Crank Bro's Smartys are not SPD's (that is a specific type of pedal made by Shimano, with some clones out there made by other mfg's).

Crank Bro's pedals do not have an adjustment for the amount of force it takes to clip in and out like many other types, *but* in general all Crank Bro's pedals are very easy to clip in and out of - as long as your cleats are installed correctly.

1. Make sure your cleats are well clear of the soles of your shoes. Many shoes made for recessed cleats have a cleat well that is either a bit too small or a bit too deep. You may need to use some of the little spacers that came with your cleats to raise them a bit and/or take an x-acto or box knife and trim away a bit of the rubber from around the cleat to allow it better contact with the pedal. It should not take a huge amount of force to clip into a Crank Bros pedal.

2. Check to see on which side you've installed your cleats. One has a little round dot on it. Which shoe you put that one on will make a difference in the release angle (I don't remember which - but you can go online and get the manual) You will probably want to make sure that the release angle is the least amount of foot turn, and turning out to make it easiest to unclip.