Which mtb pedals?

[eala]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

I'm really quite surprised that so few have experienced some vertical slack in their SPD to cleat interface. How tight are you making the bindings? Wear is a normal thing and I've found this happens to all model of SPD, ATAC or other binding mechanism. The same happens with road pedals whether SPD-R, iClic, Look or Speedplay.

Or are you using those trail sneakers like look takkies with firm rubber soles that can compress quite a bit? I'm genuinely interested to understand how you're avoiding this vertical play

Maybe the cleat is to high on the shoe .I screw them directly on the sole and never use the plate that comes with the set .I screw them in and heat them with a hair dryer so that the cleat melts slightly into the sole .Then tighten them again .Make sure the cleat is not the M type that has multiple release areas ,including vertical

Edited October 17, 2022 by eala

[Jewbacca]

I'm with Diesel....

 

On my carbon soled dance slippers I have had plenty of ticky tacky vertical play with all sorts of Shimano pedals.

The deep recessed skate shoe enduro bro shoes seem to be better as the sole rests on the cage and eliminated this better.

In my very humble opinion it comes down to pedal/shoe interface, not just worn cleats. If the sole isn't resting on the pedal cage/platform creating a small amount of tension in the mechanism, you will get that play.

I found my old Giro Empire lace ups have that play, my Spez XC pro have that play, but the Giro terraduro do not. 

This is across race pedals and caged ones.

 

[Mtbiker404]

2 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

I'm really quite surprised that so few have experienced some vertical slack in their SPD to cleat interface. I'm genuinely interested to understand how you're avoiding this vertical play

We avoid it by not properly pedaling in circles. I have even read marketing material stating the vertical play as a feature. To me, vertical play at the cleat is catastrophic failure in pedal design, and I have never felt a Shimano pedal with no vertical play.

[Mtbiker404]

I would like to know if the vertical play is specific to Shimano or all SPD pedals. I suspect all SPDs suffer this, but then Nino was using Ritchey SPDs, and I doubt that the mtb master will be found pushing pedals with vertical play.

[SwissVan]

4 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Or you could try Time atac pedals. I've been using them for many, many years and have never had a problem.

I’ll second this

i have time atac pedals on all my bikes (including my road and tri bike). They are like Toyotas, just keep on going…..

Bought some shimano XT pedals about a year or 2 ago, not sure what I was thinking…. They are still in the box. 
 

i have noticed that the atacs are not stocked in the bike shops here in chocolate and fondue land, the last time I bought some I had to order them online.

 

[TheoG]

I only use Look S-Track but getting difficult to buy these days.

I experienced non of the play you mention up till now, mine is 100% solid on both my bikes.