Yep, once I wear through the few pairs I have (probably in about 12 weeks 😉) I’ll look into trying a new system.

Ten steps on a lava bed?

Not buying this anymore. Time to bounce.

If I was simply walking more than I’m saying I would either just stop walking in them, buy cleat covers, or accept I’m going to go through 3-4 pairs of cleats per year. I certainly wouldn’t post about it.

In the original thread I admitted to wearing them from the bike locker to changing rooms at work, which was by far my main source of walking in them. I was also less fastidious about taking them off first when I got home and perhaps walking from the garage to the front door in them.

The bike is kept essentially next to my rear laneway. I maybe step once or twice taking it out in my shoes, and not at all when I get back as I take them off the moment I’m out of the saddle.

If I’m just going out for a ride I rarely/if ever stop and end up right back at my garage with my only footfall being at a handful of traffic lights.

Commuting to work and it’s the same story leaving/returning to home, but there’s also the distance between the plastic door and chair, that I posted above. 4-5 steps either way.

So a simple return cycle “costs” about two steps, commute say 15 in total.

That’s the whole point of posting, originally and, especially, now. I was surprised at the wear I was incurring when I was walking much more in them, but more so now I do virtually no walking in them.

The fact the wear has remained the same, despite a massive reduction in how much I walk in them, suggests it’s not the walking at all.

I have no idea what you're doing. All I can say is that I have cleats that I've had on my shoes (Look deltas on one pair, Look keos on another pair) for multiple years, and they don't look anywhere near that bad.

In fact, I've never seen cleats that look that bad. I've always changed mine well before they've gotten to that point.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5cca1829ec.jpg
This is after 3 seasons which include riding rollers and Wahoo during winter.

I may have figured out what is going on here. When I walk with the above shoes on, I walk flat footed. I do not walk as if I am in standard shoes. The cleats only make flat contact with the ground. This may help explain how I can get such long life from a set of cleats. When I rode Look pedals I got 6-7 years out of a set of cleats. Since the Shimano pedals are relatively new to me and I am going into season 4 with them it is likely I will see the same service life from the Shimano cleats as I did with the Look cleats.

They are not meant to be walked on for any appreciable distance.
It is likely the OP is a heavy walker as well...perhaps sliding his feet instead of lifting his feet while walking...just a guess.
I know a few people who wear out the soles of shoes in months. I have shoes that are decades old and show little sole wear.
It also depends on how people walk. Many today seem to drag or slide their feet instead of lifting them. They also have a much heavier tread which wears the bottoms more quickly.
Might be something worth looking into, especially if he wears out shoes, etc. quickly, though he may not realize it. Also uneven wear on the soles may be a sign of a foot problem...pronation/supination, etc.

When I have to get off the bike and walk any more than a couple steps I try to just walk on my heels, holding my toes up, just so I don’t get a bunch of dirt or sand in the cleats. Yeah it looks funny and you’ll slide if you’re on a slick tile floor like inside a 7-11 getting ice and a drink, but I purposely try to keep the cleat up off the ground. Going down stairs like that can be *****!

I bought some supposedly real Shimano cleats on some Chinese site based on some info I read here. 4 pairs for $20 (+ free shipping) or something like that. They wore out really fast. I went through 2 sets in less than a year. I got some real cleats to compare and those have been in use about a year and a half with minimal wear so I'm convinced the cheap ones were knock-offs even though the packaging was pretty convincing.

Lot of hoopla. I already said it's because of the stairs. It's not about distance, it's about the actual use case. Doesn't matter if you use look, time, or shimano. If you walk down stairs in cleats, you will ruin them. Get covers, or take off your shoes for the stairs. I guarantee that the wear will subside.

I agree with cxwrench. He hit the nail on the head. SPD-SL cleats usually last significantly longer than your example.
Get cleat covers to compensate for your excessive walking on them. No brainer.............

And I’ve said that I no longer walk down stairs in them. I haven’t taken a single step down a stair in these cleats.

The stairs were from the original post/my first set of cleats.

That’s what, I think, makes it interesting. I’ve cut out more than 90% of the walking I was doing in them, including stairs, and the wear is almost the same.

oh what. yeah ok, I got nothing then, my bad. Let us know if you figure it out.

I take 2-5 steps in my cleats on leisure rides, 10-15 in a day when I’m commuting. If that sounds like excessive walking to you then I’m guessing you must levitate.

I’m wondering if:

1) First set of cleats, from Giant store (so highly likely to be genuine), was simply a matter of too much walking and stairs, as you suggest. I didn’t know better.
2) The second set I actually got from a friend, and were in Shimano packaging, but I don’t know their source. So perhaps fake?

My third set, currently in use and early days, have already shown far less wear than the other two. These are genuine Shimanos (reputable store, authentic packaging).

Time will tell!

https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-Shima...r&pageNumber=2

Here you go mate. Perhaps there’s an alien invasion?

Or perhaps you should be a little more humble in future and realise just because you haven’t seen something before doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Such a myopic view of the world you have.

If your cleats are fakes then I'm still right. Genuine Shimano cleats don't wear like that.

Ah, a guy who can’t admit he’s wrong. As I say, some humbleness wouldn’t go amiss.

I suppose you’d simply divine the Giant store had sold you knock offs and then levitated when you realised a handful of steps were causing excessive wear? Or explained to yourself how you’re actually walking far more in them than you say.

I would though have thought an Einstein like you would realise that the same wear, despite 90% reduction in walking, might imply it’s not the walking. Oh that’s right, I was lying.

I’m guessing not every complaint on Amazon is a fake pair and perhaps Shimano sometimes release a bad batch. Who knows.

Sorry, you do of course.

The constructive responses you have received from BF members on your thread have been met with a sarcastic jab response. It is obvious you don't want our help. The sarcasm is unwarranted and is against forum policy. I have asked to have this thread closed.

Ok folks.....No need for anyone to get snippy or rude.
We're just discussing cleats.

If that’s true it’s to one member in particular, who has accused me of lying and on more than just this thread. Did you miss the part where he accused me of thinking aliens were tampering with my cleats? Sorry, that will probably be construed as sarcasm.

I think you’ll find the majority of my responses have been grateful and reflective. Did you even read the thread? Care to give some examples to support your position if so?

Fair enough.

I think the problem may have been solved anyway. First set wore out due to newbie behaviour/walking too much on them (inc. stairs) and second were perhaps not genuine (although the mate I got them from reckons they came from the Trek shop). Maybe a bad batch found their way into the Perth market?

Anyway, Amazon reviews show it’s a problem that effects many people from time to time and my latest set cleats are already wearing much better.

Time will tell!

Some of your snarky, rude remarks.

"I would though have thought an Einstein like you would realise"
"If that sounds like excessive walking to you then I’m guessing you must levitate."
Totally uneccessary responses.
Its good you didn't give the moderator a snarky response. :D

Read the guidelines he gave and carry on.......................

Oh so to cxwrench, who has accused me of lying across more than one thread and brought up aliens, and you supporting cxwrench? Funny you don’t mention cxwrench’s sarcastic comments, isn’t it?

What about my replies to everybody else?

You get responded to in kind.