Hi all,

I switched pedals again. I decided I wanted more platform in a pedal than I was getting from my Speedplays. I settled on Time I-Clics because I'd had Time pedals before and really liked them - just had not ever tried the I-Clics. I found them on sale at a great price - $55 and that included 2 sets of cleats (cleats sell for $30).

I have since found out why they came with two set of cleats. Dear God the cleats do not last any time at all. Maybe a couple hundred miles and my right cleat is shredded (foot I put down).

The pedals themselves have been great thus far but have to figure a way to make the cleats last longer - thought about covering the tips with a layer of epoxy or silicone or something...

I tried all sorts of stuff to get them to last, finally I just gave up and bought the Iclic 2s which seem much much better so far.

My cleats are fine with over 1000 miles on my current pair. Keep the walking to a realistic minimum and don't drag your foot when rolling to a stop.

The I-Clic cleats (and the stories I read/heard) are the reason why I went to DA pedals a year ago after what seems like a lifetime of using Time pedals. I must say, I do not regret that decision in the least, quite the opposite.

I commute daily and have to frequently put a foot down which probably has a lot to do with it.

edit: I had problem with Shimano cleats too, although they did last longer for me than Look Keo and certainly the I-Clic. The longest wearing cleat I've used was the Time RXS pedal. I'd had such good luck with those that's why I decided to try these.

Do they use a different cleat?

Hi Raven,

Contact Time USA about your cleats. Chances are you have their frist gen cleat which wore out extremely fast (mine did also). Spoke to Time USA and provided pics of my cleats and they sent me out 2nd gen cleats at no charge.

The second gen are much more durable.. Although at 2k + miles, theya are starting to show some age.

Time USA was great to deal with and shipped very quick.

Hope this helps!

Thanks - will give that a whirl.

Different cleat and there are some slight changes to the pedal itself that help with durability. I think the third gen cleat works with the original pedal.

I went through 2 pairs of first gen cleats, then a pair of second gen cleats, then my pedals had worn out and didn't work anymore anyway. This was all in about 6,000 miles. For reference I got 12,000 out of my last Shimano cleats and the pedals have ~25,000 on them.

I haven't had them long enough to comment on their durability, but the Time Iclic II pedals/cleats that I'm using now have hands down been the easiest to get into and out of of any pedal/cleat combination I've ever tried with no loss of security at all.

These may be worth a shot https://cleatskins.com/shop/node/675

Unfortunately a lot of the wear I'm seeing comes from putting a foot down and or pushing off when I'm on the bike. I'll probably try those anyway though.

Raven,
I am still considered a newbie here, just got my first road bike and have only been riding two months. I know it's a "to each his own" type of thing when cycling but when I unclip I always unlcip with my left foot and put it down. I then bring my right pedal up to a good postion where I can put some force down so I don't have to really push off with the left. Some people find that way better, so do that method but still push off with the left. The only other option I could tell you is go for the 3rd generation iclic cleats, they are said to be far better than the first generation and a little better than the second. The down side to it is the 3rd gen cleat is even more expensive, they cost about $40 per set.

^^^I do that too for the most part but Austin is pretty hilly and a lot of my start/stops are on inclines - plus I ride a single speed a lot. Combine the two and I need a little kick to get going. (plus its probably a bad habit).

Some pics of the carnage - probably around 600 miles on this cleat. Not even two months:

One more showing the crack in the rear - that was not caused by pushing off. Man I hope the newer generation cleats are a lot better.

What you have in the picture is the 1st gen cleat just in case. Generation 2 cleats do not have holes. The cleats is the reason why i havent moved out of the rxs pedals, had the money I would move to Keywin pedals.

The rxs cleats were awesome - they've lasted longer than any other cleat I've tried.

Time tried to fix a nonexistent problem with the i-clic pedals, the guys that complain that they cant engage or have problems pulling the shoe out the pedals because the cleats are old or the cleats are set with the wrong angle.

Even the impact pedals were hard to kill, heavy and everything but they last forever, really robust pedals.

+1 rxs on all my bikes

unfortunately the RXS pedal body wears. I tend to replace my carbon pedals once a year.

I don't think it was a non-existent problem. I have no problem getting into or out of my Shimano pedals, but when I tried the iclics I just loved the feel. The mechanism and float and all that is amazing, it's just the durability that sucks.

+2

+1 (well, not 1x per year for me, but I don't ride as much as G does)

The Iclic2 has much, much better cleats, and a pedal body with a metal wear-plate that won't wear down.
They are great.

I have a set of Impacts around here somewhere that I put a bazillion miles into. They still laugh at me when I run into them.

My rxs experiment ended on a long commute home. Pedal body snapped off the spindle. I happened to be within a mile of a bike shop when it happened. They didn't have any Time pedals - only Shimano and Look. Put some 105's on and went home.

Raven,
Yeah that cleat looks rough, thanks for the pics though. How do you like the 105's? I hear a lot of love/hate with them. What do you think? I have seen some SPD-SL cleats in bad shape too. My speedplay LA cleats are fine because they make the leave on cleat covers. Even when you are clipped in the covers stay on.https://www.keeponkovers.com/Product.html