SPD Hell

[Milo]

I think you may have the wrong shoes or cleat then?

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Miloat,

Why do you say that?

The DHB does not have a recessed cleat, but when i bought them it was described as being suitable for all cleat arrangements including SPD.
The shoe feels fine when engaged its just the actual process of engaging that is troubling me.

 

[Maz]

The DHB does not have a recessed cleat, but when i bought them it was described as being suitable for all cleat arrangements including SPD.

My shoes are Shimano SPD with recesssed cleats. The sole of the shoe is rubberised and I find that when I haven't properly engaged the cleat, there is sufficient friction between sole and pedal to prevent the sole from 'skidding off' the pedal. Are your soles rubberised or skiddy hard plastic?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

You'll get used to them GTGF. I struggled with spuds, having been used to Look cleats, when I first tried them. Now I don't even think about it, even after the longest time off the bike in the history of the world.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Maz .....yes they are the hard plastic type. Thats a big part of the problem , if i cant engage properly i usually find my foot skidding around on the pedals trying to get some purchase or friction to be able to pedal my way out of trouble.

 

[Maz]

Maz .....yes they are the hard plastic type. Thats a big part of the problem , if i cant engage properly i usually find my foot skidding around on the pedals trying to get some purchase or friction to be able to pedal my way out of trouble.

Try and stick with them for a little longer (although, intuitively, I would've thought that your 2 months was time enough). Another thing...are you sure you've got the cleats aligned correctly?...Maybe they need a bit of fine adjustment. Have a look at them - do they look lined-up OK to engage with the pedal when riding?
Failing that, get some walkable cycling shoes with rubber soles. I got mine 2nd-hand off ebay.

 

[Lone Rider]

I've just bought new shoes and SPD pedals and I only hope they are easier to use than what I have been reading here. So far I have been practising at home. Saturday will be D-day, or should I say SPD-day.

 

[redfox]

Generally SPDs are really easy to use, but there is no getting away from the nervy initial use period. It probably took me a couple of months before I was totally comfortable with them.

However, the improvement over plain old pedals becomes obvious when you hit your first hill. There is no going back!

 

[redjedi]

I've been using my SPDs for commuting for 4 months now, and find that 8 out of 10 times I just clip straight in when re-starting.

I didn't go out with them until I was very comfortable finding the cleat without looking. I balanced against a wall and just sat there clipping in and out until I could do it without looking. I did this in front of the TV for about 20 - 30 mins.

You may want to look at getting a pair of cheap MTB shoes so you have some grip if you don't find the cleat straight away, which I find invaluable on the occasions I miss.

 

[swee'pea99]

The 'obvious' is often not so obvious when you start out. I had a lot of trouble when I got my first SPD pedals...took me a week or three to grasp the full significance of getting the tension right. Too tight, and it's hard to engage; too loose, and your foot can slip out at a bad moment. Find the allen nut that makes the difference, and do a few miles with an allen key to hand, playing around from too loose to too hard, till you zero in on 'just right'. Once you've found it, you're set for life. Oh, one other thing: I have Ritcheys and they're absolutely fine.