Shimano SPD pedals

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so.

I used

Quoted message said:

to ride Shimano SPD pedals, and I had no problems. From what I

remember, I

Quoted message said:

could get in and out of them very easy. So, I bought a pair of used

Shimano

Quoted message said:

SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I can

get in

Quoted message said:

fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in

the

Quoted message said:

pedal-- especially in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can

move

Quoted message said:

around a lot once it is locked into the pedal. Is this normal, and can

it be

Quoted message said:

adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet out of the

pedals.

Quoted message said:

From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my old pedals, and

I

Quoted message said:

would pop right out. This doesn't seem to work at all, and there does

not

Quoted message said:

seem to be any consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has anyone else

had a

Quoted message said:

problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I can make to

pedals

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5 years or so. I

used

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to ride Shimano SPD pedals, and I had no problems. From what I remember,

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

could get in and out of them very easy. So, I bought a pair of used

Shimano

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems with them. I can

get in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too much "travel" in

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

pedal-- especially in my right foot. By travel I mean the my shoe can

move

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

around a lot once it is locked into the pedal. Is this normal, and can

it be

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet out of the

pedals.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

seem to be any consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has anyone else had

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I can make to

pedals

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

"Jake Barnes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just started riding again, after being out of it for 5

years or so.

Quoted message said:

I used

Quoted message said:

to ride Shimano SPD pedals, and I had no problems. From

what I

Quoted message said:

remember, I

Quoted message said:

could get in and out of them very easy. So, I bought a

pair of used

Quoted message said:

Shimano

Quoted message said:

SPD pedals for my new bike, and I am having problems

with them. I can

Quoted message said:

get in

Quoted message said:

fairly easy, but once I am in, I feel like I have too

much "travel" in

Quoted message said:

the

Quoted message said:

pedal-- especially in my right foot. By travel I mean

the my shoe can

Quoted message said:

move

Quoted message said:

around a lot once it is locked into the pedal. Is this

normal, and can

Quoted message said:

it be

Quoted message said:

adjusted? Also, I am having difficulty getting my feet

out of the

Quoted message said:

pedals.

Quoted message said:

From what I remember, I flicked my ankle outward on my

old pedals, and

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

would pop right out. This doesn't seem to work at all,

and there does

Quoted message said:

not

Quoted message said:

seem to be any consistent motion to pop my foot out. Has

anyone else

Quoted message said:

had a

Quoted message said:

problem with this, and are there any adjustments that I

can make to

Quoted message said:

pedals

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

Make sure that you are using the right cleat for the

pedal. Shimano

Quoted message said:

makes a couple different cleats, some of which work (well)

with only

Quoted message said:

certain pedals. I have a bunch of old SPD pedals, and I

have to be

Quoted message said:

careful to pick up the right bubble pack when I shop for

cleats. BTW,

Quoted message said:

there is nothing like paying $20 (or whatever the going

price is) for

Quoted message said:

$.25 worth of metal. Somebody ought to get into the

knock-off

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

I've never worn out a SPD cleat, despite 10 K's of road miles and/or

years of

Quoted message said:

off-road, where hike-a-bike in gravel is as hard as anything on them.

Bottom

Quoted message said:

line -- I'm skeptical your cleats are worn, used or not. Since Shimano

cleats

Quoted message said:

are so ridiculously priced, I think it's worth a little investigation

before

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

"Peter Cole" <[email hidden]> wrote in

message

Quoted message said:

"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've never worn out a SPD cleat, despite 10 K's of road

miles and/or

Quoted message said:

years of

Quoted message said:

off-road, where hike-a-bike in gravel is as hard as

anything on them.

Quoted message said:

Bottom

Quoted message said:

line -- I'm skeptical your cleats are worn, used or not.

Since Shimano

Quoted message said:

cleats

Quoted message said:

are so ridiculously priced, I think it's worth a little

investigation

Quoted message said:

before

Quoted message said:

popping for new ones.

They do wear out. Mine get to where they start to slip

forward and back.

Quoted message said:

It happens about once a year (8000 miles). People at a

shop told me they

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They do wear out. Mine get to where they start to slip

forward and back.

Quoted message said:

It happens about once a year (8000 miles). People at a

shop told me they

Quoted message said:

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.