New to using cleats and recently fitted SPD324 (flat/cleat dual-sided pedals - Shimano PD-M324 Pedal Reviews ) to my eBike, and the recommended SH-56 SPD multi-directional release cleats (Shimano Cleats SM-SH56 | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com ) to Shimano MTB shoes.
This evening when I was turning into the driveway at home, right cleat would not release from the pedal and appeared jammed. I managed to stabilise without falling but had to remove the shoe (still attached to the pedal) to get off the bike. Nothing I tried using movement in any direction would shift the shoe from the pedal.
When I looked at the shoe, it seemed one of the cleat bolts had come loose / detached from the cleat hole, so the cleat was only attached to the shoe with one of the 2 bolts. I had used the cleat adaptor as per the instructions which came with the pedals when fitting the cleat to the shoe, but it did seem that the bolts were only just long enough to engage with the holes .. there didn't seem much engagement of the thread (but there is ample if you remove the cleat adaptor).
Long story short, managed to get the shoe off the cleat by twisting it round and then had to use tools to release the cleat from the pedal. The whole thing's made me a bit nervous about the system, but I do want to stick with using cleats and the shoes are a really good fit for me.
Does anyone have any experience to share on these sorts of problems with this system and whether it's safe to mount the cleats with no adaptor (the plate which sits under the bolts) ? Also whether it's normal for this sort of cleat to feel stiff at first (needing wearing in) or whether I should loosen the spring on the pedals.
Tried to get 3 local bike shops to explain more about fitting or let me test the pedals on a demo bike, but they seemed surprisingly unfamiliar with the SPD system (despite selling the pedals, cleats and shoes) and no-one had any facility for trying them out without buying. None of the shops carried shoes in my size range to try on (tried several models before finding the ones which were a good fit), so wound up having to buy off mail order (definitely no cheaper with the number of pairs which went back !!). So unfortunately all this also means no local dealer to consult.
Any help would be appreciated.
This evening when I was turning into the driveway at home, right cleat would not release from the pedal and appeared jammed. I managed to stabilise without falling but had to remove the shoe (still attached to the pedal) to get off the bike. Nothing I tried using movement in any direction would shift the shoe from the pedal.
When I looked at the shoe, it seemed one of the cleat bolts had come loose / detached from the cleat hole, so the cleat was only attached to the shoe with one of the 2 bolts. I had used the cleat adaptor as per the instructions which came with the pedals when fitting the cleat to the shoe, but it did seem that the bolts were only just long enough to engage with the holes .. there didn't seem much engagement of the thread (but there is ample if you remove the cleat adaptor).
Long story short, managed to get the shoe off the cleat by twisting it round and then had to use tools to release the cleat from the pedal. The whole thing's made me a bit nervous about the system, but I do want to stick with using cleats and the shoes are a really good fit for me.
Does anyone have any experience to share on these sorts of problems with this system and whether it's safe to mount the cleats with no adaptor (the plate which sits under the bolts) ? Also whether it's normal for this sort of cleat to feel stiff at first (needing wearing in) or whether I should loosen the spring on the pedals.
Tried to get 3 local bike shops to explain more about fitting or let me test the pedals on a demo bike, but they seemed surprisingly unfamiliar with the SPD system (despite selling the pedals, cleats and shoes) and no-one had any facility for trying them out without buying. None of the shops carried shoes in my size range to try on (tried several models before finding the ones which were a good fit), so wound up having to buy off mail order (definitely no cheaper with the number of pairs which went back !!). So unfortunately all this also means no local dealer to consult.
Any help would be appreciated.
Sounds like that's what caused the problem. The threads were insufficiently engaged, so bolt attaching the cleat to the shoe came away as a result. Woops indeed - had a lucky escape there all in all, methinks. Won't make that mistake again 
