What's the trick with SPDs?

I've used the critturs since they came out, transferring from Looks. I've no difficulty. Are
they too loose, too tight? They don't engage as crisply as Look, but they do. They are much
more sensible.

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

Quoted message said:

Have used SPDs for two years now - on both my MTB and tourer. Despite

many

Quoted message said:

thousands of engagements, just cannot 'click' with them - still feels awkward and non-intuitive.

Spray a little GT85 on the pedal bits from time to time to keep them clean & lubricated.

T

Think my original post was ambiguous. The pedals are properly maintained, lubricated, and adjusted.

I find that I can engage shoe with pedal smoothly only about 5% of the time. Most times, I'm sliding
my foot over the pedal to find the correct position to click in.

With toeclips and straps, the pedal always hung in the same position, a small tap on the cage
flicked the pedal up level, and in went my foot. With the Look system, again the pedal hung in one
position and it was easy to engage the large lip on the cleat with the flange on the pedal and snap
into place.

With SPDs I just feel that there is no definite 'reference point' for engagement, and, despite two
years of use, nearly every engagement is 'hit-and-miss'. Very frustrating, especially as I find the
SPDs a very good system overall. I keep thinking that I can't be the only cyclist who feels that the
SPDs are less than intuitive to use. But, then again .....

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

Quoted message said:

Have used SPDs for two years now - on both my MTB and tourer. Despite

many

Quoted message said:

thousands of engagements, just cannot 'click' with them - still feels awkward and non-intuitive.

Am using one pair of Wellgo WPD800s and one of Shimano M515s, with Shimano shoes and Shimano
cleats. Well maintained.

Have used in the past toeclips & straps (with & without cleats),

PowerGrips,

Quoted message said:

Look pedals & cleats - never had any problems and could nearly always

engage

Quoted message said:

pedal without looking or even consciously thinking about it.

Am I the only SPD-phobe? Help!

Lionel Scales said:

I keep thinking that I can't be the only cyclist who feels that the SPDs are less than
intuitive to use.

No you're not. I agree with you.

~PB

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

Quoted message said:

Lionel Scales said:

I keep thinking that I can't be the only cyclist who feels that the SPDs are less than intuitive
to use.

No you're not. I agree with you.

I've got a similar setup to the OP, and I have no problems whatsoever. Has the OP adjusted the
cleats so that they are where he'd intuitively place his feet?

"Lionel Scales" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Think my original post was ambiguous. The pedals are properly maintained, lubricated, and
adjusted.

I also have SPD on my commuter and road bike (single side on the latter), and was clicking-in (and
-out) without thinking about it very quickly. The only thing I had to do was cut-back the rubber
sole around the cleats on one pair of Cannon m'bike boots, cuz it was making it hard to engage. The
Shimano road shoes worked perfectly, even though they have a bit of sole as well. I also changed all
my cleats to the double-exit type, as they seem to have a bit more float, and I find them more
comfortable.

Lionel Scales said:

Think my original post was ambiguous. The pedals are properly maintained, lubricated, and
adjusted.

I find that I can engage shoe with pedal smoothly only about 5% of the time. Most times, I'm
sliding my foot over the pedal to find the correct position to click in.

I started out like that on SPDs. The problem went away a few weeks after I resolved to stop looking
at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

--
Jim Price

jimprice.dsl.pipex.comjimprice.dsl.pipex.comOpen ↗

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.

Quoted message said:

I resolved to stop looking at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

True.

They work great. They click in at the exact point on my foot where I'm used to feeling
some pressure.

Jim Price said:

I resolved to stop looking at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

Why would that be a problem? After all, the feet are well out in front in clear view
aren't they? ;-)

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ [currently
offline awaiting ADSL transfer to new ISP]

In message <[email hidden]>, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Jim Price said:

I resolved to stop looking at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

Why would that be a problem? After all, the feet are well out in front in clear view aren't
they? ;-)

Not much use when the boom's broken and the pedals are on the floor. :-)
--
Michael MacClancy

Just zis Guy said:

Jim Price said:

I resolved to stop looking at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

Why would that be a problem? After all, the feet are well out in front in clear view aren't
they? ;-)

Why did I know you were going to say that? 🙂 The answer is of course "Yes, sort of, but only
sometimes" (I've actually got Looks on the bent, not SPDs).

PS my bent is called Nibon.

--
Jim Price

jimprice.dsl.pipex.comjimprice.dsl.pipex.comOpen ↗

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.

Michael MacClancy said:

Not much use when the boom's broken and the pedals are on the floor. :-)

Rub it in why don't you? <mumble mumble>

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ [currently
offline awaiting ADSL transfer to new ISP]

Why not put your shoes into the pedals. Then mark the shoes with a line as to where you should be
positioning. This helped me and is handy when you have an absolute mare clicking in.

Other things

Lower you saddle (tempoarily) so that you have greater control over your foot

Try them on a mountain bike.

Pete.

Quoted message said:

With SPDs I just feel that there is no definite 'reference point' for engagement, and, despite two
years of use, nearly every engagement is 'hit-and-miss'. Very frustrating, especially as I find
the SPDs a very

good

Quoted message said:

system overall. I keep thinking that I can't be the only cyclist who

feels

Quoted message said:

that the SPDs are less than intuitive to use. But, then again .....

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

Quoted message said:

Have used SPDs for two years now - on both my MTB and tourer. Despite

many

Quoted message said:

thousands of engagements, just cannot 'click' with them - still feels awkward and non-intuitive.

Am using one pair of Wellgo WPD800s and one of Shimano M515s, with

Shimano

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shoes and Shimano cleats. Well maintained.

Have used in the past toeclips & straps (with & without cleats),

PowerGrips,

Quoted message said:

Look pedals & cleats - never had any problems and could nearly always

engage

Quoted message said:

pedal without looking or even consciously thinking about it.

Am I the only SPD-phobe? Help!

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jim Price said:

I resolved to stop looking at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

Why would that be a problem? After all, the feet are well out in front in clear view aren't
they? ;-)

No.

Watch Lance for a demonstration of how not to do it.

T

Tony W said:

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jim Price said:

I resolved to stop looking at my feet when trying to engage the pedals.

Why would that be a problem? After all, the feet are well out in front in clear view aren't
they? ;-)

No.

Watch Lance for a demonstration of how not to do it.

Indeed, from an interview a short while ago, it seems he's never ridden a bent, so he's
not done it🙂

--
Jim Price

jimprice.dsl.pipex.comjimprice.dsl.pipex.comOpen ↗

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.

Lionel Scales said:

Have used SPDs for two years now - on both my MTB and tourer. Despite many thousands of
engagements, just cannot 'click' with them - still feels awkward and non-intuitive.

Hi Lionel

For me trying to just stomp down on the pedal with a flat foot quite often fails. However, when I
deliberately stomp down with the toe end of the cleat first I have no problems. This toe end first
action enable me to stomp away to my heart's content.

Think ski boot.

James

--
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