cleats

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bonj2

Guest
you know the little plates which sit between the sole and the base of the shoe that the cleat bolts screw into ...
well I've managed to mess up one of the ones on my specialized shoes, by tightening the cleat bolts too hard, and the thread on the plate that it screws into has cracked and thus the cleat bolt can't be tightened into it. It's happened twice, on the same one - but hasn't happened once on the other one, which led me to believe that it may just be that one that was a bit weak.
I've managed to get it working by cutting it in half with a hax0r (:biggrin:)and flipping one of the halves over so the two good threads sit together and the cleat goes in them, but I'm still not satisfied with it, personally i don't think it should be possible to ruin it like this by human hand with only a multitool, but I'm going to try and get onto specialized to send me a new one and might invest in a torque wrench to make sure i don't overtighten it again.
However,
does this product (some cleats) come with the plate? it's pictured with it, but doesn't say anything about the plate. And if buying those cleats is the only way of getting a new plate, what if I don't want multi-release cleats? I don't see why I'd mind, but i'm a pedantic bugger.
Is there anywhere you can get just the plate on its own, if not why not?
 

papercorn2000

Senior Member
Sounds like a dodgy plate to me if it has cracked. Mind you, seeing it's you, anything is possible!

My advice would be talk to your LBS, there may be a spare plate kicking about in "the box".
 

frog

Guest
I don't thnk for one second you'll be able to get just the plate. Shmano aren't going to pass up the chance to sell you something you only need half of now are they?

As for getting a loose one from the lbs? I'd take a guess and say you're not the only person to fall into this hole so the liklihood of them havine one layng around is so slim.

Buy the replacement parts and learn from your mistake. If you can tighten a screw a bit tighter then it's probably tight enough. Something we've had to learn over the years and you're getting for free :biggrin:

The downside of home maintenance is you break things. The upside is you only make that mistake once.
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
frog said:
I don't thnk for one second you'll be able to get just the plate. Shmano aren't going to pass up the chance to sell you something you only need half of now are they?

As for getting a loose one from the lbs? I'd take a guess and say you're not the only person to fall into this hole so the liklihood of them havine one layng around is so slim.

Buy the replacement parts and learn from your mistake. If you can tighten a screw a bit tighter then it's probably tight enough. Something we've had to learn over the years and you're getting for free :biggrin:

The downside of home maintenance is you break things. The upside is you only make that mistake once.
Wanna fecking bet? :biggrin:
 
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bonj2

Guest
frog said:
Buy the replacement parts and learn from your mistake.


Yeah but what replacement parts do I buy - a new pair of cleats? will a new plate come with them? Surely I don't need to buy a whole new pair of shoes?
 

yenrod

Guest
Bonj - ring round a few bike shop tomorrow and describe you need the bit inside the shoe that the spd cleat bolts onto - and have they any spare...:biggrin:

You never know someone may have some floating around they don't need...
 
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bonj2

Guest
alecstilleyedye said:
i took that very bit out of my shimano shoes that i use look cleats with. if only i'd kept them… doh!

Go and get it out of the bin. Now. ;)
 

Membrane

New Member
I'm pretty sure that I read in the manual that came with my shoes that those plates are available seperately for just such events. Only thing is I can't remember if I read that in the manual of my previous Specialized shoes or my current Shimano ones.
 
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bonj2

Guest
another thing I don't know about cleats.
Is whether they are multi-release (i.e. can release by twisting inwards or outwards as opposed to just outwards) a function of the pedals, or a function of the cleats?
 

domtyler

Über Member
I've seen this before, it happens because you have a warped cleat and possibly the plate is warped too. It should be easy to fix with a bit of blutac though surely? And I suggest you pass on that third weetabix in future!

If you really want to get rid of this problem altogether though, upgrade from SPDs, which are basically made for old people and those who are not too steady on their feet to proper road shoes with decent cleats like SPD-SLs.
 
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bonj2

Guest
domtyler said:
I've seen this before, it happens because you have a warped cleat and possibly the plate is warped too. It should be easy to fix with a bit of blutac though surely? And I suggest you pass on that third weetabix in future!

If you really want to get rid of this problem altogether though, upgrade from SPDs, which are basically made for old people and those who are not too steady on their feet to proper road shoes with decent cleats like SPD-SLs.

:biggrin: shut it you. :ohmy:
 
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