Struggling with new MTB pedals/cleats/shoes combo

[GaryvdM]

So the only cleat systems I've used up to now have been Look and Shamino road cleats. I'm fairly confident with the cleat-in process with these road cleats.

 

I've started doing some MTB riding. I bought my dad's old MTB from him. It's a 1996 Kona AA Mountain Shock. Yes, I know, 26". But I've been having a lot of fun on it on the Spruit. And I've entered my first MTB race: the Delta dash.

 

The bike had bear traps on it. I road with them for a while, but shat my self a few times with my feet coming out on jumps. I then road a few times with my road pedals. I'm much more confident with cleats than with the bear traps. But river crossings in the road shoes are not so lekker, and this is doing a lot of damage to the road cleats. So I went and bought some MTB pedals and shoes.

 

 

So I asked my LBS for a flat + cleat combo pedal because have also been using the bike when I walk the dogs, and I don' t want to have to use a cycling shoe when I do this. (This was maybe a mistake.)

 

At first I could not cleat in at all. After I took the shoes off, and tried to cleat the shoe in while I looked from the bottom, I realized that the shoe treads on the sides of the cleats interfered with the pedal body. So I sanded the treads away where it interfered. I can now cleat in, but it is a slow painstaking process.

 

 

With the road cleats, I find it very easy to get the cleat to find the front of the pedal. I just put my toe on the pedal, and then slide my foot forward. I guess this works with the road cleat because the bottom of the shoe is flat. With the MTB pedals/cleats/shoes combo I bought, this does not work, cause of the treads on the shoe, and the bits of the pedal that makes it also a flat pedal. So when I try cleat in, it's a hit and miss process of trying to find the exact right place. And when I get it wrong, it's either a case of the metal and metal grinding together, or the something on the shoe hooks on the the pedal.

 

In addition, I've had the shoe uncleat unexpectedly. (I have the pedal tension set in the middle of the range.)

 

So I'm trying to work out where I have gone wrong. Have I bought the wrong type of pedal and cleat, or the wrong type of shoe, or the wrong type of pedal, cleat and shoe? Or do I just need to persist with it?

[jaaki]

That looks like a big struggle, you've sanded down a section of the tread were the pedal sits when clipped in, but remember that it needs to slide in as well.

 

Personally I would ditch the pedals and go for just the spd type and ride with the shoes when taking the dogs out. Makes bunny hopping over the dogs easier too.

Edited March 10, 2014 by jaaki

[camelman]

That looks like a big struggle, you've sanded down a section of the tread were the pedal sits when clipped in, but remember that it needs to slide in as well.

 

I agree with Jaaki's observation that it needs to slide in and that might be where you have hassles too. If you were to ditch them and want something with a bigger platform, try the Shimano XT trail pedals. Still the same SPD design on both side of the pedal, but it has a cage around it that would make riding with you tekkies easier. It is also a great help if you can't get your foot in and you are already on the downhill

[NicoBoshoff]

Ok don't want to hi-jack, but I reckon it's relevant to the thread.

 

I've been starting to experience some serious cramping in my feet, especially on long descents where you are out the saddle and shifting weight a lot.

 

I experienced this with flats and spd's. I ran 5-10's and now Shimano AM45's, both giving me the problem.

 

So is it a shoe / tightening thing or physiological or riding style?

 

I tried shifting the cleat all the way forward and in line with the big toe since the cramping is on the outside of my feet, but this did nothing to improve it.

[Tumbleweed]

Look for a set of these Shimano M424 pedals. The cleat is angled up to clip in, but flattens down it you ride with a takkie.

 

[Guest Omega Man]

Look for a set of these Shimano M424 pedals. The cleat is angled up to clip in, but flattens down it you ride with a takkie.

 

Ja those and DX's. Even tho DX's aren't cheap.

 

@ the OP. Please don't take offence. I had a set of those dual sided pedals and for the life of me I could only get them to work with the cleat they came with. Those type of pedals are usually pretty low rent and don't have the same tolerances as a Shimano so if you are running a Shimano cleat on those pedals that might be the cause of some of your troubles.

[LazyTrailRider]

Look for a set of these Shimano M424 pedals. The cleat is angled up to clip in, but flattens down it you ride with a takkie.

 

 

Yep, these or DXs.

 

You'll continue to struggle with the set you have, they're designed for "touring" use on the road, and not for constant varied clipping-in/out action. That, and the fixed cage design makes for a horrible shoe/cleat interface.

[eddy]

 

But I've been having a lot of fun on it on the Spruit.

 

 

 

 

Personally I would ditch the pedals and go for just the spd type and ride with the shoes when taking the dogs out. Makes bunny hopping over the dogs easier too.

 

He rides on the spruit, You may not ride there unless you can bunny hop wearing flats.

[ALLMTB]

If you really want to keep the pedals you currently have, why don't you get some cleat shims/spacers and 'raise' the cleat a bit? It will give you more clearance between the tread of the shoe and the pedal body.

 

Something like:

 

http://www.shimano-lifestylegear.com/gl/fw/products/accessory/cleat.php

[droo]

Half and half pedals are a waste of time. Rather walk your animals in your MTB shoes - how much time do you actually spend off the bike anyway?

[NicoBoshoff]

So no advice on the cramps?

[Letum911]

@Nico in terms of the cramps try move your cleat on the shoe forward or back, I had the same problems but since I moved the cleat no issues!!

[NicoBoshoff]

@Nico in terms of the cramps try move your cleat on the shoe forward or back, I had the same problems but since I moved the cleat no issues!!

Yeah I moved it forward and to one side thinking that would move all the weight to the ball of my foot and inside, but it didn't help. Perhaps I need to do the opposite to force my outside foot onto the pedal.

[Brian Fantana]

Yeah I moved it forward and to one side thinking that would move all the weight to the ball of my foot and inside, but it didn't help. Perhaps I need to do the opposite to force my outside foot onto the pedal.

 

Perhaps you are already doing it, but I have found that dipping my heels and keeping my knees slightly bent on long descents, removes a lot of tension from my legs and feet. Tension in your foot muscles might be the cause of the cramps.

[NicoBoshoff]

Perhaps you are already doing it, but I have found that dipping my heels and keeping my knees slightly bent on long descents, removes a lot of tension from my legs and feet. Tension in your foot muscles might be the cause of the cramps.

 

Yes it's precisely when I'm in the "attack" position that my feet freak out. I suspect that with no pedal under the outside of my foot it's causing my feet to tense up, so I'll try the cleat on the opposite extreme and see if that helps.

[GaryvdM]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm going to first try make the existing setup work by sanding a bit more of the tread away, so that the cleat can slide in, if that fails, I'll try raise the cleat with a spacer. If that fails, I'll get non dual pedals.

 

@ the OP. Please don't take offence. I had a set of those dual sided pedals and for the life of me I could only get them to work with the cleat they came with. Those type of pedals are usually pretty low rent and don't have the same tolerances as a Shimano so if you are running a Shimano cleat on those pedals that might be the cause of some of your troubles.

 

The cleats are the one's that came with the pedal. It's a Ryder pedal. They advertise that the cleat is SPD compatible, so thats why it look like the Shamino cleat.