Remember to replace your cleats

Just a friendly reminder to check your cleats and replace them every year or so.

I did a bike fit today and the rider had very worn cleats resulting in more play on the pedal than there should have been.

It reminded me to check and replace my own cleats on my commuter/mtn shoes. These are SPD and they were so rusted in I couldn't get one screw out and had to take a hacksaw to it. The new cleats are working great and I should've replaced them about 8 months ago!

Cleats are cheap and work so much better when they are new. Most cleats have a wear marker on them that you can check. If you let your cleats go too long, it can damage your shoe. A damaged pair of shoes is a lot more expensive than a pair of cleats. This truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Happy riding.

I track mileage on mine. I use SportTracks, but for those who don't use a fitness app, it's easy enough to keep a spreadsheet of all your wear items - chain, cassettes, tires, cables, and cleats, and just remember to enter mileage periodically. I typically get around 3,000 miles out of my right cleat, the one I unclip first, and 5,000 miles from the left.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

Just a friendly reminder to check your cleats and replace them every year or so.

I did a bike fit today and the rider had very worn cleats resulting in more play on the pedal than there should have been.

It reminded me to check and replace my own cleats on my commuter/mtn shoes. These are SPD and they were so rusted in I couldn't get one screw out and had to take a hacksaw to it. The new cleats are working great and I should've replaced them about 8 months ago!

Cleats are cheap and work so much better when they are new. Most cleats have a wear marker on them that you can check. If you let your cleats go too long, it can damage your shoe. A damaged pair of shoes is a lot more expensive than a pair of cleats. This truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Happy riding.

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Do regular spd's have this marker? (and if so, what to look for?...)Thanks!

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Originally Posted by tealtreak

Do regular spd's have this marker? (and if so, what to look for?...)Thanks!

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I'm not sure about all SPD cleats, but mine do not. I can tell when mine need replacing because there is too much play between my shoe and the pedal. They also become harder to clip out of and can get noisy (squeaking or clicking).

In general, I just assume that my cleats will need replacing about once per year. I'd rather pay $20 for new cleats than deal with pedal issues that might be related to cleat wear.

ETA: Keep in mind that I ride A LOT. So once a year is probably more often than most.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wahine

I'm not sure about all SPD cleats, but mine do not. I can tell when mine need replacing because there is too much play between my shoe and the pedal. They also become harder to clip out of and can get noisy (squeaking or clicking).

In general, I just assume that my cleats will need replacing about once per year. I'd rather pay $20 for new cleats than deal with pedal issues that might be related to cleat wear.

ETA: Keep in mind that I ride A LOT. So once a year is probably more often than most.

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Thank you! I may be overdue to replace...

Thanks. I didn't even know.

I'll show my shoes to the bike shop next time I go

My left (Speedplay X) cleat has to be replaced quite regularly, from unclipping. DH swears Imust drag my foot on the ground when I stop (I don't), but Ialways know when it's time, because I start have trouble clipping in, that no amount of lube can fix.

in addition to replacing cleats when needed, it also pays to check them visually often for grit or embeddedstuff which may affect your ability to clip in or out. From one who has had the experience and is just saying.