speedplay vs look vs shimano

If you are going to leave your shoes on the bike and do a flying mount and slip your feet in- then it doesn't matter- obviously.

If you are going to run in your shoes a little ways, the speedplay cleats are a bit harder to run in, and if they get dirt or a rock in them, they won't mate to the pedal.  Look and Shimano are more tolerant of dirt/mud/gravel.  Speedplay has other benefits of course.

Agreed.  I have speedplays on my Tri bike and can attest to the mud issue.  I did a race a month or so ago and it was muddy and mucky as heck.  After my run through T1 with my shoes on, my right cleat was caked with crap... couldn't get clipped in to save my life.

Other than that issue I do like the speedplays for the float, the corning angle, and the dual sided entry.  Clipping in and out is pretty easy as well, except of course when your cleat is caked with mud.

I have looks on my roadie and like them as well, biggest issue with those is that you only have one sided entry, and it is a bit more difficult to ride w/o being clipped in (not long term, just getting up to speed).

I'm sure you can't go wrong either way, but its all about getting the right gear to meet your needs and how you plan on using it.

Off topic, but funny story.  A few years back a buddy of mine, who is a big mtn biker, invited me to go on a ride with him and some of his crew.  I'm not a mtn biker and never have been so I borrowed one of his bikes but had to put my Looks on there and was tromping around in my road shoes... I got some pretty funny looks!

I use Shimano.  I would have gone to Speedplay a couple years ago, but then I got into triathlons.

Running in Shimano / Look cleats are a lot easier (and less expensive). 

Like the above posters have stated, mud/gunk easily hinder being able to clip into the pedals.  Triathlons are already a mind game against yourself, why add another variable?

Speedplay cleats can require more maintenance too.  My Shimano cleats still look brand new and I ride a lot.

Speedplay are dual sided entry, super easy to clip in/clip out, you can't walk on the cleats and have to use cleat covers (or should) for any real walking.  Float is adjustable for most, all the way to infinite float (side to side rotation movement, good for knees). The cleats tend to fill with mud in grassy transitions etc and can be hard to clean.

Look are single sided entry, easy to clip in/clip out, you can't easily walk on the cleats and should to use cleat covers.  Adjustable float from fixed up to around 15 degrees.  The hard plastic cleats can be slippery on wet pavement and one time I fell over at an intersection as a result.  Used these for years, switched to Shimano several yaers back.

Shimano is what I currently use.  Just like Look, but you can walk on the cleats - the corners have plastic pads specifically designed for walking.  Not slippery on wet pavement which is important in Seattle.  Very happy with them, except I like the idea of dual sided entry so I looked heavily into Speedplay this season.  After a long back and forth I decided to stay with Shimano.  The idea of getting mud out of my cleats in transition doesn't appeal to me.