Discussion
I have the normal SPDs which seem to have a little bit of a gap around the cleats, so I hear and feel them click as my feet move that ~1mm forwards and backwards as I pull and push on them.
The spring tensioner doesn't close up the gap - it only tensions them. It feels to me as though the gap needs closing up slightly. I can see how I might do that - the rear "hinged" part of the clasp on the pedals rests against a "stop" on the front part. I could remove the front part and file away a tiny bit of the "stop" to close up the gap but I'm not sure if anyone else has ever had this issue and managed to do anything less drastic about it.
The problem is on both sides of the pedals, on both pedals, and with a spare set of pedals, AND with both pairs of shoes I have (one with brand new cleats).
It only really annoys me when I'm climbing but if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears/eyes. Thanks.
The spring tensioner doesn't close up the gap - it only tensions them. It feels to me as though the gap needs closing up slightly. I can see how I might do that - the rear "hinged" part of the clasp on the pedals rests against a "stop" on the front part. I could remove the front part and file away a tiny bit of the "stop" to close up the gap but I'm not sure if anyone else has ever had this issue and managed to do anything less drastic about it.
The problem is on both sides of the pedals, on both pedals, and with a spare set of pedals, AND with both pairs of shoes I have (one with brand new cleats).
It only really annoys me when I'm climbing but if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears/eyes. Thanks.
Mine click, squeak and grind. There is nothing you can do about it really on a permanent basis. It is what it is.
I have tried GT 85 on the pedal mechanism and it helps a bit but it doesn't last long.
Have you got matching pedals and cleats....Shimano pedals with Shimano cleats for instance. I know that other brands work with Shimano but they may be slightly different??
I have tried GT 85 on the pedal mechanism and it helps a bit but it doesn't last long.
Have you got matching pedals and cleats....Shimano pedals with Shimano cleats for instance. I know that other brands work with Shimano but they may be slightly different??
Mars said:
The problem is on both sides of the pedals, on both pedals, and with a spare set of pedals, AND with both pairs of shoes I have (one with brand new cleats).
It only really annoys me when I'm climbing but if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears/eyes. Thanks.
Are you sure it’s the cleats? As the noise appears to be consistent across different shoes/cleats. Might we worth having a look at chainring bolts and bottom bracket. My rotor crank had an annoying creak when loaded, fine after a bit of threadlock.It only really annoys me when I'm climbing but if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears/eyes. Thanks.
It's definitely the pedals - I can actually feel the fore-aft movement, more-so when I'm climbing. I've also checked crank play (none) and pedal spindle play (none) just in case.
I am using Shimano cleats with Shimano pedals - all cleats on both shoes, and both sets of pedals. One set of cleats are brand new.
I keep the pedals well lubed - GT85 sparyed over the springs and clasps at the start of every ride because I ride through shallow river crossings.
I have an older set of pedals that I can sacrifice to an experiment. I'm going to file down the "stop" I mentioned above - only a little - and see if I can reduce the slack that way.
Glad to hear it's not just me. Thanks for your experiences.
I am using Shimano cleats with Shimano pedals - all cleats on both shoes, and both sets of pedals. One set of cleats are brand new.
I keep the pedals well lubed - GT85 sparyed over the springs and clasps at the start of every ride because I ride through shallow river crossings.
I have an older set of pedals that I can sacrifice to an experiment. I'm going to file down the "stop" I mentioned above - only a little - and see if I can reduce the slack that way.
Glad to hear it's not just me. Thanks for your experiences.
Happening with two different sets of pedals and two different pairs of shoes/cleats seems strange.
Any chance the screws holding the cleats to the shoes have come a tad loose and are letting the cleats move against the shoes? I found I had to occasionally tighten cleat screws when I used to run SPDs as they worked loose and started squeaking/clicking against the shoe. Took me a fair while to figure out where the noise was coming from!
Articulating your ankles more (dropping/raising heels as you would with flat pedals) might help as more of the force would be directed up/down relative to the pedal mechanism rather than forward-back? That's just an idle thought without any knowledge of your current technique though.
Any chance the screws holding the cleats to the shoes have come a tad loose and are letting the cleats move against the shoes? I found I had to occasionally tighten cleat screws when I used to run SPDs as they worked loose and started squeaking/clicking against the shoe. Took me a fair while to figure out where the noise was coming from!
Articulating your ankles more (dropping/raising heels as you would with flat pedals) might help as more of the force would be directed up/down relative to the pedal mechanism rather than forward-back? That's just an idle thought without any knowledge of your current technique though.
I think they are always like this but as I've got stronger and actually use them to pull on, it's become more apparent. In fact as I have become stronger, I try to pedal in circles now, just like you're supposed to. When I'm climbing, that effort is magnified and the issue the same.
I'm working today and tomorrow but if I have time on Monday, I'll have a go at resolving this, with pictures to show you all here.
I'm working today and tomorrow but if I have time on Monday, I'll have a go at resolving this, with pictures to show you all here.
Edited by Mars on Wednesday 12th May 18:46
Update. I filed the landing point/spike down a little and this has absolutely worked. I need to do a ride that takes in a particular hill where I pull hard on the pedals before I know if it's enough - I have been quite conservative in the amount of material I removed. It's quite easy.
No doubt you're familiar with the look of SPDs. The piece I need to remove is held in place by three screws, the first of which has been removed in the following pic.
The removed piece. Beware when doing this - that spring is quite weighty and the removed piece of metal pinged off at some rate.
Filing the landing point/spike down. This pic is a little disingenuous as I eventually decided to stop being a baby and used my bench sander. It was easier to get a consistent result across all 4 faces.
I tried to show one piece before I'd filed it down and one after but I don't think the difference is clear in this pic at all. Sorry.
Putting the piece back onto the pedal requires a lever to move the sprung heel-piece out of the way. Mind your fingers. I don't want to suggest this is an accident waiting to happen - I did no harm to myself (for a change) - but the spring is quite weighty so you should take care
No doubt you're familiar with the look of SPDs. The piece I need to remove is held in place by three screws, the first of which has been removed in the following pic.
The removed piece. Beware when doing this - that spring is quite weighty and the removed piece of metal pinged off at some rate.
Filing the landing point/spike down. This pic is a little disingenuous as I eventually decided to stop being a baby and used my bench sander. It was easier to get a consistent result across all 4 faces.
I tried to show one piece before I'd filed it down and one after but I don't think the difference is clear in this pic at all. Sorry.
Putting the piece back onto the pedal requires a lever to move the sprung heel-piece out of the way. Mind your fingers. I don't want to suggest this is an accident waiting to happen - I did no harm to myself (for a change) - but the spring is quite weighty so you should take care
Edited by Mars on Wednesday 12th May 18:45
Mars said:
I need to do a ride that takes in a particular hill where I pull hard on the pedals before I know if it's enough - I have been quite conservative in the amount of material I removed.
I'm just back from a ride and it's a complete success. If I'm being hyper-critical, I could take off a smidge more but I'm not going to bother. The noise has gone completely and I reckon I only noticed the slack now because I'm looking out for it. It's not obvious and it's not bothersome like it was before. In fact, you can't hear the clicking at all - it's just a barely-perceptible movement. I'll likely "move on" and forget about it now.Note - previously I had tightened up the springs considerably in an erroneous effort to reduce the slack, so now with that gap gone, they're a little harder to stamp-into. Before I go out again, I'll loosen the screws off a bit.
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