I've ridden a pair of Look pedals about 4 years now, changing the cleats on the shoes probably about once or twice a year.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed I was getting a distinct "klunk" in the left pedal while climbing when standing, and it felt as if the cleat was moving within the pedal. That is, it was as if the "klunk" was the cleat moving up with my shoe as I pulled on the upstroke and then hitting some part of the cleat attachment mechanism. The cleats were pretty worn so I replaced them, but the "klunk" and the impression of movement still remain. I probably have ridden 5,000 - 6,000 miles a year on these pedals.
Is there something else that might be causing this besides the attachment mechanism wearing out? Any repair possible? Or is it time for new pedals?
I've ridden a pair of Look pedals about 4 years now, changing the cleats on the shoes probably about once or twice a year.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed I was getting a distinct "klunk" in the left pedal while climbing when standing, and it felt as if the cleat was moving within the pedal. That is, it was as if the "klunk" was the cleat moving up with my shoe as I pulled on the upstroke and then hitting some part of the cleat attachment mechanism. The cleats were pretty worn so I replaced them, but the "klunk" and the impression of movement still remain. I probably have ridden 5,000 - 6,000 miles a year on these pedals.
Is there something else that might be causing this besides the attachment mechanism wearing out? Any repair possible? Or is it time for new pedals?
TIA.
Tom Young
---------- you might want to google groups on it, but what I've read is that it's more trouble than it's worth to relube the bearing. I guess it's hard to put them back together, it's kind of a throw away design.
I've ridden a pair of Look pedals about 4 years now, changing the cleats on the shoes probably about once or twice a year.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed I was getting a distinct "klunk" in the left pedal while climbing when standing, and it felt as if the cleat was moving within the pedal. That is, it was as if the "klunk" was the cleat moving up with my shoe as I pulled on the upstroke and then hitting some part of the cleat attachment mechanism. The cleats were pretty worn so I replaced them, but the "klunk" and the impression of movement still remain. I probably have ridden 5,000 - 6,000 miles a year on these pedals.
Is there something else that might be causing this besides the attachment mechanism wearing out? Any repair possible? Or is it time for new pedals?
TIA.
Tom Young
---------- you might want to google groups on it, but what I've read is that it's more trouble than it's worth to relube the bearing. I guess it's hard to put them back together, it's kind of a throw away design.
I'm almost certain it's not a bearing problem, but a cleat retention mechanism problem. Actually, with the "special tool" needed to remove the axel, it's not particularly hard to remove the axel and relube, which I've done several times. The pedals still turn smoothly on the axels with no sign of wear.
I've ridden a pair of Look pedals about 4 years now, changing the cleats on the shoes probably about once or twice a year.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed I was getting a distinct "klunk" in the left pedal while climbing when standing, and it felt as if the cleat was moving within the pedal. That is, it was as if the "klunk" was the cleat moving up with my shoe as I pulled on the upstroke and then hitting some part of the cleat attachment mechanism. The cleats were pretty worn so I replaced them, but the "klunk" and the impression of movement still remain. I probably have ridden 5,000 - 6,000 miles a year on these pedals.
Is there something else that might be causing this besides the attachment mechanism wearing out? Any repair possible? Or is it time for new pedals?
Sorry for the really slow response...
Any chance the problem is in your shoe? You replaced the cleat, so I think you would have noticed a problem with the shoe during that procedure. But when I experience similar issues with my Look-style pedals (Shimano brand from early 90's), I have always found the problem to be a loose screw or two in the cleat.
I've ridden a pair of Look pedals about 4 years now, changing the cleats on the shoes probably about once or twice a year.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed I was getting a distinct "klunk" in the left pedal while climbing when standing, and it felt as if the cleat was moving within the pedal. That is, it was as if the "klunk" was the cleat moving up with my shoe as I pulled on the upstroke and then hitting some part of the cleat attachment mechanism. The cleats were pretty worn so I replaced them, but the "klunk" and the impression of movement still remain. I probably have ridden 5,000 - 6,000 miles a year on these pedals.
Is there something else that might be causing this besides the attachment mechanism wearing out? Any repair possible? Or is it time for new pedals?
Sorry for the really slow response...
Any chance the problem is in your shoe? You replaced the cleat, so I think you would have noticed a problem with the shoe during that procedure. But when I experience similar issues with my Look-style pedals (Shimano brand from early 90's), I have always found the problem to be a loose screw or two in the cleat.
Screws attaching cleat to shoe were in there tight, and I put in the new cleat with new screws, tightening down as hard as I could. Looks like new pedal time...
I have found that the red rotational (ARC) cleats can cause the aluminum footbed to wear away where the cleat rests on the pedals and sweeps back and forth during rotation. This can cause two usually two point of wear, often on left and right side of the pedal footbed, just at the points where the footbed ends, and the two little bridges reach forward to join at the "toe" retention point of pedal. Those two little wear points have caused my cleat to move up and down off the footbed during the pedal stroke.
I have begun experimenting with black (static) cleats to see if my knees can handle the fixed cleat. I figure that the black cleats would slow this footbed pedal wear down to an acceptable point so the bearings will wear out before the pedal body does.
I have found that the red rotational (ARC) cleats can cause the aluminum footbed to wear away where the cleat rests on the pedals and sweeps back and forth during rotation. This can cause two usually two point of wear, often on left and right side of the pedal footbed, just at the points where the footbed ends, and the two little bridges reach forward to join at the "toe" retention point of pedal. Those two little wear points have caused my cleat to move up and down off the footbed during the pedal stroke.
I have begun experimenting with black (static) cleats to see if my knees can handle the fixed cleat. I figure that the black cleats would slow this footbed pedal wear down to an acceptable point so the bearings will wear out before the pedal body does.
If the black cleats don't work for you, I recommend beeswax on the red cleats and cleat covers for off-bike times. Seems to reduce the friction at the locations you cite, and stays put better than other lubricants IME.
