Squeaky Left SPD Pedal

Tegglington
Tegglington Posts: 65
edited March 2014 in Workshop
Good Morning All,

A little advice needed, and thought this was the best place to ask!

I have been riding my giant Defy 1 all winter with SPD's, I commute as well as ride at the weekends, I've done around 1500 miles since September and my left pedal has begun to squeak (the foot I un-clip first), after some inspection its looking a rather disturbing shade of orange in some places, they are Shimano M540's and have done me really well, this is the first issue I've had with them.

Is it time to replace them? I have found that spraying them with GT85 stops the squeak but only for a few rides. Or is there a grease/better product for helping the pedals last a bit longer?

Thanks!

Warren

Comments

  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    I think all my SPD pedals over the years have ended up squeaking on the left after a while. As you say, spraying something like GT85 or smearing with a bit of chain oil reduces it for a short time. The only cure I have found is to fit new cleats or switch the old cleats round from one foot to the other.

    I don't think you need new pedals. I reckon it's cleat wear.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Light smear of grease on the retention mechanism every once in a while. Then remember to take your shoes off before you leave splodges on the carpet.
  • Tegglington
    Tegglington Posts: 65
    That's odd, I have just recently bought new shoes, which I bought new cleats for. I've only been wearing the new shoes and cleats for around a month. Will try the ol' switcheroo on the cleats and see if that helps.

    would it be beneficial to tighten up the tension on the SPD's ?
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    Tightening up the tension a bit may help.

    Another possibility is that your new shoes might be rubbing and causing the squeak. I have sometimes had to cut away the rubber around the cleat recess with a sharp knife so that the shoe fits better on the pedal. The orange marks may be an indication of where the shoes are rubbing.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Bane of my life is squeaky SPDs/shoes!

    It moves from left to right, side of the pedal changes from time to time, different shoes squeek on different days - I can never pin-point the exact cause (shoe, pedal, cleat)

    GT85 and grease does help for sure. But the squeaks come back on long rides.

    I mostly live with it, usually only one side of one pedal is squeaking at any one time for me - so I avoid that side of that pedal.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Increase the pedal tension and lube the pedal where the cleat sits. I've suffered the same fate and lubing helps as does keeping my feet still on the pedals. I forced my foot out to the extreme of the cleat movement and had a silent few rotations of the crank.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • ex-pat scot
    ex-pat scot Posts: 939
    cleats. Same annoying squeak on all my bikes.
    Commute: Langster -Singlecross - Brompton S2-LX

    Road: 95 Trek 5500 -Look 695 Aerolight eTap - Boardman TTe eTap

    Offroad: Pace RC200 - Dawes Kickback 2 tandem - Tricross - Boardman CXR9.8 - Ridley x-fire
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,663
    Nice to see others have the same problem and use the same solution! GT85.
  • freezing77
    freezing77 Posts: 731
    Try furniture polish for a change, seems to last longer than gt85. Dries and leaves the silicone lubricant behind.
  • Tegglington
    Tegglington Posts: 65
    Thanks All! Very much appreciated! glad its not the pedals!
  • blackpoolkev
    blackpoolkev Posts: 474
    Don't discount a loose crank.It's a problem that I've recently dealt with. If you find that the crank is even slightly loose then apply some "thread lock" before re-tightening.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thread-locker-Medium-Strength-Blue/dp/B0045UQ8GQ/ref=pd_cp_diy_0
  • littledove44
    littledove44 Posts: 871
    I use SPD's on all my bikes and have covered about 5000km on them since starting last august.

    My pedals never, ever squeak. I spray them with GT85 after every ride if they got wet, or weekly if it is dry.

    Occasionally I have heard a squeak from one of my shoes, but they are a stupid pair of Spesh MTB shoes and are made of a horrible white patent leather stuff. Soon to be assigned to the bin I think.

    If my pedals squeaked they would get soaked overnight in loads of GT85. If they ever squeaked again they would join the shoes.

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