?How easy are SPD pedals to get use too?

[johnsondasw]

They can come loose and fall out in the weeds.

Nonsense.  Lies.  Fantasy.  Whatever.  SPD cleats are attached to the shoe soles with two bolts.  Allen bolts.  They are about 1/2 inch long.  If they got loose, the cleat would wiggle and squirm for miles and miles.  Anyone would notice this.  You would immediately stop and see your bolts are maybe coming loose.  You would then get out your 3mm Allen wrench and tighten them.  When you got home you would take the bolts out and reattach them using blue Loctite.  They cannot fall out by themselves without you knowing they are going to fall out for hundreds of miles before they fall out.

Actually, Russ, my partner did not notice they were coming out so in reality I'm not a liar.  This really happened on July 25, 2010 in South Bellingham, WA.  It's rare I've seen someone on this forum call names like that.  This is a friendly, helpful site, usually.  Maybe consider it's possible you are mistaken before you submit such a post. 

[RussSeaton]

You would then get out your 3mm Allen wrench and tighten them. 

Details, details, it's a 4mm allen wrench.

You're right.  I checked my SPD cleats in the garage.  In my almost 20 years of using SPD I have never replaced an SPD cleat.  They are steel.  I have installed them on several new shoes over those decades.

[PeteJack]

They can come loose and fall out in the weeds.

Nonsense.  Lies.  Fantasy.  Whatever.  SPD cleats are attached to the shoe soles with two bolts.  Allen bolts.  They are about 1/2 inch long.  If they got loose, the cleat would wiggle and squirm for miles and miles.  Anyone would notice this.  You would immediately stop and see your bolts are maybe coming loose.  You would then get out your 3mm Allen wrench and tighten them.  When you got home you would take the bolts out and reattach them using blue Loctite.  They cannot fall out by themselves without you knowing they are going to fall out for hundreds of miles before they fall out.

No need for the condescension. it hasn't happened to me but I did meet someone stuck at the side of the road who said he had that very problem. Perhaps I should have told him he was dreaming? I can see how ONE bolt can come loose and well fall out while the other one remains tight then the other one starts to work loose... And there is nowhere near half an inch of thread engagement perhaps 3mm. or so. The bolts themselves are only 8mm long and that includes the countersink part.

[DaveB]

No need for the condescension. it hasn't happened to me but I did meet someone stuck at the side of the road who said he had that very problem. Perhaps I should have told him he was dreaming? I can see how ONE bolt can come loose and well fall out while the other one remains tight then the other one starts to work loose...

I don't doubt that there are riders who are unperceptive (condescending?) enough not to notice a loose cleat until it falls off entirely and you are correct the thread engagement depth is quite small.  However, assuming one bolt falls out first I would think that disengaging from that side would be difficult enough to notice.   The now one-bolt cleat would tend to rotate in the shoe sole rather than unclip unless the pedal's retention spring is set very loose. 

[PeteJack]

No need for the condescension. it hasn't happened to me but I did meet someone stuck at the side of the road who said he had that very problem. Perhaps I should have told him he was dreaming? I can see how ONE bolt can come loose and well fall out while the other one remains tight then the other one starts to work loose...

I don't doubt that there are riders who are unperceptive (condescending?) enough not to notice a loose cleat until it falls off entirely and you are correct the thread engagement depth is quite small.  However, assuming one bolt falls out first I would think that disengaging from that side would be difficult enough to notice.   The now one-bolt cleat would tend to rotate in the shoe sole rather than unclip unless the pedal's retention spring is set very loose.

That was the guys problem. He couldn't unclip because the cleat rotated. How he got out in the first place beats me, perhaps he'd fallen off and untied his shoe, he was stood at the side of the road when I met him.

[walks.in2.trees]

The experience of stopping at a light and being unable to take your feet of the pedals is not to be missed.
Having said that, I can't/wont ride without them these days.
i bought a pair of Shimano SPD boots for winter and found out the hard way that there are two kinds of clips. For some reason the place I bought the boots at installed the kind that unclip when you pull up. When I got out of the saddle for a short hill one foot would come out of the clip. I thought it was something wrong with the pedal, eventually I learned it was the thing on the boot that was wrong. I changed that and now they are perfect.
TIP make sure you grease the screws that go into the shoe sole - I changed out some worn cleats and had to grind the screw heads off.

That's why, I unclip the one I plan to steady myself with in advance, and leave the other one clipped in, and if there's only a short distance between lights, I just keep that one foot unclipped for the duration rather than mess around with clipping and unclipping.

No need for the condescension. it hasn't happened to me but I did meet someone stuck at the side of the road who said he had that very problem. Perhaps I should have told him he was dreaming? I can see how ONE bolt can come loose and well fall out while the other one remains tight then the other one starts to work loose...

I don't doubt that there are riders who are unperceptive (condescending?) enough not to notice a loose cleat until it falls off entirely and you are correct the thread engagement depth is quite small.  However, assuming one bolt falls out first I would think that disengaging from that side would be difficult enough to notice.   The now one-bolt cleat would tend to rotate in the shoe sole rather than unclip unless the pedal's retention spring is set very loose.

That was the guys problem. He couldn't unclip because the cleat rotated. How he got out in the first place beats me, perhaps he'd fallen off and untied his shoe, he was stood at the side of the road when I met him.

I agree, that the condescending remarks are unnecessary... Like most forums, certain folks have a tendency towards it.

That said, I've had my cleats loosen up, but I did notice my feet swimming on the pedals worse and worse until I checked them and tightened them. Some people aren't as perceptive though, and don't notice the signs of something drifting slowly out of spec, but I'm sure they will now!

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[dancingcyclist]

... the spds put a lot of pressure on the balls of you feet...

I have experienced this problem, but it was due to shoe problems.  In my case, the plate on the inside of the shoes had bent so that the edges stuck up.  This made a bump that pressed on my foot.  Note that there is an area in the middle of your foot where a lot of nerves go through a concentrated area, and pressure will give you numbness.

What I did:
1. Removed the cleats and plate, flattened the plate and reinstalled
2. Cut a hole in the insole so that there is no pressure on the middle of the foot (like a cutout in a saddle)
3. Check the shoe once or twice a year to make sure the plate hasn't bent again

Even if your shoes do not have a plate on the inside, you may want to cut the hole in the insoles to prevent problems.

I've had for many years and still do have numbness problems using SPD pedals. It's gotten so bad that the numbness now only goes away after being off the bike for a few days in a row. I couple years ago I came across an article about fixing this problem by moving the cleat so that the pressure would be more behind the ball of your foot. This has helped a lot but not completely.

Personally I think the problem comes from the softness of the sole of the shoe. Mt. bike shoes are not anywhere near as stiff as road bike shoes so the pressure from the pedal will always be there to an extent.

I use to use Look pedals and the rock hard soles of rode bike shoes and never had any problem with numbness. The reasons I switched was due to my foot slipping out from under me when starting out up hill at a street light among traffic causing me to swerve all over the place. Not to mentioned slamming my privates down on the top tube when this would happen. This happened to many times. SPD shoes and pedals just made life much easier except for the numbness. And being able to walk normal is a bonus.

[walks.in2.trees]

... the spds put a lot of pressure on the balls of you feet...

I have experienced this problem, but it was due to shoe problems.  In my case, the plate on the inside of the shoes had bent so that the edges stuck up.  This made a bump that pressed on my foot.  Note that there is an area in the middle of your foot where a lot of nerves go through a concentrated area, and pressure will give you numbness.

What I did:
1. Removed the cleats and plate, flattened the plate and reinstalled
2. Cut a hole in the insole so that there is no pressure on the middle of the foot (like a cutout in a saddle)
3. Check the shoe once or twice a year to make sure the plate hasn't bent again

Even if your shoes do not have a plate on the inside, you may want to cut the hole in the insoles to prevent problems.

I've had for many years and still do have numbness problems using SPD pedals. It's gotten so bad that the numbness now only goes away after being off the bike for a few days in a row. I couple years ago I came across an article about fixing this problem by moving the cleat so that the pressure would be more behind the ball of your foot. This has helped a lot but not completely.

Personally I think the problem comes from the softness of the sole of the shoe. Mt. bike shoes are not anywhere near as stiff as road bike shoes so the pressure from the pedal will always be there to an extent.

I use to use Look pedals and the rock hard soles of rode bike shoes and never had any problem with numbness. The reasons I switched was due to my foot slipping out from under me when starting out up hill at a street light among traffic causing me to swerve all over the place. Not to mentioned slamming my privates down on the top tube when this would happen. This happened to many times. SPD shoes and pedals just made life much easier except for the numbness. And being able to walk normal is a bonus.

I'm thinking two things:
first is: have you tried adjusting them?
Second is: have you tried different shoes?

I've always said that wearing my spd cycling shoes is a bit like walking around on my own personal concrete floor... On the bike, it gives you a surface to press your feet  against, when walking though, it's similar to walking barefoot on concrete... The upshot is, it shouldn't be any different to your foot... You shouldn't experience any flex in the sole of the shoe...no single point contact... No hot spots... The shoe IS a platform. There might be issues with the contouring INSIDE the shoe though

The other point is adjustment. If you loosen the cleats, they slide back and forth so you can position them exactly where you need them to be for the most power transmission, and for a comfortable angle...I can envision if this were not adjusted properly it would change how your foot pivots as you pedal and might amplify repetitive stress.

Either way, a visit to a doctor might be good, maybe can tell you which one it is, maybe it's the foot equivalent of carpel tunnel, or it might turn out to be important for things in life outside of cycling.

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[ian123running]

.... and if all that hasn't put you off...  beware of the reverse fall where you unclip one side (Hooray!) and then for whatever reason forget and try to put the other foot down ....  do this and you will fall.   But I would never ride any distance without clipping in to my Looks.  It will change the way you cycle for the better and is safer as you can't detach from the pedals accidentally (eg over bumps downhill)

Ian

[DaveB]

.... and if all that hasn't put you off...  beware of the reverse fall where you unclip one side (Hooray!) and then for whatever reason forget and try to put the other foot down ....  do this and you will fall.   

There can be some lapses but if you do that often, you are really beyond help.

[fastrog]

I have an update on SPDs. I used them for years, but seemed to get pain in the ball of the foot and toe. I tried road and mountan pedals and some with metal/alloy and plastic on a horizontal footbed. Still pain. MD took xray. no damage. Sent me to podiatrist who after discussion asked to see the pedals and shoes. She applied some foam inside the attachment area. Said if that didn't work, got back to old style clips. Helped some,  but back to clips. tried those for a year. felt like i was losing power and still having more pain than necessary. Recently switched back to SPDs, with a footbed running parallel with the shoe, plus a more "casual" shoe. Less pain. I also upgraded to a $120 pedal, compared to the 50-60 pedals of the past. This combination seems to be working, and I am also amazed at how easy it is to click in and out. I do not know if it is the years that have gone by or "you get what you pay for," but these new pedals are amazing. I'm hoping to keep it painless.

[walks.in2.trees]

I have an update on SPDs. I used them for years, but seemed to get pain in the ball of the foot and toe. I tried road and mountan pedals and some with metal/alloy and plastic on a horizontal footbed. Still pain. MD took xray. no damage. Sent me to podiatrist who after discussion asked to see the pedals and shoes. She applied some foam inside the attachment area. Said if that didn't work, got back to old style clips. Helped some,  but back to clips. tried those for a year. felt like i was losing power and still having more pain than necessary. Recently switched back to SPDs, with a footbed running parallel with the shoe, plus a more "casual" shoe. Less pain. I also upgraded to a $120 pedal, compared to the 50-60 pedals of the past. This combination seems to be working, and I am also amazed at how easy it is to click in and out. I do not know if it is the years that have gone by or "you get what you pay for," but these new pedals are amazing. I'm hoping to keep it painless.

"Get what you pay for" probably IS the case... As with most sports, it's the competitive end that drives the product developement, and avoiding down-time due to injures while simultaneously improving performance would be at the top of the list for competitive riders, though it might not be a conscious developement choice either, but just a happy coincidental sideeffect of the performance improvements.

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[PeteJack]

They can come loose and fall out in the weeds.

Nonsense.  Lies.  Fantasy.  Whatever.  SPD cleats are attached to the shoe soles with two bolts.  Allen bolts.  They are about 1/2 inch long.  If they got loose, the cleat would wiggle and squirm for miles and miles.  Anyone would notice this.  You would immediately stop and see your bolts are maybe coming loose.  You would then get out your 3mm Allen wrench and tighten them.  When you got home you would take the bolts out and reattach them using blue Loctite.  They cannot fall out by themselves without you knowing they are going to fall out for hundreds of miles before they fall out.

https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/8-checks-to-get-your-bike-ready-for-the-season-and-pbp/ See comment by Chris Lowe

[RussSeaton]

They can come loose and fall out in the weeds.

Nonsense.  Lies.  Fantasy.  Whatever.  SPD cleats are attached to the shoe soles with two bolts.  Allen bolts.  They are about 1/2 inch long.  If they got loose, the cleat would wiggle and squirm for miles and miles.  Anyone would notice this.  You would immediately stop and see your bolts are maybe coming loose.  You would then get out your 3mm Allen wrench and tighten them.  When you got home you would take the bolts out and reattach them using blue Loctite.  They cannot fall out by themselves without you knowing they are going to fall out for hundreds of miles before they fall out.

https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/8-checks-to-get-your-bike-ready-for-the-season-and-pbp/ See comment by Chris Lowe

Instead of the article you could also just state "Overhaul your bike every winter."  The person you referenced said he sees many instances of cleats not working on multiple thousand rider events over a week.  I suspect many of those thousands of people rode only a few miles before the week long event.  Its hard to notice something is broken if you never use it.  He says people come loose on climbs.  This could easily be prevented for awhile by just remaining seated, shifting to an easy gear and spinning up the hill.  No standing and thrashing around in a big gear.  On the downhills and flats you stay clipped in just fine.  Only steep hills with bad form do you come unclipped.  Its easy to finish riding the day and get the cleats fixed.  And this problem occurs slowly.  Bolts do not come loose instantly.  It takes time to slowly come loose.  So you have plenty of time to notice it when its minor and take corrective action.  Its very similar to wearing out cogs on a cassette.  Its a slow process that you notice only when you install a brand new chain.  But it took thousands of miles to wear the cogs so they do not mesh well with a new chain.  Bolts on cleats are very slow to loosen.  It takes months, years, thousands of miles to occur.

[etsisk]

I used them for years, but once I started touring long days and got tired enough, I could forget to unclip. Damn near fell over into oncoming traffic from the left turn lane. I switched to toe clips. But I'm old, you may not get forgetful when yer tired!

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