SPD float vs. pedal vs. cleat wear and tare :(

[Woz]

Curious to know what - if any - you SPD fanboys have some sort of rule of thumbs or benchmarks regarding wear and tare.

I normally keep a few mental tabs on things but have changed, swapped, all sorts and lost track of it all. Even visually with a magnifying glass comparing identical new and well used old pedals doesn't seem to reveal that much.

I've messed about replacing cleats on two pair of shoes this afternoon. Years ago I used to swap the left and right cleats if things started to feel sloppy but that may have just been placebo. The only real wear on the cleats seemed more to do with either walking or lots of clipping in and out especially if the spring would be wound up (like on a commuter).

Using SM-SH51 which in theory doesn't have much float. Shimano is very vague about "worn cleats" and what it actually means and what is too much wear. Again it seems these things just last and is very difficult to tell about wear without comparing to new cleats.

I've always assumed the cleat was made out of softer metal, but does anyone know this for fact? I'm finding shoes actually get trashed quicker than the pedal and cleats.

Perhaps it's me, but it feels like there is more float than BITD and finding it much harder to tell float vs wear and tear apart at the moment.

Any input on your experiences will be appreciated.

 

[legrandefromage]

I still use the 734 version of the spd I bought in 1995. My Adidas shoes lasted about 8 years, my Cannondale shoes lasted some 15 years and my £1 carboot sale shimano are rounding their 6th or 7th year. So technically 3 sets of cleats in 30 years!

I run them very loose, have been using spd since 1991and feel very awkward on flats. Materials wise, it looks like tool grade steel for the cleats

I think there's about 19 pairs of spd, maybe more, in use. Far too many but I don't care

 

[Woz]

I still use the 734 version of the spd I bought in 1995. My Adidas shoes lasted about 8 years, my Cannondale shoes lasted some 15 years and my £1 carboot sale shimano are rounding their 6th or 7th year. So technically 3 sets of cleats in 30 years!

I run them very loose, have been using spd since 1991and feel very awkward on flats. Materials wise, it looks like tool grade steel for the cleats

I think there's about 19 pairs of spd, maybe more, in use. Far too many but I don't care

Got some old LX PD-M323 that don't seem to want to give up, even when relegated to commuting duties for years.

I'm on XT PD-M770s or one pair of XTR PD-970 (can't tell any difference between the two). Like you have swapped stuff about between bikes so any other benchmark is good information.

New shoes means new cleats in general for me. I do save the older cleats for pub bike / errand bike / more casual shoes but again they just seem to last. I too have the spring set weaker than out of the box factory settings.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Worn cleats have more float, and clip in and out easier.
If the cleats are old and you unclip accidentally, then it's time for new cleats.
Pedal interface wear feels similar, but seems to happen slower, although this might always be shoe on the ground wear.

Two points to note:
By the time the pedal is so worn that it releases unintentionally, the axle bearing is usually pretty worn out too (- although some axle assemblies are replaceable)

By the time the cleat is worn out, the shoe is usually splitting and knackered too.

And when the shoe is a goner, the cleat mounting bolts are so ground down and seized that it's hard to get the cleats off.

So the components wear at a similar rate... unlike rim brake rims vs hubs

 

[Woz]

That is pretty much how I'm seeing it - however an accidental release can be solved with a spring tightening. The bolt quality is I think extra-ordinarily good but I do admit to clearing out ingrained shit in the allen key holes this afternoon with a leather needle was a PITA. One thing that was apparent is rust appearing - even on XT level. Cleats were loosing a bit but in honesty I think doing much better than the pedals.

I once had a strip and flip that had XTR PD-M960 and both pedals - incomprehensibly - had the springs wound up to max to the point of actually bending the spring inner spring spindle. I get we are all different and things can be tweaked for personal preference but it put in question why would any one push it to that point.

Do feel Shimano did their homework on wear rates and metal choice, but I wished they had more information. Dunno. Is 5 years or 10 years an expected reliable in service performance? Basically the life of a shoe (at best?) I find it's the AL pedal body that suffers and depending on shoe develops a sort of 3D float for want of a better description.

 

[bikeworkshop]

That is pretty much how I'm seeing it - however an accidental release can be solved with a spring tightening.

Not strictly true - it can help maintain the twisting force required to release, but the clearance has increased, so the chance of accidental release is also increased.

If it doesn't happen though then the tension has fixed the problem.
It's just not as trustworthy.

I once had a strip and flip that had XTR PD-M960 and both pedals - incomprehensibly - had the springs wound up to max to the point of actually bending the spring inner spring spindle. I get we are all different and things can be tweaked for personal preference but it put in question why would any one push it to that point.

Some home mechanics believe every bolt should be tightened down.
This includes tension and preload bolts, like this pedal release one, ahead top bolts, ht2 end caps, wheel cones, headset top races

 

[rentedmule]

I only replace cleats when replacing shoes as well. Most times the cleat bolts are so stuck in the shoe I couldn't replace them if I tried. Those bolts are also forged out of drill bit resistant adamantium or something.

I've put a lot miles on SPD pedals and only felt they needed replacing after something physically broke in the cleat retention mechanism. I have a fleet of used ones on my bikes now, some 25+ years old, and all still work fine.

I find the float on SPD's easier on the knees than flat pedals.