first crash... do I need to replace my shoes?

[Bike Chick]

My goodness!!! Are you okay and how does your ankle feel? I can't imagine the force it would take to rip the cleat out of your shoe and not hurt your leg, ankle or foot!

I wonder if the threads got stripped out of the bottom of your shoe when the cleat was torn loose?

[loopybunny]

My goodness!!! Are you okay and how does your ankle feel? I can't imagine the force it would take to rip the cleat out of your shoe and not hurt your leg, ankle or foot!

I wonder if the threads got stripped out of the bottom of your shoe when the cleat was torn loose?

I'm more or less okay. I taped up my knee before the ride and the RockTape actually prevented road rash. Only minor scratches. I must have put my hand down because my thumb hurts a little bit, but nothing serious.

It is possible that not all of the screws were in tightly or something.

The guy at the LBS said my shoes & cleats showed higher than average wear considering I've only had them since April. They have just under 1000km of use.

[TrekTheKaty]

Maybe I'm confusing skiing with cycling, but I think your cleat should separate from your pedals (not your shoe) when you wreck. That could cause injury.

When was the last time you had tightened your cleats? Mine need to be adjusted occasionally.

I wouldn't be worried about your shoes, but I would be worried about the set up on your pedals.

[Cataboo]

It sounds to me like her cleat just crumbled and broke around the screws on the shoes - which may mean that the release setting on her pedal is a bit high - or something was wrong with the cleat. I don't think I'd be worried about the shoe though and am glad that she's not too badly injured.

[malkin]

Glad you are ok.

Go ahead and ride with your shoes a while. Shoes aren't protective in the same way as a helmet, so there isn't the same issue with replacement after a crash.

I think you'll be able to tell if your shoes are wrecked. They won't feel right any more.

[Aggie_Ama]

I have never heard of shoes being compromised because of a wreck, except maybe the stiffness of the sole. Or maybe the bolt holes would be stripped but it doesn't sound like the screws/bolts that attach to your shoes were even part of the issue.

Did you install the cleats or the LBS? If you did maybe they can go over what might of caused it. If it was the LBS I would personally make sure another employee did it. Not that people can't have a bad day but I would keep wondering on my new cleats! Glad you're okay, that is the important part.

[aicabsolut]

The only thing I can think of is that you stripped the threads. Since the cleat was screwed into a separate plate, then I'd think the only thing you could have stripped would be the threads in the screw holes on that plate. (BTW if you damage the ones in your shoes, they are likely replaceable). Unless you had some kind of impact to a non-replaceable part of the shoe (such as breaking a carbon sole), then the shoes should be fine.

I'm the most concerned with why your cleat didn't release before being ripped off the plate. It's not that uncommon to break a composite cleat with the right kind of fall, but I've never seen Speedplays do what yours did.