure this, the bearings are hidden behind two seals. The Keo 2 Max Carbon pedal bodies were made with injected carbon fiber, and the wear plates and axles are stainless steel.