I try to be smarter about my bike and equipment but as soon as I try to communicate on things I end feeling like an idiot. I called the LBS that I like to deal with and I tell him that the cleat that hooks to my shoe and goes into my pedal is getting a bit rough and I'd like to pick some up to have (and replace soon). "What kind are they?" "The triangle looking ones but hold on, I'll email you a photo of them". So I do and he says he needs to know more. OK. So I come home and look at my pedal and there are some markings but I'm not sure what is what. All this is probably blindingly obvious to ya'll but this is the first time I'll have to replace this item.

Here is the cleat. They look like basic road pedals, are they SPD? Is that true?


Here is the pedal. It is Forte brand and I'm not sure what that is exactly in the middle. Is that SPD?

SPD are the ones with two bolts and commonly used on MTB pedals. Those are what's called "look" style https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Produc...25_-1___202532

Thanks. Not more than one style it could be? I showed him the image of the cleat itself and he said he needed more information.

Also, why have I not gone to nashbar before? Dang!

Nashbar is a dangerous place. I have a cart with $155 of merch to buy (summer clothes, replacement tires for my wife's bike). It's usually my first stop for stuff

Maybe someone who knows more can correct me, but there aren't really more than a few kinds of cleats out there (SPD and Look are the major styles, if I'm correct), and I'm a little surprised he wasn't able to identify it based on your image.

As opposed to SPD SL with three bolts for SPD SL road pedals.

OK thanks both of you. This is obviously the three bolt kind which is the SPD SL for road bikes.

And yes, Nashbar may divorce and bankrupt me, in that order.

I don't know enough about road pedals/shoes to confirm those are SPD SL. There are other three bolt road cleats. Agree that SPD and Look are the main players. (I think)
I've been buying stuff from Bike Nashbar since it was Bike Warehouse in the '70's and I'm neither divorced nor bankrupt. (I buy more stuff from other places these days but still buy the occasional tire or pedals from Nashbar.)

Appears to be Look Keos to me. Forte is Performance Bike's "generic" brand, Look Keo is the pedal system.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...400265__400265

Yeah. +1. Look compatible pedals and cleats. Not SPD-SL.

Thanks all.

SPD stands for "Shimano Pedaling Dynamics". Obviously a Trade Name. There are two basic classes of SPD pedals and cleats as well as several variations.

SPD SL for road bikes .. is proud above the sole of road shoes , the MTB shoe lets it be recessed .

the Road version adds outrigger pontoons , for stability.. they both contact the ends of the pedals

and the floor when you unclip..

a local Spinning class has SPD pedals so we sold some shoes with the road kit on them.

Not to be confused with the similar looking older style Look "Delta" (which I have had no problems with since they came out in the mid 1980s.

i think you may be right to question the quality of the LBS that requested further information. the answer is pretty simple.

just a suggestion, after looking at the pic of the oh, so worn out cleat, you might want to consider shoes too.