Well, one has finally worn out...

[ianrauk]

an SPD MTB cleat..

After 20,000+ commuting miles my unclipping side SPD MTB cleat has worn out, I kept unclipping when not wanting to, wore different shoes today to check it wasn't the pedal and it was fine.

So can't complain, that's not bad for a little bit of metal at the bottom of a shoe.

 

[Dave 123]

Left or right Ian? There is bound to be someone on here that'll save you a quid or two!

 

[Cubist]

In terms of clips per mile MTB must beat commuting by a factor of about five to one, possibly more. Cubester has just worn his first Shimano cleat out in five years.

 

[fossyant]

They are dual sided, doesn't matter.

I wear my left one out after a couple of years usually ! Not worn out the right one in 5 years !

 

[ianrauk]

Left or right Ian? There is bound to be someone on here that'll save you a quid or two!

Right.. cheers Dave.. i do have spares in the old toolboox.

 

[ianrauk]

They are dual sided, doesn't matter.

I wear my left one out after a couple of years usually ! Not worn out the right one in 5 years !

Im a right foot unclipper

 

[fossyant]

And some folk moan about how expensive MTB SPD cleats are. They are not !

 

[Andrew_Culture]

You've done well, mine are loose after just a couple of years!

 

[ianrauk]

You've done well, mine are loose after just a couple of years!

Just a tad over 3 years...

 

[accountantpete]

You should have just not talked to it for 15 minutes- it would have started working properly again.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, they do last for ages.

I noticed that my left foot was having the odd unclipping problem yesterday and wondered if that cleat was finally wearing out. It could be that the release tension is too high on one side of the pedal, but I have been caught out by that in the past, and I would be surprised if I had made that mistake again.

 

[ianrauk]

Yes, they do last for ages.

I noticed that my left foot was having the odd unclipping problem yesterday and wondered if that cleat was finally wearing out. It could be that the release tension is too high on one side of the pedal, but I have been caught out by that in the past, and I would be surprised if I had made that mistake again.

My pedals have the tension set to the highest setting anyway.

 

[ColinJ]

My pedals have the tension set to the highest setting anyway.

It could be because my cleats are worn, but I literally can't unclip at maximum tension.

I need to be sure of unclipping in a hurry on the steep local hills. I ride up hills with significant stretches of 20%, and some at 25% and if my back wheel slides out on a damp patch, or gravel, I only have a very short time to get a foot unclipped to prevent a fall.

 

[ianrauk]

It could be because my cleats are worn, but I literally can't unclip at maximum tension.

I need to be sure of unclipping in a hurry on the steep local hills. I ride up hills with significant stretches of 20%, and some at 25% and if my back wheel slides out on a damp patch, or gravel, I only have a very short time to get a foot unclipped to prevent a fall.

It has never stopped me from unclipping in a hurry on either 20%+ hills or in heavy London traffic. When the cleats are worn then they unclip far too quickly and easy.

 

[ColinJ]

It has never stopped me from unclipping in a hurry on either 20%+ hills or in heavy London traffic. When the cleats are worn then they unclip far too quickly and easy.

Strange! I actually found myself with one foot stuck in the pedal on @Ajay's South Lakes forum ride a couple of years ago. I had to scoot the bike up the troublesome hill then catch up with the others. Ajay had to twist my foot for me to get it unclipped. It turned out that I had one side of the pedal at maximum tension. They were new pedals, put on the night before the ride. Perhaps they loosen with use?