Does anyone have any guidelines for clipless pedal/cleat life or maintenance? My cleat popped out of the pedal while I was in the middle of an out-of-saddle-sprint, which caused me to lose control and eat the road going about 35. It was my right pedal, the one I take out at stoplights, so I think the cleat was worn down too much to stay in place. FYI, I have shimano SPD pedals.
rbhays
2015-09-21 21:54:02
Some cleats have indicators to help you determine how worn they are, but for the most part you just replace them on feel. If you unclip easily at the highest tension, then the cleat is likely worn.
Also note that Shimano has two different 2-bolt SPD cleats, SH-51 and -53, I believe. I can't remember which, but one of these is, by design, easier to unclip than the other. This is intended for riders that clip in and out a lot (e.g city riders)
chrishent
2015-09-22 06:35:32
SH-51 are single release, meaning they should only release to a turn of the foot sideways. SH-56 are multi release and can come out when pulling up.
I prefer to only use the single release ones as they are still easy enough to get out of when riding in the city or mountain biking. If getting new cleats doesn't fix your issue, definitely try increasing the tension on your pedals if you can as well. I'm pretty much just repeating what @chrishent said.
benzo
2015-09-22 08:09:02
^agree with above, but wanted to add that the spring on the pedal that causes tension can be wearing out as well.
A simple test would be to switch your current cleats from left shoe to right shoe and see if there is any change. If your left foot now unclips too easy, the cleats are worn. If your right foot is still loose it's probably the spring.
marko82
2015-09-22 08:48:10
If you are sprinting at 35 MPH it might be time to upgrade to a road-type pedal and accompanying shoes. I'd suggest Look KEO Sprints, and adjust the spring as tight as possible. I use them on my crit bike and they work great. Not to be crass or pedantic, but they cost much less than the potential medical bills, lost income, opportunity costs, etc. from a crash.
jmccrea
2015-09-22 14:17:24
Holy cow, I didn't even know there were different type of cleats, I'll have to see what I have. Thanks.
edmonds59
2015-09-23 11:04:55
You can find a bunch of different cleat/pedal setups - SPD-style, Look's road pedals, Shimano's road pedals, Speedplay, Egg Beaters, Time's MTB style, and probably a few others. As far as I can tell, all have their pros and cons. A light road-style pedal and accompanying shoe can eliminate a lot of dead reciprocating weight, which is nice when the miles get really long. I happen to like the Looks, but walking with them takes some care and wears out the cleat's bottom quickly. Even with the covers, they suck if you have to walk on concrete and into an office building every day.
jmccrea
2015-09-23 16:45:18
Thanks for all of the replies! I'm definitely getting new pedals/shoes/cleats, I broke my hand in the crash so I'm not taking any chances. I don't do much walking when I ride my road bike so the LOOKs seem like a solid choice.
rbhays
2015-09-23 21:05:18
