Creaking SPD cleats and shoes

ChrisLS

...fitted new cleats to new shoes and they are creaking a lot...anyone had this problem and found a solution?

thanks in advance

Chris

caw35slr

Did you grease the bolts? Are you sure it's the cleats and not the pedals?

heavymental

Did you find a solution to this Chris? I'm having a nightmare with my shoes creaking on my SPDs with A520 pedals. Not too bad when spinning but if I climb out of the saddle the noise is awful. Spent a week in the alps creaking my way up every climb. Done 1000 miles on my bike so not a problem with it being new.

My current theory is that its coming from the back of the cleat but not sure what the solution is? A dab of grease is going to wear off after 2 minutes.

dennisn

A bit of lube hear and there on pedals and cleats never hurts. I have seen people
squirting their pedals with chain lube and no ill effects. Also are you sure that you have
pinpointed the squeaking as comiming from your shoes, cleats? It has been my opinion
thank almost all bike noises "SEEM" to come from the bottom bracket, pedal area and then it turrns out to be the saddle or some other weird thing.

Dennis Noward

Lagavulin

I've got a situation with the M540's on my Allez. With my Specialized MTB Expert Carbon shoes they're noisy, but the same shoes are fine with the M520's on my MTB and the XTR M970s on my othe roadie.

However, my Specialized MTB Sport shoes run quietly with both M520snad M540s (haven't tried them on them Izoard). Shoes, cleats or pedals likely to be the instigator?

I suspect it may just be the pedal. When I turn my left foot further inboard on out of the saddle efforts the noise disappears. The problem being the noise occurs at my foots natural postion.

MikeyP

dennisn wrote:

A bit of lube hear and there on pedals and cleats never hurts.

Agree - I have always had this problem with SPD's but the noise will disappear for a week or two if I put some chain lube on the pedal/cleat interfaces; you never know when the problem will resurface (sooner rather than later in wet weather) so I will always lube before a long ride to avoid the problem manifesting itself halfway round. The creaking seems to afflict some and not others, maybe it's influenced by pedalling style.

Once, on a long ride, in desperation and with no chain lube to hand, I even tried an 'in the field' emegency remedy of phlegm on the pedal/cleat interfaces but the solution was very short lived!

Cajun

Take a candle and rub all the contact points of the pedals & cleats... Parafin works wonders.. Don't light & drip the parafin onto the parts, it won't adhere as well....keep in mind that this is only beneficial for a few rides, but it won't attract dirt/dust, etc..... I keep a small piece of candle in my kit, and when I have a little difficulty clipping in, it just takes a minute to 'buff' the contact points with the parafin... and all is well !!!!

heavymental

Ok. I'll try that then. Lube or rubbing a candle on it. I rubbed a candle all over the platform the other day as I thought that was what was causing the noise but didn't try the cleat and mechanisms. I'll try that tonight. Hope it works as its so damn noisy.

ChrisLS

...since first posting I have had success with chain lube on the pedals...thanks for all the replys...

lfoggy

I have the same problem with my SPD pedals and specilaised MTB shoe combination. I squirt WD-40 onto the sole of the shoe and cleats every now and then and that seems to work. The effect lasts a lot longer than I would have predicted as well...

cycologist

lfoggy wrote:

I have the same problem with my SPD pedals and specilaised MTB shoe combination. I squirt WD-40 onto the sole of the shoe and cleats every now and then and that seems to work. The effect lasts a lot longer than I would have predicted as well...

Yep, wd40 or similar works for me too.

tenbar

Give the pedal a good dose of tightening. Worked for me.

xdereksx

I had this problem and was very surprised that simply putting some chain lube on the pedals solved it 100% I cannot even understand why it worked, as the places where I put the lube aren't even, seemingly, in contact with the cleats. But it worked, so I am not complaining.

mercia_man

I too suffer from the dreaded squeak on both double-sided and single-sided SPD pedals with my Sidi Dragon shoes. It is so annoying. After endless playing around with every part of the shoe and cleat, removing, retightening and lubricating, I have finally pinned it down to movement between the pedal platform and the rubber pads either side of the cleat.

I can get rid of the noise briefly on a ride by squirting some water on the shoe/pedal interface or scuffing my soles on dirt and gravel at the side of the road. A light smear of grease on the pedal before a ride lasts much longer.

keef66

First may I congratulate you for digging up a thread that's over 10 years old. Top archaeology!

FWIW I discovered quite by chance that squeaky SPDs can be silenced by occasionally squirting the pedals with a bit of furniture polish, wax based if possible. The effect lasts quite a while, it protects the pedal from corrosion and lubricates the mechanism, and it makes your bike smell lovely! And it doesn't transfer anything to the sole of your shoes so there's no risk of slipping or mucking up your carpets

mercia_man

That sounds great, keef! Will try it out on my next ride. Don’t have spray but do have wax polish in a tin which may be even more effective.

keef66

My wife used to do some commercial cleaning jobs and dumped her old gear in the garage, and I happened to spot a can spray can of beeswax polish at the same time I was pondering my squeaky pedals. One of those genuine lightbulb moments.

Ben6899

Bees wax on mating surfaces.

david7m

I've been suffering this and was driving me mad!
Took a utility knife to the sole and removed some of the plastic surrounding the cleat and it's now silent. They are Specialized shoes with tread for walking, mtb style cleat and used on road bike.
Loads of float now which I don't like.
Dave