I am new to using bicycle shoes and cleats on my road bike, and after just a few uses the cleats have worn apart. It looks as though they have almost melted.
I was wearing these in Richmond park at the weekend and was walking over some gravel. Is likely to have caused the issue? It hasn’t been particularly hot so I am concerned why this has happened. Has this happened to anyone else before? Thanks in advance.
by gsteer21
9 Comments
How long were you walking in them?
Its the walking on gravel part. Its pretty soft plastic.
gravel/asphalt is harder than the plastic used for these cleats. so this is inevitable for the cleats to end up worn-out as long as you are walking around on these surfaces
just normal wear and tear. That is likely the side you unclipped. That side wears out faster.
BEFORE you replace the cleats get a sharp and outline the cleat so you know where to re set them. Make sure you get the yellow ones which have a 6 degree float aka movement.
They aren’t made for walking. The cleats are made of soft plastic. Cheap to replace but getting the same fit/dialed in is usually a pain
Another thing to check – are they genuine cleats? I’ve seen it mentioned that the counterfeits are nowhere near as well made. I assume if everything is new they came with the pedals and are genuine.
they’re not designed to be walked on gravel, or be walked at all
Too much walking in them.
If I know I have to walk any distance during a ride I make sure I’m using MTB SPD pedals with recessed metal cleats on my shoes. I’ve even used the metal SPD cleats on road shoes (not fun to walk in) in the past.
These plastic cleats are not made to be walked in.
i had to carry my road bike 200 m.o.a. on a fire road and through some gnarly gravel sections for an hour last weekend and they didn’t look like that…