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what do you lube your speedplay cleats with?

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what do you lube your speedplay cleats with?

Old 06-25-09, 05:56 AM
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what do you lube your speedplay cleats with?

i've been using generic dry lubricant, but tried a buddies silicone spray last nite, and after a few thousand miles, my speedplay's have never felt smoother on both engagement and disengagement. not that they were working badly before mind you, but this stuff is pretty nice if you're looking for cleat lubricant.

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Old 06-25-09, 05:57 AM
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Old 06-25-09, 06:11 AM
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When I rode Speedplays, I used the White Lightning lube for the cleats. Since then, I've switched to Time.
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Old 06-25-09, 08:32 AM
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I didn't know that cleats needed lubing. Where do you spray and why? Do the pedals also need to be lubed - where the cleats clip in?
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Old 06-25-09, 08:43 AM
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Originally Posted by AngryScientist
i've been using generic dry lubricant, but tried a buddies silicone spray last nite, and after a few thousand miles, my speedplay's have never felt smoother on both engagement and disengagement. not that they were working badly before mind you, but this stuff is pretty nice if you're looking for cleat lubricant.

You rode a few thousand miles between last night and this morning? wow!
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Old 06-25-09, 08:44 AM
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I also use White Lightening but only when my engagement and disengagement is noticeably rough. Frankly, I didn't know anyone else lubricated these but me. I would be concerned that any oil based product (WD-40, etc.) would pick up a lot of grit while walking across the driveway or through the garage.
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Old 06-25-09, 08:47 AM
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Originally Posted by smoore
I also use White Lightening but only when my engagement and disengagement is noticeably rough. Frankly, I didn't know anyone else lubricated these but me. I would be concerned that any oil based product (WD-40, etc.) would pick up a lot of grit while walking across the driveway or through the garage.
you're definitely supposed to frequently lubricate them, and looking at the spring mechanism, it's clear why. the silicone based lube is pretty resistant to picking up crap.
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Old 06-25-09, 08:58 AM
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I don't lube my cleats as often as I should, but when I do I use this.....

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Old 06-25-09, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by rydaddy
I don't lube my cleats as often as I should, but when I do I use this....
I bought that "dry" Teflon lube thinking it was truly DRY (ie: Powdered lubricant) specifically for my speedy cleats. Disappointed to find out that it was an oil.

I know of people using Pam, silicone spray and other wet lubes, but the cleat does seem to collect/attract more grit when using that as opposed to a true DRY lubricant.

I mentioned this before. One trick that speedplay cognoscenti do is use the 4 hole steel adapter plate they sell separately between the 3 hole adapter and the cleat. This protects the 3 hole adapter plate and supposedly holds/stores some lubricant for the C-ring cleat.
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Old 06-25-09, 09:59 AM
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"What type of lubrication should I use on the X cleat springs and bowties?
Speedplay recommends applying a dry-type (PTFE) lubricant such as Super-Lube Dry Film, RD-50, DuPont Performance Dry, Liquid Wrench Dry Lube, Pro Gold or Blaster Dry Lube to the cleat springs and to the cavity where the pedal nests. DO NOT USE A WET LUBRICANT! Wet lubricants attract dirt and debris and effectively create an abrasive “grinding paste” that causes parts to wear. Additionally, be careful not to apply lubricant to the outer plate of the cleats as it may cause the cleats to become slippery on floor surfaces."

I rarely do it, however. In my experience, the cleats usually wear out (i.e. wear through at the screw mounts) about the same time they really start needing to be lubed. If I get them excessively wet or dirty, I'll clean and lube them. But not on a routine basis.
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Old 06-25-09, 10:47 AM
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I use Pedro's Ice Wax. It makes a noticeable differance.
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Old 06-25-09, 10:50 AM
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I use spray silicone. Works good for that and most other pivots/bushings. By the cheap no name/store brand.
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Old 06-25-09, 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by rydaddy
i don't lube my cleats as often as i should, but when i do i use this.....

+1
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Old 06-25-09, 11:10 AM
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I recently switched to the Speedplay's X/2 and have read the manual from top to bottom. It does say that you should clean and lubricate the cleat section every other ride, and use a dry lube.
I guess that if you clean the cleats you will be removing the lube which is why you will need to apply lube again, but every other ride??? Isn't that a little too much??
Just my 2 cents.
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Old 06-25-09, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
"What type of lubrication should I use on the X cleat springs and bowties?
Speedplay recommends applying a dry-type (PTFE) lubricant such as Super-Lube Dry Film, RD-50, DuPont Performance Dry, Liquid Wrench Dry Lube, Pro Gold or Blaster Dry Lube to the cleat springs and to the cavity where the pedal nests. DO NOT USE A WET LUBRICANT! Wet lubricants attract dirt and debris and effectively create an abrasive “grinding paste” that causes parts to wear. Additionally, be careful not to apply lubricant to the outer plate of the cleats as it may cause the cleats to become slippery on floor surfaces."

I rarely do it, however. In my experience, the cleats usually wear out (i.e. wear through at the screw mounts) about the same time they really start needing to be lubed. If I get them excessively wet or dirty, I'll clean and lube them. But not on a routine basis.
That surprises me, when i have gone a few hundred miles without lubing mine, i notice it is significantly more difficult to clip into them, however a lot of my riding starts in urban areas so i clip in and out very frequently. I'm using zero's too, for clarity.
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Old 06-25-09, 11:17 AM
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+3 for the Finish Line dry lube ... when I remember to do it. More importantly, use a good grease/gun to lube the pedal innards.

Remove the little screw on the end of the pedal and squirt a bit in there occasionally. The pedal shouldn't spin freely. If it does, you've left it too long.
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Old 06-25-09, 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by AngryScientist
That surprises me, when i have gone a few hundred miles without lubing mine, i notice it is significantly more difficult to clip into them, however a lot of my riding starts in urban areas so i clip in and out very frequently. I'm using zero's too, for clarity.

They are easier to get in when they're freshly lubed. However, for me (using X series) I don't have trouble clipping in, unless they are really dirty (i.e. caked with dirt). So I just don't bother unless it gets to the point it's a problem.
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Old 06-25-09, 11:23 AM
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White Lightning, less frequently than I should.
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Old 06-25-09, 11:28 AM
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I don't.
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Old 06-25-09, 11:30 AM
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all this talk about lubing pedals and cleats. does it apply to spd sl? if so where do you lube?
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Old 06-25-09, 11:32 AM
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If I disassemble the cleat, I will put a thin coat of 3M Silicone Paste on the metal clip. If I am just doing a quick-and-dirty lube job, I will spray in some B'Laster Dry Lube (contains PTFE). Both work well.

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Old 06-25-09, 12:24 PM
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Gatorade. I also use Gatorade to wash my balls.
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Old 06-25-09, 02:14 PM
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A word to the wise: be careful where you spray the cleaner/lube stuff. If it works it's way past the cleat to the baseplate screws, it can dissolve the thread locker and the three baseplate screws can loosen up. This happened to me after using a citrus degreaser on the cleats, the first time in 10k+ miles with Zeros.

Do feel free to use it on your balls, though, bfd. There's really nothing there likely to loosen up and fall off, AFAIK.
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