Losing SPD cleat bolts

"Graham Ashton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Has anybody got any cunning suggestions for keeping the bolts in place?
And
(though I can easily check this with a shop) can you buy replacement bolts
on their own?

Graham

Dunno if this will work with spds, but it does with Look screws. I put a
*tiny* drop of superglue on thread & then tighten. Works a treat. No more
problems with unscrewing of cleats when not needed, but still easy for me to
unscrew the cleat when I do need to.

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat said:

Dunno if this will work with spds, but it does with Look screws. I put a
*tiny* drop of superglue on thread & then tighten. Works a treat. No
more problems with unscrewing of cleats when not needed, but still easy
for me to unscrew the cleat when I do need to.

Feel good cos there's a special version called Loctite Threadlock which
is specially designed for exactly that purpose. Another cheaper option
is a drop of nail varnish.

--
Tony

"Don't argue the matter, the difficulties will argue for themselves"
-W.S. Churchill

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Feel good cos there's a special version called Loctite Threadlock which is
specially designed for exactly that purpose. Another cheaper option is a
drop of nail varnish.

In true cyclist-stylee, one adapts stuff one already has in one's
possession. Thus using same superglue one uses to stick on one's false nails
as one uses to secure screws in cleats, rather than buy another glue ;-)

Cheers, helen s

Graham Ashton said:

Has anybody got any cunning suggestions for keeping the bolts in
place?

Flippant-sounding but serious answer: Do them up tighter. Grease helps
you get a bolt properly tight (and won't make it come loose).

There'll be an incompatibility problem if the bolts can't be fully
tightened. Bolts too long? Wrong shoes for cleats?

Loctite Threadlocker (Medium Strength) will work much better than
superglue if you do want to glue them, but isn't normally necessary.

An ordinary hardware store may have spare bolts.

~PB

Tony Raven said:

wafflycat said:

Dunno if this will work with spds, but it does with Look screws. I
put a
*tiny* drop of superglue on thread & then tighten. Works a treat. No
more problems with unscrewing of cleats when not needed, but still
easy for me to unscrew the cleat when I do need to.

Feel good cos there's a special version called Loctite Threadlock
which is specially designed for exactly that purpose. Another
cheaper option is a drop of nail varnish.

None of any of that is needed for Look cleats, just a T-handle screwdriver
with a well-fitting bit. My Look cleat screws are far too tight to ever
come loose by themselves.

The cleats themselves are liable to swiveling if the screws are loose
enough to come undone without superglue, etc.

~PB

wafflycat said:

In true cyclist-stylee, one adapts stuff one already has in one's
possession. Thus using same superglue one uses to stick on one's false
nails as one uses to secure screws in cleats, rather than buy another
glue ;-)

Quite right and sensible; although coming at it from the other
direction, I'll be sticking my false nails on with Loctite (if I ever
get falsies)...

cheers,

Tony B

Quoted message said:

An ordinary hardware store may have spare bolts.

not many of those about nowadays - our local place is now a doctor's
surgery. I have memories from childhood of trudging up to Brooks' for
(insert anything) which the old feller would find in a box in the attic,
eventually...

Shame to loose a place like that. B&Q/Halfrauds is a pisspoor and
distant substitute...

Tony B

"Pete Biggs" <p@honeydewbiggs{remove_melon}.tc> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Graham Ashton said:

Has anybody got any cunning suggestions for keeping the bolts in
place?

Flippant-sounding but serious answer: Do them up tighter. Grease helps
you get a bolt properly tight (and won't make it come loose).

I'm with Pete. I now always use copperease grease when fitting spd cleats
and have never had any come loose. Before using grease I once had to drill
seized screws out.
If you're having trouble applying sufficient torque with a standard allen
key fit a tube over it to increase leverage or get a set of longer keys.

If you are stuck for an odd screw e-mail me direct, I'm sure to have some
kicking about in the garage which you are welcome to.

Pete

in message <[email hidden]>, Graham Ashton

(') said:

I recently lost a bolt out of one of my SPD cleats. I only noticed
because the other one was coming loose and the cleat rotated freely on
the bottom of the shoe. It caught me by surprise when trying to twist
my foot out, and I ended up having to rip the shoe off the pedal.
Could have been nasty, so I'm quite keen to avoid it in future.

I could just remember to check that they're tight every so often, but
I know me, and I'll forget.

I've not yet done a 1000 miles on SPDs; is this a common problem?

No, it happens only once. After that you remember to do them up very,
very tight and it ceases to be a problem.

Quoted message said:

Has anybody got any cunning suggestions for keeping the bolts in
place?

You could use Loctite, although I don't think it's necessary.

Quoted message said:

And (though I can easily check this with a shop) can you buy
replacement bolts on their own?

Not as far as I know, but I probably have some in the spares box. Mail
me off list.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

A message from our sponsor: This site is now in free fall

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Graham Ashton

(') said:

I've not yet done a 1000 miles on SPDs; is this a common problem?

No, it happens only once. After that you remember to do them up very,
very tight and it ceases to be a problem.

That's good to hear; I'll tighten them up and give it some proper welly
this time.

Thanks to all those who replied.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Has anybody got any cunning suggestions for keeping the bolts in
place?

You could use Loctite, although I don't think it's necessary.

Quoted message said:

And (though I can easily check this with a shop) can you buy
replacement bolts on their own?

Not as far as I know, but I probably have some in the spares box. Mail
me off list.

Fantastic, thanks. I've just done so...

Cheers,

Graham

Graham Ashton said:

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Graham Ashton

(') said:

I've not yet done a 1000 miles on SPDs; is this a common problem?

No, it happens only once. After that you remember to do them up very,
very tight and it ceases to be a problem.

That's good to hear; I'll tighten them up and give it some proper welly
this time.

Greasing the threads helps if you ever want to get them off again.

Vincent Wilcox said:

Greasing the threads helps if you ever want to get them off again.

The lower-strength Loctite does too. Although it's a threadlocking
compound, it fills the threads so has anticorrosive properties.