Daftest Question so far

Slowboy2

This might seem to be the stupidest question ever asked.
On Sunday I was out on my bike on which I have spd pedals. One of the bolts that holds the cleat into the shoe fell out as I was riding. This means that I can't twist the shoe and get it to disengage from the pedal as the shoe moves but the cleat remains still The only way to detatch myself from the bike was to undo the shoe and pop my foot out; much to the amusement of the people in the garage when I stopped to top up my drinks bottle.
There must be some way of separating the pedal and shoe so that I can put in new bolts. Any ideas?

Pseudonym

screwdriver - be firm with it....

Keith1983

undo all of the bolts so you're left with the pedal with the cleat in, then grab it with some pliers or something and twist it so it comes out. Just make sure you grab as much material on the cleat as possible so you don't just chew the plastic up.

JimboM

Have you set the release tension on the pedal to minimum to help get the cleat out ?

Pseudonym

Keith1983 wrote:

undo all of the bolts so you're left with the pedal with the cleat in, then grab it with some pliers or something and twist it so it comes out. Just make sure you grab as much material on the cleat as possible so you don't just chew the plastic up.

none of that is necessary. just lever a screwdriver between the cleat and the pedal and it will be out in a few seconds...

Slowboy2

Thanks all. I guess the first course of action is the unsubtle scredriver option. I'll have a go when I get home.

supergrass

same thing happened to me, not much fun when you are trying to unclip at a set of lights. but exactally what Pseudonym says got mine out... screwdriver and a bit of force...

CambsNewbie

I've had exactly the same thing happen.. Decided I was going to ride to work (13 miles) so got up early at 5am, dressed and out the door by 5:30am and started riding..

A nice beautiful early summer morning.. Sun was coming up, really enjoying myself when I noticed my right shoe was feeling loose and had a lot of movement in it.. Progressively got worse and worse until it felt like I could put any pressure on it. I was only about halfway with a long 14% hill to come so thought I'd better stop and see what's going on. Slowed down to pull over and realised with shock and panic I couldn't get my shoe off the pedal! Didn't have the presence of mind to think to take my foot out the shoe, just panicked! Managed to wobble to halt and grabbed a road sign. Realised what had happened but then had a dilema.. Was almost exactly halfway.. Do I call in to work and get someone to come and pick me up and suffer the huge embarrassment or call other half at home and get them to pick me up, get me home, get changed and drive to work as if nothing had happened?

Decide on later as less of two evils and still made it in to work on time! And now learnt to check the bolts are tight in the cleats before going out on every ride!

Slowboy2

The screwdriver worked. Thanks for your help. As CambsNewbie says, I'll be checking the bolts before I go out from now on. I guess a bit of loctite wouldn't hurt either.