Securing cleats

[ScottyB]

My cleats seem to move very slightly after a few rides - is this common, or am I simply not tightening them enough?

I am also wary of over-tightening them though! What is the best way to do this to get them nice and secure?

 

[ianrauk]

Give it some welly. You don't want them moving.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

The cleats are not tight enough if they move

 

[screenman]

Torque them up. Shimano say 5-6 nm that is for SPD.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Torque them up.

+1. Too tight and you can shear the inner thread, (don't ask how I know this ).

 

[ianrauk]

+1. Too tight and you can shear the inner thread, (don't ask how I know this ).

Blimey - you have heavy hands
Have yet to shear a thread and I'm pretty heavy handed myself.

 

[ScottyB]

Cool, thanks. You can't move them by hand, just over a couple of rides they are clearly moving.

If those of you heavy handed guys haven't broken any threads then I will go for it and hopefully get them sorted!

 

[HovR]

Slightly off topic, but.. Am I missing something, or is your display pic @Andrew_Culture of this parish?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Am I missing something, or is your display pic @Andrew_Culture of this parish?

Now you mention it, I've never seen ScottyB and AC in the same thread at the same time, spooky

 

[Rob3rt]

Tighten them some more!

Depending on the type of cleat, it is worth using a torque wrench if you can, the bolts with Look cleats are absolutely shite and it doesn't take all that much to mash them.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Blimey - you have heavy hands

Yup

Mechanical sympathy and I are not natural bed fellows, hence my investment in a torque wrench

 

[thegravestoneman]

I nail mine on using an old cobblers last and a one pound ball pain hammer, err but I think I may be 25 years too late in this thread

 

[Boon 51]

+1. Too tight and you can shear the inner thread, (don't ask how I know this ).

I must of gone to the same school...

 

[xpc316e]

The cleat bolts do need to be really secure, but if they corrode (and that can easily happen given that they are often wet and subjected to salt spray at this time of year), they can be impossible to remove. Therefore, do them up tightly, but only after you have used a thread sealant like blue Locitite. Not only does it prevent the cleat bolts coming loose, but the sealant stops the threads from rusting so that you can undo them when you need to.