Speedplay Cleat lubricant

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

Quoted message said:

I tried White Lightening on the cleats and it seems to allow me to snap in
and
out of the pedals easily. Are there any disadvantages?

When I purchased my X-1s many years ago now, White Lightning was what
Speedplay specified for lubing the cleat springs.

Bob C.

Bonehenge said:

(Jee Doy) said:

I tried White Lightening on the cleats and it seems to allow me to snap in and
out of the pedals easily. Are there any disadvantages?

As I remember, Speedplay recommends a wax lube. I was using Pedros
Ice Wax on my X2's, as that's what I had in stock. Things seem better
when the cleats are properly lubed, and I haven't noticed a negative
in two years of using the pedals.

I don't know about Speedplays, but for years I've been spraying my
Look and SPD cleats with Pledge furniture polish/wax. Seems to me it
should work as well on Speedplay cleats.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

I tried White Lightening on the cleats and it seems to allow me to snap

in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and
out of the pedals easily. Are there any disadvantages?

When I purchased my X-1s many years ago now, White Lightning was what
Speedplay specified for lubing the cleat springs.

Bob C.

I believe they actually recommend lubricating the pedal body. That's what I
do; White Lightning seems to do the trick.

Boris

I also lube the pedal body with White Lightning, and it works great. I
have Frogs now for both road and mtn; I used to have X/2 for road.

I have tried Pedro's and Finish Line wax lubes and found White
Lightning works the best -- the smoothest action.

: I also lube the pedal body with White Lightning, and it works great. I
: have Frogs now for both road and mtn; I used to have X/2 for road.
:
: I have tried Pedro's and Finish Line wax lubes and found White
: Lightning works the best -- the smoothest action.

from the Speedplay website:

Q:
What type of grease do you recommend for the bearings?

A:
Waterproof wheel bearing grease works best. Speedplay uses waterproof
bearing grease in its factory. Do not use thin viscosity grease, spray
lubes, oil, or dry-type lubricants like White Lightning on pedal bearings.

Q:
What type of lubrication should I use on the frog cleats and the metal
crowns?

A:
Speedplay recommends a dry-type lubrication such as White Lightning or
Pro Gold that will not attract dirt and debris. DO NOT USE A WET LUBRICANT!
Wet lubes attract dirt and debris and effectively create an abrasive
grinding paste. Additionally, be careful not to apply lubricant to the
bottom of the cleats as it may cause the cleats to become slippery on floor
surfaces.

:

So far as I can determine, both White Lightning and Pedro's Ice Wax are
very good wax-type lubricants so either could be used to lube the
cleats.
For me as a practical matter, I find White Lightning to be so thin that
it quickly runs off the cleat and down the sides of the shoes - or
into the screw holes - before it dries. Pedro's is a bit thicker and
so it clings better to the cleat itself where it is needed. I smear a
thin layer on the pedal body too.

For the bearings, I use an inexpensive Pennzoil automotive chassis
grease that is labeled "extremely water-resistant." A 1-lb can lasts
for years.

: For the bearings, I use an inexpensive Pennzoil automotive chassis
: grease that is labeled "extremely water-resistant." A 1-lb can lasts
: for years.

Did you buy the special Speedplay grease gun?

Pat in TX
:

Glad you asked.
I found a children's plastic medicine syringe at the local drugstore
for about $3. The nozzle just fits into the screw hole on the pedal,
and the syringe tube diameter is wide enough to hold several
tablespoons of grease.
The nozzle has to be held tightly against the hole, and it takes some
practice to push the syringe plunger down with enough force to get
grease into the pedal, but it works.

flatline said:

Glad you asked.
I found a children's plastic medicine syringe at the local drugstore
for about $3. The nozzle just fits into the screw hole on the pedal,
and the syringe tube diameter is wide enough to hold several
tablespoons of grease.
The nozzle has to be held tightly against the hole, and it takes some
practice to push the syringe plunger down with enough force to get
grease into the pedal, but it works.

I use one of these to inject grease into my Speedplay Frogs
(as well as general grease dispensing during bike maintenance):

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=20003&category=1,110,42967&abspage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=

specifically the curved tip one, item B. That type of tip can make it
easier for some things like putting some grease on itty bitty parts (I
did a minor overhaul of my squeaking rear derailleurs this weekend).

That web site has a few other cycling-useful things for decent prices
(like Boeshield T-9 spray lube, hand cleaner, velcro straps) though
otherwise it's just a woodworking, hardware and gardening catalog.

--
I do not accept unsolicited commercial e-mail. Remove NO_UCE for
legitimate replies.

Three bucks for one syringe? Kinda pricy ain't it?

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

Quoted message said:

Pat said:

: For the bearings, I use an inexpensive Pennzoil automotive chassis
: grease that is labeled "extremely water-resistant." A 1-lb can lasts
: for years.

Did you buy the special Speedplay grease gun?

My everyday small grease gun has a $3 pointy nozzle. Your LBS can get
them from QBP, if they don't already have them in the service area.

Barry

I'm using a small grease gun nozzle from Harbor Freight. About $3 IIRC.
Works just fine on my regular grease gun.

GR

We like to use the Dualco grease guns with the 4 inch nozzle. Just right for
everything. Made right here in Houston, Texas. They have a wide variety of
tips and nozzles that never show up in the bike catalogues.

Bruce

"Gary Robinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:FGoCd.10089$1U6.3522@trnddc09...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Pat said:

: For the bearings, I use an inexpensive Pennzoil automotive chassis
: grease that is labeled "extremely water-resistant." A 1-lb can

lasts

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

: for years.

Did you buy the special Speedplay grease gun?

My everyday small grease gun has a $3 pointy nozzle. Your LBS can get
them from QBP, if they don't already have them in the service area.

Barry

I'm using a small grease gun nozzle from Harbor Freight. About $3 IIRC.
Works just fine on my regular grease gun.

GR

It should be mentioned in this thread of maintaining SP pedals(not cleats) that
injecting grease into the body should be an interim fix only and is NOT a
substitute for taking the whole thing apart(easy with Torx drivers), cleaning
and re-greasing, aprticularly the needle bearings on the inboard end of the
spindle.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

: It should be mentioned in this thread of maintaining SP pedals(not cleats)
that
: injecting grease into the body should be an interim fix only and is NOT a
: substitute for taking the whole thing apart(easy with Torx drivers),
cleaning
: and re-greasing, aprticularly the needle bearings on the inboard end of
the
: spindle.
:
: Peter Chisholm

How often? And under what conditions? I only ride in rain if I am caught
out in it. I am getting ready to buy some Speedplays and asked at my LBS
yesterday if I needed to buy the grease gun. He said the pedals only need
greasing every 2,000 miles and I should just wheel the bike in and they
would do it for a small fee.

Pat in TX

Pat-<< How often? And under what conditions? I only ride in rain if I am
caught
out in it. I am getting ready to buy some Speedplays and asked at my LBS
yesterday if I needed to buy the grease gun. He said the pedals only need
greasing every 2,000 miles and I should just wheel the bike in and they
would do it for a small fee. >><BR><BR>

I answer-If you ride in a drenching, after that. If you don't, about once per
year of normal riding. I think 2000 miles is a little too frequent but to much
maintanence is not a bad thing, too little is.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

It should be mentioned in this thread of maintaining SP pedals(not cleats) that
injecting grease into the body should be an interim fix only and is NOT a
substitute for taking the whole thing apart(easy with Torx drivers), cleaning
and re-greasing, aprticularly the needle bearings on the inboard end of the
spindle.

Huh? (He intelligently replied...)

Are the road Speedplays different from the Frogs on this? Grease
injection is the only maintenance mentioned in the sheet that came with
my Frogs. In addition, it's sort of like lubing the suspension on older
cars -- clean grease goes in on the outside, dirty grease comes out the
spindle.

How often do you recommend this disassembly? And is it necessary if the
pedals HAVE been lubed reasonably frequently, like every 6-9 months?

Pat

I also needed a soldering iron to heat the bolt enough to break the Loctite
they use during assembly. You don't need snapring pliers unless you want to
replace the bearings.

-Dion

"Qui si parla Campagnolo " <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It should be mentioned in this thread of maintaining SP pedals(not cleats)

that

Quoted message said:

injecting grease into the body should be an interim fix only and is NOT a
substitute for taking the whole thing apart(easy with Torx drivers),

cleaning

Quoted message said:

and re-greasing, aprticularly the needle bearings on the inboard end of

the

Quoted message said:

spindle.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Peter Chisholm said:

Pat-<< How often? And under what conditions? I only ride in rain if I am
caught
out in it. I am getting ready to buy some Speedplays and asked at my LBS
yesterday if I needed to buy the grease gun. He said the pedals only need
greasing every 2,000 miles and I should just wheel the bike in and they
would do it for a small fee. >><BR><BR>

I answer-If you ride in a drenching, after that. If you don't, about once per
year of normal riding. I think 2000 miles is a little too frequent but to much
maintanence is not a bad thing, too little is.

They would be very poor pedals for commuters if they require maintenance
after every rain ride. Sheesh! Bicycles as toys. 🙁

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

Pat-<< Grease
injection is the only maintenance mentioned in the sheet that came with
my Frogs. In addition, it's sort of like lubing the suspension on older
cars -- clean grease goes in on the outside, dirty grease comes out the
spindle. >><BR><BR>

BUT even on a car, any wrench will say the best is a take apart, clean and
relube. Yes dirty grease comes out and dirt stays in the bearing.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"