New SPD 959 Pedals

I've been riding the new Shimano 959 pedals for a few months, and I don't know if it's just me but
they seem very difficult to unclip. Previously I rode 757s for years and I didn't have nearly the
trouble getting out in hairy situations that I'm having with the 959s. BTW, I also ride a road bike
with Times, so I'm no clipless newbie. The tension settings on the 959s don't seem to help really -
if I lower it just one notch I'm unclipping by mistake all the time. Anyone else using these pedals
notice this problem?

-Patrick

 

ive been using mine for a few months and have had no problems, in fact the better mud clearence and
very nice feel have impressed me.

panda

"Patrick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been riding the new Shimano 959 pedals for a few months, and I don't know if it's just me but
> they seem very difficult to unclip. Previously I rode 757s for years and I didn't have nearly the
> trouble getting out in hairy situations that I'm having with the 959s. BTW, I also ride a road
> bike with Times, so I'm no clipless newbie. The tension settings on the 959s don't seem to help
> really - if I lower it just one notch I'm unclipping by mistake all the time. Anyone else using
> these pedals notice this problem?
>
> -Patrick

 

No, don´t have any problems with mine, had them for a year. You could try the multirelease cleats.
Some hate them but as an old alpine skier I appreciate them alot ás they release more easily from
all angels.

Per http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTB.html

"Patrick" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
> I've been riding the new Shimano 959 pedals for a few months, and I don't know if it's just me but
> they seem very difficult to unclip. Previously I rode 757s for years and I didn't have nearly the
> trouble getting out in hairy situations that I'm having with the 959s. BTW, I also ride a road
> bike with Times, so I'm no clipless newbie. The tension settings on the 959s don't seem to help
> really - if I lower it just one notch I'm unclipping by mistake all the time. Anyone else using
> these pedals notice this problem?
>
> -Patrick

 

Looks like the multi-release cleats aren't compatible - at least according to Shimano's website.
They look more or less the same however. Anyone used them? I'd hate to spend the $ and find out they
really don't work.

"Per Löwdin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> No, don´t have any problems with mine, had them for a year. You could try the multirelease cleats.
> Some hate them but as an old alpine skier I appreciate them alot ás they release more easily from
> all angels.
>
> Per http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTB.html

 

"Patrick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Looks like the multi-release cleats aren't compatible - at least according to Shimano's website.
> They look more or less the same however. Anyone used them? I'd hate to spend the $ and find out
> they really don't work.

I was a single release user for many years before I bought some multi-release (by accident) and I
found them a pain because they released under circumstances that I wasnt expecting (i.e. when
leaning the bike into a slow turn with my body weight still above the bike). Other people I know who
have never used single release don't have this problem.

Going back to your original post, Patrick, is it possible that the sole of the shoe is catching on
the pedal, thus preventing easy exit? In the past I've had to "modify" certain shoes to work with
certain pedals, normally those which have cages as well as clipless...

Andy Chequer

 

> Going back to your original post, Patrick, is it possible that the sole of the shoe is catching on
> the pedal, thus preventing easy exit? In the past I've had to "modify" certain shoes to work with
> certain pedals, normally those which have cages as well as clipless...
>
> Andy Chequer

I don't think that's the problem. Usually, I fall over on my side, curse enough to scare away all
the small animals & children in the area, and then I have to re-orient myself considerably to get
enough room to unclip. So I'm definitely still clipped-in by the cleat.

I think I'll just loosen them up a bit and get used to riding with less tension. It may be easier to
approach the problem from that angle than to keep banging up my hip & knee!

-Patrick

 

Are you talking about this chart?

http://bike.shimano.com/Footwear_Pedals/Size_Chart/index.asp

SH55's are just SH51 with pointed tip "shaved" off a little so they should be compatible. I
have both...

--
- Zilla (Remove XSPAM)

"Patrick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Looks like the multi-release cleats aren't compatible - at least according to Shimano's website.
> They look more or less the same however. Anyone used them? I'd hate to spend the $ and find out
> they really don't work.
>
>
> "Per Löwdin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > No, don´t have any problems with mine, had them for a year. You could
try
> > the multirelease cleats. Some hate them but as an old alpine skier I appreciate them alot ás
> > they release more easily from all angels.
> >
> > Per http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTB.html

 

Patrick wrote:
>>Going back to your original post, Patrick, is it possible that the sole of the shoe is catching on
>>the pedal, thus preventing easy exit? In the past I've had to "modify" certain shoes to work with
>>certain pedals, normally those which have cages as well as clipless...
>>
>>Andy Chequer
>
>
> I don't think that's the problem. Usually, I fall over on my side, curse enough to scare away all
> the small animals & children in the area, and then I have to re-orient myself considerably to get
> enough room to unclip. So I'm definitely still clipped-in by the cleat.

You seem to have missed the point. Andy's not suggesting that you're somehow clipped in by rubber
and cage, more that the sole of your shoe might be preventing you from releasing properly.

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

b.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

 

> > > Previously I rode 757s for years and I didn't have nearly the trouble

I don't recall 757s. There were 747s which I had (still on the [email protected] bike), and then the short-lived
858s. Which did you have?

[email protected] (Patrick) wrote:
> Andy Chequer wrote:
> > Going back to your original post, Patrick, is it possible that the sole of the shoe is catching
> > on the pedal, thus preventing easy exit? In the past I've had to "modify" certain shoes to work
> > with certain pedals, normally those which have cages as well as clipless...
> >
> > Andy Chequer
>
> I don't think that's the problem. Usually, I fall over on my side, curse enough to scare away all
> the small animals & children in the area, and then I have to re-orient myself considerably to get
> enough room to unclip. So I'm definitely still clipped-in by the cleat.
>
> I think I'll just loosen them up a bit and get used to riding with less tension. It may be easier
> to approach the problem from that angle than to keep banging up my hip & knee!

Are the cleats you're using the same as what came with the pedals? You're not using the cleats that
came with a pair of 858s are you? That's definitly a potential problem...

I've been on SPDs for over a decade. 737s, 747s, and starting last summer, 959s. I was just about to
give up on SPDs and get eggbeaters or ATACs when my LBS urged me to try 959s. They are the best spud
ever. If everything is working properly, they should be releasing like butter.

I run mine at a pretty high tension. They release properly and consistenly, even when some mud and
grit is involved (which could not be said of either 737 or 747 spuds).

You shouldn't have to go to multi-release cleats. You should only do that if you really want to be
able to release in both directions, not because you just want the pedal to work properly. Look at
how worn your cleats are, look at whether the cleats are fairly centered within the shoe cutout, and
look at whether the shoe sole needs to be trimmed so as not to jam against the pedal body when
you're clipped in.
--
Tom Purvis - http://www.arkansasvalley.net/tpurvis/ Salida, CO

 

"Patrick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been riding the new Shimano 959 pedals for a few months, and I don't know if it's just me but
> they seem very difficult to unclip. Previously I rode 757s for years and I didn't have nearly the
> trouble getting out in hairy situations that I'm having with the 959s. BTW, I also ride a road
> bike with Times, so I'm no clipless newbie. The tension settings on the 959s don't seem to help
> really - if I lower it just one notch I'm unclipping by mistake all the time. Anyone else using
> these pedals notice this problem?
>
> -Patrick

I've just moved over to using them, and before then I was using Shimano 324 and 515's And compared
to these I found them particularly light to release, even tightened them up a notch. But then I have
got multi-release cleats...

Interestingly when I bought my 959's the cycle shop didn't have the original cleats that came
with the packaging and the manager said to stuff in multi-release cleats as they were
essentially the same.

Regards, AndyC

 

> You seem to have missed the point. Andy's not suggesting that you're somehow clipped in by rubber
> and cage, more that the sole of your shoe might be preventing you from releasing properly.

Aha! You are correct, I missed the point. I'm wear Sidi something-or-others, and they do have
cleat-like nubs sticking up on the sides, like football or baseball shoes. Perhaps they are
interfering.

 

In <[email protected]> Patrick wrote:
>> Going back to your original post, Patrick, is it possible that the sole of the shoe is catching
>> on the pedal, thus preventing easy exit? In the past I've had to "modify" certain shoes to work
>> with certain pedals, normally those which have cages as well as clipless... Andy Chequer
>
> I don't think that's the problem. Usually, I fall over on my side, curse enough to scare away all
> the small animals & children in the area, and then I have to re-orient myself considerably to get
> enough room to unclip. So I'm definitely still clipped-in by the cleat.
>
> I think I'll just loosen them up a bit and get used to riding with less tension. It may be easier
> to approach the problem from that angle than to keep banging up my hip & knee!
>
> -Patrick

Have you tried a wax based lube? I was having terrible trouble in sand/ mud/snow with my old 747s
and 515s on my new bike. Wet sand was my biggest problem. Even if the pedal isn't clogged the sand
gets in and really seizes things up. A few weeks ago my LBS recommended White Lightning. Magic! Rode
today in some snow and sand which was always doom for my knees, hips, and elbows. The pedals never
felt any different than in dry conditions. I thoroughly cleaned the pedals in solvent to get the oil
based lube out of them, contaminated the bearings, rebuilt the pedals (easy with the Shimano tool)
and applied as dirrected. So far, so good. Sorry if this has been suggested-didn't see the start of
the thread. If you think the shoe sole is interfering (I ride Sidis too, with no trouble from the
shoe) buy/borrow/steal a Dremmel. Lots of good grinding and cutting fun to be had

Cheers, Shawn

 

I don't recall the number, probably 747s. They were black, very square, and they were
top-of-the-line (well, the MTB line anyway) about 10 years ago.

Regarding the cleats, I'm not using the old cleats but the set that came with the new pedals; so no
mismatch there. Perhaps I'm just a klutz; if I didn't fall, I wouldn't be having this problem so
maybe I'll just try to stay on the bike!

 

Patrick wrote:
> Looks like the multi-release cleats aren't compatible - at least according to Shimano's website.
> They look more or less the same however. Anyone used them? I'd hate to spend the $ and find out
> they really don't work.
>

If you're bothered by the 959s releasing too often when the tension is too light then you're really
going to bitch about multi-release cleats. I have 959s, and I think they pretty much suck compared
to old 747s.

Greg

--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late, the battles we fought were long and hard,
just not to be consumed by rock n' roll..." - The Mekons

 

> Looks like the multi-release cleats aren't compatible - at least according to Shimano's website.

They work just fine. But did not work with the 858s, the pedals that only lasted one year. Had
several 747s and were not happy that they discontinued them. But the 959s are even better than the
747s, easier to service etc., and are likely to become classics.

> They look more or less the same however. Anyone used them?

Well, yes we do. Have never had the slightest problem with them. Some complain that they
accidentally unclip them but we don´t have that experience. If you are riding easy race courses
there may be a slight disadvantage. On the other hand if you are ridning technical singletrack
aggresively you have a far better safety margin. In fact you can ride things that many would prefer
flat pedals for and still feel confident that you can get out in less than a split second even if
you have an awkward spill.

Per http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTB.html