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SPD shoes for fix?

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Old 05-24-05 | 09:50 AM
  #26  
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About two weeks ago I started wearing Shimano Sandals.
I love 'em.
I put Wellgo cleats on them.
They walk well and I have not had an inadvertent clip out.
I feel more in control than I did in my Shimano MTB shoes.
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Old 05-24-05 | 11:18 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by agraham
if you're going the SPD route, make sure to note Shimano has two models: fixed or floating (I *think* that's what they're called). The floaters allow for a small amount of lateral pivot, and will not only disengage with a regular sideways twist, but also if you pull up on the pedal really hard. The fixed ones don't allow anything but a lateral twist.

If you're concerned with (hee hee) accidental release, go for the fixed (or non-floating, whatever they're called) cleats.

AG
The pedals I use MO520 come with SH-51 cleats which are known as 'single release' meaning they only release with a twist (rotation about the vertical axis of the leg) of the ankle. They have some (4deg) float.
The SH-55 cleat is 'multi-release' allowing a horizontal axis twist of the ankle in addition to the vertical - they also have 4deg float. These are known to release too easily. I don't have these.

I understand for the net there are SH-50 cleats which have no float. These are perhaps the ones I need, however I can find no source for them.

Al
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Old 05-24-05 | 11:22 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Ken Cox
About two weeks ago I started wearing Shimano Sandals.
I love 'em.
I put Wellgo cleats on them.
They walk well and I have not had an inadvertent clip out.
I feel more in control than I did in my Shimano MTB shoes.
I love those sandals as well.
Which wellgo cleats do you have? Do they have any float?
thx
Al
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Old 05-27-05 | 10:38 AM
  #29  
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you ride brakeless with spd's********** sweet jesus.... i hear a lot of good things about time... maybe you should check it out before you die?
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Old 05-27-05 | 10:45 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by deadly downtube
you ride brakeless with spd's********** sweet jesus.... i hear a lot of good things about time... maybe you should check it out before you die?
Haha, I hear this all the time. Haven't had any crashes or injuries due to pedal release, and I ride brakeless with SPDs every day...
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Old 05-27-05 | 10:46 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by deadly downtube
you ride brakeless with spd's********** sweet jesus.... i hear a lot of good things about time... maybe you should check it out before you die?
Why? Does that combination cause cancer? Besides myself, I know a few people that ride brakeless on SPD's. You have to be sure to get the single release. The only problems I've ever had were from 0 mph fallovers when I forgot to clip out.
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Old 05-27-05 | 11:00 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
Update: I have about 400mi on the new Shimano SPD left side cleat and it is now worn enough that it unclips on a hard backpedal/skid. I can unpop it with simply a hard vertical pull. For me 400mi seems way too soon to have to replace cleats. This is very disapointing.

Al
Wow, 400mi is nothing. What kind of shoes are you using these cleats on? Are they clickity-clack road shoes? I've had my current SPD cleats on my Minnret mountain shoes, which have a recessed area for the cleats so that they don't click when you walk, for over 1500 miles (about 3 months), and they are still pulling just fine.
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Old 05-27-05 | 11:13 AM
  #33  
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I saw you unclip and almost eat it!
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Old 05-27-05 | 11:24 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Judah
Wow, 400mi is nothing. What kind of shoes are you using these cleats on? Are they clickity-clack road shoes? I've had my current SPD cleats on my Minnret mountain shoes, which have a recessed area for the cleats so that they don't click when you walk, for over 1500 miles (about 3 months), and they are still pulling just fine.
I use Shimano SPD Sandals (SH-SD60), but I also checked the same only 400mi worn cleats on Shimano SH-MO38 mountain shoes with the same result. Both are recessed and don't click when walking.

The sad part is that when the cleat was out of box new it held very tight and I thought I had the problem solved- the cleat that I replaced that popped out much too easy as as I found when I first used on fixed bike had 2000mi, so I thought I was going to be set for at least 1000mi. On looking at the front end of the cleat while mounted on the shoe, the edge that faces the shoe (either the left or right side, I don't have shoe in front of me) looks worn, a bit cupped.

This is only happening on my left foot, which is the only foot I unclip at stops, so it is definitely a clip/unclip wear issue. But I can't afford replacing cleats every 200-300 miles or so.

Al
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Old 05-27-05 | 11:26 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Judah
..and they are still pulling just fine.
Even on a full force jam it hard skid?

Al
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Old 05-27-05 | 11:32 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by 46x17
I saw you unclip and almost eat it!
Haha, but my superior skillz prevented me from doing so

As for the question about pulling, they are fine for all out hard skids, the only time they've popped out have been when I'm skipping down a big hill.

Yeah, I'll admit it, SPDs do unclip sometimes. They are so easy to use, find shoes for, etc. I tried riding with clips and straps but the power transfer is so inferior and my feet end up hurting from the lack of support that non-cycling shoes have. Also, foot position in clips/straps feels like my feet are way to far back on the pedals, and there's no way I could skid with those things.

Last edited by Judah; 05-27-05 at 11:40 AM.
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Old 05-27-05 | 12:00 PM
  #37  
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Yes your skills saved you very nicely - especially that second time with that jeep! Mad skillz!
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Old 05-27-05 | 12:34 PM
  #38  
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i ride spd's and love 'em, but after like my 5th unclipping "incident" i finally put a brake on. not that i ever use the brake. but it's nice to know that it may keep me from death, which is something i'm really looking to avoid these days.
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Old 05-27-05 | 12:35 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by 46x17
Yes your skills saved you very nicely - especially that second time with that jeep! Mad skillz!
Thanks. Although that jeep had nothing to do with unclipping, the guy just decided that he was going to turn right, on a whim. I was pretty surprised I didn't get pedal strike, with the amount I had the bike leaned over.
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Old 05-27-05 | 12:43 PM
  #40  
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wish I had that on tape!
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Old 05-27-05 | 12:43 PM
  #41  
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and yes - second time was no unclip - just skillest skills.
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Old 05-31-05 | 02:41 PM
  #42  
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I rode SPD's for awhile, luckily with a brake, because they have released me on hard skids, I have also broken 3 drive side SPD pedals with powerful emergency skids, broke the teeth that lock the cleat into place, clean off. It just seems absurd, I've personally broken 3 SPD pedals, and you are riding around in San Francisco without a damn brake? Riding 2mi descents at 33mph, I couldn't even picture doing that without a brake, if some pack of wingnuts suddenly congested the bike path it would be a bloody mess... but I guess lots of brakeless folk are flat landers, where the price for fashion isn't quite as steep
Perhaps you have higher quality pedals, but just know that I am praying for your safety, and sanity
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