Grrr...2nd bloodied knee courtesy of SPD-SL pedals!

16 days ago I could. not. unclip. After that I really cranked those pedals as loose as possible, nearly bending my little hex wrench. I also lubed the pedals up well (with a light lube, similar to WD-40). It helps most of the time, but sometimes I still cannot get my left foot unclipped. Before lubing they were always overly tight. Now it's erratic...sometimes it's relatively easy to unclip, then there are times like today when *SURPRISE* I can't get unclipped and down I go.

The pisser is that my left knee had just finally stopped being crusty and scabby. Now it's a bloody mess, again. Left elbow is banged-up, too.

Now I'm regretting not going with Look pedals like my hubby's. He's had 0 issues with his. But it was only AFTER having issues with my 105 SPD-SLs that I did some looking around and discovered that there are others who have been frustrated with this pedal system, for the same reason. All the reviews I saw when researching pedals were pretty much glowing. But when I started searching for release issues, after the fact, I've found quite a few threads on various cycling boards...

please go back to the bike shop with those! it shouldn't be that nasty or hard to adjust! sorry about your knee!

I wish I could...I ordered 'em off of eBay. Fortunately they weren't super $$ (I think I paid about $60 for them). I'm just irritated. I guess I'm back to square one researching road pedals. I wish I'd looked harder at Times. DH sorta pushed me away from those, since finding replacement cleats in a pinch would be trickier (most shops in the area seem to only carry Shimano, Speedplay, and Look).

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

DH sorta pushed me away from those, since finding replacement cleats in a pinch would be trickier (most shops in the area seem to only carry Shimano, Speedplay, and Look).

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Funny, I've put thousands of miles on my two sets of eggbeater cleats (1 on my sandals and 1 on my shoes) and I've never had a cleat replacement need. I wouldn't think that quick access to cleats would be all that important.
Edit to say - now that I think about it, although I ride road, these are Mt cleats, which maybe last longer because of the recess. I really like Mt Bike cleats to be able to hop off and walk around.

I have speedplays (which I have taken off) because I fell twice. The first was a complete surprise (also stupid) but the second was because of what you say. Could not get my foot out to save my life.

Don't like clips. Now that the seat is higher yet, I really don't like them.

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Originally Posted by skywalkerbeth

I have speedplays (which I have taken off) because I fell twice. The first was a complete surprise (also stupid) but the second was because of what you say. Could not get my foot out to save my life.

Don't like clips. Now that the seat is higher yet, I really don't like them.

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Our LBS buddy is NOT a fan of Speedplays, for this reason. He is the most skilled person I know on a bike (road or mtn.) and he had bad experiences with Speedplay. MI is pretty much one big sand dune, so he couldn't keep the cleats clean on those no matter what he did.

I'm really looking at Times, again (they have a discontinued RXL "women's"
pedal with lighter resistance, which sounds good on paper). I'd like to stay with road pedals, since the smaller contact area with the mtn. SPDs on my other shoes was giving me sore feet after 50 miles, or so.

So hubby just put my bike on the repair stand, clipped my shoes in, and had a dickens of a time unclipping them. Also noticed that the advertised "float" is not smooth or loose.

Then he put his bike on the stand, clipped his shoes in (he has Look Keos), and unclipped with no trouble.

It's not just me. Phew.

How are Shimano SPD-SLs so danged popular? I am totally NOT impressed.

I've only ever ridden on SPD-SLs. I love mine. I've never had a single problem with them. Of course, I have no experience with anything else, but I've never been in a situation where I couldn't get unclipped when I wanted to. I love my 105 pedals.

I just thought I would put it out there that there are some of us who like them... :)

I highly recommend Look if you're searching for another pedal brand. Never had a problem unclipping with mine. I've used both 0 and 4 degree floats.

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Originally Posted by westtexas

I've only ever ridden on SPD-SLs. I love mine. I've never had a single problem with them. Of course, I have no experience with anything else, but I've never been in a situation where I couldn't get unclipped when I wanted to. I love my 105 pedals.

I just thought I would put it out there that there are some of us who like them... :)

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I almost wonder if there could have been a bad batch. A friend of ours got the exact same 105 pedals within a week of me and is also having issues with hers.

Looks like I can still return mine. I looked on Amazon and they are eligible for return until 9/5, so as soon as I have new pedals (DH will be down at our LBS on Friday and is going to pick up Look Keo Classics for me) they will be going back.

Sprry you are getting so beat up. Are you keeping your heel down as you twist out? Are you releasing at the bottom of the pedal stroke? SPDSLs are a little-little bit tougher to get out of than Looks....But not THAT much. KEOs should be easy in and out.
If they have time ... we put our Clipless pedal clients on a trainer and have them get used to the motion before going on the road. Next we advise they take a ride in the grass park and get the hang of it. We rarely have customers with your experience.
Hope it works out.

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Originally Posted by Seajay

Sprry you are getting so beat up. Are you keeping your heel down as you twist out? Are you releasing at the bottom of the pedal stroke? SPDSLs are a little-little bit tougher to get out of than Looks....But not THAT much. KEOs should be easy in and out.
If they have time ... we put our Clipless pedal clients on a trainer and have them get used to the motion before going on the road. Next we advise they take a ride in the grass park and get the hang of it. We rarely have customers with your experience.
Hope it works out.

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I know the motion...I'd logged at least 6k miles with mtn SPDs prior to going to dedicated road shoes and pedals. Which is part of what has me so POd by all of this. 6000 miles with 2 minor falls (not from unclipping difficulties, but from space-cadet noob issues) vs. 2 harder falls in the course of maybe 250 miles.

Well, you're wise to bail on them and try something else. I've had excellent luck with Look for years and years...Hopefully you will too.

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Originally Posted by Seajay

Well, you're wise to bail on them and try something else. I've had excellent luck with Look for years and years...Hopefully you will too.

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My hubby really likes his Keo Classics (has them on 2 bikes), so he was perplexed by all the difficulties I've had with my 105s, until he compared the torque necessary to release on the loosest tension and with added chain lube. He really had to work to get them to unclip. With his bike he was able to clip his shoe in and out with his hand with minimal effort and the float was loose. The "float" on my pedals is not at all loose and feels sticky.

they do sound defective. send them back!

I'm sorry you're having such trouble with the 105's...it is rather surprising to hear of such issues. I don't want to sway your decision, but...I used to have the TIME RXL Carbon pedals on a previous bike that I sold. They were fine at the beginning, but roughly a year later they got to the point where they were extremely difficult to unclip. So much so, that I sold them with the bike just to get rid of them. And yes, the TIME RXL cleats do wear quickly...much quicker than my SPD-SL cleats. Just some food for thought.

I think if I were in your shoes, I'd give the LOOK pedals a try.

I have the same pedals. Thankfully no issues yet, they've been just fine. However, after reading this thread, if I ever do have trouble I think I'll switch to Look, everyone here seems to like them! Sorry about your poor knee. I hate road rash.

The reason I am riding Frogs on my Gunnar is the THREE sets of SPD pedals we tried to install on that bike would not loosen enough for me to either get in nor get out without a great deal of effort and cursing - even falling over didn't release my foot. We tried three different models :eek:

I don't know what the problem was with the SPD pedals we tried (all of them mtb, not road), but I am kind of glad they didn't work out because the Frogs are so much easier...

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Originally Posted by Catrin

I don't know what the problem was with the SPD pedals we tried (all of them mtb, not road), but I am kind of glad they didn't work out because the Frogs are so much easier...

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I have found that the mtn. SPDs loosen with time (I have mine on the loosest setting and need to go tighter, since I've pulled-out a couple of times, which could be bad on a hard cyclocross race or going up a hill), but I'm not sure that's as true with the road ones...and I'm not waiting around to find out.

I have Look Pedals on my road bike and love 'em.
I have SPD's on both my mountain bikes and they work well. Although they can get sticky if its muddy out or if there's a hike-a-bike section.

Sorry about your bloody knee! It's a bad feeling when you can't unclip.

Yeah, there is definitely something wrong with those pedals. I've used nothing but SPD-SL's on all my road bikes for the past 7 years and never had those kind of issues!

It does kinda sound like the Shimano pedals are defective. Just out of curiosity, what color are the cleats?

Look makes a great light-action spring pedal that's easier to get out of than their regular pedals.

And you should always keep an extra pair of cleats around regardless of what pedals you ride.

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Originally Posted by Mama Coosa

It does kinda sound like the Shimano pedals are defective. Just out of curiosity, what color are the cleats?

Look makes a great light-action spring pedal that's easier to get out of than their regular pedals.

And you should always keep an extra pair of cleats around regardless of what pedals you ride.

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The cleats are black with the yellow walking "pontoons." They came with the pedals, so compatibility shouldn't be an issue.

I looked at the "easy" pedals and it appears that the tension setting is 8, without the option of adjusting tension. Keos have 8-12, and are adjustable. I can't find advertised #s for Shimano SPD-SLs, but I've found a few comments online that suggest that Looks are generally easier to get in and out of than Shimanos.

Hubby picked up a set of Look Keo Plus pedals...I have high hopes that they will work well for me. :D

I am also riding with Shimano 105's that I purchased from Performance (aka Nashbar). They were pretty easy to use when I first got them and I left them on factory settings. I have since moved my right foot back to the easiest setting and still find them hard to upclip now and then. Getting my right foot clipped back in after a stop is really getting annoying. I need to find something else, I think.

Are yours the black ones? I'm really starting to wonder if there was a wonky batch. Either of the pedals or the included cleats. Our LBS buddy was perplexed, too.

Yes Kristen, they are the black ones. Purchased about a month ago.

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Originally Posted by RubyTuesday

Yes Kristen, they are the black ones. Purchased about a month ago.

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I am very suspicious, indeed. All 3 of us who have had issues with this pedal have the exact same model purchased within about a week of one-another.

Got my Look cleats on my shoes. I will get in a ride tomorrow. Going to have to get different cleats, though--the ones that came with the pedals have none of the rubber grip things on them (why would Look even make cleats without them--they are slippery!?), which will be a no go for running through duathlon transition area.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

(why would Look even make cleats without them--they are slippery!?)

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There are the purists and weight weenies... I hope you have better luck with the Look pedals. I'd suggest you buy two sets of cleats. I wore off the rubber in my left cleat (I unclip my left foot at stops) in less than a month when I started using the Look pedals. I replaced only that cleat and it has held since then.

Now I am 100% certain that there was something very wrong with those black Shimano 105 pedals and I am contemplating contacting Shimano so that they can dope-slap their quality control peeps...since there are at least 3 of us with the same issues on the same pedals.

Today I did a ride with Look Keo Plus pedals and I think it actually ticked my hubby off how easily I popped-in to take off. :p Clicking out was a piece of cake, as well. If I had to unclip for an emergency stop I actually could, with these pedals. I actually think I may tighten the resistance, since on the lowest setting I'm a bit suspicious that I could come unclipped if I pulled up hard in a sprint and rotated my ankle a bit.

I am going to look for the Look Keo Plus pedals. I took a ride today and almost found myself on the ground. I was coming down a hill and heading for an uphill and the light was about to change so I wasn't slowing much. Got to the light and it had not changed but I saw a police car at the turn in and decided to emergency stop to avoid a ticket. I almost fell trying to get my foot out in an emergency stop. I struggle getting the cleat back in. Most of the time it just slips off the pedal and I have to try four or five times to finally get it clipped in. Maddening cleat. I also have a sore spot on my foot right under the big toe towards the outside of my foot. Feels like I had a rock in my shoe and bruised a small area. Not sure what that is all about.

Tired of fighting these cleats. I need something new and less dangerous.

Wise plan. We actually ended up tightening my Look pedals 2 revolutions, since they were almost too loose on the loosest settings. Night and day difference between the 105s and the Looks in terms of function.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

Wise plan. We actually ended up tightening my Look pedals 2 revolutions, since they were almost too loose on the loosest settings. Night and day difference between the 105s and the Looks in terms of function.

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Just curious...but do the Look pedals "right" themselves into the proper position for clipping in? In other words, are the pedals weighted on the bottom so that the part where your toe clips into is pointing up after you unclip out of them at stoplights and such?

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Originally Posted by nscrbug

Just curious...but do the Look pedals "right" themselves into the proper position for clipping in? In other words, are the pedals weighted on the bottom so that the part where your toe clips into is pointing up after you unclip out of them at stoplights and such?

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Yup. In that respect the Looks and Shimanos are similar, though the Looks seem a hair easier to get into (especially before we tightened the tension a bit).

Have tried many pedal systems and NONE of them are as easy to get in and out of as Speedplay. YMMV. Good luck.

My husband has used SPD-SLs for about 100,000 km without a problem.

My experience with them - three different pairs, including one 105 and two Ultegra - was miserable. Mine had the issues you mention clipping out (and sometimes in as well, although it was less of a problem), would not work properly in wet weather (an issue in the PNW!) and as soon as the cleats got a little worn they'd be even worse. Go figure. I think their quality control is a bit hit and miss on pedals.

That was about 4 years ago. I have since returned to mountain SPD pedals with super-stiff mountain shoes (Sidi Dominators) and I couldn't be happier.