Bicycle Mechanics - Pedals. What are these screws for?

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PDA
Bokkie
08-27-02, 09:54 AM
If you want, go to Shimano:

http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/index.phtml

and do a product search for this pedal:

PD-M545

Select the pedal from the list and click the download for the parts list. Notice the pedal cage and bolts at part no 7.

The pedal has a cage around it that according to the Shimano documentation, can be removed. Look at the two long bolts, about 10cm in length, which enter the cage bolts pass through or connect onto.

The bolts look like they are utterly useless as you can take them out and nothing falls apart. Shimano would not put them in there just for looks, and if they don't serve a purpose, then why have them there at all.

Ideas?

sscyco
08-27-02, 10:18 AM
I don't have this pedal, but I had one similar to it, so here is a guess - I think that they are hard stops for the pivoting part of the pedal. The spring mechanism probably stops the pivot, but under load might break, these screws probably keep this from happening.
Bokkie
08-27-02, 10:30 AM
That's what I thought originally. I had a look at the ones on mine, and if I press down on the clip so that it sits recessed within the cage there is still nothing that actually sits on or touches the bolts. The really do look like a waste of space.:)

toolfreak
08-27-02, 11:30 AM
I have the same pedals, only i did remove the cage after a year or so.
You can ride this pedal with or without cage, and the only reason i can think of, is that they make the cage stronger.
Bokkie
08-27-02, 02:37 PM
How do you remove the cage?