Tighten those cleat bolts people

[Bman]

On the way home tonight, got to the first junction and tried to unclip my left foot. It wouldnt budge. The shoe moved, but it wouldnt unclip. Managed to unclip the right foot without a "moment" and had to take the left shoe off my foot so that I could get off the bike!

Long story short, I've managed to lose a cleat bolt. The remaining three bolts (SPD's) were all loose. Checked back at work, and couldnt find it. I had to tighten the remaining bolts, go easy and unclip with the right foot all the way home.

So, what should I do tomorrow?

1. Ride it again, just like I did on the way home, order a replacement set of pedals/bolts to arrive (hopefully) on Saturday.
2. Take the SPD's off the bike and the cleats off the shoes and use the cages that came with the bike.
3. Use the MTB. Stop off at the LBS in the morning on the way to work to buy a new rear tyre (the old rear needs replacing. The tube has started to bulge)
4. Ride like in #1 to the LBS, buy an expensive (compared to CRC or wiggle) replacement set of pedals replace the bolt and be on my way

Unless you lot have any other ideas?

Lesson for today. Dont forget about your shoes when you check over your bike.

 

[Davidc]

If you have a collection of bike junk (like most of us) you may find a suitable replacement. They are a standard countersunk metric thread bolt. There's no real reason why you cant use a bolt with a cross or plain head provided you seal it in with Loctite or similar.

If you've bought replacement shoes or cleats in the past do you have any of the extra bolts that are packed with most of them?

 

[Dilbert]

If what Davidc says isn't applicable you can get them, either from a bike shop or a general faster supplier. I did exactly what you did and have now got a lifetimes supply!! I'd be suprised if your lbs doesn't have a bag in the workshop. That was my first ever outing and they have not come out since despite me not using loctite!!

 

[martint235]

Cycles UK sold me a whole set of cleats when I lost a bolt once

 

[chris-s]

Been there done that, now I carry a couple with me.

Chris

 

[Bman]

I went for option #4

The spare set of M520's cost £29.99, but now I have a spare set (these ones are black and might look better on my bijke anyway ).

The annoying part is, when I got to work, the missing bolt was sitting on my desk! One of my colleagues had found it

I have 4 spare bolts and a spare set of cleats now too

 

[andrew_s]

A bit late now, but a new set of cleats would have done - no need to get the pedals too.
You can get the stuck cleat out by levering with a smallish screwdriver.


For future reference, never throw old screws, bolts, nuts etc away unless they are too badly worn or damaged to be usable. Dump them in an old jar for future use.
Many smaller bike shops won't have spare cleat bolts - they also dump old bolts in a tub, but although they sell the bolts with new pedals or cleats, they never get any of the used ones back as they don't repair shoes.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

it's one thing that's overlooked in the 'which cleat' debate; i've had an spd bolt come loose which resulted in an awkward moment or two (but nothing too bad), but never the same problem with look cleats, which have a three bolt pattern that prevent the same problem if one bolt fails. i've never had that happen on looks either, and when i had the big crash my feet still came out of the pedals fine, preventing me breaking my ankles etc…

 

[fossyant]

Oh and make sure you grease the threads on SPD bolts - they have a nasty habbit of rusting and seizing - then the head snaps off. Never happened to me, but it's a common issue as the cleats generally last a long time.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Oh and make sure you grease the threads on SPD bolts - they have a nasty habbit of rusting and seizing - then the head snaps off. Never happened to me, but it's a common issue as the cleats generally last a long time.

Worst thing I have found is stones getting into the screw head. Great fun getting them out again

 

[guitarpete247]

Loctite thread lock. When you need to change cleats you can undo the bolts they will only be a little tighter than normal. + check them regularly before going out. I to have had a small moment (rolled over onto a grass bank) early on in my clipless days. Not had a problem since and even though I still check them they've not come loose since using loctite

.

 

[vorsprung]

I carry a couple of 1cm x m5 bolts to fix mudguard fittings and other bike stuff, including cleat bolts.

1cm x m5 bolts fit SPD cleats, got me out of the doodoo a couple of times

Threadlock is probably a good idea

 

[Fiona N]

Worst thing I have found is stones getting into the screw head. Great fun getting them out again

Or stones damaging the hole in the screwhead

I had this problem (albeit unknowingly) on a recent Audax. I was having a bit of a problem clipping my left foot in and out so at a cafe control actually had a look at the cleat - sure enough one screw was a bit loose and it was that 'proudness' which was the problem. I got the multitool but couldn't find an Allen key which fitted Now I was sure I'd used the same multitool to tighten the bolts in the past so was perplexed at why nothing seemed to fit - it was either 3mm or 4mm but neither fit that bolt. Luckily the multitool had a rotor-bolt torq screwdriver which oddly did the business well enough to finish the event.

Back at home I could see that the edge of the allen key hole was damaged and it actually required a bit of persuasion with a hammer to fit the 3mm allen key.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Or stones damaging the hole in the screwhead

I had this problem (albeit unknowingly) on a recent Audax. I was having a bit of a problem clipping my left foot in and out so at a cafe control actually had a look at the cleat - sure enough one screw was a bit loose and it was that 'proudness' which was the problem. I got the multitool but couldn't find an Allen key which fitted Now I was sure I'd used the same multitool to tighten the bolts in the past so was perplexed at why nothing seemed to fit - it was either 3mm or 4mm but neither fit that bolt. Luckily the multitool had a rotor-bolt torq screwdriver which oddly did the business well enough to finish the event.

Back at home I could see that the edge of the allen key hole was damaged and it actually required a bit of persuasion with a hammer to fit the 3mm allen key.

Yep, have been there as well

 

[youngoldbloke]

Oh and make sure you grease the threads on SPD bolts - they have a nasty habbit of rusting and seizing - then the head snaps off. Never happened to me, but it's a common issue as the cleats generally last a long time.

Copper grease on the threads works for me. More a question of being able to unbolt them - as Look Keo cleats do not 'generally last a long time'. The bottom of your shoe is a pretty hostile environment for a bolt! Never had a problem with the bolts becoming loose.