Shimano SPD pedals



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Jake Barnes

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I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so. I used to ride Shimano SPD
pedals, and I had no problems. From what I remember, I could get in and out of them very easy. So, I
bought a pair of used Shimano SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I can
get in fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in the pedal-- especially
in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can move around a lot once it is locked into the
pedal. Is this normal, and can it be adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet out of
the pedals. From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my old pedals, and I would pop right
out. This doesn't seem to work at all, and there does not seem to be any consistent motion to pop my
foot out. Has anyone else had a problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I can make to
pedals to correct this. Thanks for any advice.

Jake
 
Jake Barnes at [email protected] wrote on 6/5/03 7:52 AM:

> I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so. I used to ride Shimano SPD
> pedals, and I had no problems. From what I remember, I could get in and out of them very easy. So,
> I bought a pair of used Shimano SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I
> can get in fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in the pedal--
> especially in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can move around a lot once it is locked
> into the pedal. Is this normal, and can it be adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my
> feet out of the pedals. From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my old pedals, and I
> would pop right out. This doesn't seem to work at all, and there does not seem to be any
> consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has anyone else had a problem with this, and are there any
> adjustments that I can make to pedals to correct this. Thanks for any advice.

Used, all bets are off - nevertheless:

- Tension adjust is usually via a hex bolt on the front and rear of the pedal (each tensions one
side of the pedal). Probably has loosened with use of previous owner.

- Cleats. If you didn't, you should get new ones. Check alignment and position on the shoes to make
sure they are pointing the same way.

- If they got bashed (look at the lips of the retention clip on the top of the pedal - look for
bent), one may release a lot tougher than the other.

-- Jim
 
"Jake Barnes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so.
I used
> to ride Shimano SPD pedals, and I had no problems. From what I
remember, I
> could get in and out of them very easy. So, I bought a pair of used
Shimano
> SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I can
get in
> fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in
the
> pedal-- especially in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can
move
> around a lot once it is locked into the pedal. Is this normal, and can
it be
> adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet out of the
pedals.
> From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my old pedals, and
I
> would pop right out. This doesn't seem to work at all, and there does
not
> seem to be any consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has anyone else
had a
> problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I can make to
pedals
> to correct this. Thanks for any advice.

Make sure that you are using the right cleat for the pedal. Shimano makes a couple different cleats,
some of which work (well) with only certain pedals. I have a bunch of old SPD pedals, and I have to
be careful to pick up the right bubble pack when I shop for cleats. BTW, there is nothing like
paying $20 (or whatever the going price is) for $.25 worth of metal. Somebody ought to get into the
knock-off market. -- Jay Beattie.
 
Thanks-- There are hex bolts for each side of the pedal. Should they be tightened all the way? And,
does the tightness of the hex bolt determine how easily you can go in and out of the pedal?

I think I will get new cleats. Are the different types of Shimano cleats that go with different
pedals, or are they all compatible?

Thanks-- Jake

"Jim Edgar" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:BB04B094.456AA%[email protected]...
> Jake Barnes at [email protected] wrote on 6/5/03 7:52 AM:
>
> > I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so. I
used
> > to ride Shimano SPD pedals, and I had no problems. From what I remember,
I
> > could get in and out of them very easy. So, I bought a pair of used
Shimano
> > SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I can
get in
> > fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in
the
> > pedal-- especially in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can
move
> > around a lot once it is locked into the pedal. Is this normal, and can
it be
> > adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet out of the
pedals.
> > From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my old pedals, and I would pop right out.
> > This doesn't seem to work at all, and there does
not
> > seem to be any consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has anyone else had
a
> > problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I can make to
pedals
> > to correct this. Thanks for any advice.
>
> Used, all bets are off - nevertheless:
>
> - Tension adjust is usually via a hex bolt on the front and rear of the pedal (each tensions one
> side of the pedal). Probably has loosened with
use
> of previous owner.
>
> - Cleats. If you didn't, you should get new ones. Check alignment and position on the shoes to
> make sure they are pointing the same way.
>
> - If they got bashed (look at the lips of the retention clip on the top of the pedal - look for
> bent), one may release a lot tougher than the other.
>
> -- Jim
 
"Jay Beattie" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "Jake Barnes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5
years or so.
> I used
> > to ride Shimano SPD pedals, and I had no problems. From
what I
> remember, I
> > could get in and out of them very easy. So, I bought a
pair of used
> Shimano
> > SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems
with them. I can
> get in
> > fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too
much "travel" in
> the
> > pedal-- especially in my right foot. By travel I mean
the my shoe can
> move
> > around a lot once it is locked into the pedal. Is this
normal, and can
> it be
> > adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet
out of the
> pedals.
> > From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my
old pedals, and
> I
> > would pop right out. This doesn't seem to work at all,
and there does
> not
> > seem to be any consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has
anyone else
> had a
> > problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I
can make to
> pedals
> > to correct this. Thanks for any advice.

You can play with the tension a bit, but if your cleats are both wiggly and hard to release, that
usually means they're worn. Time for some new ones.

A little lubrication can help -- a drop of oil on either the cleat or pedal will do the trick.

> Make sure that you are using the right cleat for the
pedal. Shimano
> makes a couple different cleats, some of which work (well)
with only
> certain pedals. I have a bunch of old SPD pedals, and I
have to be
> careful to pick up the right bubble pack when I shop for
cleats. BTW,
> there is nothing like paying $20 (or whatever the going
price is) for
> $.25 worth of metal. Somebody ought to get into the
knock-off
> market. -- Jay Beattie.

There are and have been several knockoffs -- Winwood, Ritchey, Wellgo, etc. All are only a little
cheaper, and all of them suck with Shimano pedals. Overpriced as they are, genuine Shimano cleats
work noticeably better, and are definately worth the extra money.

Matt O.
 
"Jake Barnes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so. I used to ride Shimano SPD
> pedals, and I had no problems. From what I remember, I could get in and out of them very easy. So,
> I bought a pair of used Shimano SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I
> can get in fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in the pedal--
> especially in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can move around a lot once it is locked
> into the pedal. Is this normal, and can it be adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my
> feet out of the pedals. From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my old pedals, and I
> would pop right out. This doesn't seem to work at all, and there does not seem to be any
> consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has anyone else had a problem with this, and are there any
> adjustments that I can make to pedals to correct this.

I've never worn out a SPD cleat, despite 10 K's of road miles and/or years of off-road, where
hike-a-bike in gravel is as hard as anything on them. Bottom line -- I'm skeptical your cleats are
worn, used or not. Since Shimano cleats are so ridiculously priced, I think it's worth a little
investigation before popping for new ones.

The looseness you describe sounds like what's known as "float", or an amount of rotational
freedom. The most common Shimano cleats (these aren't clones, right?) are the "single-release"
(SH52), or "multi release" (SH55). Single release are typically black, multi, silver, when new.
Multi release cleats have more float, and release from heel rotation or toe "rolling", singles
from heel rotation only.

The amount of float you have and the degree of difficulty dis/engaging can often be influenced by
interference from the sole tread. Frequently, you have to trim the "pocket" of new shoes.

You may have used multi release cleats in the past and are now having to retrain your reflexes to
single release (or vice versa, something that I haven't been able to do myself).

Clone "SPD-compatible" pedals with Shimano cleats (or vice versa) can sometimes have problems. Dirt
or a little roughness/corrosion can have an effect too, cleaning and a drop of lube on the
pedal/cleat mating surfaces can make a large difference.
 
"Peter Cole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I've never worn out a SPD cleat, despite 10 K's of road miles and/or
years of
> off-road, where hike-a-bike in gravel is as hard as anything on them.
Bottom
> line -- I'm skeptical your cleats are worn, used or not. Since Shimano
cleats
> are so ridiculously priced, I think it's worth a little investigation
before
> popping for new ones.
>

They do wear out. Mine get to where they start to slip forward and back. It happens about once a
year (8000 miles). People at a shop told me they typically last about 6000 miles.
 
"one of the six billion" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> "Peter Cole" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > I've never worn out a SPD cleat, despite 10 K's of road
miles and/or
> years of
> > off-road, where hike-a-bike in gravel is as hard as
anything on them.
> Bottom
> > line -- I'm skeptical your cleats are worn, used or not.
Since Shimano
> cleats
> > are so ridiculously priced, I think it's worth a little
investigation
> before
> > popping for new ones.
> >
>
> They do wear out. Mine get to where they start to slip
forward and back.
> It happens about once a year (8000 miles). People at a
shop told me they
> typically last about 6000 miles.

That sounds about right. Once a year for me, too, which if I'm road riding is usually about that
much. I've gone through two sets a year while doing a lot of mountain biking.

I don't think gravel is as bad as plain old dirt, especially the really fine grained stuff like
clay, which stays on there no matter what.

I've found the pedals wear too, though much more slowly. I'm on my third set in 10 years.

I know where the wear happens, because replacing the part in question fixes the problem. The problem
being discussed here sounds exactly like worn cleats to me.

Matt O.
 
"Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >
> > They do wear out. Mine get to where they start to slip
> forward and back.
> > It happens about once a year (8000 miles). People at a
> shop told me they
> > typically last about 6000 miles.
>
> That sounds about right. Once a year for me, too, which if I'm road riding is usually about that
> much. I've gone through two sets a year while doing a lot of mountain biking.

Odd, I have much more than that on at least a couple of sets and haven't noticed those symptoms.
 
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