Pedal/Cleat Fail

[Hop3y]

Had a nice long ride out today, only the second time I'd used my Shimano pedals when the cleat sheared off the bottom of my shoe. Bloody typical, I've tried everything to get it out (loosen tension bolt etc)

Any tips from the pros?

 

[fossyant]

Screwdriver into the sprung side from above or below where you can get access and lever the clamp outward (the clamp to the rear of the bike)

PS Do your bolts up tight, oh and use coppa slip or plenty of grease on the threads - they can rust up over time, and can be a bugger to remove

 

[waxbytes]

Why is there only one bolt in that cleat??? There should be two bolts holding an SPD cleat on.

 

[guitarpete247]

Why is there only one bolt in that cleat??? There should be two bolts holding an SPD cleat on.

I suppose what happened here is what happened to me. At a previous stop 1 cleat bolt, which had worked loose, dropped out without being detected. When that happens, instead of twisting your foot to unclip, you twist and your foot stays attached. You then have to remove the shoe and manually force the pedal to give up the cleat as has already been said by prising the mech open.

I ended up, in an undignified manner, rolling the bike onto a grass verge to remove my shoe .

I don't use copperslip or grease but locktite to hold the bolt in place. It will come out if you need to remove cleat when buying new shoes but hopefully that will be in a few years time .

 

[HLaB]

The same thing happened to scoosh on a ride to Glasgow a few years back. Just as the heavens really opened; it had been raining hard for a while but this was a new level of hardness We made a dash for a bus shelter, him a limping dash, we somehow got the cleat out but I cant recall how other than it was better the pedal was attached to the crank (perhaps it was with a multi tool).

Touch wood I've never had a problem with a cleat bolt my self, perhaps I don't have that awesome raw power on the up stroke

 

[chris-s]

Been there, done that, got the bruise too!

Chris

 

[S_t_e_v_e]

I'd better check my cleats now.

 

[Fnaar]

Yup, happened to me too... bolts attaching cleat to shoe sheatred. Cycled home with one foot clipped in, the other not (16 miles... bit of a nuisance,... unclipped foot kept slipping, as it was raining too). Levered cleat off (at home) with a screwdriver... wasn't that difficult

 

[fossyant]

Spd bolts have a nasty habbit of rusting up the threads, so if you don't grease them, there is a good chance the bolt could snap come cleat change time.

 

[manualtypist]

Oops.
Good reminder to see if bolts are still tight.