spd issue , bad pedals or just me?

blablablacksheep

Having a issue with some pedals i got from CRC

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=54823


Finding it very hard to get into them, getting out is fine, but getting into them seems near impossible, and very very hard,

Mainly hard in the amount of pressure to apple on the foot before having a chance of them going in.

I wondering if the pedals are bad or broken as i know the inside cage is rubbing on the plastic outer thus turning the cage to clip in is a issue but hopefully the plastic will wear away and the cage move more freely.

wondering if they bad pedals or just me being unable to press hard enough to clip in...are m520s this hard too?

CJC105

Should be pretty easy to get into but there's no way of changing the spring strength on CB pedals, just need to get your above the right place then push down hard, don't try and twist your foot in more stamp down on it when you feel the cleat is over the metal part of the pedal.

blablablacksheep

been plying around with them and to be honest i think they just crap pedals now, i managed to ckip in a few times with them but then they seazed up(havnt even been outdoors yet)

once they seazed up just proves i think now in my mind they rubbish as the metal cage just keeps getting stuck on the plastic outer pedal and makes impossible for the cage to move properly it seems.

going to try get refund even thouh they were 15 quid then il get some m520s and will stay the hell away from these in the furtre:)

Atz

They should be fine. I've got 4 pairs of crank bros clipless pedals (3 in this format) and have never had any issues clipping in or out other than when I first got them.

blablablacksheep

tbh the design seems flawed the more i think about it, plastic outer with a metal cage, seems like something waiting to go wrong with them given the metal constantly rubbing along the plastic and seazes up.

Also the metal cage allready wearing down and the smooth metal becoming very abrasive allready(not even used outdoors, just tested indoors) so rather bad quality if that a indication of anything. :roll:

maybe the metal/metal ones are better, but after this i wont be going to risk trying.

then again maybe just CRC sent me a bad batch? who knows...

Atz

There's something wrong. My smarty pedals are 4 years old and don't have the damage you're referring to.

sniper68

blablablacksheep wrote:

been plying around with them and to be honest i think they just crap pedals now, i managed to ckip in a few times with them but then they seazed up(havnt even been outdoors yet)

Either they're broken or it's bad technique.What do you mean by seized and cage rubbing on plastic?If the cage doesn't spin freely then there's a problem.
CBs are the easiest of all clipless to clip in and out of(IMO)I'm going back to them after trying Time atacs.I've got a set of Candy's on my road bike that were on the MTB for 2 years with no issues 8)

dennisn

I'll cast my vote for user error. I know no one wants to hear this but.........
These thing roll off the assembly line all the time and many thousands have been sold.
All to people who are perfectly happy with them. While it's not impossible to get a bad or broken set I still say you've done or are doing something wrong.

blablablacksheep

at first i thought there was something wrong with just mine but reading other reviews online from people they seem to mention the same issue quite a few times in relation to the cage getting stuck on the plastic outer.

At the moment the metal cage hasnt it seems be squared off at the end of the sping section so that the end of it is "angled" and isnt square so it digs into the plastic as it goes around and around.

Also the cage seems very tight and doesnt open at all, so getting clipped in is a nightmare, many times i even do manage to get clipped in, afterwoods it seazes up and the cage doesnt even move at all.

Then results in using a screw driver to then free it.

Im sure i got a bad batch but looking at the design it just looks bad idea with the plastic+metal together, so like i said it either pure bad pair of pedals and i got unlucky...or it just bad design for the candy Xs..

il try post a picture soon showing the main issue with cage, untill then i sent a messgae to CRC about returns but i dout il get a replacement or a refund(even if they were £15 quid still anoying)

Atz

I think you have the wrong idea about the cage and how much it's supposed to open. If you could move it with your hands it'd already be useless as each time you moved your foot, lets say to pedal for example, your foot would come off the pedal.

Most of the pedals are metal and plastic and they are fine. It's entirely possible you have a bad pair, but I would imagine you're mostly doing something a bit funny because you're not used to them

sniper68

Atz wrote:

I think you have the wrong idea about the cage and how much it's supposed to open. If you could move it with your hands it'd already be useless as each time you moved your foot, lets say to pedal for example, your foot would come off the pedal.

My mallets are 2 years old and I still can't move the cage with my hands and they're as loose as Feck for clipping in

Atz

Exactamundo

blablablacksheep

MAin issue is that i can clearly see that the pedal cage hasnt been square off at the ends of the springs so that it digs into the plastic as the cage moves this is why ithink it such a pain to clip into.

Cage metal also like i said allready very worn and given it classed as hard metal i wouldnt expect it to be allready razor sharp and hard to the touch, nearly cut myself --.--

i relise they are 09 pedals and were pretty cheap but after hearing from you guys with the same candy Xs i think il try get a replacements from CRC and try call them up as this seems just a bad bunch of pedals,

NatoED

CRC send out some bad stuff. My mate got a pair of formular oro brakes that were
1. OEM (they had it stamped on the inside of the lever clamp ) so they had been taken off a bike and had no packaging or instructions. they jut turned up in a plastic bag.
2. Had leaky seals .
3. light damage to the calliper boddy.

we sent them back to sort out the seals . 2 weeks later he got them back and they still leaked. He sent them back again and 2 weeks still came back with the same fault. So we sorted out the seals ourselves . The seals were practically dust inside the calliper and the fluid was black with the rubber seals . They were sold as a "sale" item .

This wasn't a fault with formular and the brakes are great now it was CRC . From my experience with Crank brothers they are all well designed and easy to clip in and out off. I think CRC have sent you a pair of lemons and you should have sent them back straight away .

blablablacksheep

just trying to get though to them is the problem...given that they claim returns within 7 days it very unlikely that going to happen, given their constantly not there or reply to emails..

hopefully i can get though and get the pedals replaced free of charge/probally have to pay postage, then again i dont have the orginal box..(who does with CRC when they super glue the huge box together ) :roll:

Atz

NatoED wrote:

...
1. OEM (they had it stamped on the inside of the lever clamp ) so they had been taken off a bike and had no packaging or instructions.

OEM doesn't necessarily mean they've been taken off a bike. It may just mean they bought stock which isn't retail packaged which had been intended for bike builders.

DoodleUK

Maybe abit late in replying to this but i initially had similar problems with the same pedals. I went from using Shimano SPD pedals to these as i thought they were a bargain and like the crank brothers different design. I must say that now they are brilliant and exactly what i expected and had read about but at first they were not. Have you tried using the included plastic shims to ensure that the sole of the shoe is not preventing clipping in with ease as per the instructions? Also once you have ensured that it is not down to contact of the shoe sole with the pedal platform give them chance to bed in; the springs willl ease up and the cleats will wear down making it far easier to clip without really trying. This is what i have noticed anyway and im sure they feel very different now after a few weeks of use than they did when i first installed them on the bike.

NatoED

Atz wrote:

NatoED wrote:

...
1. OEM (they had it stamped on the inside of the lever clamp ) so they had been taken off a bike and had no packaging or instructions.

OEM doesn't necessarily mean they've been taken off a bike. It may just mean they bought stock which isn't retail packaged which had been intended for bike builders.

possibly but the worn look on the bolts , scuffs and chips would say otherwise. plus even formula OEM stuff comes in a light form of packaging and instructions. when it turns up in a freezer bag with damaged seals you have to start wondering.

He did ask for a refund as they only cost £100 not the £180 rrp and the seals only cost £3 ,chain reaction gave him a £20 voucher and refunded his shipping.